Microsoft brings Full Windows to ARM chipsets, somewhat missing the point

January 5, 2011 | By Surur

Microsoft demonstrating ARM PC's can print, ignoring iPads can also print.

Microsoft has announced they have ported the full desktop Windows OS to ARM chipsets, hoping to create smaller, thinner, cheaper and more reliable Windows devices with better battery life, suitable for tablets and slates.

At a press conference Microsoft demonstrated the next version of Windows running on new SoC platforms from Intel running on x86 architecture and from NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments on ARM architecture. The technology demonstration included Windows client support across a range of scenarios, such as hardware-accelerated graphics and media playback, hardware-accelerated Web browsing with the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer, USB device support, printing and other features customers have come to expect from their computing experience.

While Microsoft touts the new technology as a demonstration of desktop Windows flexibility and resilience in a changing computing world, it seems Microsoft has largely missed the point of the new mobility revolution – its not about the OS, its about the user interface, of the OS and the applications.

Microsoft showed of a full version of Microsoft Word printing from the new ARM-based OS, demonstrating printer drivers working with the ARM instruction set. The demo was more a demonstration of last century thinking – in 2010 printing may be one of the least important features of a mobile device, and iPads can print in any case.

While Qualcomm, Nvidia and TI may be very excited in possibly supplanting Intel in the future, I would personally have been much more excited by a new user interface showing tasks mobile users want to do in real life, while walking or standing, not sitting at a desk working.

Showing that Microsoft are still driven by engineers rather than designers, Microsoft’s Sinofsky said in response to a question:

I don’t think there’s anything particularly uniquely challenging of designing a touch interface? We just want to make sure we do a good job designing this for these form factors.

The question is of course why we need full windows, with all its sub-systems, on mobile devices. Why do we need to connect to printers? Why should we be able to run legacy apps without touch-optimised user interfaces?

The truth is that tablets are companion devices, and do not need the Windows desktop legacy, which only bring negatives. That is truly missing the point and the opportunity to start over- right.

See Microsoft’s press release here.

Photo from Long Zheng’s Flickr stream.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged arm, tablets, windows 7

john

yeah BUT they didnt show anything about the UI of Windows8 so they haven't really missed the point because they didnt talk about it!

http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

The point is that for a touch driven UI there is no point in running old applications, and if there is no point in running old applications, why use full Windows. If its for Driver support, that is a really stupid reason, when the number of tasks than one attempts while mobile are so much less and therefore need much less extensibility.

Truly mobile is a new world, and does not need a legacy OS.

Ravin

Oh my.

What they have shown today is architecture not user interface.

They have also said x86 programmes will not run on ARM.

I understand that mobile devices are more about the interface now but we haven't actually seen anything yet!

Unless you've had some exclusive on Windows 8 this article is jumping to a ridiculous conclusion.

OOOO

i think microsoft has something special hidden somewhere.

ballmer said windows 8 is their riskiest product ever. it wont be the same UI as the desktop windows. this will be something crazy. possibly modular so they can change it for different form factors.
TechPuff

Read the Q&A with Sinofsky, here is quote, still more to come it seems….

"Today’s demonstration represents the first showing of the next release of Windows. We know many of our most enthusiastic supporters are interested in learning more about the user interface, programming APIs, and other new features to come in Windows. The announcement today is just the start of our dialog with a broad community around Windows and, as with Windows 7, we will be engaging in the broadest pre-release program of any operating system. So there is a lot more to come."

interframe

Please don't jump to conclusions. There is an entire group within the Windows team called the "Windows Experience" (or WEX) that forces solely on User Experience design. Microsoft knows very well and has heard loud and clear that people want a user experience designed for the form factor. And I didn't see that quote from Sinofsky anywhere else.

Disappointed in this poor journalism from WMPoweruser.

http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

Quote from this liveblog here. http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027101-283.htm…

http://twitter.com/AaronCT123 @AaronCT123

Kind of quick on the draw aren't we? They're bringing the -next- version of Windows to ARM- not Windows 7- and we have no idea what that will be like or how finger-friendly/suitable for a tablet it will be.

zzz

They said it will have dual UIs — one for touch based tablet and another for traditional desktop. I expect the ARM version of OS will be a stripped down version without all the bells and whistles. I heard MS has or will componentize the OS to allow for this. Note that MS said the ARM port is not just for tablets!

Thmoas

That's just speculation so far. No official word from ms yet, but it seems pretty plausible.

efjay

This demo was focused solely on the hardware, and they specifically mentioned they would not be demoing the new UI for the next version of Windows. Think its time for a lie down, pet.
http://pauloflaherty.com Paul OFlaherty

Have to agree with John here. They specifically said they were talking about engineering and not form factors with this demonstration. UI's will come too (might we see some during Ballmer's time on stage tonight??) and I wouldn't be surprised to see modularization of Windows 8 as well so that tablet manufactures can leave out the parts they don't need.

