> Authentically digital interfaces.
The linked aside that was meant to qualify this blander than twilight statement really doesn't qualify anything. The linked article has plenty of quite tasteful screenshots of things that bear no resemblance to the gaudy morris dance that is the metro interface. And the brief and unsatisfying technicalities only serve to highlight the confusion and uncertainty over where Microsoft wants it's developers to be investing.
What does "authentically digital" suppose to mean anyway?
> Simplified Windows 8 branding
Well this is not really a simple problem. I think pretty much 90% of the online world assumed after a while the window's logo was a flag. The wavy pixelated contrails, the "flag" screensaver, the flag-like symbols across it's products for years. To claim that it was not a meant to be a flag is understandable and perhaps quite correct, but to then make the logo look more like a flag than ever before just screams mixed metaphors. I understand the Shetland Islands are both delighted and horrified.
And the colour? Mine eyes doth protest.
I think Microsoft have been making great strides to address the stagnation that was prevalent for so long in much of their product range, but their marketing & pr is letting them down. I would love to see the billing for that design: "It's not a flag, make it look like it's not a flag", "how about this flag design?", "OK, looks cool, can you make the blue a little brighter? My kids love bright colours".