14 DAY TRIAL // As Windows 8 gets closer and closer to Beta, the volume of information focused on the operating system increases – case in point: the latest leaked details and screenshots. Reports indicate that Microsoft has released Windows 8 Build 7971.0.110324-1900 to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) via Microsoft Connect, with an abundance of leaked screenshots following.
At the time of this article the actual Windows 8 bits have not been leaked, but multiple sources indicate that a leak is indeed imminent.
To hold you over until you’ll be able to play around with an early development milestone of Windows 8, I’ve included a collection of screenshots featuring the installation process of the next major iteration of the Windows client, courtesy of Russian site WinReview.
The first that you’ll be able to notice is that Windows 8’s graphical user interface has suffered an overhaul.
This was to be expected, especially since the software giant had made a tradition out of revamping the UI with each new Windows client release.
Users already familiar with the UI introduced in Windows Phone 7 will be able to notice that some style elements have been embraced for the design of Windows 8’s user interface.
It appears that for the Windows 8 UI redesign, the Redmond company has opted to blend Metro UI with Windows Aero.
As far as I’m concerned, Metro UI has one main advantage over Windows Aero, namely the fact that is more NUI friendly.
Windows 8 needs to have the UI and the natural user interface capabilities working in concert to make it a better fit to emerging form factors such as Table PCs / slates.
Early adopters currently testing Windows 8 deployed the OS via the installprep.exe installer. If you go through the screenshots below one by one, you’ll be able to see the steps required to install Windows 8 (apparently, the deployment process takes around 20 minutes when a virtual machine is involved).
Build 7971.0.110324-1900 is a Milestone 2 (M2) release of Windows 8, sources reveal.
