Yesterday Microsoft unveiled a preview of the next generation of their operating system, cleverly code-named "Windows 8".

The focus on tiles is clearly inspired by the Windows Phone OS, and it looks pretty slick. Apps going full-screen and behaving more like tablet apps is the direction all desktop operating systems are going, and if it's done well, it could be great. I'd love to be able to focus on one thing at a time the way I can on an iPad, but still have all the power and flexibility of a desktop.

The way he swipes app in from the left seems like app roulette though. I didn't see any way to know which app you're bringing forward, it just looks like a linear carousel. This is the danger of going to far in the direction of a tablet. Compromises like cycling through apps one by one are fine when you have limited screen space and only your finger to navigate, but that doesn't mean it's always the best way to do things.

Nice to see Microsoft stretching here though, and it'll be very interesting to see how much of this makes it to the final product.