Tons of rumors are floating around on the web about Microsoft’s newest baby in the works. Windows 8 also known as Windows Next. There hasn’t been much solid information on it but there has supposedly been a few leaked compiled versions of BETAs that were released. I did try looking online and also tried downloading these “supposed” betas, but all 3 were some sort of either virus or corrupt file.

Things Microsoft is gearing towards:

• Improving startup and shut down times (Hybrid Boot)
• Improving wake-from-sleep times to be nearly instantaneous
• The addition of higher-speed interconnects like USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0, hard drive encryption, ambient light sensitivity, and facial recognition login / log-out.
• As well as hinting at some sort of Kinect-style user detection, but then again, PCs from HP, ASUS and others can do this already.

If all around general hear-say doesn’t excite you.. It was also noted that they may be releasing some demos at the “All Things Digital” conference which is scheduled to be held Tuesday May 31st – June 2nd. If all goes as speculated, they will be demoing the OS on a new Windows tablet to showcase their newly designed OS that will be built to be compatible on both a PC and a Tablet. (supposedly). Granted this is all rumor and here say. Steve Ballmer did announce a few days ago that Windows 8 will in fact be released some time next year and that it won’t be a MAJOR upgrade (like going from XP to Vista.. It’ll be a light upgrade similar to the Vista to 7. All and all. I’m excited to see what Windows puts out, and I can only hope that they do some demo’ing in a few days for the world to see!!!