{"id":538,"date":"2021-10-06T08:13:21","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T08:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.batteries-company.com\/battery-care\/?p=538"},"modified":"2021-10-06T08:13:21","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T08:13:21","slug":"windows-8-the-real-post-pc-era-begins-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.batteries-company.com\/battery-care\/windows-8-the-real-post-pc-era-begins-today.htm","title":{"rendered":"Windows 8: The real post-PC era begins today"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On many occasions since the inception of the phrase, I have taken issue with the notion of \u201cpost-PC<\/a>\u201c. Maybe it\u2019s because I\u2019m a multi-monitor user with delusions of productivity, or maybe it\u2019s because I\u2019m stuck in the mindset that post-PC is a negative thing, or maybe I just have a predisposition against buzzwords that exist for no good reason. Whatever the reason, I don\u2019t think that the current offerings from the tablet makers, regardless of platform, offered nearly enough to replace anybody\u2019s PC, much less mine. During the Microsoft Build conference, we were given a detailed preview of the upcoming Windows 8<\/a> platform and all of the changes that were brought to light. At the Build conference, we were shown what I feel is a much more significant step toward the notion of \u201cpost-PC\u201d.<\/p>\n

Unified User Interface<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/strong>At the end of the day, post-PC has nothing to do with getting rid of the PC. It\u2019s about creating a series of devices that can serve as a PC for the average consumer. Creating a user interface that can serve both the technical user and the consumer is a delicate balancing act. If you are too limiting to the technical user, it becomes useless. If you are too complicated for the general consumer, it becomes useless. Microsoft\u2019s Metro \u00a0UI is the closest thing I have seen so far to balancing these two worlds. The User Interface for Metro is simple, and mildly akin to the Windows Phone 7<\/a> Live Tiles, but so much more. If you are not a fan of the new UI, the traditional desktop still exists, though much more in app<\/a> form it seems. This combination enables a broader push towards touch screens as well as the more traditional mouse and keyboard interface.<\/p>\n

As important as the balance between the users is, it is doubly important that the same experience be carried across all of \u00a0the devices you use. The tablet<\/a>, the PC, the smartphone<\/a>, should all have UI\u2019s that lend to each other without sacrificing functionality. At least with the PC and the Tablet, this is the goal that Windows 8 seems to have accomplished in part. The tablet experience feels identical to the PC experience, leaving little more then some UI adjustments due to screen size at the only apparent difference. This exists right down to the hardware, as the tablet developer kit was designed to support dual monitors with the dock that comes with the device.<\/p>\n

If Microsoft is able to translate this experience to the Smartphone somehow, they will have completed the design, allowing you to truly take your computer with you everywhere and finishing the notion that your tablet could replace your computer.<\/p>\n

HP 484170-001 laptop battery<\/span><\/a><\/strong>
\n4400mAh, li-ion
\nonly AU $60.85<\/span><\/p>\n

Dell studio 1537 laptop battery<\/span><\/a>
\n440mAh, li-ion
\nonly AU $70.77<\/span><\/p>\n

Dell inspiron 1520 battery<\/span><\/a>
\n4400mAh, li-ion
\nonly AU $61.29<\/span><\/p>\n

Superior hardware<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A considerable downside to Windows in the past has been the low end of the hardware spectrum that is \u201csupported\u201d by the OS. (Violent flashbacks to \u201cVista Ready\u201d PCs come to mind.) With Windows 8, the minimum system requirements are clearly a sign that the OS has shuffled off the dead weight and moved on to bigger and better things. For starters, no resolution smaller than 1024\u00d7768 is officially supported, although a demonstration was offered today that showed that 1024\u00d7600 was still functional in almost every way. More functionality is available if you are able to provide higher resolutions.<\/p>\n

The Samsung Developer Tablet for Windows 8 is a prime example of the level of hardware Microsoft expect their partners to be engaging their customers at. This little slab contained within an Inter Core i5 processor on an integrated motherboard with 4GB of RAM. To compare that, I wandered the halls of batteries-company.com<\/a> for a moment just to see how this tablet stacked up against the PCs being sold. At first glance, it looked like this tablet held its own against most of the laptops in the $700 range. This gives me some concern as to the cost of a Windows 8 tablet, but considering the sliding price of hardware and the liklihood that we won\u2019t see much in the way of tablets like this announced until CES, there\u2019s a chance the price will be much less of an issue.<\/p>\n

The hardware for tablets wasn\u2019t the only thing we saw today, as no less than three laptops were paraded in front of the audience that all looked like they would give the Macbook Air a run for its money in terms of just how simply wafer-thin they were. Asus<\/a>, Acer<\/a>, Dell<\/a>, HP<\/a> and Samsung<\/a> all are clearly ready to help bring Windows 8 to the minds of consumers as the new sexy alternative to the PC or Mac they have been using.<\/p>\n

NFC, Accelerometers, and Peripherals<\/strong><\/p>\n

Windows 8 also seems ready to dive into brand new technology, as well and significantly improve on the existing implementation of current battery technology<\/a>. Added to the growing list of possibilities in the minds of developers today was the addition of near field communications (NFC) and accelerometer sensors within supported devices. NFC is implemented in a way that information can be shared form device to device, much in the way that Smartphones \u201cbump\u201d today. Accelerometers are a big part of Microsoft new API\u2019s as well, with a tech demo today revealing an incredibly sensitive steering where that wobbled as the device was rotated quickly from side to side.<\/p>\n

Existing technology used by PC users around the world also saw a serious\u00a0improvement\u00a0in implementation. Microsoft seeks to do away entirely with separate menus and notification icons for devices. In the tech demos today, printer settings were integrated with the print function, with a separate app for more advanced settings. With Microsoft\u2019s line of webcams, we were shown deep integration and incredible speed in accessing a cam for any purpose, and promised that API\u2019s would be\u00a0available\u00a0to all for the same functionality. Mobile broadband devices were also discussed, banishing the current implementation of a separate radio notification for those kind of devices. Microsoft demonstrated an integrated and pleasing replacement to the nightmare that exists today with a simple page that shows what is currently connected to what.<\/p>\n

Closing thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I do not subscribe to the notion of a post-PC world, I think this could be the closest thing yet to the phenomena. Nothing is set in stone yet, and anyone who has ever participated in a Microsoft beta program knows that features come and go faster than you can imagine, so who knows just how close to what we have seen today will exist when Windows 8 hits stores.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, though, you can check out the keynote yourself at Buildwindows.com.<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

Windows 8 on Kal El to sport laptop battery life in days<\/a><\/p>\n

Improve your BlackBerry battery life instructions<\/a><\/p>\n

Laptops move towards all-day battery life<\/a><\/p>\n

How to revive a dying laptop battery<\/a><\/p>\n

10 Best Rated Laptops Reviews<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Laptop Battery Life of 7+ Hrs Laptops<\/a><\/p>\n

Helpful laptop battery troubleshooting tips<\/a><\/p>\n

Improve your BlackBerry battery life instructions<\/a><\/p>\n

Lithium Ion Batteries Baby Steps: 3-Year Warranty Laptop Battery<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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