Windows 8 (Consumer Preview) Debuts Today!

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Yep it’s Wednesday, February 29, 2012 and Windows 8 CP (Consumer Preview) set to debut Today in Barcelona, Spain at the Mobile World Congress (MWC).

The 2 hour event, is scheduled to take place from 3 pm to 5 pm today. By releasing Windows 8 CP, Microsoft full-fills it promise to:

1. Make available a developer preview (which went out in September 2011)
2. Provide a Windows 8 “Public beta” (this Consumer Preview) by the end of February 2012 and…
3. Deliver a Release Candidate (TBD) and…
4. Release the official version of Windows 8 for manufacturing in the 3rd or 4th quarter of 2012.

At this time, Microsoft has not as of yet, provided a target shipping date for Windows 8, but rumors on the street suggest that we could see it on new PCs and tablets starting this fall (2012).

Windows 8 Resources

More Articles and Links about Windows 8

• Microsoft to launch Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC – by Mary Jo Foley – ZDNet
• Microsoft’s Future Riding on Windows 8 – USATODAY.com
• Windows 8 News – Microsoft Windows
• Windows 8 – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• News for Windows 8 – (Google Search)
• Windows 8 Beta – Windows 8 download, news and rumors
• Windows 8 News, Rumors & Tips – The Latest Microsoft Windows 8
• Windows 8 Consumer Preview: What should testers expect? – by Mary Jo Foley – ZDNet
• Windows 8: Why the coming beta is likely to be labeled the ‘consumer preview’ – by Mary Jo Foley – ZDNet
• Download the Windows Developer Preview Guide to learn about new features for developers, consumers, and businesses

Videos About Windows 8

• Windows 8 Video Dem0 – Also Enjoy Some Great Jazz Fusion Music!

• Building Microsoft “Windows 8” – Video #1

• Building Microsoft “Windows 8” – Video #2

• An Early, First Look at Windows 8 (Hands On)

• Windows 8 on a Laptop – Laptop Magazine

Download Windows 8 consumer preview

Here are the Windows 8 CP download links to the ISO files Below:

English

64-bit (x64)                    Download (3.3 GB)
Sha 1 hash — 1288519C5035BCAC83CBFA23A33038CCF5522749

32-bit (x86)                    Download (2.5 GB)
Sha 1 hash — E91ED665B01A46F4344C36D9D88C8BF78E9A1B39

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

Chinese (Simplified)

64-bit (x64)                    Download (3.4 GB)
Sha 1 hash — DF69B851F9A81DECBB16648CC452461894416EB0

32-bit (x86)                    Download (2.6 GB)
Sha 1 hash — E29A2072745A48C14A1C2E5A61F5230841BEDB45

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

French

64-bit (x64)                    Download (3.3 GB)
Sha 1 hash — A9358E6799ABEEF29EDBA054AD34849C02C7F51F

32-bit (x86)                    Download (2.5 GB)
Sha 1 hash — 2EF8013B9F50B93AEAC8068F4827E2C1DC0DC0B1

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

German

64-bit (x64)                    Download (3.3 GB)
Sha 1 hash — DB1003A47C266697B3832BE2A23319988EE34495

32-bit (x86)                    Download (2.5 GB)
Sha 1 hash — 91075AEA665C5D6F42A24714B3A3390762C94457

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

Japanese

64-bit (x64)                    Download (3.3 GB)
Sha 1 hash — A8F0DB12CAECEA0BE8B27EA124F2234212D9103A

32-bit (x86)                    Download (2.5 GB)
Sha 1 hash — C8A322ED86058086207CAAECD46B4DDACF9E247A

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

If you have trouble with the links above here is the Official Windows 8 Consumer Preview Microsoft Download Site