Microsoft has taken over New York’s historic Pier 57 in celebration of the launch of Windows 8. Stay tuned to this post for the low down on all of the festivities as they happen! T-minus 20 minutes until the keynote.
11:05am – We’re being led past the Microtropolis display (photos to follow later) to a stage area. Several Windows 8 and RT devices setup on stage.
11:10am – Unsurprisingly, the WiFi is buckling under the load. Please stand by.
11:15am – The music just went silent. Keynote beginning in 3… 2… 1…
A brief “welcome to windows 8″ video. Steven Sinofsky has taken the stage. Starting off with building on Windows 7. Funfact: 670 million Windows 7 licenses have been sold to date!
Sinofsky: “Windows 8 re-imagines Windows, is the best Windows ever”
* 16 million pre-release downloads.
* Available at retail at 12:01am 10/26 (local time)
* 1000 new Win8 certified PCs, wide variety of form factors
Moving on to the Grand Opening of the Windows Store, thousands of new apps, hundreds more each day. 231 markets, 109 languages.
11:35am – New experience of Windows RT
Only runs Win compatible with all Windows 8 compatible hardware. New engineering collaboration, designed from the ground up. Demo time! Mike Angiulo and Julie Larson-Green just took the stage. Currently demoing start screen customization. Brief mention of Xbox Video. Faster boot times on upgraded Windows 7 hardware.
Next (brief) demo; navigating between desktop and start screen.
Angiulo: “A whole new wave of innovative hardware is coming next month.”
Acer Aspire S7-191 and Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2 are now being demoed.