Windows 8 hardware requirements revealed

Tablet computers and other touch PCs running the upcoming Windows® 8 operating system from Microsoft® will be required to support five hardware buttons, including ones for power, rotation lock, Windows Key, volume up and volume down, according to a report from Within Windows.

The technology blog has sorted through the Windows 8 hardware certification requirements released by Microsoft in December 2011 and revealed a number of its findings.

Among the more notable discoveries are that Windows-based tablets and touch PCs must support at least five "touch points," ensuring that all Windows 8 devices will be multi-touch-enabled. Microsoft is also requiring that all near-field communication-enabled systems have touch marks, so the user knows where to tap another NFC device.

Microsoft is also introducing an alternative to the Ctrl+Alt+Del sequence for non-keyboard devices. Instead, users will simply press the Windows Key and the power button.

Windows 8 is being seen as an attempt by Microsoft to thrust itself into the rapidly growing tablet market, but the operating system will also run on more traditional PCs, like laptops, desktops and Ultrabook™ computers.