Also, this might see a tightening of requirements (similar to WP7 handsets) for tablet manufacturers.
http://www.martinschmidler.com martinschmidler

It seems you have largely missed the point about this presentation: It was entirely about the technical foundation. Windows 8 is scheduled for 2012 if I´m right. They will show off more including the user interface and other features at MIX, PDC etc.
John

Apple ported OSX to run on arm. Maybe they will eventually just do what that is and phase out CE

zzz

iOS is NOT a port of OSX on ARM.
zzz

You mean iOS? iOS is NOT a port of OSX on ARM.

(Where did my earlier reply go?)

http://twitter.com/jimmyfal @jimmyfal

Yeah dude, sorry, you don't seriously think the want to put the full interface on small form factors do you? They are not showing the new interface, or they are monumental morons. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt at this point.
zzz

Told you folks. You cannot take the editorial content of this site seriously. Makes you feel bad that you have to come to this site for the WP7 news.
emirilvoid

the press release said windows, not windows 7. geez this rant makes you look ridiculous.
http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

Guys, can you answer me this question – The benefit of porting Windows to ARM (vs starting with Windows CE) is ….

Craig S

A lot of people use WIndows for a lot of things, and would like to use it on more versatile hardware. Windows is more capable than Windows CE. WIndows is going to get another version inevitably, and I doubt anyone suggests that they should stop all work on their #1 product just because they have another version called Windows CE.

When Windows can run on mobile devices and run Silverlight apps, what will be wrong with this? They may even be able to stop running two code bases, and you'll have full phone-PC integration that you love to write about. And the best part is that they've already done the work, while also having brought you a new phone OS (so you don't have to worry about their resources).
TimoTim

The answer is we don't know yet… neither do you. Again, until we can actually see Windows 8 on a tablet, that question cant be answered. I'm sure CE and 8 will have things in common like embedded Media Center… I'm also sure 8 will have its advantages and what they do will be different than what they've don't in the past.
Peter

I think the benefit is clear; stop Windows from haemorraghing market share to mobile devices, whether smartphones or tablets. Microsoft has won this battle before; Netbooks have eaten a large chunk of entry-level Notebook sales and were 90% Linux at launch. Now they're 90% Windows.

Windows is a major profit centre for Microsoft and they cannot sit idly by and watch smartphones and tablets running other people's operating systems and apps cannibalize their existing customer-base. And that IS what will happen; analysts expect mobile web browsing to overtake desktop by the middle of 2013, for instance.

Windows is under assault from all sides; increased usage of smartphones, the emerging tablet market, Google ChromeOS etc.

Consider this to be the fightback. The benefits are not to us, they are to Microsoft. Of COURSE they want Windows running on a Tablet. They have to.

clint

I am still waiting for the day when my phone is the PC and it is just a matter of docking it at work, at home, in a cafe, on the plane to get the full experience and getting a "mobile" experience of each of the apps when I am interacting with the device directly.

ARM processors are getting to the point where they are running at speeds close to desktop at a fraction of the power. They are getting better GPU's, going multicore etc.

If running Windows on ARM means I get this kind of experience then I am all for it. Plus with .NET it doesn't matter what the underlying instruction set is as it is pretty portable too.
PaddyParker

I think the more interesting question is what this means for Windows Phone. Reading the blog on istartedsomething made it sound like Sinofsky dodged the question I wonder if the next version of windows will have some sort of mutating UI based on the form factor its running on.

"One good question was that whether or not this new version of Windows which supports ARM will also power the next version of Windows Phone. Sinofsky dodged the question."
http://www.istartedsomething.com/20110106/liveblo…

http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

From the live blog questions he made it pretty clear it was for larger form factors.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=505515024 John Bascom

This seems like a classic case of the Windows juggernaut team trumping what anyone else wants to do (namely put WP7 on a tablet form factor instead) just because they are Windows and the biggest money maker for the company.

http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

Makes sense to me.
koyce

Does not make sense to me. For the fact Apple used iOS on tablet does not mean everyone should follow that idea, I know MS is in the right direction and they are thinking of long term functionality without having to copy.Apple did what they know best and i know MS will do what they think is best. In the future, ipad will be a toy while MS tablet will be the work power and also offering media integration.
Google basically wait and copy Apple, why do you think nexus S had nothing from what apple had done except NFC?

danny

The iPad is so much more successful than any of MS tablet efforts that they would be stupid not to copy the idea of a lightweight OS for a lesser powered device. The absolutely do not know what they are doing – Apple has made more money of iPads sold so far than MS has in 10 years of selling windows tablets and the iPad is still growing while Win tablets have not grown at all. The dumbest thing I hear windows zealots say is that the iPad is toy. This is delusional. People are doing very cool things with it and it is growing more powerful everyday – if you don't see that you haven't used one. The main reason it grows more powerful is that devs are able to develop app specifically for the UX.

