Windows 8 retail packaging revealed

Microsoft has finally revealed the official retail packaging of its latest operating system, Windows 8. The new logo design, unlike the wavy flag-styled older logo of Windows, is funkier and highly stylized. Microsoft plans to sell Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro editions boxed in packages of two color variants. Windows 8 will come packaged in a lighter color with the Windows 8-style UI logo very prominent at the front, while the Windows 8 Pro edition will come clad in a darker variant. This exclusive information was first broken online by The Verge after an official talk with spokespersons from Microsoft.

Editions of the flagship OS will be packaged in black or white

The Developer Preview of Windows 8 was released last year, the Consumer Preview this year. In May this year, Microsoft released its Windows 8 Release Preview, which is one of the last milestones before the operating system is ready to ship. A while back, Microsoft renamed the Metro UI to Windows 8-style UI. Recently, we reported that the final copy of Windows 8 Release To Manufacturing (RTM), the Enterprise N was leaked, and made its way online via torrents and other means.

Customers will see the Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT editions in the market for new PCs and tablets from October 26, 2012. Upgrade versions will also be available in stores and as an electronic software download directly from Microsoft’s own servers. It is not known yet if Microsoft will package the new product like Windows 7, in terms of style and size. The packaging for Windows 7 was around 37 percent smaller than its predecessor. We guess we will have to wait until the official unveiling of Windows 8 happens in late October, unless there is another leak of images showing the package sizes. As for the pricing of the retail and upgrade versions of the new OS, we have no official updates. There are speculations that the upgrade version will be priced at USD 40.

Windows 8 Release Preview works great on the hardware that powers Windows 7.

Hardware requirements for Windows 8:
Processor: 1GHz or faster
RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
Drive space: 16GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
Video card: Microsoft DirectX 9 compatible device

Those who have not yet witnessed the new operating system can download the ISO from the Microsoft website, and install it for a hands-on experience before buying a final copy or an upgrade to the existing Windows 7 installation. Microsoft’s new Windows 8 Release Preview is being made available in 14 different languages. The Release Preview is available for download for free on Microsoft's Windows 8 Preview website. All you need to do is get the ISO and burn a copy on a disc. You also have the option of making a bootable flash drive for installing the OS. The system requirements for Windows 8 are the same as those required by Windows 7.