Microsoft offers free trial of Windows 8

Microsoft gave reviewers and the public their first taste of its revolutionary new operating system Windows 8, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.

Windows 8 will run on tablets as well as desktops and laptops – and is a sea-change for Windows that is seen as a make-or-break opportunity for Microsoft. The free trial was offered Wednesday.

Tablets and cloud computing have made chairman Bill Gates’ vision of “a computer on every desk and in every home” seem quaint – Windows 8 aims to adapt the iconic operating system for life in the mobile world of tablets.

Windows 8 will come in two variations – one that works on desktops and laptops, and a new version for the ARM microprocessors in tablets, smartphones and other portable devices.

There is no set release date, but it’s widely expected to be available in autumn – offering Microsoft Office free on tablets, which could be a “killer app” that puts Windows 8 machines ahead of Apple devices, the newspaper added.

Microsoft’s market capitalisation is now $267 billion.