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Microsoft will reveal its new Windows 8 operating system to developers today. "Products using the new software are not expected until next year. But the crucial effort to woo software developers to write apps for Windows 8 starts Tuesday at a four-day conference in Anaheim, Calif," reports The New York Times's Steve Lohr. Normally, you might not get too excited for a new Windows anything. It's not like back in the day, when Windows 95 blew your mind. In fact, if this new effort looks anything like Vista, you might prepare for disappointment. And, let's be honest, it's not an Apple product--or maybe that's a good thing. If, as competitors are arguing, Apple's a little less cool right now, Microsoft can take advantage. Window's 8 just might be the next it thing.
Acting HTC President Martin Fitcher thinks Apple's time might be passing (though he would hope that, right?). Using some anecdotal evidence of what the kids are using, he said at the Mobile Future Forward conference that iPhones are for old people, reports Geekwire.
There’s an interesting thing that’s going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was. They were carrying HTCs. They were carrying Samsungs. They were even carrying some Chinese manufacture’s devices. If you look at a college campus, Mac Book Airs are cool. iPhones are not that cool anymore. We here are using iPhones, but our kids don’t find them that cool anymore.
As Apple wanes in it-factor, the timing couldn't be better for Microsoft to release a cool gadget to first win the hearts of hipsters and then slowly seep into mainstream status. But that's just it: Windows 8 can't look like an extension of Windows 7--which really acted as a not very exciting band-aid to Vista--it has to present a shiny new something to lure users away from brands they already love. It looks like 8 might have that draw.