16
Jan 2012
41 Comments
Windows 8 Secrets: PC and Device Requirements

Last month, Microsoft released its hardware requirement documentation for Windows 8 logo certification. This documentation contains Microsoft’s guidelines for designing systems which successfully meet Windows performance, quality, and feature criteria, to assure the optimum Windows 8 computing experience. As you’ve probably noticed, the blogosphere is hung up on one of the Secure Boot on ARM requirements, thanks to a single misguided post about this issue, completely missing the far more interesting information peppered throughout the document.

Here’s some of the more interesting requirements.

5-point digitizers
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 touch PCs use digitizers supporting a minimum of 5 touch points. Yep, you no longer have to hunt down information to answer that question: “Hey, does this thing do multi-touch?”. This requirement ensures your Windows 8 certified PC supports at least a hand of fingers on the screen, for all those gestures and finger-painting activities.

“Hey Windows 8, this is HP TouchSmart… you win.” (Even the newest HP TouchSmart only works with two touch points.)

NFC “touch marks”
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 PCs featuring NFC technology have “touch marks”. This one is a no brainer – A PC, likely a tablet or slate, must have a sticker or similar signage indicating where another NFC capable device can mate with it. I bring this up because we’re not used to NFC being visible in this manner. Today, NFC is available in Google’s new Galaxy Nexus phone for the most part. To invoke it, you presumably start a supportive application and mash it onto a NFC reader, moving it around until it beeps. With a larger form factor, however, knowing where the sensor is physically located becomes crucial to avoid Neanderthal-like clashing of tablets.

Hardware buttons
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 tablet/convertible PCs have 5 hardware buttons. Not three; not six. Five. Those buttons are:

  • Power
  • Rotation lock
  • Windows Key
  • Volume up
  • Volume down

The Windows Key will be at least 10.5 mm in diameter and be sported in any number of shapes (e.g. circular, rectangular, square).

New button combo for CTRL + ALT + DEL
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 PCs joined to a domain and without keyboards implement new Ctrl+Alt-Del sequence. While the on-screen keyboard remains an option for logging into a domain-joined PC, the quicker (and new) option is to press Windows Key + Power.

Minimum component set for tablets and convertible PCs
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 tablet/convertible PCs feature a minimum set of components. Requiring partners to install a baseline set of components isn’t new, but we can now begin to drool over what future Windows 8 tablets/convertible PCs will look like. Here’s what a bare minimum Windows 8 tablet would look like:

  • Storage: At least 10gb free space after the out-of-box experience completes
  • System firmware: UEFI
  • Networking: WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0 + LE (low energy)
  • Graphics: Direct3D 10 device w/ WDDM 1.2 driver
  • Resolution: 1366×768
  • Touch support: At least 5 touch points, must pass all tests
  • Camera: 720p
  • Ambient Light Sensor: 1-30k lux capable w/ dynamic range of 5-60K
  • Magnetometer
  • Accelerometer: 3 axes w/ data rates >= 50Hz
  • Gyroscope
  • USB 2.0: At least one controller and exposed port
  • Speakers

No reboot driver upgrades
Microsoft requires that Windows 8 PCs support no-reboot upgrade of graphic card drivers. Finally. While Windows Vista has supported reboot-less upgrades of WDDM drivers, enforcing that requirement was hard with unified driver sets containing both XDDM and WDDM drivers mixed in. With XDDM drivers gone in Windows 8, however, enforcement is easy and should be welcomed by users and gaming enthusiasts with wide open arms.

2 second resume … but not for ARM
Microsoft doesn’t require that Windows 8 ARM PCs resume in two seconds or less … only Intel-compatible Windows 8 PCs have this requirement. And yes, the two seconds max for Standby (S3) to “resume complete” requirement was in place since Windows 7. But I suspect ARM doesn’t come with this requirement because of architecture implementation volatility or, more likely, that Microsoft simply doesn’t yet have enough data in this space. As ARM improves and matures as a Windows host, I suspect we’ll see this requirement pop up in a future release.

  • http://twitter.com/ianpowl Ian Powley

    i think they should allow for more than 5 buttons if required eg for a camera or wireless switch

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      I don’t think a dedicated camera button is necessary for a tablet? 

    • David T.