And though the Nexus your Nexus point doesn't have anything at all to do with the discussion – it make even less sense given the fact that android has done quite well copying apple.

http://www.facebook.com/jessiethe3rd Jessie Anderson

Couldn't agree more here… of course in the world of the internet sensationalized headlines drive readership… readership drives ad revenues.
hvakrg

Microsoft is not missing the point at all. They're working toward having one kernel that can be used to create a whole bunch of devices from CE to phones to set top boxes, desktops, tablets, consoles and so on and so on. This is just yet another step down that road.
Alechka

Once MS removed from Win2000 superfluous, compiled for ARM and named it Windows CE. Now put everything back and called it "another Windows 8". Ok, it is still Windows CE
Bob

Did you guys drink Steve Jobs' Kool-Aid too? Who says that a tablet device needs to be so gimped that it doesn't need a "full OS"? And what OS "sub-system", praytell, isn't needed on a tablet device that's used for more than playing stupid touch-based games?
TimoTim

Like others have already implied… I think its you who is missing the point. Like the first time they showed off Windows 7 – this isnt showing much as far as UI and nav features. Windows 8 will be MS boldest move… im sure that has something to do with the UI. This peice is too early to write. Wait until more announcements are made before saying that.

hvakrg

Yeah, and considdering how they're also planning to have a more cloud-based OS it all makes perfect sense. Log in with your Live-ID on your tablet and you have access to the same apps and content as you have on your desktop/laptop.

OmniaFan

I'm totally agreeing with you (the author of the post) on that one – IF – Microsoft don't bring out a dedicated tablet OS. If they do I don' see a downside of this (some people want to use full windows on a tablet – see the many posts above mine )

It just does not make ANY sense to have the same OS for PC and tablet. The input methods are completely different!

In my highest opinion Microsoft knows this too and either:
-they will release a dedicated OS for tablets or
-don't do it because they can earn more from putting the full OS on tablets.

If they will do the later, I think they oversee the fact that most users will not like the experience they will get and go to Apple/ Google in the long run. It's tough decision making for Microsoft because, as I see it, in both ways they will loose a lot of earnings in the long run.

If somebody disagrees with me, please answer to this post, I would like to hear your opinion.

andrewbares

Did you not read all the comments about Windows 8? It is rumored that they will have a separate interface for computers when in tablet mode vs desktop mode. It's one OS, but works with both. Software nirvana.
TriAxis

I also disagree. I think it makes more sense to make an OS that is advanced enough to run on a regular desktop, and run on a laptop, and run on a tablet. The input methods are not very different at all. 1 has a hardware keyboard and 1 has a virtual keyboard. 1 uses a mouse and 1 uses your finger which essentially is a mouse. Move you mouse and highlight a hyperlink right now, the icon changes to a hand with a pointer finger out. The mouse is an extension of your pointer finger.
On my laptop I have a mousepad that support multitouch already. I can use 2 fingers to scroll a page around, and 1 finger to move the pointer, and it has gestures. Converting these to a touch screen would be very easy.

In my opinion the future of computing will be a combination of laptops and tablets. You will have 1 device with a touchscreen and screen rotation, but also will have a full keyboard and mousepad. Use it as a laptop when needed, or slide the keyboard away and use it as a tablet. Having an OS that can support both models at the same time makes more sense.

OmniaFan

I would not say, what you are saying makes no sense, but still I have huge doubts about a OS that is basically the same for tablets and PCs. I have no doubts that Microsoft will be able to put a nice layer (or natively) on top of windows that is touch friendly, BUT the problem lies in a different manner.
The PROGRAMS are the Problem. The Apps. They have to be completely different because of a verity of reasons:
-Mobility (you have GPS, motion detecting, cameras, etc available)
-Apps vs Programs (in a train I most likely want to use different apps than at home)
–> think of a PC game vs a tablet game – you will not wanna play CoD against a PC user
-Touch Input (and not every Pc will have a multytouchpad in fact only a huge minority will have it)
–>ten fingers with low precision vs. a mouse and keyboard with high precision

All these points will force the developers to write the apps twice, or only for one of the two form factors, or the experience will suck. As I don't think hat devs will do that, I'm highly critical.

nohone

After reading these "Microsoft doesn't know what the hell they are doing" articles on WMPU, I am really starting to think that it is the editors of WMPU that does not know what the hell they are doing. Yes, it would be nice to have WP7 OS on a slate, I will toss my iPad when that day happens. But I am also chomping at the bit to get Win7/8 on a slate device. I once had a tablet and it was useful in many ways that WP7 OS would be able to handle. As a developer, there are many things I want to do that would be impossible on iOS (because of the poor dev tools – I know, I have apps on the Apple AppStore), and too restrictive or not available on WP7 OS (interfacing with a wide range of USB devices such as a scanner, then perform OCR on the document, interface with tuners for recording live TV MCE, etc).

