Windows 8 public beta to be unveiled on leap day

Rich Fiscus
9 Feb 2012 9:45

Microsoft is expected to be releasing the first public beta of Windows 8 at the end of this month.
Microsoft has sent invitations to an official launch event for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, scheduled for February 29 in Barcelona. The timing and location will put it right in the middle of this year's Mobile World Congress.
That's not surprising considering the massive changes in Windows 8 are nearly all designed specifically for tablet optimization. From the Metro UI to advanced power management and ARM processor support, Microsoft is betting heavily on tablets being the next wave of personal computers.
_{Via BetaNews}

Unfortunately the Consumer Preview ultimately won't give us a lot of relevant information about the tablets Microsoft seems to be counting on to make them relevant in the mobile market. While making a big deal about the new WoA (Windows on ARM) release, everything they have released for developers so far has been from the standard x86 branch and there are some important questions Microsoft seems to be ducking.
Of course, if you happen to have a Windows 7 tablet this should give you an idea of how all the new tablet features change the mobile experience. Otherwise, the main thing we can expect to find out is how Microsoft's focus on Metro UI, at the expense of the traditional Windows desktop, impacts desktop and laptop users.