This article was published on February 24, 2012

With Windows 8, Microsoft tacks towards simplicity


With Windows 8, Microsoft tacks towards simplicity

Remember when Microsoft’s new mobile platform was called ‘Windows Phone 7 Series,’ and we all laughed at it? Then it became Windows Phone 7, but once Mango came out, it’s become known simply as ‘Windows Phone.’ It took too long, but Microsoft did eventually pare the name down to something memorable, and short.

It’s about to do the same, from both a name and product sense, to a great swath of its products moving forward in Windows 8. The Live brand itself is being torn down, according to the Verge, allowing for new products to receive  simpler names. Windows 8 is no mere update to the Windows line.

To keep this short, here’ the compiled list of changes that Tom Warren managed to dig up:

  • Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID)
  • Mail (Windows Live Mail)
  • Calendar (Windows Live Calendar)
  • People (Windows Live Contacts)
  • Photos (Windows Live Photo Gallery)
  • Music (Zune Music Player)
  • Video (Zune Video Player)

You can fit names like that short into a live tile, while Windows Live Photo Gallery is massively clunky. Microsoft is, as we have long anticipated, also utterly ending the Zune brand. Please say hello to Xbox Live for Windows.

Right, all told, Microsoft is slimming down its product names, bringing them all together in a single location, and is combining brands to lessen consumer confusion. Provided that they don’t cart before the horse all of this, it should work out very well.

Don’t forget, next Wednesday is the expected release date for the Windows 8 consumer preview. Get some.

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