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Microsoft isn’t talking, but an Italian tech enthusiasts site claims to have the skinny on more rumored new or upgraded features coming in Windows 8.
On the list is a 3D user interface, codenamed Wind and designed for higher-end systems initially, that will automatically adapt to the user’s actions.
The latest revelations came when the site, titled windows8Italia, posted information that it described as “leaks” regarding Microsoft’s (NASDAQ) next version of Windows Wednesday.
Although the site is in Italian, Bing translation renders the post in readable, though imperfect, English.
“This article reports news unofficial and not confirmable assertions, as the result of word of mouth. Are therefore worth rumors circulate since so how might be fake, might also be true,” a translated disclaimer with the post said.
However, much of the post is fairly understandable.
“Initially Wind will be supported only by high-end notebook and desktop PCs with dedicated video cards, [and] will need approximately 170 MB video memory,” the post said. “Wind will be usable only on Windows 8 … 64-Bit and will [support] 3D completely, but will still function even with [a] normal monitor.”
“Wind, in its two versions will be dynamic, totally able to adapt to the habits and user actions; in particular will have two types of dynamics: the first will create shortcuts when necessary and available in certain scenarios, speeding up certain tasks.”
“The second will adapt the interface of Windows 8 under the tasks that we do every day with computer[s]. Also icons will be intelligent and automatically adapted to the needs of the user,” the post continued.
As previously reported from earlier leaks, Windows 8 will also feature “instant on and off” technology that the company has been promising for at least a decade. Additionally, the post said, Windows 8 will add enhancements to better manage solid-state disks (SSD) in order to increase the longevity of the drives and improve performance.
Although there have been previous rumors about future features that will support Microsoft’s cloud computing initiative, however, the windows8italia post suggests that may come in a separate operating system release.
Windows enthusiast site winrumors.comwas one of the first to spot windows8Italia’s post.
Although Microsoft declined to comment, Windows 8 is widely rumored to be slated for a 2012 launch.
“At this point Microsoft has nothing further to share on future versions of Windows,” a company spokesperson told InternetNews.comin an e-mail.
Windows 7 shipped in October 2009, not quite two years after Windows Vista launchedin January 2007.
Prior to that, it had been more than five years since late 2001, when Windows XP shipped, that Microsoft had released a major update of Windows.
Within a month of consumer shipment of Windows 7, information about preliminary plans for Windows 8began to slip out.
Since then, there has been a small outbreak of leaksabout what will be in the next release of Windows and when it will arrive.
Most recently, in late October, a Dutch Microsoft siteapparently inadvertently leaked some further details regarding Windows 8, before taking the information down.
Stuart J. Johnston is a contributing writer at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals. Follow him on Twitter @stuartj1000.
