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Does anyone here knows how to check which device is running an app in windows 8?

Preferably the Directx + Xaml version .


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When we developed Windows 8 we intentionally made it so that "tablet" and "PC" are one in the same. If you look at the new generation of hardware (UltraBooks that un-dock to become tablets, ARM-based laptops, etc) you'll see why it wouldn't be possible to guarantee to the app developer that a device is either a "tablet" or a "PC". You could string together a number of capabilities checks to take a guess but you run the risk of inadvertently causing a bad user experience for an unexpected use case.

Anticipating the "But Apple..." replies: This is different for the Apple ecosystem because their PC hardware runs a completely different OS than their tablet and their platform is only available on a small number known Apple devices. It's also different when you compare phones to tablets because a smartphone is essentially a tablet with a smaller screen. The intent of Windows is to run on a wide variety of devices from a wide variety of hardware makers. There are pluses and minuses with both scenarios.

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That goes a long way towards explaining why the UX manages to be so dismal on both form factors. Jack of all trades, master of none. –  Flexo Jan 1 '13 at 21:55

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