      No, no more hardware wireless toggle! Absolutely tired of hearing “Why isn’t my computer seeing any wireless networks?” Because your switch is off, that’s why.

      Just make it easy to toggle the wireless within Windows 8.

      • MotorMouth

        Clearly you don’t travel by air much. It is a very handy feature for some of us.

      • David T.

        Yes, because we all know that the flight attendants come by and check every single passengers devices to make sure their receiving and transmitting functions are turned off. And so help you if the there’s no hardware wireless switch for them to check, you’re in for a world of hurt…

        Read my above post again: “Just make it easy to toggle the wireless within Windows 8.” 

  • http://mds.pip.verisignlabs.com/ Matt Sharpe

     The loss of XDDM is a bit of a bummer actually… completely rules out anyone upgrading their XDDM-based machine. Not sure how that’s going to be “welcomed” by enthusiasts.

    • hornetfig

      The Microsoft generic driver will work – it’s rewritten to basically be like the Remote Desktop display driver and support WDM in software. It’s not like the XPDM Intel GMA900 driver (and let’s face it, 99% of the XPDM devices are GMA900s) was going to offer much in the way of hardware acceleration anway.

      The other use for XPDM was for mirror drivers. There’s a new screen remoting API – as has been used for Remote Assistance (and System Center ConfigMgr) - to replace these drivers.

  • Leo Davidson

    What’s misguided about the Secure Boot on ARM post? Did it get something wrong?

    (Serious question. I’ve only seen articles which say similar things, not anything refuting any of the details.)

    • Anonymous

      It’s misguided because other ARM-based tablets (iPad and Kindle Fire) are already locked, yet MS is getting attacked by others for their stance on ARM-based Windows 8 tablets must have their bootloader locked.

      Look, I sort of get it.  All of this crap is coming over from those that forced smartphone manufacturers to stop locking the boot loader for their Android phones so they could load an alternate ROM.  This is because ODM’s and Carriers would either embed crapware or omit features from the core Android OS.  With Windows 8 for ARM, MS is not taking the same approach as what Android device manufacturers are doing.  You should be fully capable of removing pre-loaded software. Also, Microsoft has stated they are taking a similar approach to what they have done with Windows Phone.  Also, there is nothing preventing an OEM from releasing similar hardware specs for Windows 8 ARM tables for consumers who want say Android on their tablet.  This whole argument is being completely blown out of proportion and is ridiculous.

      • Leo Davidson

        I agree in part, but part of the issue is that when people feared this was going to happen, Microsoft stepped in and said quite explicitly that they weren’t going to do it. Now it turns out they meant “on x86, but not ARM,” which wasn’t what they said at all.

        I can forgive them to a degree because MS themselves don’t seem to know what they’re doing with ARM from one day to the next. :)

        I think any locked bootloader deserves complaints, whoever does it. Just because other people do it doesn’t make it right. Some Android manufacturers have got a lot of grief about it lately, too. Asus got so many complaints from the Android community that they caved in and agreed to unlock the Transformer Prime, for example.

        Anyway, if “misguided” was just meant as in “focusing on the wrong details” and not “factually incorrect” then that makes sense now.

      • Anonymous

        I think this whole “unlocked bootloader” “discussion” is a bunch of crock when it comes to the average consumer.  Do you really think that the average consumer cares about this?  No, they expect things to work as advertised, and not care about loading a custom ROM or OS.

        MS hasn’t said much in the way of ARM devices (outside of say Windows Phone) that they appear to be finalizing on guidelines and requirements.  It is a work in progress.

        I just think that this whole unlocked bootloader “issue” is really a non-issue when it comes to vast majority of consumers.

      • Ronc

        Personally I’ve never had an occasion to use a Linux Live CD to test my Windows computer, but I have heard Leo LaPorte give that advice to novices to help them determine if their issue is hardware or software.  So for diagnostic purposes, I can see where locking out another OS is not helpful.

      • WhatIsTheBigDeal

        I do not see what is the big deal. If the argument is that Microsoft is evil due to a broken promise but my argument is that on the x86 platform, yes this would be a big deal because Windows is a monopoly on that platform and no one will be able to install any other OS that they want on that platform.

        On the ARM platform, Linux is the monopoly. There is no Windows running on ARM at all (WinCE does not count and you don’t see them anywhere). Go into any electronic shop that sells ARM tablets/laptop ( I will include Transformer prime too for a Laptop like ability ), there are only Apple and Android, no Windows. Other than Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Acer and other ARM tablet/laptop manufacturers are all Android.

