Today I would like to share information with you on the editions that will be available for "Windows 8" when it is released to market. We have talked about Windows 8 as Windows reimagined, from the chipset to the user experience. This also applies to the editions available – we have worked to make it easier for customers to know what edition will work best for them when they purchase a new Windows 8 PC or upgrade their existing PC.

Windows 8 has the flexibility you need - whether you’re on an x86/64 or a WOA PC. You can use a touch screen or a keyboard and mouse – and switch anytime. It’s beautiful, fast, and fluid design is perfect for a wide range of hardware. And you’ll love browsing through the Windows Store and downloading all the apps you want. And those apps can work together too so you can share photos, maps, contacts, links and whatever else you want faster and easier. All editions of Windows 8 offer a no-compromise experience.

First, Windows 8 is the official product name for the next x86/64 editions of Windows.

For PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors (both 32 and 64 bit), we will have two editions: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For many consumers, Windows 8 will be the right choice. It will include all the features above plus an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager, better multi-monitor support and the ability to switch languages on the fly (more details on this feature can be found in this blog post),which was previously only available in Enterprise/Ultimate editions of Windows. For China and a small set of select emerging markets, we will offer a local language-only edition of Windows 8.

Windows 8 Pro is designed to help tech enthusiasts and business/technical professionals obtain a broader set of Windows 8 technologies. It includes all the features in Windows 8 plus features for encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. Windows Media Center will be available as an economical “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro. If you are an enthusiast or you want to use your PC in a business environment, you will want Windows 8 Pro.

Windows RT is the newest member of the Windows family – also known as Windows on ARM or WOA, as we’ve referred to it previously. This single edition will only be available pre-installed on PCs and tablets powered by ARM processors and will help enable new thin and lightweight form factors with impressive battery life. Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For new apps, the focus for Windows RT is development on the new Windows runtime, or WinRT, which we unveiled in September and forms the foundation of a new generation of cloud-enabled, touch-enabled, web-connected apps of all kinds.  For more details on WOA, we suggest reading this blog post which shares more detail on how we have been building Windows 8 to run on the ARM architecture.

The below chart breaks down key features by edition (this list should not be considered an exhaustive list of features):

In the coming months, we plan to share much more information about Windows 8, including details on pricing and limited-time programs and promotions that we will make available to customers. Today, you can check out a preview of Windows 8 for yourself (if you haven’t already done so!).

NOTE: As with previous versions of Windows, we will also have an edition of Windows 8 specifically for those enterprise customers with Software Assurance agreements. Windows 8 Enterprise includes all the features of Windows 8 Pro plus features for IT organization that enable PC management and deployment, advanced security, virtualization, new mobility scenarios, and much more. 

We have said that Windows 8 is a complete reimagination of the Windows operating system. Nothing has been left unexplored, including the Windows logo, to evaluate how it held up to modern PC sensibilities. The Windows logo is a strong and widely recognized mark but when we stepped back and analyzed it, we realized an evolution of our logo would better reflect our Metro style design principles and we also felt there was an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations.

We had a very short list of agencies that we wanted to work with on the redesign of the logo and were thrilled when Pentagram agreed to join us in the project. Pentagram’s illustrious history speaks for itself, but we were particularly attracted to their sense of classic graphic design which fit well with our Metro design principles.

Early in the development cycle for Windows 8, in a conference room on the Microsoft campus, we assembled a kick off meeting with Paula Scher, Michael Beirut and Daniel Weil from Pentagram and a few designers and marketing leaders from Windows and across the company. The team spent a full day sharing some of the Metro style design philosophy; the Windows brand history and values as well as graphic design and technology industry trends.

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle."- George Orwell

That is the feeling we had when Paula Scher (from the renowned Pentagram design agency) showed us her sketches for the new Windows logo.

It’s a window… not a flag

Paula asked us a simple question, “your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?”

In some ways you can trace the evolution of the Windows logo in parallel with the advancements of the technology used to create logos. From the simple two color version in Windows 1.0 to the intricate and detailed renderings in Windows Vista and Windows 7, each change makes sense in the context in which it was created. As computing capabilities increased, so did the use of that horse power to render more colors, better fonts, and more detailed and life-like 3D visual effects like depth, shadows, and materiality. We have evolved from a world of rudimentary low resolution graphics to today’s rich high-resolution systems. And what started as a simple “window” to compliment the product name became a flying or waving flag.

But if you look back to the origins of the logo you see that it really was meant to be a window. "Windows" really is a beautiful metaphor for computing and with the new logo we wanted to celebrate the idea of a window, in perspective. Microsoft and Windows are all about putting technology in people's hands to empower them to find their own perspectives. And that is what the new logo was meant to be. We did less of a re-design and more to return it to its original meaning and bringing Windows back to its roots – reimagining the Windows logo as just that – a window.

Let’s look back at a few of the versions along the way.

Windows 1.0

Few remember the original Windows logo, yet we found it both refreshing and inspiring in relation to the work we have been doing on the Metro style design visuals. Using simple lines and clear straight forward concept, this logo reminded us of what a great and evocative name we have with “windows”.

Windows 3.1

For many of us this was the image in our mind when we think of past Windows logos. The now classic window shape and the introduction of the four colors were hallmarks of the Windows brand for many years to come. The introduction of the “waving effect” gives the logo a sense of motion. This logo would be the basis of the Windows versions throughout the 1990s.

Windows XP

The next major incarnation of the logo came with the release of Windows XP. What has come to be known as the “Windows flag” is a cleaner more sophisticated mark than its predecessors. The version that populated the lower left hand corner of Windows PCs next to the word “Start” also gained a sense of materiality (plastic?) and a 3D effect from the rich gradients and shadows.

