“A scouring of Microsoft’s Windows 8 hardware requirements document has uncovered very specific conditions for Windows 8 tablets,” Electronista reports.
“Every slate will need at least a 1366×768 display with five-point multi-touch, ruling out the cheaper displays used on some Windows 7 tablets,” Electronista reports. “In a symbolic change of the times, the company will also require that the familiar Ctrl-Alt-Delete shortcut for managing logins and the OS be replaced with a Windows Key-plus-power command instead.”
Electronista reports, “Tablets will have no more than five buttons beyond any keyboard they might have, including the Windows Key and basic volume, power, and rotation controls. They will also need UEFI firmware where it’s optional on the desktop, at least a 720p camera, and a host of sensors for movement and light. At least Bluetooth 4.0 and one “exposed” USB 2.0 port will be present…”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Better to set some minimum standards than to have none at all.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Ho Hum!
in other news, microsoft dictates that the weather be good
Like it or a hate it it’s nice to see Microsoft setting a minimum user experience. If only they did the same on their Desktop versions, then at least you would have more user consistency.
Microsoft – maximum garbage for minimum user experience
The USB port is comming to tablet, would be good to couple a wifi drive, let the competition start.
No Ctrl-Alt-Delete!? That’s tragic! I hope they can still shut down using the “Start” menu. Windows users will be lost if their tablets have any hint of a logical or user-friendly interface.
If it does not have ctrl-alt-del, it is not real Windows. On this case I am not buying one.
No Ctrl-Alt-Del, huh…
Does that mean no Blue Screen of Death but rather Blue Slab of Dread?!
Ctrl-Alt-Del…a pain by any other name…
(with apologies to Billy Shakespear)
Having already used blue and red they are moving on to the last primary color – yellow. I can’t wait for the green, orange, and purple screens of death.
“the OS be replaced with a Windows Key-plus-power command instead.”
Electronista reports, “Tablets will have no more than five buttons beyond any keyboard they might have, including the Windows Key and basic volume, power, and rotation controls. ”
Isn’t that the iPad setup? A Home Button is now remapped to a “Windows Key”, a volume rocker, a power button and a rotation switch. And, isn’t the reboot command, a combo of Home key and power button, which is exactly what they’ve done with a “Windows key” and power button combo.
I guess shameless copying is the order of the day.
good point.
The real shortcut for Ctrl alt delete will be just to bang your head against the thing untill it reboots or smashes into little bits.
Pretty standard windows user experience imho.
Winning!
The Chief
Guys, don’t you know? The “Ctrl Alt Delete” will still be there. You just turn the tablet face-down and shake it vigorously and its motion sensor will read that as “Ctrl Alt Delete”. Mind you, it is Winderz so it’ll likely not know the difference between being shaken face side up or face side down. Imagine, there’s the poor slob working away on his tablet in a Starbucks and somebody “accidentally” bumps into him and deletes all the work he’s done ’cause Auto-Save isn’t quite working yet! BWA-HA-HA-HA!
Hmm, they lifted that idea from Etch-a-Sketch. Do they have any original ideas? LOL!
Hey Stevie is getting rid of Ctrl-alt-delete and going to Windoze Key-plus-power command for a good reason-psycological warfare! Windoze Key +Power=Windoze Power on the subliminal level. Just think of all the times that particular combination of keys will be used! In no time the masses will be brainwashed to equate Windoze with Power! Fiendishly clever of Stevie Balmy to change the Key combination. 🙂
Electronista reports, “Tablets will have no more than five buttons beyond any keyboard they might have, including the Windows Key and basic volume, power, and rotation controls. ”
So based on this, some tablets will have a full 80 key keyboard, plus no more than 5 buttons???
My minimum tablet requirement is an iPad. That leaves out W8 products, I’m afraid. Gimme an iPad 3, now!
They forgot the most important basic requirement…
To use any version on Windows you have to be a MORON!
YES! This will fix all Windows problems….
Ctrl-Alt-Del was invented at the end of 70s. At the time, Jimmy Carter was the American president; Valéry Giscard d’Estaing was the French president, and Margaret Thacher just got elected as the UK Prime Minister. Some 32 years had passed. And Microsoft’s desktop computers will surely continue to use Ctrl-Alt-Del until they are extinct (likely, a few years from now). Leave it to Microsoft to extend legacy support three decades back…
Busy churning out even more unwanted plastic slabs for the next big walmart firesale. Good luck editing that crappy registry with a half-arsed touchscreen keyboard.