Windows 8 Misses the Mark

Windows 8 is a compelling proposition for tablets, but not for desktops and laptops, where the new interface is more confusing than compelling, leaving no good reason to upgrade from Windows 7. Some of the things Microsoft could and should have done to address that issue:

1. Overhaul Windows display tech to compete with Apple Retina
2. Build virtualization into Windows core
3. Build cloud services into Windows core, with (say)
   1. 100 GB free SkyDrive storage for 2 years
   2. automatic cloud photo sync
   3. automatic cloud backup (like Carbonite)
4. Integrate Skype into Windows core, with unlimited free calling for 2 years
5. Integrate speech recognition, both command and dictation
6. Include "personal assistant" capability (like Apple Siri/Google Now)