        Now even if anyone of these manufacturers will make a Windows ARM tablet or like a traditional laptop ( tablet docking to a keyboard would be the better choice ), it will definitely be limited to maybe to Qualcomm and Tegra platforms.

        When someone does indeed buy one of these ARM tablet/laptop with Windows, they would do so because they want a Windows ARM tablet/laptop and not because they want to install Linux or any other OS when there are millions of Android tablet/laptop out there that they can choose because they want Linux pre-installed or install whatever OS they want. Another point is that these Linux ARM will have way better hardware platform than the one that Windows ARM will have.

        For those who care about industrial design wise, there may not be so much difference between an ARM Windows and Android tablet/laptop from the same manufacturer because of cost and how many ways can you actually design a tablets/laptop ID anyway, most of them will look like another. Beside, what Linux user out there would want a big Windows button on their tablet, sheesh!

        On the ARM platform side, Linux user are not starved of having tablet/laptop with Linux installed that they can buy unlike on the x86 platform and to reiterate, Linux ARM tablets/laptops will have way better hardware platform ( processor, graphics ) than Windows ARM because Microsoft will have a limited set of platform to support when launched to keep a consistent experience, just like Windows Phone.

        So on x86 platform, this will be a big deal having a lock UEFI because there not that many to nothing at all of a Linux preinstalled tablet/laptop but on the ARM platform there are already broad and million of choices for any Linux users to choose from compared to a Windows user.

        If one is going to make the argument that Windows will kill the ARM Linux tablet/laptop like it did with the Netbook, I just don’t see that happening because Windows 8 start UI is so different that the average consumer might be turned off from getting a Windows ARM tablet/latop cause it is not like the old Windows that they know.

      • Guest

        technically, windows 8 ARM is not locked, it just requires an OS signed with a key stored inside the uefi key database. the linux community needs software signed and OEM agreements to load the keys, the linux foundation should get its shit together and do something instead of whining.

  • Anonymous

    I can’t wait for this autumn.  Soo many cool things happening all over.

  • http://twitter.com/HckrAdm2005 Adam

    I wish they would increase the 10GB minimum because if there are windows updates (which i’m sure there will be) the 10GB space will be quickly eaten up. Either that require an SD storage card be on the tablets so we can easily store movies, etc on the card and not on the HD. 

  • http://martin.suchan.id.email.cz/ Martin Suchan

    No mandatory GPS sensor, really?

    • http://www.jeffkibuule.com Jeff Kibuule

      Doesn’t matter really, as there aren’t a lot of separate GPS chips. Most of them have been integrated into WiFi/Bluetooth/3G radios.

    • http://twitter.com/ParkerReno Parker Ciambrone

      I honestly wouldn’t use it, I have GPS on my phone and have used it maybe once.  If it keeps the cost down +1 

  • Anonymous

    No TPM mandatory? So much for Win 8 having a focus on security.

  • WhatIsTheBigDeal

    New button combo for CTRL + ALT + DEL 
    This requirement I like since this will make sure the that the Windows Key will be a physical ( and have tactile feedback yay! ) button and not a capacitive button. I hate capacitive button on my Lumia 800 and Focus but love my real buttons on my ol’ Optimus 7.

    5-point digitizers  
    I say Microsoft should make it ten points to keep in par with the Apple tablet. If not, please, please up the ante to support a good active digitizer like Wacom and a not stylus that support capacitive touch screen.

    Resolution: 1366×768 
    Microsoft, that is too low resolution for me, not enough screen real-estate if the traditional desktop will be there. Change that to 1600×900 or enforce 1600×900 for 13″ screen and 1920×1080 for 14″ and above.

    • http://twitter.com/StefEBear Stefan

      Don’t forget that these are the MINIMUM Requirements. 1366×768 resolution is what you can expect from the 7-10 inch screens. it will, of course go Bigger for large monitors (1920×1080 etc.) as long as they have the 16:9 ratio to allow the two apps on screen.
      5 point touch is enough for most applications, but yes 10 will be nice (and some will undoubtedly have it)

      • WhatIsTheBigDeal

        True enough, those are minimum. 1366×768 for 11″ and below I may be able to survive but for example 12″ and above like my x201s, which is 1440×900, I would like a higher resolution and I would like Microsoft to define the minimum specification of large screen as I do not have faith in manufacturers and no doubt they will just meet the minimum, which they always do and never exceed them.

