Windows 8 runs on ARM

[Deeko]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-shows-off-windows-8-on-arm/8339

I've read rumors that Win8 will also have a tablet-optimized interface built in as well. Could be the start of affordable & viable Windows tablets?

 

[Puddle Jumper]

At this point why would you want to run Windows on ARM?

 

[Bateluer]

At this point why would you want to run Windows on ARM?

I'm sure MS wants their biggest OS to run on the most platforms possible, keep their mobile and desktop OSs on a more unified structure.

 

[Genx87]

At this point why would you want to run Windows on ARM?

If MS wants to remain relevant. They will need to have their OS running on mobile devices using ARM.

 

[zerocool84]

They really need to have two separate OS's. Not one that scales to desktop and tablets.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

If MS wants to remain relevant. They will need to have their OS running on mobile devices using ARM.

That still doesn't make a ARM system running Windows something I want to experience. Even Atom is faster than Cortex A9 and if you compare it to something like Sandy Bridge the performance gap is unbelievably large. Sure ARM is getting faster but it has a long way to go and x86 is hardly standing still.

 

[zerocool84]

If MS wants to remain relevant. They will need to have their OS running on mobile devices using ARM.

We're a looooooong ways off for PC's of any kind going away. Mobile is new and fresh hence the growth but with mobile lock-downs and small data caps, there will still be room for computers. Also in case you didn't know, MS also has a mobile platform.

 

[Bateluer]

Also in case you didn't know, MS also has a mobile platform.

Wanted to comment on this. Nvidia just announced their desktop ARM based CPU project, since Intel's denied them the x86 license repeatedly. A desktop, high performance ARM CPU, coupled with a Microsoft ARM OS might really shake up the desktop space too.

 

[Genx87]

That still doesn't make a ARM system running Windows something I want to experience. Even Atom is faster than Cortex A9 and if you compare it to something like Sandy Bridge the performance gap is unbelievably large. Sure ARM is getting faster but it has a long way to go and x86 is hardly standing still.

Where can I get an Atom or SB based smartphone? Tablets Atom may make it but I think Arm will do fine there as well.

 

[MrX8503]

That still doesn't make a ARM system running Windows something I want to experience. Even Atom is faster than Cortex A9 and if you compare it to something like Sandy Bridge the performance gap is unbelievably large. Sure ARM is getting faster but it has a long way to go and x86 is hardly standing still.

You're missing the point.

What is the point of raw power when it's held back by battery life? An x86 cpu makes a fatass tablet, is that what you want?

Tablets need to be a lean running 10hr battery life machine, not a hummer.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

You're missing the point.

What is the point of raw power when it's held back by battery life? An x86 cpu makes a fatass tablet, is that what you want?

Tablets need to be a lean running 10hr battery life machine, not a hummer.

What's the point of good battery life if using it is about as enjoyable as being water boarded? I don't have a problem with arm tablets but I don't want one running windows. Heck I'm pretty sure I've thrown out pc's more powerful than the fastest arm soc currently available.

 

[wirednuts]

this has been hinted at for years. its perfectly in line with the cloud computing that microsoft wants to embrace. win8 sounds like it will be the first os that gets a lot of its speed via the cloud. just like the palm pixe os does... the phone is pretty much crap but the os is not run by the phone. all it does is basically vnc into the cloud. my cell phones can run vnc software well as it is, its not a far stretch of the imagination to see how it will work, and easy to see why big corporations want it.

they will be able to sell you crappy hardware that seems to work fast (so you still pay that hardware premium), you wont have to install most apps (youll still be able to install anything you want, or you can conveniently pick from their software in their pay-for list and start using it right away), never have to worry about drivers or file registers, no updating, no antivirus to mess with, you add built-in auto backups of your entire system without extra cost, and overall drastically reduced customer support for stupid computer problems that are the end users own dumb fault anyway.

it also means the end of a lot of physical software discs made, which means the end of a lot of piracy. for business, the pros of cloud computing absolutely dwarf the cons. for the end users, it likely means we will have to wait for government intervention pushing net neutrality before we actually see the benefits for us.

 

[UNCjigga]

What's the point of good battery life if using it is about as enjoyable as being water boarded? I don't have a problem with arm tablets but I don't want one running windows. Heck I'm pretty sure I've thrown out pc's more powerful than the fastest arm soc currently available.

Are you comparing the speed of the silicon or the speed of the platform? Here's an exercise I want you to try. Take your fancy pants Sandy Bridge PC, underclock it down to 1GHz, and try running Ubuntu on it with 512mb of RAM. Something tells me that gap will narrow.

