Some Interesting Windows 8 PC and Device Requirements

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image thumb97 - Some Interesting Windows 8 PC and Device Requirements

Microsoft released Windows 8 hardware certification requirements documentations last month. It contains 3 separate requirements for system, device, and filter driver. Besides one requirement that revealed ARM devices won’t have the option to switch off secure boot, which has caused a stir on the Internet, there are quite a few more interesting ones buried in there, revealed by within Windows.

5-point digitizers

It’s required that Windows 8 touch PCs use digitizers that support a minimum of 5 touch points. That basically says that all Windows 8 touch PCs you will be seeing on market are multi-touch. The more touch points, the better.

NFC “Touch Marks”

It’s required that Windows 8 PCs featuring NFC technology have “touch marks”. What is NFC anyway? Stands for Near Field Communication, it is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity. So this makes sense to make it visible.

Hardware buttons

It’s required that Windows 8 tablets/convertible PCs have 5 hardware buttons, which are:

  • Power
  • Rotation lock
  • Windows key
  • Volume up
  • Volume down

In which, the Windows key will be at least 10.5mm in diameter and be sported in any number of shapes.

New button combo for Ctrl+Alt+Del

Press Windows key + Power button. It’s just as simple as this.

Minimum components set for tablets and convertible PCs

It’s required that Windows 8 tablet/convertible PCs feature a minimum set of components. Here is what a bare minimum Windows 8 tablet would look like:

  • Storage: At least 10gb free space after the out-of-box experience completes
  • System firmware: UEFI
  • Networking: WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0 + LE (low energy)
  • Graphics: Direct3D 10 device w/ WDDM 1.2 driver
  • Resolution: 1366×768
  • Touch support: At least 5 touch points, must pass all tests
  • Camera: 720p
  • Ambient Light Sensor: 1-30k lux capable w/ dynamic range of 5-60K
  • Magnetometer
  • Accelerometer: 3 axes w/ data rates >= 50Hz
  • Gyroscope
  • USB 2.0: At least one controller and exposed port
  • Speakers

2 seconds rule

Other than ARM PCs, all reminders are required to resume in 2 seconds top.

The requirements are strictly for OEMs. If all manufactories do their work by following the guidelines, Windows 8 PCs will be the very good computing devices for all of us.

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