Microsoft has for the first time revealed specific details about the upcoming PCs that will run Windows RT. Windows RT is a variant of Windows 8 built specifically for portable devices such as tablets.
Microsoft has also confirmed that Dell, Lenovo and Samsung will introduce Windows RT PCs running on top of ARM chips. Microsoft will also release its own offering in the form of the Surface tablet, in October.
President of the Windows and Windows Live division, Steven Sinofsky, says: “We are all very excited by the innovation and creativity that will arrive in market this October. Our engineering collaboration has been better than ever as we work to bring better performance, reliability, and battery life to new PCs designed for Windows 8.”
According to VP of the Windows ecosystem and planning team, Mike Angiulo, a key feature of Windows RT is that it is not just for tablets. “Some of our Windows RT PCs come with full keyboard and touchpad solutions, whether removable/dockable or a traditional clamshell.
Angiulo adds that Microsoft has worked with touchpad component vendors to include native support in firmware for fast gesture recognition.
Another key feature of the new breed of devices will be long battery life, according to Microsoft. Early production range Windows RT devices are said to provide eight to 13 hours of HD video playback and 320 to 409 hours in “connected standby” mode.
“When your Windows RT PC is not in use, it will move into a new low-power mode that allows it to keep your data fresh and current, while also not requiring a battery charge for days. And when you need your system, it will turn on in less than a second at the touch of a button, which is a mobile phone experience, but in a full PC.”
Other specifications include that the weight of Windows RT devices will be between 520g to 1 200g, measure 10.4 to 11.7 inches in length, 6.6 to eight inches in width and will have a thickness of between 0.3 and 0.6 inches.
“Our graphics core has also gone through extensive optimisation. Besides the optimisations around power-efficient HD video playback, the core Windows RT UI animations achieve 60fps, which was our design goal,” says Angiulo.
The Windows RT PCs will also feature near-field communication technology and allow two devices to share content easily between each other. The PCs will also provide support for a wide range of peripheral connections including USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, WWAN, printing and audio/video.
Angiulo adds: “Windows RT represents a significant re-imagining of not only Windows, but Windows PCs and how we partner together to engineer them.”
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