I actually found the article pretty informative and have generally been impressed with some of MSFTs recent moves. As someone that tried to avoid MSFT directly during the Win3.11 days (OS/2 anyone?) and adopted assorted BSDs when OS/2 proved less than fruitful, the Metro interface is an interesting tweak on the traditional set of icons.<p>Note, I said Metro <i>NOT</i> Win8. I think WP7 brings an interesting and unique tweak to what iOS and Android are doing. I am not sure it will translate well into the desktop. Install Windows 8 community preview, VS 11, and a couple of other developer tools...Why do I need all those tiles littering the desktop? This is a developer targeted example but I am sure others exist for non-developers. The mixed metaphor of Metro and Win7-desktop will prove a challenge.<p>I think Metro will be a win on the tablet/phone side of the world. Do I think it will over take iOS? No idea, I'm an iPhone/iPad person myself, but MSFT putting down a minimum set of requirements as well as a consistent interface is a big stead ahead of the android/touchwiz/manufacturer specific interface universe.<p>I think competition in both the desktop and tablet markets will prove fruitful. Current iOS notifications learned something from Android, for example. So, stronger competition is a good thing.<p>Specific to the digs at Nokia, I think Microsoft probably got the better of the bargain, but they have always produced some great hardware. Hopefully with a mix of good hardware and a unique OS, their handsets can bring them back from the dumps...
Glad there's a plan for this. But everyone is going to have to do a lot more work to make their UIs truly resolution independent, though. It's really a major task. But this is a good initial step.
i wonder is that 17" 1080p slate referencing a real product, or just an example microsoft has chosen to illustrate possible flexibility? it sounds like an interesting new class of device.
The TL;DR version:<p>The developer is responsible for a lot of the screen dimension differences using flexible layout and progressive enhancement/degradation.<p>"Retina" scaling is fixed at 1.0, 1.4, and 1.8 (100%, 140%, 180%).
Am I missing something? Where's the "retina" display?<p>1920x1080 on 23" screens is not retina. It's not on 13" either. Has the retina name been diluted to just mean any resolution over 1080p and on any screen size now?<p>I guess you have Apple to blame for this, too. Retina used to mean 300+ PPI. Since the iPad has significantly less than that, they just say that it depends how far you are from it now.<p>I guess Microsoft will claim that for 1080p 23" monitors, you'll just have to use them from the couch a few feet away to experience the "retina" display.
What's up with the disgusting flagging going on with Microsoft related stories?<p><a href="http://imgur.com/IlAn2.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://imgur.com/IlAn2.jpg</a><p>The hater fanboys here have even gotten Winsupersite banned from HN. This is really pathetic abuse of the flag feature for personal agendas.
Nokia is rumored to be building a tablet[1]. There might be finally some real competition for the iPad unlike other tablets like Touchpad, Playbook and most Android tablets.<p>[1] <a href="http://windows8beta.com/2012/03/nokia-design-chief-confirms-plans-for-windows-8-tablet" rel="nofollow">http://windows8beta.com/2012/03/nokia-design-chief-confirms-...</a><p>PS: The heavily compressed JPEG screenshots were really blurry with artifacts. Wonder why they couldn't post PNGs or JPEGs with less compression.