Windows 8 News Roundup: WP7 Like Login Screen, Ribbon Based Windows Explorer and a Built-in PDF Reader…

As the time is passing by Windows 8 based rumors and news are heating up. Microsoft is already hard at work to shape the future of Windows. Over the past of couple of days a number of new GUI elements from a pre-alpha version of the Windows 8 has leaked to the web that are now painting a slightly more clear picture of what to expect in the next generation of the OS at least in terms of the user interface and some other features. Although still not much about the backend and behind the scene technology that will be powering the Windows 8.

First up an interesting piece about the new login screen that has striking resemblance to the lock screen on the WP7 even the fonts are the same as on the mobile counterpart as you can see in the picture below:

Furthermore, what is interesting is that Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera are hinting at the tablet style functionality in the Windows 8. For example users will be able to login by drawing a pattern just like on the current Android phones. Well it is too early to say if it will make in the final builds of the Windows 8, but at least it tells something about the direction that Microsoft is taking. It also suggests that we might see some other GUI components borrowed from it’s mobile counterpart.

Next interesting thing and probably the  most significant news so far on this front relates to the gradual shift by Microsoft to the ribbon UI in the Windows 8 that originally started from the MS Office 97 back in the days. This seems to be a system wide shift to the ribbon based GUI that is going to replace the traditional menus and toolbars in the OS. I can envision that it is goanna offend many potential Windows 8 users! You can see some screenshots of the Windows explorer GUI in all “ribbon based” glory below:

Finally, another notable news is that Microsoft is going to include a built-in PDF reader via what is called a Modern Reader in the Windows 8! Apparently from the looks it seems to have a minimal and clean interface as this is what Microsoft seems to be concentrating on lately (remember IE9). Assuming many security vulnerabilities that effect Windows systems are related to the PDF, it should allow to decrease those threats dramatically assuming Microsoft pushes out a secure implementation of the PDF reader in Windows 8.

We will let you know as soon as we have more interesting bits & pieces about the upcoming Windows 8!

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