Taking a cue out of the playbooks of famous name-changers like Ron Artest, Cat Stevens, and Prince, Microsoft isn’t calling its UI design Metro anymore. Although that’s the official title MS has been using for years, it’s reportedly making the shift due to legal reasons—ever heard of a German company called Metro? Neither have we. But apparently they have lawyers! More »
One of the unique features of Windows Phone/Windows 8 is the Metro UI (pictured above). We admit that even though we don’t use Windows Phone devices, we like the Metro UI look and Android/iOS users who have downloaded mods/tweaks to look like Metro will probably agree too. However it seems that the name “Metro” will no longer be used in the future, according to a tipster who sent The Verge the news. An alleged internal memo was sent to Microsoft employees confirmed this and revealed that according to Microsoft’s discussion with an important European partner, the Metro branding will be discontinued. No word on what Microsoft’s UI will be called, but employees are reportedly told to refer to it as the “Windows 8 style UI” at the moment. Perhaps there were some legal issues if Microsoft had kept the Metro name, although this is merely speculation on our part for now, but in any case, we’ll keep our ears peeled for more news regarding this so stay tuned!
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Kobo to develop Metro-style apps for Windows 8, Microsoft acknowledges the risk that OEMs may abandon ship,
Since we now know that Microsoft has yanked the (code)name Metro for its Windows 8 user interface, let’s have a group think and figure out what Microsoft should rename its now-nameless UI. More »
Microsoft might be wavering on the well established Metro moniker that it ascribes to its flat, live tile design aesthetic, but that doesn’t make it any less pervasive in Windows 8’s final build. Care to see? Impatient Windows fans have pilfered a handful of screenshots from Google and Windows Store previews, revealing what appears to be the final look for several of Windows 8’s apps. Gumshoes at the Neowin forums uncovered fresh previews of the Photos, Mail, Messaging, People, Calendar Xbox music, Xbox video and Xbox SmartGlass applications. Liveside followed up on the forum’s findings with a peek at the OS’ baked in Bing integration. The camera interface’s crop and video playback features make an appearance too, as do the operating system’s legacy time wasters: Solitaire, Minesweeper and Mahjong — slacking off never looked so good. Check them out for yourself in the gallery below, and agonize over how far away October 26th suddenly seems.
Gallery: Windows 8 stock apps
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software
Windows 8’s stock apps get pictured, tease its final build originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
The Verge | 
Neowin, Liveside | Email this | Comments
If you’ve seen most of Microsoft’s design language for nearly three years, there’s only one word that sums it up: Metro. In spite of that urban look being the underpinning of Windows Phone, Windows 8 and even the Zune HD, Microsoft now claims to ZDNet and others that it’s no longer fond of the Metro badge. Instead, it’s supposedly phasing out the name as part of a “transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog” while it starts shipping related products — a funny statement for a company that’s been shipping some of those products for quite awhile. Digging a little deeper, there’s murmurs that the shift might not be voluntary. Both Ars Technica and The Verge hear from unverified sources that German retailer Metro AG might waving its legal guns and forcing Microsoft to quiet down over a potential (if questionable) trademark dispute. Metro AG itself won’t comment other than to say that these are “market rumors,” which doesn’t exactly calm any frayed nerves over in Redmond. Should there be any truth to the story, we hope Microsoft chooses an equally catchy name for those tiles later on; Windows Street Sign Interface Windows 8-style UI just wouldn’t have the same ring to it.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software
Microsoft downplays Metro design name, might face a lawsuit over all that street lingo originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Ars Technica, The Verge, ZDNet | Email this | Comments
MetroPCS has announced that it pulled in $1.3 billion in the second quarter of the year, only slightly more than it managed in the first. It made a profit of $149 million, well up from the $21 million it pulled in between January and March, despite shedding around 200,000 subscribers in the process. The company’s deliberately concentrated on raising cash at the expense of new subscriptions in preparation for its 4G LTE for All project, due to begin in the third quarter. It revealed that it now has 700,000 LTE subscribers, up from the 580,000 present in March and that it plans to have a full 10MHz of spectrum allocated for the super-fast mobile standard in “most major metropolitan areas” by the end of the year. As for devices that’ll take advantage of the 4G goodness, MetroPCS says that we can expect to see either six or seven new LTE handsets by year’s end, each which will be priced between $99 and $149.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
MetroPCS 2012 Q2 sees profits skyrocket to $149 million despite losing nearly 200,000 subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink TechnoBuffalo | MetroPCS, FierceWireless | Email this | Comments
Redmond’s upcoming Surface slate is brimming with potential — but Microsoft recognizes that building its own tablet comes with some inherent risks. In the firm’s recently submitted annual report, Microsoft tells the Security and Exchange Commission that the new family of slates could loosen ties with some of its partners. “Our surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners,” the report reads, “which may affect their commitment to our platform.” This, of course, echos Acer’s sentiment, which accused Microsoft of forgetting the PC builders that helped it become what it is today. Then again, maybe Acer was just preemptively upset it wouldn’t get picked for Windows 8’s starting line-up.
Filed under: Tablet PCs
Microsoft admits Surface might ruffle OEM feathers, vindicates Acer in annual report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Anyone who’s ever attempted to configure a new printer from their PC knows the process can be cumbersome at best and Microsoft largely agrees. So, in anticipation of its upcoming OS refresh, Redmond’s pulling back the curtain on how it managed to trim the fat from its previous printing architecture. The new system which will underlie both consumer-focused iterations of Windows 8, simply dubbed v4, slims down the 768MB of disk space previously required on Vista for a significantly lighter 184MB (an average) footprint in Windows 8 and adds greater in-box support for more commonly used, contemporary printers — specifically for Windows RT. The team’s also worked hard to keep the experience consistent, separating manufacturer UIs from drivers and paving the way for Metro-style support where necessary. The changes will reportedly ease the load on ARM-based devices and streamline the end user experience with a hassle-free, plug-and-play approach. In the words of team program lead Adrian Lannin, “it just works.” Indeed, we’ll be sure to find out if it does this October 26th. Hit up the source below to sift through the minutiae of these behind-the-scenes changes.
Filed under: Desktops, Tablet PCs, Software
Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
China Times is reporting that Microsoft is only letting an elite few companies build Windows RT tablets in order to focus its research and development resources. It reportedly asked three chipmakers to pick up to two OEMs to bring inside the tent, with NVIDIA grabbing ASUS and Lenovo, TI snagging Toshiba and Qualcomm selecting Samsung and HP. However, the latter company dropped out of the program to concentrate on x86 machines, so it’s rumored that Dell’s currently jockeying to take its place. The first wave of completed tablets will arrive on October 26th, and Redmond won’t open up the market until January next year — so expect Windows RT to be the buzz-word CES 2013.
Filed under: Tablet PCs, Software
Microsoft to Windows RT OEMs: ‘If your name’s not on the list, you’re not making a tablet’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 03:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Unwired View | China Times (Translated) | Email this | Comments
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
