If you like to run your favorite Linux distribution alongside a copy of Windows on the same machine then you might want to stay away from Windows 8 computers. Thanks to a new secure boot in Windows 8, dual-booting might just become a thing of the past.

Now before I begin explaining, let me say that this will affect only those devices with a Designed for Windows 8 logo on them, so you can still install Windows 8 on your current computer and dual-boot it. The reason it woill not work on these branded computers is because of the UEFI or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface that these machines will be having instead of a traditional BIOS.

The UEFI requires a signing key installed on the firmware from the software maker or the OEM before booting into the OS. This makes it harder for malware to initiate when the system is booting. Unfortunately, this also means that an unsigned copy of Linux will not be able to run on a machine with such a firmware.

There are multiple listings for the Samsung Windows 8 tablet and some auctions are reaching over $3,500. Of course, you can download the software right now from Microsoft developer website but the hardware itself is pretty nice, even if it comes with a fan: 11.6-inch screen, Intel second-gen i5 processor, 64 GB storage, 4 GB of RAM.

These Windows 8 tablets are available on ebay right now for different prices.

Windows 8 could support voice calls, its been suggested, after a Metro UI tile for phone functionality was spotted during a BUILD 2011 session last week. The slide, istartedsomething caught, has a Windows Phone 7 style "Missed Calls" dialog complete with times and dates of recent incoming voice calls. However, its also possible that this could be a VoIP service, or indeed some form of wireless call management when pairing a Windows 8 tablet or phone with a Windows Phone 7 handset.

The information comes from the screenshot above, which features a missed calls pane in its Metro UI. And that could be used for some VoIP services, so you should not get all too enthusiastic about it just yet.