ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

Microsoft might not have an official Windows 8 release date yet, but Bloomberg believes the operating system will be finished this summer before going on sale "around October."

According to Bloomberg sources the initial Windows 8 rollout will include machines running on both Intel and ARM processors-- "fewer than 5" ARM devices (including 3 tablets) and 40 flavours of Intel-powered machine.

Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg says "“if they [Microsoft] miss the September-October time frame, they’re going to be stuck without being able to ship anything in 2012.”

The release timing Bloomberg suggests does make sense-- Microsoft will want to have a new product out in time for the holiday season, especially if it wants to sell Windows 8 as an iOS rival. HP, Lenovo and Dell are already planning Windows 8 tablets, while rumours insist Nokia is making an ARM-powered Windows 8 tablet.

Go Microsoft Said to Finish Windows 8 in Summer, Debut October (Bloomberg)

WD refreshes the My Passport portable HDD range-- with storage extending to up to 2TB (a first from the company) and new enclosure designs.

The drives are available in either white, black, silver, blue and red, all running on a 2.5" HDD. Connectivity comes through USB 3.0.

Pre-loaded with WD SmartWare automatic backup software and WD Security for password protection and hardware encryption, WD offers the My Passport drives in 500GB, 750GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.

Go WD Ships 2TB Portable HDD

As the 3rd iPad hits the market (3M already sold WW since March 16, Apple gloats), Dell chief commercial officer Steve Felice insists the tablet market is still "wide open" for non-iOS devices.

Speaking to Reuters, Felice says Dell plans to launch Windows 8 tablets sometime around H2 2012-- with a particular focus on office workers looking for an enterprise-class device.

"We have a roadmap for tablets that we haven't announced yet. You'll see some announcements.. for the back half of the year," Felice continues.

Dell had already stabbed at the tablet market with the unsuccessful Android-powered Streak. According to Felice the company still hasn't dismissed the Google OS, and may start making Android tablets again.

Dell is not the only company thinking about Windows 8 tablets-- Lenovo and HP also have tablet plans, while rumours insist Nokia is working an ARM-powered Windows 8 device.

Go Dell Sees Room to Challenge Apple in Tablets (Reuters)

Metro predicts a "difficult" economy, price cuts and investments in future expansion will result in flat growth for 2012, as 2011 group sales decrease by -0.8% Y-o-Y to total €66.7 billion.

A "difficult" Christmas season caused Q4 2011 profits to drop by -13%. Metro 2011 EBIT before special items totals €2.4BN, a -1.8% Y-o-Y decline.

Sales for the retailer are down in German (-1%) and W. European (-3.1%) territories, while growing in E. Europe (0.4%) and Asia/Africa (11.2%).

Metro says it will also concentrate more on Media-Saturn outlets-- even if 2011 sales are down by -0.9% Y-o-Y, reaching €20.6BN. German 2011 Media-Saturn sales are up by 2% Y-o-Y, partly due to the Q3 acquisition of online retailer Redcoon and the www.saturn.de launch.

“We’re positive for medium and long-term developments,” CEO Olaf Koch says. “We have to set priorities and focuses.”

Go Metro Group 2011 Earnings