As we all know: Mobility is a buzz word nowadays and so it does not wonder, that all the big compaies are trying to get a feet in this market.

Google had some sort of kickstart, they really where fast sucessful in this business and layed the way for the current tablet and mobile device hype.

Now - also Microsoft does very well. I do like android very much but I have to admit that MS has a very very good OS for phones. I do really like it as well because MS has done many things very right.

When you look on android you will clearly see, that its roots comes from the iPhone, which is not bad at all because users get the hang of it already so it was an expected step to do not change the user interface very much.

Well, Microsoft went another way with their metro interface. While it gives you lightly less possibilities for individualisation (because you are catched inside the rectangles there) it is truely very good to handle.

Now, Microsoft comes up with Windows 8 and announced their all new Tablets with the metro interface.

If you take a look at these two approaches (Android/iPhone and Windows) you can see some very interesting facts.

To follow my thinkings, please consider, that there are many other things out there beside tablets and phones. Like TV, In Car Entertainment and such things.

Now, imagine all those "Smart Devices" which may not have a Touchscreen for example a big TV. They do not have Touchscreen.
Have you ever tried to handle such TVs with a remote Control? It's driving me crazy.
I have not tried any Android TV (if such exists) currently but I do not believe that it is very comfortable to control it.

Now, lets take metro. The overall boxy look and layout is much much better suited to control it with a remote control, because merely you just have to move left/right or up/down.
Also the boxy look fits perfectly on a rectangle screen (and normally they are rectangle).

Think further and think on a Microwave with a Touchscreen, which would be very small. Wouldn't it be much better to have such a metro-like interface on it? Yes it would!

I can think of so much devices which lack totally the ability to be comfortable to control.

So, considering the fact, that metro is (in fact) much better useable on a wide range of devices, we have to admit, that Microsoft may aim for a much bigger target than just making an OS for Phones and Tablets.

We may find ourselfs using little touchscreens mounted right beside our door to control light settings of our livingroom. I would not like to fiddle around with colorful icons - i would really more like to just press a box, rearrange that boxes like I will and maybe get some funky light controllers out f the market which will fit well in my existing interface.

Metro is not meant for use on Desktop Computers, but why block it completely? It is not confirmed yet, but I am pretty sure, that the metro interface will be optional for Desktop Windows 8 Computers - and it should be (really!)

I like Microsoft for the way, that they think in advance of what their system could be capable of - where it could be used.

And be honest: Win 8 and metro could be used on nearly every device you can imagine. It will fit there and it will give a good user experience.

If you never tried an Windows Phone before, be fair and try it, you will find it useful, even when it is not that funky as an android device is.

I am pretty sure, there are people out there who have in mind, that win is buggy (which it isn't). Let me tell you, that there exists a bug in android which deletes savegames when updating an app since the early versions and this bug still exists because the manufactures all have their own forks of the main system and does obviously not care for bugfixes.. ;-) Just for your interest ;-)

So, while android is very well suited for phones and tablets I can see that Microsoft does aim for the longer way and maybe our next microwave or our next TV comes with metro. I would be happy if that happens, because metro is one of the best interfaces for embedded systems currently.

What I do not know is if I will like the new look of windows - I've heard they want to remove the glass effects and such things.. I get used to them and liked them :-)