In an alleged newly leaked build, the Windows 8 Start screen appears with both bigger and smaller Live Tile setups, an additional snap view, and new personalization options. It also shows a hint of IE 11.

(Credit: Winforum.eu/Screenshot by CNET)

More tidbits are leaking out about the kinds of changes to expect from Windows Blue, the next big release of Microsoft's signature operating system.

In what is referred to as a prerelease version dubbed Build 9364, the Windows 8 Start screen appears with both larger and smaller Live Tile setups, increased user control over color personalization, new options in style settings, and an additional snap view to let users place apps side by side in a 50-50 arrangement, according to Tom Warren at the Verge, citing screenshots posted today to the Polish language Winforum site.

"Microsoft appears to be adding all of the necessary settings required to ensure tablet users don't have to drop to the desktop Control Panel to change things," Warren wrote.

Internet Explorer 11 also makes an appearance in the purported new build, at least in name. In addition, there are allegedly changes coming to Charms, including new "play" and screenshot options, and new options for the SkyDrive service.

A public preview of Windows Blue is expected in the next couple of months, according to Mary Jo Foley at our sister site ZDNet. And Blue isn't just the code name for the next version of Windows 8, but also for updates to Windows Phone, Windows Server, and Windows Services, Foley has said.

Other recent leaks about Windows Blue have suggested "dramatic" extensions to the touch capabilities in Windows and improvements to the speech-recognition feature in Windows Phones.

Windows Blue is also expected to offer improvements to the power efficiency of devices running the operating system.

(Via the Verge)

Microsoft made a case this week for Windows RT. Is it necessary?

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Microsoft made a case this week for Windows RT, its stripped down version of Windows 8. But do we need a third version of Windows?

It's been about five months now since Windows RT debuted. And this week Microsoft made a case to CNET for the new operating system.

Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president, Windows Planning, Hardware & PC Ecosystem, told CNET: "It was a ton of work for us and we didn't do the work and endure the disruption for any reason other than the fact that there's a strategy there that just gets stronger over time."

And he went on to spell out reasons why RT is necessary.

Some of those reasons included:

• Allowing the development of a product that's competitive with the iPad.
  
• Providing a way for a PC-class Windows OS to tap into the dynamic ARM chip ecosystem that powers the world's tablets and smartphones.
  
• Having a Windows PC that uses only "modern apps," i.e., apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store, and is not encumbered by legacy software.
  
• A "propensity" for a much higher percentage of devices that ship with mobile broadband, i.e., 3G/4G.
  

As a counterpoint, Tom Mainelli, research director of tablets at market researcher IDC, told CNET earlier this month that "Microsoft decided to have a smartphone OS, then have Windows RT and Windows 8. I think the distinctions get lost on folks. I think they might be better served by putting more muscle behind Windows 8. Try to make that successful rather than trying to do three OSes."

And observers have pointed to the lack of RT apps and the fact that Intel's Atom chip offers pretty much the same benefits of ARM chips -- including long battery life and the ability to build ultrathin "fanless" tablets -- but with full Windows 8 compatibility.

What do you think?

Dell's XPS 10, which starts at $449, is a detachable design that runs Windows RT, comes with a Qualcomm processor, and can be configured with mobile broadband.

(Credit: Dell)

Microsoft and Intel will deliver better power efficiency on devices running on Windows Blue.

Upcoming ultrabook 'convertibles' like HP's Revolve will likely get Haswell processors that can take advantage of Windows Blue.

(Credit: Hewlett-Packard)

Longer lasting Haswell ultrabooks are coming with Windows Blue.

Intel's upcoming Haswell chip will be tied to new technology coming with Windows Blue, according to a source close to Microsoft.

Haswell, due in June, is the next-generation mainstream Intel processor that will power ultrabooks and a variety of hybrids that straddle tablet and laptop designs.

Intel's silicon-level Haswell technology will result in "the single largest generation-to-generation battery life improvement in Intel history," according to a recent statement from Intel CEO Paul Otellni.

But Windows Blue -- an update to Windows 8 that is expected to deliver a variety of improvements beyond Haswell devices -- will contribute to the system's overall power efficiency too. Microsoft is building a "power model" that can adapt to a range of mobile computers with different "performance output," according to the source.

Basically that means Blue on mainstream Intel chips will be able to act more like a smartphone or tablet OS. That technology will come from both Microsoft and Intel, according to the source.

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"You'll be able to buy an ultrabook that's as wickedly fast as you can imagine, faster than an Ivy Bridge PC. But with longer battery life," the source said. Ivy Bridge, Intel's current mainstream offering, will be superseded by Haswell.

"It will sleep longer [and] when you open the lid, your mail's going to already be in sync. So, you'll get the best of all of those worlds. And that's work that's coming in [Windows] Blue," the source said.

Some "flavors" of Haswell will come with an improved "standby" technology, which means essentially that when a device sleeps, it will stay connected to e-mail, social-networking sites, and the Internet in general, keeping the device up to date.

In this respect, Haswell will trump Ivy Bridge. In short, Haswell will get power-saving technology that's used in Intel's power-efficient -- though lower-performance -- "Clover Trail" Atom line of processors. The latter chips, which have a more advanced standby technology, typically power ultrathin "fanless" Windows 8 devices, like Lenovo's new ThinkPad tablet.

But Haswell will get closer to achieving the power efficiency of Intel's Atom processor while delivering the mainstream laptop performance that users demand on Windows.

Editor's note: as indicated in the story, Windows Blue is expected to offer improvements to a wide variety of devices. Not only Haswell chip-based devices. Haswell will be a major beneficiary, though, because it is expected to ship in tens of millions of PCs.