Microsoft Releases Windows 8; Windows 8 Store Open for Business

From PC World: Microsoft's Steve Sinofsky announced on the Building Windows 8 blog Wednesday that development on Windows 8 is now complete. The final bits are being shipped to hardware OEMs, which can now do the heavy lifting of integrating the shiny new OS into new PC systems, which are slated for release starting on October 26.

As Sinofsky, who is president of the Windows and Windows Live Division of Microsoft, noted in his blog, “no software project is ever really 'done.'” We'll no doubt see the usual stream of updates as the new operating system lands in the wild.

Prior to the official launch date, key Microsoft partners and customers will be able to download the RTM for internal testing and use. Microsoft Developer Network Platforms (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers will be able to grab the bits directly from Microsoft on August 15. A day later, enterprise customers and Microsoft Partner Network members can access the new OS. On September 1, Microsoft volume license customers without software assurance agreements will be able to download Windows 8.

While Sinofsky mentioned Windows RT, it's uncertain at this time whether the WinRT bits will also be available for download on August 15, and what platforms might be supported.

The big date, of course, is October 26. That's when new PC systems and tablets will ship with Windows 8 preinstalled. Customers who buy new systems with Windows 7 installed prior to October 26 can upgrade to Windows 8 for $14.99. Existing Windows 7 customers can upgrade direct from Microsoft via the Internet for $39.99.

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