Microsoft doesn’t give up easily on any technology. Microsoft has officially unveiled Windows 8 at it’s first-ever, developer-focused BUILD conference and has given a detailed preview of things to come. Windows 8 introduces an awesome user interface (UI) optimized specifically for touch.

Let’s take a look at the interesting features of Windows 8:

• Windows 8 introduces a new Metro style interface built for touch, which shows information important to you and gives you control. Simplicity redefined.
• Windows 8 will have built in Internet Explorer 10 which has more advanced features, and it takes advantage of hardware-acceleration for faster browsing and better performance providing a fast and fluid touch-browsing experience. The IE 10 is safe, reliable and secure supporting HTML5, CSS3, SVG and compiled JavaScript , free of add-ons which can slow-up the performance.

• All that you can do with a keyboard and mouse happens with the swipe of your hand. It has got a large on – screen keyboard for typing as well as a thumb keyboard that feels natural and comfortable.

• More Ways to Engage With Powerful and Connected Apps. All the apps that you rely on today are compatible with Windows 8.
• A new Windows app store will get you access to all the apps developed by the different people around the world.
• Apps communicate with each other in Windows 8. For example, you can easily share photos from different places, such as Facebook, Flickr or your hard drive.

• Move around with all your data. Live Connect integrates all the content from the cloud services you use most (photos, email, calendar and contacts) keeping them up-to-date on your devices. With Windows Live SkyDrive, you can access your files, photos and documents from anywhere, as they are synched across any PC.
• Windows 8 is built on the strong foundation of Windows 7, delivering improvements in performance, security, privacy and system reliability. Windows 8 reduces the memory needed, even on a PC with low configuration, creating more space for apps that run faster.
• Windows 8 features an enhanced Task Manager (Modern Task Manager), Windows Explorer, PDF reader called Modern Reader, native ISO mounting and many more.
• An interesting feature is the ability to create a Portable Workspace, an installation of Windows 8 on a USB storage device. Installing Windows 8 through USB Storage device will be an excellent option, useful to many Netbook users, who don’t have a CD/DVD Drive.
• Windows 8 gives developers a platform to build rich apps. Visual Studio 11 Express makes the world of coding easy. The Windows Dev Center is an awesome feature which provides all that you need for efficient app development. For game developers the DirectX11 should be sufficient.
• One OS: different shapes and sizes. Support for ARM-based chipsets, x86 (as well as x32 and x64) devices, touch and sensors means Windows 8 works beautifully across a spectrum of devices, from 10-inch tablets and laptops to devices with 27-inch high-definition screens.
• With Windows 8, new ultrathin PCs and tablets always stay connected to your system that runs all day even with a single charge giving you full performance that you expect. It will also support next generation chips that enable greatly extended standby and low-power states.
• Windows 8 is designed for touch screen devices, but will equally support keyword/mouse based desktops, net books ,notebooks etc., You choose the device, windows 8 is going to run on it. 

Other interesting things that you can expect:

• Windows 8 and Kinect can be integrated that makes it possible for users to control their Windows 8 devices using voice and gestures. 
•  Nokia joined Microsoft for releasing their mobile phones with Windows Phone OS. Now, Nokia will be in the race to develop and manufacture the Tablets with Windows 8 OS. However, Nokia and its Symbian devices are consistently losing the mobile market share. You already might be aware of this. If not, it’s just due to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Isn’t Windows 8 a boon for Nokia? But, Microsoft might even launch their own – branded tablet with Windows 8 OS.
• The new Control Panel will have 467 menus with 86 submenus and 7000 drivers.
• Windows 8 might include a new virtual assistant which is always there for your help.
• Microsoft Windows 8 will be tested at the end 2011 and will be released during the summer of 2012.