Enterprise Information Workers Favor Microsoft Tablets and Apple Phones

Until we tested the MS tablet


Give us iPad please

They will have to do better than the surface

What are Enterprise Information Workers? Are these IT employees?

MacRumors said:

For tablets, preferences were 36% Microsoft Surface

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The chart shows 32%. Typo?

Forrester can generally be counted on to be a Microsoft shill, but come on - how the heck are they defining "Information Workers"? That term means very little. It's certainly not synonymous with IT staff.

The Surface tablet has so far received a generally lukewarm reception, with many taking the view that trying to be both a tablet and a laptop left it compromised in both roles, so Microsoft will undoubtedly be encouraged by this evidence that it may yet succeed in the enterprise sector.

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How is it trying to be a laptop? They give you the option to use a physical keyboard and last I checked so did the ipad. It's a tablet.

Well I haven't used a surface yet . but the iPad has really helped me a lot in my line of work , iBooks ,keynote ,USB, pages, imediaplayer, ftpontheho, etc etc ... The only thing that would make it even better is cross app intergration which I'm hoping for in iOS 7 , I would just love to see an "open in" tab in every productivity app

spazzcat said:

What are Enterprise Information Workers? Are these IT employees?

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They work for the website

http://www.startrek.com

releasing information about the enterprise, movies, actors, sequels etc.

How could anyone in the "enterprise" say they want a Microsoft tablet when none in the enterprise have actually used one? Sounds like MS paid for this one...

TMar said:

How is it trying to be a laptop? They give you the option to use a physical keyboard and last I checked so did the ipad. It's a tablet.

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Primarily it's trying to be a laptop by running full Windows OS instead of the tablet version. And support use of Any Windows program not just apps on the store. Mouse use helps also.

The problem with this survey is the responder are the people managing the networks not the users. The users are indicating with their wallets they want iPads primarily. So regardless of what IT wants it will be the employees that choose the device. Unless corporate makes a decision to get rid of all computers and go with Surface Pros. Otherwise a Surface Pro is to expensive to justify as a companion to the laptops most office workers have now.

How can they know when the Microsoft tablet just came out?

I would classify my job as an "enterprise information worker." Basically, a paper pusher creating reports, getting documents approved, maintaining databases, etc.

I could see people in my world saying they would want a Microsoft tablet because all of us are trapped in the Windows world forced upon us by IT. People in this position most likely think "I want a tablet, but IT makes us use MS software, so we should probably get a MS tablet."

If MS ever did come out with Office for iPad, then iPad's would top this list.

I think IT workers like the idea of being able to run MS Office apps on a tablet. They haven't actually seen now these apps run on Surface RT and Surface Pro devices.

This dynamic will change when/if MS offers a version of Office for the iPad.

solarguy17 said:

Primarily it's trying to be a laptop by running full Windows OS instead of the tablet version. And support use of Any Windows program not just apps on the store. Mouse use helps also.

The problem with this survey is the responder are the people managing the networks not the users. The users are indicating with their wallets they want iPads primarily. So regardless of what IT wants it will be the employees that choose the device. Unless corporate makes a decision to get rid of all computers and go with Surface Pros. Otherwise a Surface Pro is to expensive to justify as a companion to the laptops most office workers have now.

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Again how it it trying to be a tablet but rather some people try to use it as a laptop. Running full Windows doesn't make it a laptop. It integrates with a PC better than Apple's ecosystem does.

Just because you are allowed option on how to use a device doesn't mean it's trying to fill two roles. I can put a receiver on a mustang doesn't mean it will replace a f-350. But at the same time doesn't mean it can't tow some little things. People saw it and thought laptop replacement while it's a tablet with options for expansion.

Guess that's why some of you choose Apple so they can tell (restrict) you how to use your devices. If you have options on how to use a device you decide it's not as good as the options at both ends of the spectrum.

This is really pathetic. Have any of you used a Surface? I have and it's a joke. Even people who get them for free don't like them.

TMar said:

Again how it it trying to be a tablet but rather some people try to use it as a laptop. Running full Windows doesn't make it a laptop.

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You're right. Running full Windows doesn't make something a laptop. But that's also not why people say Surface is trying to be a laptop.

Here you go... An image of the Surface trying to be a laptop.


Note, the absolutely lousy interface for a touch-based tablet device. It's the same, exact interface used on laptops & desktops, so controls are spaced and sized poorly for touch, instead relying on one of the keyboard covers complete with it's dinky touch pad to control the mouse.

Office is Microsoft's *premier* reason to get a Surface or Surface Pro, but even on their premier touch-interface devices, you can't effectively use them without a keyboard & mouse.

Sadly, with the keyboard covers, you can't really use Surface on your lap, so Surface instead ends up trying to be a portable *desktop*.

Alternate headline:

Microsoft Tablets Well Received by Those Who Have Not Used Them

tbrinkma said:

You're right. Running full Windows doesn't make something a laptop. But that's also not why people say Surface is trying to be a laptop.

Here you go... An image of the Surface trying to be a laptop.
Image

Note, the absolutely lousy interface for a touch-based tablet device. It's the same, exact interface used on laptops & desktops, so controls are spaced and sized poorly for touch, instead relying on one of the keyboard covers complete with it's dinky touch pad to control the mouse.

