Quoting from a blog entry from Windows team blog:

“ …October 26th, 2012! That’s right! Just a few minutes ago, Steven Sinofsky announced at Microsoft’s annual sales meeting that customers will be able to get Windows 8 – whether in upgrade fashion or on a new PC – starting on October 26th. “

The Windows 8 operating system platform marks another major transition for the Microsoft Windows developer community…  Along with opportunities in the “Windows Phone” and “Windows Embedded” environment, opportunity for the Windows 8 development platform is huge…  Think about all of those specialized-purpose devices we use and interact with around us.

For those of you currently not focusing on Windows Embedded, the embedded versions of the Windows 8 operating system is known as “Windows Embedded Standard 8”, abbreviate as WES8.  The Windows Embedded product team released CTP2 for WES8 on Microsoft’s Connect site:

    http://connect.microsoft.com

To access WES8 CTP2:

  • Login to the Connect website with a Windows Live ID
  • Go to the directory section and search the directory using the “Windows Embedded Standard” key word to locate the Windows Embedded Standard program.
  • Click on Join
  • You need to agree to the program’s terms and fill out the survey to gain access.

For more information about Windows Embedded Standard 8 CTP2, visit the following URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/evaluate/windows-embedded-standard-8-ctp.aspx