Microsoft Tipped to Take on Chromebooks at May 2 Event

Microsoft is set to host a special software and hardware event on May 2, and while details were blurry at the beginning, a fresh leak seems to give clarity on what may be launched at the event. The Redmond-based giant is looking to unveil its Windows 10 Cloud software - a more metered down OS targeted at students - and it looks to compete with Google's Chrome OS. Alongside, Microsoft is now also expected to launch a device running on the previously rumoured Windows 10 Cloud platform, in a bid to beat Chromebooks at its own game.

Windows Central has leaked a screenshot of minimum specifications required for a device running on Windows 10 Cloud, and they have been compared with Chromebook specifications as well. This indicates that the hardware launching on May 2 looks to compete heavily with Google's education-focused laptops.

The minimum specification requirements include a quad-core Celeron (or better) processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of storage. Optional pen or touch support is also included. The table also hints that Microsoft is looking to include all-day battery life in the mix, to lure students.

Early leaks suggest that Windows 10 Cloud will only work with Universal Windows Platform apps from the Windows Store, and not all of them. The early build of the simplified and cheaper version of Windows 10 suggested that the new OS did not allow users to install even those Win32 apps that are available on Windows Store through Microsoft's own Desktop App Converter. In any case, this is all just speculation and Microsoft will put all rumours to an end at the event in New York City.