Windows 8 Information *Updated for SKU Versions*

Why? If you read the article, you are covered. Are you going to be purchasing more than 5 licenses? No? Then you fall under the current deal that is being offered for $40. Even being a system builder. You will get the option to get the full media and not just the upgrade media. At least from what I have heard. They dont mention it cause they dont want people to go that route and want people to upgrade. But we will be able to use that "Upgrade" media to do a clean install. If you dont want to do that you can get this:

Oh, and by the way - if you're not upgrading from a prior version of Windows and are building your own PC or installing Windows 8 in a virtual machine or a separate partition, you will be able to purchase and install the Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro System Builder product.

Which will be the same exact thing as you currently have. Just with a different name. So I fail to see why people are so up in arms about it. We are covered, pricing isnt out yet but you know that the Windows 8 System Builder will be about the same cost as Retail is now. If not cheaper. It would be stupid for Microsoft to get rid of Retail products than charge more to those who build their own PC. Those are the people that do the support for them on their websites as they are the geeks.

So yeah...I dont care if they get rid of the boxed versions. It actually will save us in the long run.
 
@Mak

1. So there would be different apps for Desktop Metro and the mobile Metro? too bad.

2. Yes I already have that Google sync program on my PC and I can tell you that its far from ideal. For one it fails to sync multiple calendars from between Google and Outlook. It only syncs the main calendar. So I can't have my school calendar with a separate color on Outlook sync with the school calendar I have on Google, for example. However multiple calendars on Live get synced to Outlook (says the people at MS). Then there's a problem when you are also syncing contacts. Outlook creates contact birthdays in your main calendar. So it appears on Google. Good right? No. Because Google Contacts and Google Calendar does the same thing, so you end up with two entries for birthdays of each of your contacts. Tasks also do not have a native sync between Outlook and Android. Hotmail To-Do's sync with Outlook. All in all, Google to Outlook is quite lacking a lot. And no, I have no plans of paying for a program to do that (Companionlink). While MyPhoneExplorer claims to do something similar, it sort of ruins the whole wireless thing if I have to sync via USB every now and then. Annoying when you already marked something as done in one device, then it alarms in another because you forgot to sync via USB.

Yes I do have my contacts and my calendar syncing as well as my photos and files via Sugarsync (an integrated system like SkyDrive would feel more ideal). But not my tasks, and calendar sync is lacking. At this point I really could not give WinPhone 7 user opinions much weight since Win8 for phones is also going to be released later this year, with WinPhone 7 not upgradeable to it for technical reasons.

Its not that I don't like Android. I'm fine with it. But I am on the lookout for a better more integrated solution than what I have now.

3. Anyway, I would still be upgrading anyway, so doesn't really matter much IMO.

EDIT: After some research, it seems that Outlook connector does not really sync to Hotmail Tasks. So yeah. Still would be upgrading to 8.
 
1. Yes there is going to be different apps from Windows 8 for PC and WindowsRT. They are completely different systems. As stated, you cant just install Android Apps on a PC, which is what you are getting at.

2. Sorry but I dont agree at all with your remarks about the calendar. Blaming Google or Outlook for the simple fact you cant get everything onto a single calendar yourself? Whose fault is it for having multiple calendars in the first place? That isnt Google's Fault nor Microsoft's fault. How many people use 2 or more different calendars for things when 1 is more than sufficient to store all activities and sort them? You choose to use Google, Live and everything else then you have to deal with the problems.

I have no issues at all with the BDays, my contacts or anything. I have my Outlook synced to 2 different GMail accounts and they are all able to work just fine in conjunction. So I dont see how your having issues, when it is working just fine for me.

I know WP7 isnt upgradeable, but if you think that WP8 is going to have anything different than Windows 8, your mistaken. If Windows 8 cant do what you want, what makes you think that WP8 will be able to do it? As stated, I already know everything that Windows 8 syncs, I have been using every version of the OS since it was first released to the public. It will be the same exact way trying to sync the information as it is with Windows 7. The Calendar App, will only draw the items from your accounts. It will not do anything more, you will have to change colors and everything yourself and sort them yourself. Exactly where you are right now.

WP8 is going to be the same exact way Android is. Cause they both sync the same thing. So you might want to figure out how to streamline your processes a bit better so that you dont need multiple calendars when you can do everything with 1.

3. Upgrade if you want, but I am trying to tell you up front that what you are doing now will be the same exact thing as it will be in Win8. Having used that OS extensively for a period of time I know that you are thinking that it is something that it is not.
 
@Mak

I'm sorry but I don't care much for your tone on the use of multiple calendars when you do not understand the situation. All MY events are on a single calendar. The other calendars I am talking about aren't ones I madee, but ones I subscribed to but are important to me. You may know a lot of things, and I respect that, and that's why I'm asking you, but you don't have to be rude when you have no idea about my situation as to why I NEED the multiple calendar functionality.

One example is my school calendar, provided by the school itself for its students to subscribe to. Basically, its the school's own Google calendar students can subscribe to so that they will be updated on changes in event dates, changes in exam schedules and whatnot. I DID NOT MAKE THIS CALENDAR. So this situation isn't my fault either. This is true also for other calendars I have subscribed to. I blame Google mainly for not allowing "selective" sharing of calendars to. Its either public or private(which it can't share to Hotmail). I managed to sync a couple of public calendars I follow to Hotmail, which in turn syncs to Outlook, but for private limited access calendars like the calendar which is accessible only for members of our class, its a no go.


As for birthdays, I have no idea why its happening either. But it started when I started syncing to Google.

