 "Leaked video shows more details of Windows Blue with Fresh Paint app")
More evidence that Windows Blue could be a better and sharper touch-based operating system has been uncovered as an Internal video has leaked on YouTube. Besides touch improvement, a host of other new tweaks, including better speech recognition, could be part of the new Windows OS codenamed Blue.
The video leak obtained by MSFTKitchen seems to be of an internal TechFest event that was apparently held a few weeks ago. The TechFest is supposed to be a “Microsoft employees only event” where the company’s research team showcases new technologies it’s working on around that time.
The Fresh Paint app was demoed in the leaked video
In the video, Microsoft’s Chief Technical Strategy Officer Eric Rudder talks about the upcoming version of Windows. “We’re really excited to work, now that the next version of Windows is coming, to make sure that we extend touch in even more dramatic fashion,” Rudder says hinting at enhancing the touch feature on the new OS.
A woman goes on to demo what seems to be a new version of the Fresh Paint for Windows app that is much more touch sensitive. Using the app, you can not only mix watercolours and have the paint remain wet for a longer time, you can also manipulate sketches by importing an image that is promptly turned into a painting.
This application is said to be for Windows Blue and something that will appeal to artists without having to worry about messy paints and canvasses. The app was initially only supposed to be a showcase for Windows 8 devices.
In another video from the same event, a faster speech recognition system is displayed for the Bing app on Windows Phone. Using two Windows Phones – one with the current back-end and the other with a new one – a Microsoft employee shows how fast the new speech recognition system could be. The newer system even shows a lower rate of word error and better speech recognition in noisy places.
Windows Blue rumours have been doing the rounds since late November last year. The Verge reported that Windows Blue, a new Windows version, could be released in the form of an update in mid-2013. Blue is expected to be a yearly update for the Windows Platform and Windows Phone, emulating the Apple Model.
A job listing found last month for a software development engineer for the “Core Experience team” to work on the touch experience and UI navigation aspects of the software made it evident that Microsoft was taking this seriously.
In a bid to end the piracy of its software, Microsoft is expected to make the Blue upgrade only available to PCs running a genuine copy of Windows. Built-in apps and the Windows Store will cease functioning if a Blue upgrade is sideloaded or force-installed on a device running a pirated copy.
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