 

[WildW]

Support for ARM is interesting but I don't really understand what Microsoft are hoping to achieve with it. Well, I do, they want those mobile dollars, but I don't see Windows as a good solution for mobile devices. Just from a usability point of view, I don't think you'd want to use a full operating system like Windows without the traditional mouse/keyboard interface, and as soon as you go up to something big enough to have those you're looking at netbooks and notebooks like we already have.

What good can come of it? The best I can think of is

1) A netbook that runs for a week without charging, instant-on with totally solid-state storage. Okay, that'd actually be quite cool. My netbook currently eats its own battery after 6 hours in standby.

2) A move to kill off x86 entirely in favour of some future ARM-design super-processor. Guess that's a lonnnng way off.

3) In ten years time I'd like my phone to be my desktop PC as soon as I sit down at a docking station that comprises a mouse,keyboard and monitor, and a simplified touch interface when I'm on the move. One device to rule them all. I'm still going to need a desktop for games though.

 

[sciwizam]

3) In ten years time I'd like my phone to be my desktop PC as soon as I sit down at a docking station that comprises a mouse,keyboard and monitor, and a simplified touch interface when I'm on the move. One device to rule them all. I'm still going to need a desktop for games though.

Don't know if you know this already, but Motorola's Atrix 4G phone announced yesterday has this sort of capability.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/

 

[WildW]

Don't know if you know this already, but Motorola's Atrix 4G phone announced yesterday has this sort of capability.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/

Neat =D When I had this idea a couple of months ago I thought I'd invented something they'd never actually make, but presumably it already existed then. Give it a few years until we see one with adequate storage and processing power and life will be good

 

[akugami]

If MS wants to remain relevant. They will need to have their OS running on mobile devices using ARM.

MS will remain relevant even if Windows 8 won't run on ARM processors.

ARM CPU's are the new hot thing. Every mobile platform is using it because it's more power efficient than x86 CPU's. It's not any different from Apple having a secret x86 version of their OS back before they decided to officially move away from PPC.

This is just Microsoft covering it's rear end but it's not even guaranteed this will go anywhere. To be honest, I see this announcement as MS making sure the low end sector such as those nettop PC's and netbooks stay with an MS operating system rather than move to a Linux based one.

This announcement by MS is more of a threat to AMD than anything. Intel has the size to weather the storm (similar to when AMD had the better processors) until they can get something to compete. nVidia is already working on custom ARM based CPU's so they stand to benefit greatly. Especially when you consider that nVidia is the premiere graphics chip company. That leaves AMD out in the cold with x86 processors that aren't as powerful as those produced by Intel and nothing to compete in the mobile space with ARM chips.

 

[Ajay]

What's the point of good battery life if using it is about as enjoyable as being water boarded? I don't have a problem with arm tablets but I don't want one running windows. Heck I'm pretty sure I've thrown out pc's more powerful than the fastest arm soc currently available.

Well, tablets aren't made to run Photoshop or a full out version of Office - at least not yet. Besides, you don't have to buy one. I expect that desktops/laptops will be selling till at least the end of this decade.

 

[theeedude]

At this point why would you want to run Windows on ARM?

Mostly so you can run MS Office.

 

[Narmer]

Windows isn't built for ARM/mobile computing. Also, it isn't even needed considering what most people do on their Windows computer anyway, namely email and internet browsing. However, MS has the potential to abandon scores of other users, paving the way for Linux or some other OS to make inroads into the desktop space. Also, what's the point of Windows Phone 7 if regular Windows will be on smartphones and tablets? Sounds like a good idea in theory but I predict disaster.

 

[Gooberlx2]

What's the point of good battery life if using it is about as enjoyable as being water boarded? I don't have a problem with arm tablets but I don't want one running windows.

How do you know? There are absolutely no details about what adjustments Windows 8 would make for the ARM/Tablet space. It might be a totally different version of the OS with a subset of features, or hardware acceleration, etc... Remember, we're talking about fun media consumption devices here, not serious productivity machines.

just like the palm pixe os does... the phone is pretty much crap but the os is not run by the phone. all it does is basically vnc into the cloud.

What??? WebOS is essentially a highly modified linux distribution. Profile settings are stored on Palm's servers and that's about it. The Palm Pixi has the same internal hardware as a LG Optimus S/T, which runs Android 2.2 perfectly well.

I'm not trying to argue virtues of "the cloud" or anything, but your facts about the Pixi are simply wrong.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Windows 8 Tablet Edition. I fully expect a tablet specific version of Win 8 to be launched alongside the desktop and server versions.