Office is Microsoft's *premier* reason to get a Surface or Surface Pro, but even on their premier touch-interface devices, you can't effectively use them without a keyboard & mouse.

Sadly, with the keyboard covers, you can't really use Surface on your lap, so Surface instead ends up trying to be a portable *desktop*.

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Funny, someone just in this thread said that running full windows made it a "trying to be a laptop" so I guess that is why people are saying that.

So having the option to be able to do something even if it isn't perfectly implemented yet is better than not having the option at all. In case you missed it Apple is the former there. Again the mentality that someone must dictate to you how you HAVE to use your device so you can pigeonhole it in a role. I bet you also believe government should control every aspect of your life too.

Don't like the 'dinky' touch pad you have, again, the option to plug in a mouse but it's not a huge problem since ribbon can easily sized for touch. Office will get updated for modern UI.

It's a tablet but you have the option to allow it to fit individual use cases. It even being a "portable desktop" isn't a problem as long as you understand the limitations going in. But please continue putting labels on everything to pigeon hole them into roles.

It always amuses me when people jump on things when they are given options on how to use them. If Apple was to make an erector set all the parts would be keyed so it only goes together one way (their way). Some of you would defend this and call other erector sets wanna be model ships.

Tablets have always been a compromise when compared to laptops as they have been to desktops. Some of you would rather not be given to option at all to do something than to be given a workable, even if not optimal, option to do something. Because if the option is there (even if you never intend to use it) and it's not optimal for you it's something to complain about.

SaulOfTheJungle said:

The chart shows 32%. Typo?

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The writers don't necessarily read the comment chain. If you notice an error in a story, the best bet is to use the "Got a tip" button on the MR homepage and report the error that way. I did that with what you noted; the writers fixed it within nanoseconds.

[Posted as a comment here because you haven't configured your account to accept private messages.]

FloatingBones said:

I think IT workers like the idea of being able to run MS Office apps on a tablet. They haven't actually seen now these apps run on Surface RT and Surface Pro devices.

This dynamic will change when/if MS offers a version of Office for the iPad.

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That's why M$ may never release a version for the iPad. They went the Office 360 route instead. They may release an app to access Office 360, which is not the same as a native Office app.

On the other hand, the concept of MS Office being a must app to use for IT workers is very narrow. I'm in the IT industry and even when I have MS Office on my MBP, I don't use it. I use iWork on my iPad.

That's good enough for most tasks, I hardly ever use MS Office.

Even when sharing documents, I share a PDF version of them; I don't want anyone making unauthorized changes.

TMar said:

It always amuses me when people jump on things when they are given options on how to use them. If Apple was to make an erector set all the parts would be keyed so it only goes together one way (their way). Some of you would defend this and call other erector sets wanna be model ships.

Tablets have always been a compromise when compared to laptops as they have been to desktops. Some of you would rather not be given to option at all to do something than to be given a workable, even if not optimal, option to do something. Because if the option is there (even if you never intend to use it) and it's not optimal for you it's something to complain about.

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It always amuses me when people jump on 'more options' as somehow being superior to 'fewer options', even when the extra options are indisputably sub-par. (Read every Surface review, and see how often the 'optional' keyboard is described by the reviewer as required for the software on said Surface to be usable.)

Windows has the option for all it's software to have black on black text boxes. Is that somehow superior to a text box where you can read it's contents? 'More options' are automatically superior, right?

I'd rather be given an well designed interface than to be given an option between an passable interface, and a poorly thought out interface that can only *really* be used with 'optional' hardware.

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TMar said:

Again the mentality that someone must dictate to you how you HAVE to use your device...

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No, the mentality is that a well designed interface for a device is more useful than the combination of a passable interface *and* an interface which doesn't work well without 'optional' hardware.

tbrinkma said:

It always amuses me when people jump on 'more options' as somehow being superior to 'fewer options', even when the extra options are indisputably sub-par. (Read every Surface review, and see how often the 'optional' keyboard is described by the reviewer as required for the software on said Surface to be usable.)

Windows has the option for all it's software to have black on black text boxes. Is that somehow superior to a text box where you can read it's contents? 'More options' are automatically superior, right?

I'd rather be given an well designed interface than to be given an option between an passable interface, and a poorly thought out interface that can only *really* be used with 'optional' hardware.

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No, the mentality is that a well designed interface for a device is more useful than the combination of a passable interface *and* an interface which doesn't work well without 'optional' hardware.

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Again, full support for full keyboard and mouse. Is the touch cover the best keyboard out there? No, but neither is any onscreen keyboard (the touch cover is a step above OS keyboards). So is Apple's OS keyboard a "passable interface" in that it's not best best way to input text? Your logic here not mine. In the end I can use my Ducky with it so end of story there.

Reviews who are spending a day with it and testing everything weather it fits their use case or not. You can 100% use the Surface without the touch cover but you can't do a review without one since again, they're testing everything. If you use it like every other tablet you'll never leave the modern UI and as more apps are updated for modern UI this will become a smaller and smaller problem.

Where is the little

* Forrester Research's report is sponsored by Microsoft.

??