Microsoft Windows 8 is expected to be available Wednesday February 29th in Beta for Consumer Preview to download. Windows 8 has adopted the tablet style interface similar to Windows Phone 7 to go after the iPad / tablet market. You can still exit out to a traditional style interface. This may be what it takes for Microsoft to penetrate the tablet space and challenge the iPad essentially for the first time!
PC World Article “Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview: What We Know So Far” by Jared Newman:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/250678/microsoft_windows_8_consumer_preview_what_we_know_so_far.html
PCWorld Slide Show, “Windows 8: A Close-Up Look” by Jared Newman: http://www.pcworld.com/article/239896/windows_8_a_closeup_look.html