BLOG: Microsoft launches "reimagined" Windows 8

The challenge for Windows’ most radical makeover ever was always for it to help users make the transition.

Move them or lose them, it seemed.

But judging from sentiments at Microsoft’s launch of Windows 8 at the Esplanade on Thursday, people adjust fast, especially when it comes to gadgets.

“It needs some getting used to, but years ago no one used an iPhone too. I think people will switch to Windows 8 eventually,” said Ms Lim Jean Nie, 26, who attended the launch event.

Microsoft will be hoping for a seamless switch for its global base of 400 million Windows users. It starts selling the new, much-touted version of its OS in Singapore right after a launch event that saw more than 1,000 consumers and members of the media attending.

The outdoor showcase featured over 50 notebooks, tablets and convertibles from brands like Asus, LG and Samsung spread across four "experiential" zones.

Two versions of the OS -- Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro – will be available at retail outlets while Windows RT, designed for ARM-based tablets, will be available pre-installed on new devices.

Also launching on Thursday are the Windows Store and the Surface, Microsoft’s inaugural tablet, though the latter is currently not available in Singapore.

Such a slew of changes can be jarring for seasoned Windows users, but launch event emcee Oli Pettigrew believes that people adapt as fast as technology evolves.