New Windows 8 screenshots leak, including updated wallpaper

By Tom Warren, on 31st Mar 11 2:54 pm with 25 Comments

Windows 8 Live integration

Additional Windows 8 screenshots leaked on Thursday, pointing to a new wallpaper in recent builds.

Microsoft’s Windows Live ID integration into the Windows 8 shell has been leaked once again by the forum My Digital Life. Forum members have posted a range of new screenshots displaying the updated shell.

Windows 8 shell integration

ZDNet also posted an updated wallpaper inside the latest Milestone 3 builds of Windows 8. The full version is available for download here.

Windows 8 M3 wallpaper

Microsoft is believed to be working on a Metro design user interface for Windows 8. Leaked screenshots, posted earlier this month, also show a flattened Metro UI interface codenamed “Aero Lite”.  The screenshots show a flattened interface consistent with Microsoft’s Metro UI. Microsoft’s primary Windows 8 interface is believed to be fully 3D. The interface will be “fully dynamic” and able to adapt to user habits. Icons and shortcuts will adapt to different usage scenarios to speed up daily tasks. Windows 8 is also rumored to include a new fast hibernation system. The system will hibernate in around three to six seconds and save all open documents and running tasks. Rumors suggest that Microsoft will create a dual-UI for Windows 8. A tile-based user interface codenamed “Mosh” will reportedly be included.

The software giant is also planning its own Time Machine feature named “History Vault”. The feature will allow Windows 8 users to backup files and data automatically using the Shadow Copies function of Windows. According to one person familiar with the company’s plans, the backup feature will include the ability to restore to a specific time or date on the system. Users will also be able to select files and restore them to different timestamps.

Microsoft has so far been extremely quiet on the Windows 8 front. Windows Chief, Steven Sinofsky, took to the stage at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January to introduce a technology preview of Microsoft’s Windows ARM support and show off an early build of Windows 8. Microsoft is partnering with ARM-based manufactures NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments to produce new Tablet devices.

Microsoft has started to distribute Windows 8 builds to key OEM partners via its Connect testing site. The company has distributed build 7971.0.110324-1900 to OEMs in a special invite only “Windows 8 and Server vNext Pre-Release Program.”

  • http://twitter.com/williamtm/ WilliamTM

    Any chance you could leak the wallpaper if you got hold of it somehow Tom? ;)

    It’s awesome!

    • http://twitter.com/zeduffman what

      ‘ZDNet also posted an updated wallpaper inside the latest Milestone 3 builds of Windows 8. The full version is available for download here.’

    • http://twitter.com/williamtm/ WilliamTM

      :facepalm:

      I read the article on Neowin first, they didn’t link to it.

    • http://twitter.com/kenobeano Keno Butler

      where is the link?

  • http://twitter.com/MichielPapp Michiel Papp

    I like the wallpaper but i’m really looking out for the 3D part of the desktop. I remember a third party company doing this in windows. You could make piles of photo’s and stuff. It was really neat, but that was it. I hope microsoft can truly bring out the cool things in 3D desktop. Also combine it with smasung’s see trough LCD technology and we will all be doing our work on minority report like machines :p

    • http://twitter.com/kenobeano Keno Butler

      think you are referring to the Copenhagen Concept???

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zqGXWnYe_U

    • trashoner

      Copenhagen concept seems nice. It’s a little too busy though (over the top). It does have lots of lag sometimes. may be is the graphics card? anyway. I do remember this other 3D desktop called bump top 3D desktop. If i remember right they were bought out by Google. I bet we’re about to see a lot 3D desktopin. ha! here is video on bump top desktop.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jhoWsHwU7w

    • Anonymous

      I don’t see myself being productive in a 3D desktop experience. It looks nice, but that’s pretty much it imo.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t see myself being productive in a 3D desktop experience. It looks nice, but that’s pretty much it imo.

  • http://twitter.com/MichielPapp Michiel Papp

    I like the wallpaper but i’m really looking out for the 3D part of the desktop. I remember a third party company doing this in windows. You could make piles of photo’s and stuff. It was really neat, but that was it. I hope microsoft can truly bring out the cool things in 3D desktop. Also combine it with smasung’s see trough LCD technology and we will all be doing our work on minority report like machines :p

  • http://twitter.com/MichielPapp Michiel Papp

    I like the wallpaper but i’m really looking out for the 3D part of the desktop. I remember a third party company doing this in windows. You could make piles of photo’s and stuff. It was really neat, but that was it. I hope microsoft can truly bring out the cool things in 3D desktop. Also combine it with smasung’s see trough LCD technology and we will all be doing our work on minority report like machines :p

  • http://josedmorales.net Josè Daniel

    Well, at last it deserves to be named a wallpaper. It’s slowly taking more shape and the Metro UI is more evident everytime.

  • http://josedmorales.net Josè Daniel

    I thought the Mosh (rumor) was debunked as fake.

    • Anonymous

      By who?

    • http://josedmorales.net Josè Daniel

      Most people who posted on related news about the new interface would say that. They said it was just a rumor because this didn’t have enough trustable sources. I’m glad this is actually on development!

    • Guest

      Most people who posted on related news about the new interface would say that. They said it was just a rumor because this didn’t have enough trustable sources. I’m glad this is actually on development!

  • Anonymous

    If they’re going to integrate Windows Live into the shell, I’m hoping it won’t suck balls like it does now.

  • frankwick

    I wish they would place the recycle bin on the task bar near the clock. It would be more usable.

    • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

      Or next to the windows Orb

  • Benjy91

    They do love their fish on their beta build wallpapers,

    Wallpaper link = http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/windows-8-m3-wallpaper.jpg?tag=mantle_skin;content

  • http://openid.tomservo.eu/ Tom Servo

    Seeing how newly integrated UI elements feature a heavy Metro look, completely out of place with the current Aero style, it’s safe to assume that Windows 8′s general UI style is going to get a major overhaul, independently of the seperate Aero Light theme and MoSH that was hinted at.

  • http://openid.tomservo.eu/ Tom Servo

    Seeing how newly integrated UI elements feature a heavy Metro look, completely out of place with the current Aero style, it’s safe to assume that Windows 8′s general UI style is going to get a major overhaul, independently of the seperate Aero Light theme and MoSH that was hinted at.

  • http://twitter.com/anirudhagupta anirugu

    well if this image have a small mistake that why tester use Avast as in image shown whenever itself have a security essential

  • TEKBET

    its FAG BAG

  • TEKBET

    its FAG BAG