Well, it's official. Windows Blue will be a free upgrade for folks running Windows 8. The news comes from the official Blogging Windows site, which also confirms that the updated OS will be dubbed Windows 8.1. You'll be able to get your hands on a public preview starting June 26 for both Win8 and Windows RT. The final version will be distributed through the Windows Store.

Unfortunately, the blog post doesn't mention whether the next version of Windows will bring back the old-school Start button or allow folks to boot directly to the desktop. According to the rumor mill, booting to desktop may be a done deal, but the Start button may only return as a shortcut to the current Start screen.