Microsoft Windows 8 to take on Apple Inc. (AAPL)? [INFOGRAPH]

 

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 8’s consumer preview has stirred up quite a storm over the last few months. It all began with 8’s radical departure from the famous start button and desktop. To longtime Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows users, this was the first sign that Microsoft’s next generation of PCs were headed in a new direction. Now that the consumer preview has been out for a few months, it’s clear that 8’s boldness is going to make or break the product.

One of the biggest changes is the new desktop, Metro, an app interface that has a lot in common with tech’s real king and queen: the smartphone and tablet. Metro comes with the built in apps we’ve come to expect from our gadgets, like maps, weather, and social media, along with an app store that is slowly but surely building up a repertoire that Microsoft hopes will rival Apple’s in quantity and quality.

Along with Metro, Windows 8 brings new cloud, USB, and widget technology. The overall message is clear: Microsoft wants to transform the PC into a mobile and social powerhouse. And it’s hard to argue with the move, considering the dominance of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhone and iPad over the last few years. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has become one of the dominant players in the tablet and smartphone market. Apple Inc. ipad’s are now replacing PCs for many users.

For some, Windows 8 will be a sad reminder that the PC is on its way out the door. With an OS almost entirely inspired by smartphones and tablets, it’s easy to be skeptical. Frugal Dad has put together an infographic that takes a good hard look at 8’s offerings and its performance compared to the successful Windows 7. The graphic is decidedly excited by what Windows 8 has in mind, going so far as to suggest that its success will determine the fate of all PCs.

While it’s too early to draw such a sweeping conclusion, I am more than intrigued by the PC shakeup 8 is causing. I’m hardly a computer wiz, but reading up on Windows 8’s apps and cloud software sure makes me wonder how Microsoft’s big release will fare against Apple Inc. Only time will tell if all this to do will put Microsoft Windows back on track. I know Apple is wondering the exact same thing. Check out Frugal Dad’s graphic:

Source: http://FrugalDad.com