We are all waiting for Windows to release their real OS for the Tablet. We love the ipad, its slick powerful and all that most people need. Through LaunchPad we’ve been able to transform the ipad into a powerful commercial tool. However, the world runs on windows, and there are so many advantages working with the worlds most popular Operation system; 3rd part device integration to name but one.

The rumours from Redmond about windows 8 are very positive.

It seems that Windows 8 for the tablet is going to be a lot like Windows 7 for the Phone — and that’s probably a good thing. There are full screen “Metro” style apps and live tiles that animate with pictures, social network notifications, messages, emails and weather. Everything seems smooth and responsive to the touch.

The touch UI looks like it has been redesigned and seems to be both ergonomic, efficient, and clutter-free. The main controls are right next to the side easily accessible by your thumbs. Just swipe along the left side to flip between open apps. Swipe across it and then back to show thumbnails for open apps that you can easily tap to open the one you’re looking for. Then swiping on the right side with your thumb opens the “charms” for other types of operating-system interactions.

Also it looks like Microsoft might have managed to integrate the touch environment without sacrificing the more traditional and detailed PC desktop environment. Users can switch between touch and stylus interaction easily. This is a boon for those wanting to to some real work on the tablet; not to mention access to all the components that make Windows such a suitable platform for kiosks. We cant wait for its release.

This week Microsoft offered a sneak peek at the new Windows 8 OS.  As the largest software platform developer for kiosks this new Windows OS looks set to really shake up the marketplace.

We all love the Apple OS, but Windows with its reach and 3rd party device support is a very important platform for traditional information Kiosks. Now, with this “touch first” Windows being build it appears that Windows is destined to be a major player in the emerging Micro Kiosk market as well.

The single most common impediment to Microsoft’s strategy of putting Windows on a tablet is a the perception that the Windows behemoth is just too big for the new generation of tablets. But it seems that a lot of work is going on behind the scenes to strip back the the OS to the kernel and rebuild.  So perhaps the “touch first” Windows 8 interface will not just be another layer on top of the old. That, coupled with the inevitable increase in the processing power of the next generation of tablets, means that this might be a real game changer for the Micro Kiosk market.

Sprocket can’t wait!