martes, 14 de agosto de 2012

Microsoft: Windows RT Tablets Will Last for Weeks in Standby Mode

WindowsRT-evolution-640

Microsoft revealed Monday more about what consumers can expect from Windows RT — the new variant of Windows 8 that'll run on many portable devices like tablets. The company also said who its specific launch partners will be for the platform.

Dell, Lenovo and Samsung will join Asus and Microsoft itself in launching hardware running Windows RT this fall, Microsoft's Windows chief, Steven Sinofsky, revealed in a blog post Monday. Sinofsky didn't say whether those devices would launch the same day as Windows 8, Oct. 26, only saying manufacturers would be making unveilings in the weeks leading up to the launch.

Showing the photo above as an example of a Windows RT device that went from prototype to final product, Sinofsky said the devices would "have consistent fast and fluid touch interactions, long battery life, connected standby, and are beautiful, thin, and light designs." (emphasis his)

Sinofsky also gave some details on what kind of specs and features consumers can expect to see in Windows RT devices. He emphasized the always-on, always-connected design philosophy behind Windows RT, reiterating that RT devices would be capable of a low-power mode called "connected standby" — allowing the tablet to still get updates from the network but use just a trickle of power.

"When your Windows RT PC is not in use, it will move into a new low-power mode that allows it to keep your data fresh and current while also not requiring a battery charge for days," he wrote. "And when you need your system, it will turn on in less than a second at the touch of a button, which is a mobile phone experience but in a full PC."

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The battery life of Windows RT devices in connected standby mode is on the order of weeks, ranging from 13 to 17 days, Sinofsky wrote. When playing HD video, the devices are said to last from 8 to 13 hours, though that will depend greatly on capacity, which will range from 25 to 42 watt-hours.

By comparison, the latest iPad is rated to last 10 hours for video playback and has a 42.5 watt-hour battery.

Sinofsky touted other features of Windows RT, explaining that the touch experience was engineered for "industry-leading accuracy" and that the core UI animations (like page and menu scrolling) would be rendered at 60 frames per second (in line with iOS and Android devices). He also said Windows RT would support touchpad gestures from trackpads, just like Windows 8.

Windows RT devices will also be able to easily share data with other WinRT machines via near-field communication (NFC). "By simply tapping two NFC-enabled Windows RT PCs together, users can easily share photos, URLs, map directions, and anything else that our software partners have designed into their Windows apps," Sinofsky wrote.

Sinofsky didn't mention the main weakness of Windows RT: Its inability to run any legacy apps designed for Windows 7, XP or Vista machines. While Microsoft is pushing its developer community toward Windows 8 strongly, it remains to be seen how consumers will respond to the new interface (formerly known as Metro).

Are you liking how Windows RT is shaping up? Think you'll buy a device? Share your thoughts in the comments.

BONUS: The Best and the Worst of Windows 8

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