Do you think people are blowing the windows 8 app count out of proportion.

[sinime]

I'm getting a little miffed by the whole RT probably won't run phone apps stuff. There are several apps out there on competing platforms were 1 app runs and looks native on both the phone an tablet.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[jhoff80]

I'm getting a little miffed by the whole RT probably won't run phone apps stuff. There are several apps out there on competing platforms were 1 app runs and looks native on both the phone an tablet.

There's no 'probably' about it. It 100% won't.

This isn't really directed at you, but this is a perfect example. Microsoft really needs to start to get their message out there in a simple and concise manner. There's a ton of misinformation out there, even among tech geeks. I still read things all over the place like "Windows RT won't have the desktop" which is completely contrary to everything that's been said all along.

 

[pjs37]

There's no 'probably' about it. It 100% won't.

This isn't really directed at you, but this is a perfect example. Microsoft really needs to start to get their message out there in a simple and concise manner. There's a ton of misinformation out there, even among tech geeks. I still read things all over the place like "Windows RT won't have the desktop" which is completely contrary to everything that's been said all along.

Yup and MS has not done a good job at explaining the differences at all. Techies like us know but the average person will not. I know Paul Thurrot mentioned this recently and he said MS said they have a plan but no one seems to know it.

 

[based_graham]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why does Windows 8 (the x86 desktop OS) need apps?

Apps are needed on mobile OSes, since certain things will not work strictly in mobile browsers. For example, who needs a weather app or a Netflix app in a desktop OS?

What am I missing?

What are you interested in? Me personally I'm interested in Basketball, Reddit (technology), MMA and other news related apps

So guess what on my desktop I can pin Sub Sections from different apps (hopefully) like ESPN or Reddit. I can pin things like my Favourite bball team, ESPN bball news, Bball players stats, different sub reddits, different news articles I can pin them and group them so my Metro UI flows like a news paper.

To me Metro puts the web in front of me while I work away and when I active my Metro start screen I can see all my point of interests giving me information on my desktop, laptop or tablet. It's a great interface that's one reason why I want Metro Apps on my PC.

 

[Digital Moe]

I wasn't even aware that WP apps would not run on RT now I have to re-evaluate getting a RT. I think the Pro is going to be way out of my price range and in a range where it makes sense to get a traditional Ultrabook.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

Why would you have to reevaluate? How many apps do you use are you anticipating having to repurchase on both platforms? I'm betting not many, if any.

If you had both devices, you're going to find that one is best for some purposes and the other is better for others.

 

[Dr. Impossible]

I'm getting a little miffed by the whole RT probably won't run phone apps stuff. There are several apps out there on competing platforms were 1 app runs and looks native on both the phone an tablet.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

Hmm, didn't know this. Is this confirmed? chiseled in stone?

As to the original question, my answer is simple: Yes.

Thanks

-Doc

 

[jhoff80]

There are parts of code that can be shared between a WP8 app and a Windows 8 style app (aka Metro app), but it's not just going to be that you write it once and it's on both. They're two separate programs. So in other words, while it may be possible for a developer to maintain the same code base for both the Windows RT version and the Windows Phone 8 version, you're not going to be able to magically run the 100,000 apps on WP7 on your Windows RT tablet. You're only going to have the apps specifically written with the WinRT framework that are in the Windows Store (as opposed to the Windows Phone Store). At the moment, that number is 2286 apps.

And it's not going to be that you buy it once and have it on both either, so far as I can see. There are a bunch of free Microsoft games (solitaire, mahjong, minesweeper) that reference a WP8 version, but really they're two separate apps. Same for the 360 and Windows 8 apps. Pinball FX2 PC doesn't give you tables in Pinball FX2 on the 360.

Edit: In case people don't think I'm right:

Porting a Microsoft Silverlight app for Windows Phone to a Windows Store app built for Windows using C++, C#, or Visual Basic is relatively easy to do. Most of your knowledge and experience will transfer to the model for Windows Store apps using XAML, as will much of your XAML interface design and layout.

Your app porting effort will have two main parts:
•Adapting your UI to take advantage of the new Windows UI capabilities and design guidelines.
•Moving from the Silverlight APIs called in your code-behind files to the corresponding Windows Runtime APIs.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh465136.aspx

Also, XNA is not supported in Metro style apps either.

 

[PG2G]

I don't think it is really an issue that Windows RT devices can't run the phone apps. Developers will get a massive amount of code reuse and they should be rewriting the user interface for the different form factor anyway.

I would like Microsoft to address buy once, run anywhere somehow though.

I guess people have been trained to think of a tablet OS as a big phone OS (so phone apps work on the tablet) but Windows RT is actually a PC OS (so PC apps work on the tablet).

 

[Laura Knotek]

What are you interested in? Me personally I'm interested in Basketball, Reddit (technology), MMA and other news related apps

So guess what on my desktop I can pin Sub Sections from different apps (hopefully) like ESPN or Reddit. I can pin things like my Favourite bball team, ESPN bball news, Bball players stats, different sub reddits, different news articles I can pin them and group them so my Metro UI flows like a news paper.

To me Metro puts the web in front of me while I work away and when I active my Metro start screen I can see all my point of interests giving me information on my desktop, laptop or tablet. It's a great interface that's one reason why I want Metro Apps on my PC.

I think Windows 8 is just not for me, apps or otherwise.

I like a clean desktop.

If I want to know sports scores, I'll have espn.com as one of my browser tabs. I'll have Google Reader open in another tab for RSS feeds.

If I'm working on something else at the time, I'll have two windows open and resize them, so half my screen shows the browser, and the other half shows whatever else I'm working on.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

I think Windows 8 is just not for me, apps or otherwise.

