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Live: Windows 8.1 to be finished in late August [Updated]


Microsoft expects to finish Windows 8.1 – the successor to the controversial operating system that radically changed the Windows interface – by the end of August, a company executive said today at its Worldwide Partner Conference here.

Tami Reller, Microsoft corporate vice president and chief marketing officer for Windows, said Windows 8.1 will be handed off to hardware makers and should be available on PCs and tablets in time for the holiday buying season. And she reiterated that it will be a free upgrade for all existing Windows 8 users.

The conference, which is the company’s largest annual event, is the software giant’s opportunity to touch base with a group of resellers and hardware vendors who worry about increasing competition from Microsoft. CEO Steve Ballmer, who kicked off a 3 hour and 16 minute keynote address, reiterated that Microsoft is remaking itself into a “devices and services” company, which encroaches on the territory of many attending.

For example, a lineup of executives appearing onstage on the floor of the Toyota Center touted a variety of product announcements aimed at information technology practitioners, each earning at least a smattering of applause. But when Jon Roskill, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of its Worldwide Partner Group, announced that the company would start selling its Surface Pro tablets in 28 more countries, there was dead silence. Microsoft getting into the hardware business has drawn the ire of many who sell their own PCs and tablets.

The emphasis during the presentations was how partners working with Microsoft can make money by pushing its latest products. Ballmer said 90 percent of the company’s revenue comes from products sold by its partners, and that its partners grew 6.5 percent last year on a sales of $650 billion.

While most of the product announcements ran to the hardcore geeky, one stole the show. An executive showed off a product called Power BI that can make it easy to visualize huge amounts of data. He imported charts for popular music since 1955, and the program showed how different artists dominated music in different eras, starting with Elvis Presley in 1955 and ending with Rihanna in 2012.

Original post

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer this morning kicks off the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference 2013 in Houston. Ballmer’s speaking at the Toyota Center, and most of the conference happens next door at the George R. Brown Convention Center through Thursday. About 15,000 people are expected to attend.

This is a critical time for Microsoft, as the software giant is attempting to transition to a business built on “devices and services”. In doing so, it could end up competing with the partners gathered in Houston this week. Microsoft has already upset some hardware makers with the introduction of its Surface tablets, and it is expected to expand further into device hardware. Ballmer needs to show the industry that Microsoft can still help them make money

I’ll be live-blogging Ballmer’s speech below. The blog goes live at 8:15 a.m., and Ballmer’s speech begins at 8:30 a.m. You can follow Twitter reaction to his speech in this entry.

Categories: Microsoft
Dwight Silverman | Techblogger, social media manager

25 Responses

  1. Nancy Hogwallup says:

    What moron planned this event for HOUSTON in JULY????

  2. jw1 says:

    Just kill Win 8 now. Re-release Win 7!


    • Peter says:

      I run several different computers. One with XP, one with 7 and one with 8. I don’t understand why some people complain so much about 8. It’s just as stable as 7. It looks different and some tasks are handled different (interface), but doesn’t have any problems. If you plan to have a tablet running the MS OS, it makes it easier on the user having the same OS. Win 8 is really designed as a cross platform (PC and tablet) OS. I just don’t believe comparisons to Millennium and/or Vista are close. When I first launched 8, I was a bit disappointed, but after about 10 minutes on Google, I was happy with it.

    • jw1 says:

      Single users? Not an issue; just a subjective choice.

      But as a SysAdmin with 150 users of all denominators– many who would daily have issue with simply launching business-necessary applications?

      Win8. Just. Won’t Do.

      Then there’s custom legacy applications that I would bet-the-farm won’t run on Win8.

      But hey– enjoy!


  3. lawrence says:

    totally agree with jw1! Win 8 is a disaster. But thats microsoft for ya, every version of windws keeps on getting worse.

    • g-money says:

      Not true, XP was an improvement on everything before, Vista was sa step back but 7 was the best yet, then 8 stepped back again. It’s more like a slight step backward between improved versions

    • jw1 says:

      And I was a Windows 2000-lover before XP. That was the first truly stable O/S from MS. A nice piece of work for about 3 years.


