The big news this week regarding Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 software was that it features picture passwords,
something that drew widespread attention but also some skepticism.
Otherwise it was a week of rumors about what other features Microsoft's next big software release might contain and devices that might be coming out specifically to support it.
Picture Password
Microsoft has revealed a number of details on the Building Windows 8 blog
regarding a new feature coming to Windows 8 dubbed "Picture Password."
Upon hearing the name of the feature, you may assume (incorrectly) that
it's some sort of integrated face recognition technique, but that
couldn't be further from the truth.
In fact, the contents of the picture used for the login password are somewhat irrelevant. It's actually touch gestures overlaid over the photo that are the foundation of Windows 8's picture password feature.
A Microsoft product manager says, "At its core, your picture password is
comprised of two complementary parts. There is a picture from your
picture collection and a set of gestures that you draw upon it. Instead
of having you pick from a canned set of Microsoft images, you provide
the picture, because it increases both the security and the memorability of the password.
You get to decide the content of the picture and the portions that
are important to you. Plus, you get to see a picture that is important
to you just like many people do on their phone lock screen."
Picture Password is a Toy
The major downside of the picture password is that drawing a finger
across a photo on a touch screen is easy to video record from a distance
-- making it relatively easy to compromise, says Kenneth Weiss, who
invented SecurID tokens and now runs a three-factor authentication
business called Universal Secure Registry. Designers of alpha-numeric
passwords recognize this danger and have responded to it by having
password characters appear as dots on the screen so the password can't
be copied down.
"I think it's cute," he says. "I don't think it's serious security."
Windows 8 to Drive Touchscreen Sales
According
to unnamed sources, makers of LCD touchscreens are expecting a spike in
sales toward the end of 2012 in part thanks to the expected release of
Windows 8, which capitalizes on touchscreen navigation and commands,
including the above-mentioned picture password.
Screen makers ViewSonic and Asustek say they expect vendors will be eager to launch touch monitors next year, all according to Digitimes.
Nokia Tablet for Windows 8 Rumor
Nokia is rumored to be making a tablet designed for Windows 8 that it
will unveil at Nokia Connection 2012 in mid-June. That's the extent of
the rumor as repeated by Stefan Constantinescu at intomobile.com.
He says he's relaying what was posted at the DGui blog, which has since been hacked and remains down. The source of this rumor? Someone with a Finnish IP address who claims to work for Finland-based Nokia.
Nokia Tablet for Windows 8 Concept Design
Over at concept-phones.com
a posting lays down specs for a Windows 8 tablet designed by someone
identified as Cameron McKinnon. Here's a taste of what he calls for:
"Nokia Tab uses a massive 14.3 inch display, a 12 megapixel camera with
Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss lens, plus Microsoft Kinect motion capture
support through a front camera. The gadget is 12mm in thickness, it has
1GB of memory, a 64GB or 128GB HDD and it will be available in WiFi or
WiFi + 4G models, if it's ever made."
Windows 8 a Top Tech for 2012
IEEE Spectrum Magazine has listed Windows 8 among the Top Tech for 2012, alongside 4G wireless, 3D printers, Chinese supercomputers, LED lighting and electric vehicle charging stations. Of Windows 8, IEEE Spectrum writes:
"Microsoft has so far been sidelined by the industry-wide move to
mobile platforms, such as smart phones and tablets. This new operating
system is the Redmond, Wash., company's last, best hope to turn things
around."
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