Windows Vista

The Windows Vista release marked the beginning of the AERO design aesthetic in Windows with a key component of the interface being the “AERO glass” effect. Replacing the green Start button was the round glass-like button with a now flattened version of the “flag” from Windows XP. Internally, this icon became known as the “pearl”. You can see the intricate lighting effects of the faux glass. In many ways signaling just how powerful of a rendering engine the PC had become. This version of the logo was largely unchanged for Windows 7.

Windows 8

With Windows 8, we approached the logo redesign with a few key goals on mind.

1. We wanted the new logo to be both modern and classic by echoing the International Typographic Style (or Swiss design) that has been a great influence on our Metro style design philosophy. Using bold flat colors and clean lines and shapes, the new logo has the characteristics of way-finding design systems seen in airports and subways.

2. It was important that the new logo carries our Metro principle of being “Authentically Digital”. By that, we mean it does not try to emulate faux-industrial design characteristics such as materiality (glass, wood, plastic, etc.). It has motion – aligning with the fast and fluid style you’ll find throughout Windows 8.

3. Our final goal was for the new logo to be humble, yet confident. Welcoming you in with a slight tilt in perspective and when you change your color, the logo changes to reflect you. It is a “Personal” Computer after all.

We hope you enjoy our new logo.

Sam Moreau
Principal Director of User Experience for Windows

Yesterday at the National Retail Federation (NRF) conference in New York – Samsung announced that the SUR40 for Microsoft Surface is now available and shipping to customers! At CES 2011, we first unveiled Microsoft Surface 2.0 in partnership with Samsung with the SUR40.

This year, the SUR40 won the CES Best of Innovations 2012 award!

The Samsung SUR40 is an interactive multitouch device that is 4-inch thick and has a 40-inch HD LCD screen with gorilla glass bonded to it. It can be used not only as a table but also mounted vertically on a wall or embedded into other fixtures and furniture, creating a dynamic and engaging destination in any environment. Behind the LCD screen is a brand new technology we invented called PixelSense where infrared sensors are placed all across the screen and every single pixel acts like a camera. For more on PixelSense, I suggest reading this blog post from the Microsoft Surface blog and watching the video within the post. The Samsung SUR40 recognizes fingers, hands and other objects - supporting up to 50 points of contact at one time. As mentioned previously, the Samsung SUR40 is powered by Microsoft Surface 2.0.

Estimated Street Pricing for the SUR40 for Microsoft Surface for U.S. customers will start at $8,400 (display only) and $9,049 (tabletop unit with matching stand). Pricing for other countries and/or regions may differ. For information on how to purchase a SUR40 for Microsoft Surface, please visit www.samsung.com/business or call 1-866-SAM4BIZ.

For more information on the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface – see this press release from Samsung which also gives the full specs for the device.

Also: to see Microsoft Surface (and the Samsung SUR40) in action for yourself – watch the below video of Steve Clayton giving a demo of Microsoft Surface at CES last week.

10 years ago this week, Bill Gates sent this Trustworthy Computing (TwC) memo to all employees. The memo called for the company to rethink its approach to products – putting security at the forefront. To capture the journey we’ve made in Trustworthy Computing over the last 10 years – the Trustworthy Computing (or TwC) Team has created this infographic on Microsoft News Center I recommend checking out. You should also read this blog post from the Microsoft Security Blog.

Today, Windows 7 makes it super easy for people to stay safe and secure with their PC. For example Action Center helps make sure a person’s firewall is on (such as the built in Windows Firewall) and if antivirus software is installed and up to date. It will alert you if either of these is not operating as they should. Windows 7 also includes Windows Defender which helps keep a person’s PC protected against spyware and unwanted software. You can also protect your data from theft with BitLocker which encrypts your hard drive. BitLocker-to-Go can be used to encrypt USB thumb drives if you’re storing important data on thumb drives. These are only some of the security features in Windows 7 designed to make your PC safe and secure.

When pairing Windows 7 with the latest release of Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer 9 – a person’s PC is even more safe and secure. For example - according to two reports recently released by NSS Labs, an independent security research and testing organization, tests show IE9 protects against more than 99% of socially engineered malware thanks to features like SmartScreen and Application Reputation (for more – see this blog post on Exploring IE).

And with SmartScreen in Hotmail, as of this last summer we’ve reduced true spam in Hotmail inboxes to less than 3%. And Hotmail has declared war on graymail with new features this last fall.

You can see the results of Trustworthy Computing in Windows today.

The sales for Kinect for the Xbox 360 have been amazing with 18 million sold this last year. The end result has been countless hours of incredible fun with family and friends dancing and playing sports in the confines of their living rooms. Kinect has also opened the door for developers and businesses to create new and innovative experiences through natural user interface (NUI) on the PC. The explosion of imaginative ideas that can be done with Kinect is something we call the Kinect Effect.

And to encourage the expansion of the Kinect Effect, early in 2011 we announced the Kinect for Windows SDK and in November it was announced that a commercial release of Kinect for Windows would happen in early 2012. Today at CES, we are announcing even more details for the commercial release of Kinect for Windows.

Starting on February 1^st, the Kinect for Windows hardware and software package will be available in limited quantities (at first) at a variety of resellers and distributors for the suggested retail price of $249 (U.S.). It will be available in 12 countries - United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and United Kingdom. The price of the Kinect for Windows hardware and software package includes a one-year warranty and access to ongoing software updates for both speech and human tracking. Later in 2012, academic pricing for Qualified Educational Users planned at $149 will be available.

In addition to support for Windows 7, Kinect for Windows will also support the Windows 8 Developer Preview (desktop apps only) which is available for developers to download today at the Windows Dev Center.

For more information on the commercial release of Kinect for Windows, I suggest reading this blog post from the Kinect for Windows Team. Also, check out the Kinect for Windows website.