I like a clean desktop.

Click to view quoted image


If I want to know sports scores, I'll have espn.com as one of my browser tabs. I'll have Google Reader open in another tab for RSS feeds.

If I'm working on something else at the time, I'll have two windows open and resize them, so half my screen shows the browser, and the other half shows whatever else I'm working on.

And you can continue to work that way if you so prefer...

The whole beauty of Windows 8 is that you can use it however you want... consumer mode, professional mode, or hybrid.

I'm attaching a screenshot of my desktop and start screen so you can see that I don't have any Metro-style apps in play on my laptop. The only time I even see the start screen is if I want quick access to my admin tools (right) or if I reboot and need to logon again.

One last thing... I'm running a Dell Vostro V131 laptop. On Windows 7, I would get about 4-5 hours of active-use battery life. On Windows 8, I get about 9 hours. Not saying that's the experience on every system, but the performance optimizations alone make it worth it.

 

[Laura Knotek]

And you can continue to work that way if you so prefer...

The whole beauty of Windows 8 is that you can use it however you want... consumer mode, professional mode, or hybrid.

I'm attaching a screenshot of my desktop and start screen so you can see that I don't have any Metro-style apps in play on my laptop. The only time I even see the start screen is if I want quick access to my admin tools (right) or if I reboot and need to logon again.

One last thing... I'm running a Dell Vostro V131 laptop. On Windows 7, I would get about 4-5 hours of active-use battery life. On Windows 8, I get about 9 hours. Not saying that's the experience on every system, but the performance optimizations alone make it worth it.

That looks nice. I'll probably use Windows 8 on a new PC, but for me it's not worth spending the money to upgrade an older one.

Speaking of new PCs, have you heard if the OEMs will offer the option to disable secure boot?

 

[jhoff80]

Speaking of new PCs, have you heard if the OEMs will offer the option to disable secure boot?

On Windows 8 PCs, that is a mandatory option.

On Windows RT devices, SecureBoot is not able to be disabled.

Of course, considering the proof of concept 'hack' of the bootloader that was demonstrated last week, it's safer to leave SecureBoot on.

 

[Digital Moe]

Why would you have to reevaluate? How many apps do you use are you anticipating having to repurchase on both platforms? I'm betting not many, if any.

If you had both devices, you're going to find that one is best for some purposes and the other is better for others.

Currently I have a iPad and iPhone and most apps that I have are universal and almost all of them you only have to pay for once and you get to use them on both devices.

I can't really tell you which apps I am going to have to buy twice as neither platform is yet available but that is going to be a big blow to anyone coming from the iOS platform.

 

[Laura Knotek]

On Windows 8 PCs, that is a mandatory option.



On Windows RT devices, SecureBoot is not able to be disabled.



Of course, considering the proof of concept 'hack' of the bootloader that was demonstrated last week, it's safer to leave SecureBoot on.

I'm not interested in any RT devices. I'm interested in x86. I probably run Linux more than Windows and don't want any dual-boot hassles.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

That looks nice. I'll probably use Windows 8 on a new PC, but for me it's not worth spending the money to upgrade an older one.

Speaking of new PCs, have you heard if the OEMs will offer the option to disable secure boot?

Yes... see response below...

On Windows 8 PCs, that is a mandatory option.

On Windows RT devices, SecureBoot is not able to be disabled.

Correct. Existing PC's that don't support it won't change (obviously), and new PC's are actually required to enable it. At least, last I read... originally there was debate on whether it was optional, and I recall a rather lengthy Windows 8 blog post setting the matter straight. You may want to look it up.

I'm not interested in any RT devices. I'm interested in x86. I probably run Linux more than Windows and don't want any dual-boot hassles.

You generally won't... with the exception POTENTIALLY being with some of the slate/hybrid-style devices, although that will likely be more Linux driver limited.

Currently I have a iPad and iPhone and most apps that I have are universal and almost all of them you only have to pay for once and you get to use them on both devices.

Point noted, but let me add some emphasis to your own words... It's not quite as simple (yet), but I'd bet most developers will work with you in those cases, and I'm also betting Microsoft will have an answer to it in the near future (if they don't already).

But by your own statement, this only applies to most, so that suggests there are cases in which folks are already double-paying. For a few bucks, I doubt most people will think twice about it... I know I didn't when I switched from Windows Mobile to Android to Windows Phone.

 

[Digital Moe]

I don't know I have held out for 18 months not paying the ?5 for a iPad version of Bejive, I can bet you sales of the apps you have to double pay for are lower then a universal one I certainly jump in when I know I can use it on both devices.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Yes... see response below...



Correct. Existing PC's that don't support it won't change (obviously), and new PC's are actually required to enable it. At least, last I read... originally there was debate on whether it was optional, and I recall a rather lengthy Windows 8 blog post setting the matter straight. You may want to look it up.



You generally won't... with the exception POTENTIALLY being with some of the slate/hybrid-style devices, although that will likely be more Linux driver limited.

It sounds like I would have the least hassle if I just built my own PC and avoided the OEMs completely.

 

[tomatoes11]

Definitely overblown. I only have a total of 4 apps installed on my Android at the moment and two of them I wouldn't need on Windows Phone.

Windows doesn't have Rogers my account for download on the Lumia 800 though but I am guessing it is preinstalled on the 900.

 

[AngryNil]

I think it's bad. Those aren't 2000 top-tier apps, they are plenty of mundane ones in the mix. If you made a random selection of 2000 Windows Phone apps, you'd probably puke at how few are actually good.

Microsoft either needs a tonne of headliners in the few thousand launch apps, or it needs an absolutely tonne of apps so there will be more diamonds in the rough by sheer volume.