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Microsoft
Ryan Seacrest interviews Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at CES on Jan. 9, 2012.
By Conor Shine (contact) 
Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 | 4:23 p.m.
Heavily touted during Microsoft’s pre-show keynote, the Windows 8 operating system was also the star of the company’s floor show at the International Consumer Electronics Show.
During a product demonstration, it was clear right from the log-in screen that this operating system is unlike any Microsoft has built before.
Gone is the traditional desktop that Windows users have become accustomed to, replaced by a new user interface driven by applications.
The new app tiles provide quick and ready access to information from news outlets, social networks and email.
“It’s alive with activity,” a Microsoft engineer demonstrating the product said. “Every time you log in, it will be a bit different, depending on what apps you use.”
Designed to run on tablets and personal computers, Windows 8 emphasizes intuitive gestures for navigating.
Other tiles make accessing photos, videos and files simpler than digging through folders as in older versions of Windows.
The new system also integrates search into almost every aspect of the user experience, making finding exactly what you want much simpler.
Beneath the flashy new interface lies a more traditional desktop experience that will be familiar to any longtime Windows user. Stalwart products like Microsoft Office blend efficiently with the new Windows 8.
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