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The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga pointed the way at CES 2012

Microsoft's been pushing tablet computers for the best part of a decade, so you can imagine how happy the iPad's success makes them.

But Microsoft doesn't give up easily, and Windows 8 tablets will be with us later in the year. One such example, that we saw at CES from Lenovo, is a wrap-around convertible tablet that becomes an ultraportable laptop.

Hands on: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga review

Unless you've been under a rock for the last few days, you'll know that Microsoft has now released the Consumer Preview of Windows 8, so you can check it out for yourself.

The Windows 8 release date is late 2012, so let's see what Windows 8 tablets will have in store for us.

Windows 8 tablets will run on ARM, Intel and AMD chips

As well as traditional x86-based AMD and Intel machines, Windows 8 can now run on ARM-based hardware - the same type of kit as the iPad or any Android tablet. Expect plenty of interesting kit to hit the streets after the launch of Windows 8.

Windows 8 for ARM tablets will come out at the same time as Windows 8 for x86 PCs, if everything goes according to plan.

Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip has been confirmed to be one of the test beds for new ARM-based tablet devices.

"Microsoft is excited to partner with Nvidia to bring developers leading edge Windows on ARM test PCs to support the creation of compelling Metro style app and device experiences for Windows 8," said Aidan Marcuss, head of the oddly-named business planning department at Microsoft.

Windows 8 tablets will have the new Metro interface

As we saw in our Hands on: Windows 8 review, Windows 8 tablets will have a marvellous new interface that looks rather like Windows Phone 7, called Metro.

10 ways Windows 8 tablets can take on the iPad

"Fast, fluid and dynamic, the experience has been transformed while keeping the power, flexibility and connectivity of Windows intact," says Microsoft's head of Windows Experience Julie Larson-Green.

"Although the new user interface is designed and optimised for touch, it works equally well with a mouse and keyboard. Our approach means no compromises - you get to use whatever kind of device you prefer, with peripherals you choose, to run the apps you love. This is sure to inspire a new generation of hardware and software development, improving the experience for PC users around the world."

In late October 2011, Microsoft was forced to talk about how Windows 8 tablets would deal with portrait orientations - all the demonstrations thus far have been of Windows 8 tablets in landscape.

Windows 8 tablets desktop

In February Microsoft confirmed that new ARM versions of Windows 8 tablets would have the traditional desktop as well as the new Metro interface - but it will only allow third-party Metro apps.

On ARM, the Windows desktop, with familiar apps like Explorer, Internet Explorer and the Windows Live apps, plus Office – but everything else will be Metro.

Windows 8 on ARM: Steven Sinofsky speaks

Windows 8 tablets Start Menu

Microsoft is also facing somewhat of a backlash as Windows 8 loses the Start Orb, better known as the Start button - it's replaced by the Metro interface.

Microsoft has had to defend the decisions it's made with the Start Menu in Windows 8.

Windows 8 tablets manufacturers

A Samsung Windows 8 tablet was shown off at Microsoft's Build conference on 13 September 2011. Check out our Hands on: Windows 8 tablet review

After it confirmed that it was to keep making PCs in late October 2011, HP also said it would be making Windows 8 tablets.

It has also been widely reported that Dell is pinning its hopes on Windows 8 and that it will be launching tablet products featuring the OS.

Windows 8 beta: new features to expect

On 9 May 2011, we reported on a rumour of a forthcoming Nokia Windows 8 tablet. The info comes from phone commentator Eldar Murtazin, who wrote on the Mobile Review forum that Nokia will launch a tablet in 2012, possibly pushed back to 2013. Nokia said at October 2011's Nokia World that Windows 8 represents a "broader opportunity" for the company, (reported by TechCrunch).

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop later said that the company was looking at the tablet market and is considering just how to take on the might of the iPad.

"There's a new tablet opportunity coming... Unquestionably, that will change the dynamics [of the tablet market]." It would appear the Nokia Windows 8 tablet could be slated for June 2012.

A leaked slide from Netbooknews.de indicates that Asus will begin selling Windows 8 tablets in Q3 2012.

Windows 8 tablets will have a lot of support

During an earnings call in mid-August, Nvidia's Jen-Hsun Huang also said: "I'm very bullish about Windows 8," adding: "I think it's going to be an amazing operating system. Windows 8 tablets and Windows 8 clam shells that Tegra is going into, I hope will translate into real growth for our company in the second half of next year."

"We're not leading the charge on Windows 8, but as we become comfortable that [Windows 8] is a viable ecosystem [and] that the quality of innovation and quality of services and quality of capabilities [are] being delivered there, we will certainly be open to that," he said in response to a question.

