Run Windows 8 Metro UI on Your iPad with Win8 Metro Testbed

Splashtop Inc. has released a 20-dollar app that promises to be the only piece of iPad software that allows you to experience the true Windows 8 Metro UI on your Apple device. “Win8 Metro Testbed - powered by Splashtop” is available at a special price for a limited time (the app regularly sells for $49.99 / 39.99 EUR).

Don’t rush to buy the discounted app until you’ve learned all the limitations. After all, the headline does say you’ll only be able to put the interface on your iPad. That does’t actually mean Windows 8 will be installed on your tablet computer.

Instead, Win8 Metro Testbed is much like a virtual desktop app, in that it streams the experience from a regular PC running Windows 8 over WiFi. 

It supports Windows 8 Metro touch gestures, which is a key advantage for developers, “so you can take advantage of all the underlying touch capabilities of Windows 8 as you build your app,” says Splashtop.

The magic includes the ability to swipe from the right to view the Charms menu, swipe from the left to switch apps, pull down from the top to close an app, swipe slowly from the left to run two apps side-by-side ("snapping"), and the ability to pinch to navigate files, folders, apps and data with Semantic Zoom.

“Win8 Metro Testbed is a must-have app for anyone who’s trying to build a great Metro style app without incurring the high cost of a Windows tablet!”, according to its creators.

In addition to downloading Win8 Metro Testbed for iPad, interested parties will also require the free Splashtop Streamer installed on a PC. This tool, for its part, requires Windows 8 Consumer Preview, 1GB of RAM, and a 1.6 GHz or faster dual-core CPU.

Download Win8 Metro Testbed - powered by Splashtop

Posted in: Preview, Software, Tablet