  4. RunningBear says:

    Houston guarantees a/c and possible rain (business as usual). Gee, it’s hard to get around being in the middle of the country, both coast’s have to travel to get here! :) God Bless Texas

  5. Brazos says:

    How do you pronounce Power BI – “bye” or “B”,”I” ?

  6. Gstahl says:

    I know what the announcement is….a redesigned blue screen.

  7. MrOldMan says:

    Their “next big thing” is to try and repair their “last big thing”. That’s like selling a car with three wheels, and then trying to get credit for a recall to add the fourth.

  8. MrOldMan says:

    I was forced to join the MS Partner network for a project I did recently – there were no alternatives. Fortunately, they could not force me to attend this “event”.

    • fencesitter says:

      really, how would the force you to attended ms-police round out?
      not sure I want a project run by you then.

  9. Sentinel_X says:

    Microsoft could made an option of allowing users to access the old easy-to-use start menu and desktop icons, but they have failed. Microsoft has continued forcing their customers to use inefficient tiles and get Microsoft accounts so that they can sell apps.

    If Windows 9 is the same as Windows 8, I will start using Linux or Apple operating systems.

    Who thinks that having a tablet operating system on a desktop is a good idea?

  10. JB says:

    cheap hotel rates drive where events are. Minnesota in January is cheaper than August. July/August in Houston cheaper than April. Why should the world stop in Houston just because it is July. Every conference can’t be in San Diego.

  11. D-man says:

    For those considering Linux…try a live CD of Mint Linux or Zorin Linux, or Bodhi Linux all versions of Ubuntu Linux. Zorin is the most like windows. My favorite is Mint, though I have Bodhi Linux loaded now (find them in GOOGLE)….Best thing is you can use the live CD try it out then take out the cd and boot back to your PC with no changes. When you find one you like you can back up your data (Should not be needed but better safe than sorry!) and use the live CD to install and make a dual boot system. After you get used to the new system you will find yourself not going into windows very often. You can then do another back up and do a clean install and only have Linux and say bye bye to Windows forever!

    • Sentinel_X says:

      The Linux versions that I have tried I was unable to figure out how to do basic things like install programs.

      Linux companies should make available step-by-step video tutorials from beginner to advanced to sell their products.

    • D-man says:

      These all have Synaptic a graphical front end to get your software and most of it is free. That right no $$$’s also can use Synaptic to get updates so as not to worry about virus’s so no anti virus needed. Enjoy.

  12. mzerach says:

    I am not sure why everyone is whining about windows 8. It works great, I have had minimal issues with it. I have a start button for mine, most people do too. Its the windows key, on just about every new keyboard made.

    Anyone that suggests a free os instead is providing a disservice. Yeah linux is out there, yeah it has come a long way and yeah it is an alternative. But really when was the last you walked into business and saw ubuntu on every machine? Or why would you want to rely on a product supported by people who don’t get paid to do the work? Is it a hobby? A love? makes no sense.

    I pin my apps to the taskbar, and search for everything else I need to do. Windows 8 is fast, easy and robust for my use.

    • D-man says:

      Very True. I also have a win 8 PC as well as a PC with win 8.1. Only problem is with the user profiles corrupting on Win 8. On Win 8.1 when I signed in to download a n app it changed my account without my permission. Very frustrating. If you are going to have to get used to something different anyway you may as well check out the options. I think if they give Win 8.1 a chance they will like it. Just make sure to check use account just this one time in the store. LOL

  13. CeciL says:

    Win 8 ? ?, I am still trying to get rid of 7. Easier to go back to XP than to buy a bunch of new software

  14. davesmall says:

    What would be the most boring and uninteresting thing you could possibly do?

    1) Watching cement being poured during highway construction, or

    2) Watching “Laser Hair Removal” on the Shopping Channel, or

    3) Watching Steve Ballmer any time, any where.

    My vote goes to number 3

  15. Danzmark says:

    Windows 8.1, like Windows 8, is ‘finished’ already. Who wants this dumb stupid OS? MS needs to quit smoking whatever it is they’re smoking and get back to reality. X-P was a great OS. Vista SUCKED. And Windows 7 is all that saved MS.

  16. Quikboy says:

    Super cool that a big tech company has an event in Houston. I wonder why Houston? I know they’ve held a few events in Houston before. Could it be that Houston is luring more tech talent? Pretty cool.