As we now know, Nvidia is seeding Windows 8 ARM tablest with developers.

Motorola has also said it is "completely open to Windows as a platform" according to Cnet.

Australian site Smarthouse.au claims some vendors will even move away from Android tablets in favour of Windows 8.

Windows 8 tablets will be thin and light

While Dell makes some unusually shaped tablets already, the Samsung tablet is "similar in size and shape to the Apple iPad, although it is not as thin." Unlike the iPad, "it also includes a unique and slick keyboard that slides out from below for easy typing."

Some Windows 8 tablets will be designed for business

"The company believes there is a huge market for business people who want to enjoy a slate for reading newspapers and magazines and then work on Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint while doing work," the NYT says, quoting the inevitable "person familiar with the company's tablet plans".

Windows 8 tablets will have apps and an app store

Apps are a big part of Windows 8, with Microsoft convinced that "app development will move to the web" and it has built a Windows Store with manufacturer-specific entrances. Again, we saw a lot more detail on this in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Windows 8 will come with a number of pre-installed Metro apps, which look set to include things like a camera, messaging, mail, calendar, SkyDrive, people, photos, video and music.

The apps will be in the Windows Phone Metro style and some, like messaging may incorporate mobile aspects like SMS support.

Windows 8 tablet prices should be similar to Android ones

Windows 8 tablets will be up against iPads, Android tablets and Chrome OS netbooks, so if they're not priced very aggressively they're going to be a tough sell.

Tags: Windows 8, Microsoft, computing, tabletsTweetreddit!Stumbleupon  Your comments (7) Click to add a new commentlovlid

17 hours ago

7. Why is this article back in the Most Commented section?

It hasn't been commented on since last August.

If you so desperately need to draw attention to an update, why not have a separate update section?

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pal1966

August 10th 2011

6. If windows 8 Tablets are going to be so good, I hope they don't at all look like an ipad, or Apple will sue them and block their sale lol

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alphamale

June 16th 2011

5. "In December 2011, the New York Times wrote that Microsoft would unveil tablets running Windows 8 at CES 2011 in January, which proved to be incorrect."

...Nah there is nothing wrong in that phrase.

Alert a moderator

ammalgam

December 18th 2010

4. I call BS on most of these rumors for the following reasons.

2011 is too soon.

I doubt that they have anything ready to show...

Mike

http://www.windows8update.com

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mlezz666

December 17th 2010

3. The title should "Windows 8 Tablet - What nobody really knows". Why are all so called tech sites full of rumour.

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bradavon

December 16th 2010

2. I totally agree but Microsoft have a much larger user base to support than Apple. Apple can safely remove legacy support but if Microsoft do it, they'll get lots of big business complaining because their ancient specialist software no longer works.

Microsoft did kill of 16-Bit support in Windows x64, which means the majority of DOS and all Windows 3.1 apps don't work. There are loads command line tools business uses.

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duskrider

December 16th 2010

1. "We've heard from numerous sources that Microsoft's real tablet strategy will rely on Windows 8 and a new all-touch interface that the company has been working incredibly *******."

Since last week.

By the time this ships, competitors will have had no less than 2 years, maybe 3 to get a jump on MS. Just like with smartphones. The problem MS faces is that many of us have figured out that life can be pretty good without Windows. Their incredible ineptitude and dawdling has cost them the "fear of change" advantage that they had for years and years.

I used to be pure Windows, even just a few years ago. Now I have in front of me 5 OS's and use any of them freely. In fact, I use Windows the least. Moreover, I don't really care which one I use anymore, with all of them being pretty good at most anything you will do with them. I gravitate towards OSX for my photo hobby, love the Windows 7 UI, take my iPad absolutely everywhere with me, switch phones constantly depending on my mood. With GMail, MobileMe and Dropbox, all my stuff is with me all of the time, so it's irrelevant from a data perspective which machine I'm on.

The root cause for this change is, in my mind, because of MS's refusal to drop legacy support. Windows has been a bloated, unstable, slow pig. Windows 7 fixes most of this and XP mode is a step in the right direction, but they need to fully commit. Now trying to shoehorn Windows 7 onto a tablet makes things worse and illustrates how far behind MS is. They should stop allowing that until they are tablet ready, hopefully with Windows 8.

MS used to be 'it' but now they are just another player amongst many. Good for the consumer, bad for MS. They no longer have a guarantee that they will get my dollars for anything at all, so they had better make very compelling products.

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