        An example is the announced Thinkpad T430u. I wanted to start a budget for this 14″ but upon learning that the resolution is 1366×768 I was really turned me off. I need 1920x1080p on 14″ or minimum 1600×900 like the m14x. I have yet to replace my 14″ T60 which is 1400×1050, no 14″ laptop currently in the market is able to match my T60.

        There is also another motive in having these high resolution screen and 10 point finger because the Windows tablets will no doubt be compared to some Apple tablet that has very high resolution and currently the Apple tablet is 10 point. Microsoft need to defend themselves from endgaget and theverge from this type of attack.

        For me, I can live with the 5 point cause I have found no use of 10 point in my current Apple tablet v1. The only application that I have on the Apple tablet that did use more than 2 finger is Plants vs Zombies HD. So 5 points I am ok with it, just add a minimum specification to support an active digitizer.

        Wishful thinking I know.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1453413329 Mandi Beck

        “The only application that I have on the Apple tablet that did use more than 2 finger is Plants vs Zombies HD.”
        That’s because of iOS 5 with its multi-touch gestures. You can use four or five fingers to close an app (pinch), rotate through them (swipe horizontally) or trigger the multitask-bar (swipe up).

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IERBXVFL6TDMUAZ2RKQURZH2B4 Mike

    Can’t wait to see the W8 tablets!

  • Cheron Bruce

    so…does that mean the Iconia Tab W500P makes the cut?

    • http://society50.com wmac

       Neil mentioned above that he is running preview on Acer Iconia W501P and he also gets a decent 2 seconds resume time.

  • http://twitter.com/lia_mom011 Alexandra Etienne

    I know I’m getting a windows 8 tablet (Nokia) when it comes out. Along with a windows phone (Nokia) and the xbox 360 with kinect

  • http://twitter.com/jdrch Judah Richardson

    “No reboot driver upgrades” – AMD’s Catalyst drivers have supported this on Windows 7 for aeons now.

    • Guest

      I installed the latest nvidia driver yesterday and didn’t need to reboot also.

  • Guest

    No 2 second resume for ARM.  That’s not a good sign.

    • http://society50.com wmac

       Possibly because a disk image of the memory uses too much space on a tablet?

      • jcurl

        S3 was mentioned in the article, that’s suspend to RAM. Hibernate is S4.

    • http://neil.nuttall.id.au Neil Nuttall

      I already get a 2 second resume running Win8 dev preview on my Acer Iconia W501P (AMD C-60 1GHz), so no big deal there in my book.

      Insofar as what will happen on ARM, I strongly suspect that even without MS having to specify a minimum, it will resume faster than than. Remember, with ARM we’re talking about smartphone/tablet style hardware

  • http://www.ashevilletechnologyservices.com Dan Brown

    +1

  • Anonymous

    Can I has whatever processor support is on the Motorola Xoom? This is good none-the-less. Google should enforce hardware requirements more strictly.

  • http://www.prisonofmirrors.com/ Brent Tilley

    I’m pretty stoked for Windows 8. I probably won’t be getting a tablet or phone, but I’m excited for its improvements on the PC side of things, especially the accelerated start up times.

  • zaph

    …the device needs to have a hard-wired ‘windows key’? its obviously a load of crud designed to force consumers to buy hardware from their own stable….proprietary software running on proprietary hardware – bollocks

    • John@AK

      So what if they call it a “Windows” key.  Any manufacture can change the symbol to whatever they want. 
      Would you rather have crApple which you will NOT support many common USB devices or flash memory?

  • Esquire

    This is not misguided at all, this tactics is similar to what MS used in killing netscape. UEFI does not make windows ultimately secure. Its windows that needs it and what people are saying is that fine MS can use UEFI but hardware manufactures should provide a way to disable it if you dont need it.

  • http://twitter.com/lancewmccarthy Lance W. McCarthy

    the minimum resolution is to ensure the proper “snapping” of apps. I have the ability to develop my apps all the way up to LARGE monitors/tvs. The support is there and has been baked into the IDE. So dont be surprised to see high resolution.