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[VROSA]

Next generation Windows computers may deliver a direct computing experience , which means that the machines could also function as what might be the equivalent of special purpose devices, while also being fully-fledged PCs. A Microsoft patent describes the "Direct Computing Experience" in the company's vision, noting that a Windows platform could be tailored to run in specific modes, different from the general purpose operating mode. This will require nothing more than a special actuation mechanism coupled to the computing device, in concert with the necessary detection sensors.
Essentially, Windows PCs could easily be transformed into media player devices, personal information manager devices, clocks, calculators, media center devices, personal video recorders, and audio players, according to Microsoft. Windows would not boot completely, while instead just a core portion of the operating system would start, but enough for users to play media, or record video, without the full functionality/features/capabilities of the OS being live. In such a scenario, the Windows machine would also boot up extremely fast, in under 10 seconds, and be ready for use as a specialized device.

"For example, actuation of a special hardware button may boot or resume a sleeping computer system into a direct experience upon actuation, including by launching a special program corresponding to that button," Microsoft explained.
"The computer system may thus enter a mode in which it mimics a special purpose device such as a consumer electronics device, e.g., a dedicated media player".
"When in a direct experience, the computer system may also operate in a constrained/sandboxed mode in which operating system limits available functionality to less than what is available when running as a general purpose computer system, e.g., keyboard operation and/or file access may be limited. Different actuation mechanisms may correspond to different modes," the company added.

More here: Softpedia

[hog]

That promises to be... special. These are ideas and dreams, surely they won't revolutionize the way we see an OS anytime soon, but I guess innovation, whatever it leads to, can bring interesting results.