Americans just aren’t doing Windows like they used to, and that’s bad new for Microsoft. The high-profile launch of Windows 8, Microsoft’s new operating system, isn’t giving the traditional boost to personal computer sales. From late October through early December, sales of Windows PCs were off 13 percent from the year before, according to research firm NPD. And all the momentum seems to be in tablets and smart phones. Emmanuel Fromont, president of the world’s No. 4 PC maker, said the lower sales could be due to the new, unfamiliar design, which may be making consumers “cautious.”
