Windows 8 Tablet reported for CES

It’s being reported that Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer could use his keynote speech at The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month to show off Windows 8 for the first time, according to reports from the New York Times.

He’s expected to show a new “exclusively touch” Windows 8 interface running on a tablet.  This will be a bold move away from the unmodified interface for Windows 7.

The news comes as Ballmer is supposed to be announcing new Windows 7-based tablets at CES, though it’s highly likely that any proprietary touch interface on these will have been added by the tablet manufacturers and not by Microsoft.

While a report by the New York Times must be taken at least a little bit seriously, I’m not going to get all excited at this stage.  It was about this time during the product life-cycle for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that we heard the first details at a conference, though it was a very long time before anybody saw anything concrete and the timing here, CES begins on January 5th, just seems too early to be able to demonstrate a working touch interface.

So exactly what the rumour really means is something we’ll have to wait and see for, I’m sure the next few days will see a lot of speculation about a direct port of the Windows Phone Metro interface to Windows 8 (which is possible in some form).  Windows 8 is not due for release until Q3 / Q4 2012 however and it’s possible that such a revelation now could damage Windows 7 tablet sales in the short-term.

It will certainly be interesting to see the slew of Windows 7 tablets revealed and here’s hoping they actually come to market quickly, unlike the Lenovo netbook / tablet with the detachable screen from last year which caused a huge media storm and then completely failed to come to market.

Windows 8 Tablet reported for CES, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating Tags: CES, new york times, tablet, touch, Windows 8

Category: Windows 7 News, Windows 8

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