Windows 8 Consumer Preview [Photos + Video]

Windows 8 has undergone more than 100,000 code changes since the Developer Preview was released and will feel much more "refined," Sinofsky said. He called Windows 8 a "generational change" in how Microsoft designed the product, as well as in its function and implementation.

"The last time we made a generational change was Windows 95," Sinofsky said.

Julie Larson-Green, vice president of Windows program management are up to offer more details about Windows 8 and apps.

Julie is presenting Windows 8 on a Samsung Series 7 tablet. She is showcasing how the different apps are sorted into categories. Also, HTML 5-based games and apps can easily become Windows native apps in the new version of the OS. Says it took Microsoft about 5 months to make this possible.

Continuing with the showcase of apps, Cut the Rope gets a lot of spotlight for being one of the first apps rewritten on HTML5 and runs like absolute butter on Internet Explorer 10. Also, a CookBook app as well as the new People app got demonstrated. The latter looks very clean and we ca not wait to get our hands on it.

She also said that mouse and touch do not have to be mutually exclusive and that they can work together. She demonstrated scrolling pictures with her fingers while navigating with the traditional keyboard and mouse to prove her point