I appreciate the editors here who want to see WP7 be the best that it can be, but there are things that cannot be feasibly coded within the next year, or even want to be put on WP7, but is offered in Win7 today.

andrewbares

Exactly. For example, taking notes in class on an iPad, Android tablet, or what could be a WP7 tablet wouldn't work, since you can't write on the screen with a stylus. Try taking calculus notes on an iPad… have fun.

Using USB ports is also extremely useful on PC Tablets, compared to the iPad. And multitasking of course, something that both the iPad and WP7 don't have. And viewing flash websites. And being able to use a real version of Office.

A true operating system with a touch interface is what they need, and hopefully they deliver that with Windows 8.

danny

You don't know what you are talking about. You can take notes on a iPad with a capacitive stylus. There are several available. Apple just doesn't bother with them but they are out there. They don't have time to deliver something with windows 8. By that time 60 Million odd iPads will be out there and they will find themselves in the same position they are now with wp7. A great product but one that simply is not a force in the marketplace and won't be for years. They can't keep doing this.

Bob

There's no way Apple sells 60 million iPads in that time frame. There's way too much competition now. Even if they did, BFD. That's a couple of month's worth of Windows 7 sales. Besides, there are plenty of excellent Windows 7 slate devices coming out now. The ASUS slate and the Samsung device with slide-out keyboard kick the crap out the iPad TODAY.
andrewbares

I'd like to see you use a stylus on a capacitive device. You can't rest your palm on the screen while writing, which makes it impossible to actually write something.

You need a waccom digitizer + capacitive screen, like the Windows 7 tablets, to be productive.

Odog

I think I might seriously stop coming to this site for editorial (notice I didn't say news). I've been trying to give the benefit of the doubt after a couple of inane stories but come on!

Other commentors have already stated how off the author was because MS made a point to say they weren't demonstrating the new UI at this time. Overall there are way to many instances where the authors simply didn't do their homework and by homework I mean listen or read at a 5th grade level. Just step it up and be a little more professorial OK?
Pinaatti

For me it seems that MS knows hardware will be much better for tablets every year. Of course the next version of windows has APIs and stuff to create "tablet applications" but windows it self does not limit what is possible to do with those devices. The hardware today is crappy enough for things like iOS or Android but after a couple of years the properties of those OSes are going to fall behind. Windows has about 2 million softwares so taking advantage of that is smart – not stupid. Think about running even solidworks, photoshop or 3dsmax in a tablet; it's going to happen only on windows.
ITGuy

The explicit mention, during the keynote, that the Win 8 UI was not being shown along with the rumor about a possible new shell for Win 8 published by P. Thurrott gives me some hope that MS will provided a dedicated, touch based, tablet UI. Whether this would be based on WP7 UI; time will tell.

Article: http://www.winsupersite.com/article/paul-thurrott…
Aodha Khan

You guys all miss the point, even a touch based Windows 8, all the apps will still be designed for mouse/keyboard.

WP7 is what the consumer needs/wants with apps designed for that form factor.

OmniaFan

Exactly – I'm thinking the same. Read my comments above
hvakrg

According to who? Developers are able to design touch friendly apps for Windows 7 so who wouldn't they be able to do so for Windows 8? The problem with using Windows 7 on a tablet is power and the fact that parts of the UI isn't finger friendly. If they can have a finger friendly shell ontop of a Windows 8 core and have a dedicated appstore for touch apps the problems are gone.

And since WP7 runs with Silverlight and XNA they can make all those apps available for such a platform aswell.

http://wmpoweruser.com wmpoweruser

But the millions of legacy apps will have a poor user experience. And if they are not expecting to use legacy apps, why not start over with a lighter OS that will guarantee speed, rather than spend all their time trying to make a heavy OS fast on a mobile chipset?

Bentley Carr

Quote: its not about the OS, its about the user interface, of the OS and the applications.

“and the applications.” I somehow doubt the programs I use on my laptop (and soon tablet) will ever but tablet optimized and designed from ARM. I think from a very different perspective from you?
Quote: The truth is that tablets are companion devices…

That might be so with you, but for me, tablets are going replace my laptop and desktop.