Steve Ballmer Works On A Wall-Mounted 80-Inch Windows 8 Tablet

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's taste for the big and bold isn't limited to his oversized antics; he apparently likes his gadgets large to match. Yesterday, Microsoft VP Frank X. Shaw told Wired UK that his boss gets things done using a gigantic, wall-hung tablet -- and eventually, Microsoft envisions us all doing the same.

"Steve Ballmer has an 80-inch Windows 8 tablet in his office," Shaw said. "He's got rid of his phone, he's got rid of his note paper. It's touch-enabled and it's hung on his wall."

Note that this is a Windows 8 tablet, not a Microsoft Surface computer. Shaw's original interview insinuated that Microsoft was going to sell these 80-inch behemoths itself, but Microsoft has since reached out to The Verge to explain that it will be up to manufacturers to decide what type of hardware to run with Windows 8.

Far down the line, Shaw sees us all poking away at screens rather than pecking away at keyboards, although he admits that consumer-focused 80-inch displays are still a ways off.

"Every screen should be touch, every screen should be a computer and should be able to see out as well as see in. That is the way the world is heading (and) those screens are going to be big, small, wall-sized and desk-sized."

In the short term, you'll soon be able to grab the software-powered part of the dream: the Windows 8 Release Preview is set to be released in June.

Image Credit: Microsoft Press Room (Giant Screen is from Windows 8 Press Event in Barcelona)