Windows 8 Pro Release Date

It would seem that the general consensus is that Windows 8 Pro will be available at the same time as Windows 8 RT.

My original opinion was that I had read that the Pro version was to be released 30 days after RT and the Surface. Looking at other sources this statement seems to have disappeared. My suspicion is that Microsoft are planning on making their :"Windows 8 Event" one that they will announce a general availability.

The large "box stores" are listing that the Windows 8 Pro Upgrade Edition DVDs will be available on the 26th October. However, they  are also listing their "touch-screen" PCs as available at a later date.

I would not be surprised if Apple don't try and steal the day by announcing an iPad Mini on the 26th.

KMS Activator

KMS stands for Key Management Service - Another name for Microsoft's Volume Licensing.

Volume License Key (VLK) is a term used by many computer software companies to denote the product key used when installing software licensed under volume licensing, which allows a single product key to be used for multiple installations

If you search for "KMS Activator" you will find various postings that claim to have software to allow you to download to activate Windows software by the application of a Volume License (OEM) Product Key.

This is most prevalent for the Windows 7 operating system and Office suite software. As far as is known there is no working KMS Activator for Windows 8 RTM (build 9200).

Codice product key windows 8

This is a bogus download - DO NOT DOWNLOAD

AviiNL's Windows 8 (9200) KMS Activation Tool:

Has the following description -

I have made a simple console application using C# that helped me activated windows just now. This application is written using Windows 8 (9200) Enterprise x64 but should also work on x86 (32bit)It probably won't work in Windows 8 Pro (MCE) as personally I don't use it and have no need for it Maybe I will implement support for Pro later when KMS activation becomes possible for it.

Please note: this is not me, the author of this blog

 

 

Looks like Touchscreen PCs are due in November

If you look on the Best Buy websites you will see that the HP and Samsung Windows 8 touchscreen all-in-ones are scheduled to arrive in Best Buy warehouse on 11/09/2012.

Microsoft Surface - A preview

What do I expect from the Microsoft Surface when it is released on the 26th October 2012.

A competent tablet that it very similar in operation to the iPad and the many Android tablets currently available. Windows 8 RT will offer nothing of substance that will differentiate the Surface from any of its competition.

The release of Win 8 Hybrid devices, which may or may not be concurrent with the release of the Surface, but I doubt it - will only come into its own when Windows 8 Pro devices are released by Microsoft. It seems to be something that could be under debate seeing that the OEMs have Windows 8 RTM in their hands and MS are not saying that they are going to have a Windows 8 Pro Surface until the end of the year. Whether of not the OEMs will feel that they need to release their "hybrids" at the same time as the original Surface we will have to see.

Devices that have the x86 version of Windows 8 will be the test to see if  "touch" devices are going to be the equipment du jour. Even a straight tablet is not going to be much use in the business sector unless it runs ALL legacy software.

I also expect the keyboard/cover, especially the "rubber" one, to disappoint. This will have to be reworked as it will be deemed to be inferior to those offered for the iPad and Android market by Apple, Logitec and Kensington.

Microsoft may have great hopes for the Surface but I fear that they are too late to the table and those that are going to be "adopters" have already purchased an iPad, or if they have an aversion to Apple, an Android device.

Windows 8 phones will be forgotten just as W7 ones did. The iPhone 5 will continue to be the smartphone of choice going into 2013.