As for my hopes on Windows 8, you may correct me but I came across some places saying that Outlook 2013 will use ActiveSync to be able to sync contacts, emails, calendar and tasks between itself and Hotmail, and since I also hear that Windows 8 RT would come with Office 2013, I am waiting to see if it would be able to accomplish what I want. I am not saying that it CAN. What I am saying is that from what I hear, it MIGHT BE ABLE TO, especially since Google's multiple calendars can also be synced via ActiveSync if I remember correctly.

EDIT: I can't seem to remember how it got to me installing Android apps on a PC. I will clarify that I was simply previously under the impression that the apps that run on the desktop metro screen are the same apps that run on Windows 8 RT. For example, I thought I could install say Facebook for Windows RT on my Metro Start Screen, and still run Facebook from IE10. But anyway, this issue has been resolved and cannot be done apparently.
 
@MaK Oh, I have to add. It appears from several articles that you are wrong. Windows RT and Windows 8 will be able to use the same apps. Any Metro app can be used on both Windows RT and Window 8 desktop version with no problems.

"Metro is the new graphical interface that defines the Windows 8 experience. All versions of Windows 8, and Windows RT, will have Metro at their core. Apps made specifically for Metro will be able to run on any Windows 8 or Windows RT device, regardless of the hardware or chipset being used."
What's The Difference Between Windows 8 & Windows RT? [MakeUseOf Explains]

The only "apps" that RT can't use are actual x86-x64 programs. But Windoes 8 desktop can run both. Guys on other forums also mentioned that yes, Windows 8 can indeed run the Metro apps for Windows RT, and that even the apps for Windows Phone 8 only needs UI tweaking for it to run on desktop and tablet.
"Windows Phone 8 now shares a common core with Windows 8. This means you can expect to write apps for one and easily port it to the other, with UI retooling of course. Developers targeting both should use C#/VB + XAML for apps, and C++/D3D for games."
Developing Apps for Microsoft Surface, Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 - Evangelism - Infragistics.com Blog
 
Yeah they know this cause they are programmers. Then explain to me why there are items that show up within the Store that do not show up within WindowsRT. Certain items like Games for Windows or XBOX Games. If they are interchangeable then why dont these articles explain why those are not on both version, cause I already have confirmation that they are not.

So believe any silly articles you want written by people who dont have a clue. I will listen to my sources that work for the company, namely family. It dont bother me none. Not all apps are going to be interchangeable. Some might cause it wont require massive code change. But yes it will matter the chipset being used. It does matter if it is x86 or ARM. Merto is an interface, not the code.
 
Uh, I am simply pointing out several articles saying you are wrong, and I am here to ask questions, not to contest you, because I am honestly confused. I came here to ask that question from someone who can verify, as everywhere I see, they seem to say that (see articles), but I have not seen a demonstration. I came here to ask questions from those who have actually used it.

As far as I can tell, for your question as to why some apps aren't appearing it may be just because MS just launched the codes for Win8 apps last week (I think), and they won't be backward compatible. Basically no Win8 apps yet in the marketplace save maybe for what's available on the Desktop. Now I am seeing these stuff written in the internet, so I am here asking maybe if there's someone who has knowledge of the making of Win8 apps who can verify this claim.
 
You want to ask questions that is fine. But what you have to realize is this, WindowsRT is not available for anyone to try. It is only sold on Surface devices. If someone installed it on a Tablet, that means the tablet is an x86 based tablet cause the only version ever made available to the public was the version you can install on a PC. WindowsRT was never made public and never given to anyone. You cant even find it on leak sites anywhere to try and install it on ARM based devices. That means that these people who say that they are testing WindowsRT cause they installed it on a tablet, are wrong. Cause there was no availability of such thing. Unless Microsoft gave it to them directly on a Surface device.

Even the Samsung devices that were given out at the /BUILD/ conference are the same way. People downloaded the public builds from the same website as everyone else and installed it on the device. That only shows that it was Windows 8, not WindowsRT that they had on there. WindowsRT was not even though of at the time the /BUILD/ conference went on. So those devices were using regular CPU's on the inside not ARM CPU's.

The point being is that your questions are all based around something that no one has any real information on. WindowsRT is something that has been done internally and very few people outside have seen it, let alone actually use it. So there is no way you can trust the sources of such claims that WindowsRT and Windows 8 will be using the same apps and not have any code based change in them. The only people that know it, are the people who develop for it.

Again, I could be wrong, and lets hope that I am. But until such time that Surface is released and people get their hands on WindowsRT for real, everything is a guess. But since I just installed Windows 8 RTM myself last night and have set it up all day today, I can tell you that my whole thing about what is synced and what isn't is still correct.

The calendar did sync with all of my accounts. It does show multiple events, but they are color coordinated. Contacts are only brought from Windows Live, so any contacts you want must be added via Live. It doesn't add any from Google at all. But that is only via the People App, which is only for social site use. So unless you are looking to do something via Facebook or Twitter using the People App, that app is completely useless.

So hope that little tidbit helps about the final release. It still isn't going to be as seemless as you want.
 
Contacts bringing in data from Windows Live ain't a problem. You can set the your Windows account to sync to your Google Calendar and Contacts by way of Outlook, so it would look like Google->Outlook->Windows account (Live/Hotmail). Its a little trick where you use Hotmail as primary database in Outlook so that Go Contacts Sync and Google Calendar Sync connects to Hotmail on Outlook. Already checked the People section of my Hotmail account and yes, my Google contacts do appear there as native Hotmail contacts. Activesync is what I am actually waiting for, for Outlook 2013, since ActiveSync on mobile devices allow multiple Google Calendars, which I need. The sync and connectivity I want between the PC and tablet/phone I want that cannot be achieved on an Android or iOS device is the part where I get to use the same apps with same or similar interfaces across devices.

As for the app developers, MS did give them Win8 test devices, which was verified, but I think the devices were Windows Phone 8, not tablets (not sure).
 
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