While there has been a lot of attention about what the Windows 8 interface will look like, and justifiably so, behind the scenes there are some interesting developments as well.

For instance, Qualcomm with its Snapdragon processors will be working with Microsoft to produce Windows 8 PC’s with wireless 3G/4G systems. Indeed, Qualcomm announced that its Snapdragon platform, hitherto, found almost exclusively in smartphones and tablets, will also be available on a number of Windows 8 prototype PCs. That much became known at the Build conference last week.

With over 15 chips in the Snapdragon family, and classified into S1, S2, and S3 categories, the chips offer multiple hardware subsystems including CPUs, GPUs, modems, multimedia processors, GPS, DSPs, sensors, and advanced management software.

A Snapdragon chip is part of the Windows 8 platform and it can run on the desktop through Internet Explorer as well as with Adobe Flash Player. This gives consumers browser experience they have come to expect and it provides developers with the support for whatever tools that best suit their needs.

Qualcomm is not taking a giant leap into the PC form factor. It was the originator of the ”smartbook,” which was a miniature laptop that looked a lot like a netbook, but it offered better battery life and instant-on capabilities. However, Windows wasn’t compatible with ARM-based processors, and this left Linux as the smartbook’s only option for an operating system. Things did not work out as the hoped for Qualcomm.

However, Windows 8 brings new life to the ARM industry. The Operating system been reengineered and rewritten from the ground up to not only work with existing PCs that run on Intel and AMD CPUs, but also ARM-based ones based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. Remember that the current CPU model is approaching 40 years old. That is like trying to run a modern Cadillac with a Model T engine. Likewise, the OS model, even though the grandchild of DOS, has many legacy features that have seen their day come and go. Windows 8, is a step away from the past.