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Windows 8 Logo Gets a Metro-Style Revamp

Microsoft unveiled a new logo for Windows 8, it's forthcoming desktop operating system, on Friday.

The new design eschews the multicolored panes and flag-like attributes of earlier logos, said Sam Moreau, Microsoft's principal director of user experience for Windows, in a blog post.

The revamped logo is meant to reflect Windows 8's Metro-style UI while staying within logo traditions used for past Windows products, ranging from Windows 1.0 to Windows 7.

New Windows 8 logo
The new Windows 8 logo.

The new logo is squarer and flatter than recent iterations, much like the Windows 8 UI itself. Microsoft has previously explained that the Metro UI used in Windows 8 was designed to make it easier to access to programs that were getting buried in the start-screen menu system. Microsoft made the access more direct through its tile-like UI in Windows 8, while also facilitating touch interactions.

With regard to the font used in the logo, Moreau said that Microsoft is using "the International Typographic Style (or Swiss design) that has been a great influence on our Metro style design philosophy." He said the font is typically used to indicate directions in subways and airport terminals.

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About the Author

Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.

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