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Microsoft Announces Intel Atom-Based Surface 3 With Windows 8.1 for $499
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Hence why Windows 8/8.1/10 include a Desktop mode, meant for keyboard/mouse on a large screen. "The old way".
Then it also includes the Windows Start screen or whatever they call it these days. Big tiles, app store, touch friendly. Meant for tablets and touch screen devices.
Then they have Windows Phone OS, for the small devices like smartphones.
It's not really that hard.
At least they've managed to make a single OS for desktop and for tablets (even though they had a very rough start).
I'm just looking forward to Windows 10. I think it'll be a game changer.
Wonder why they'll keep doing this in a saturated market?
Looking forward to the Microsoft watch.
Ever since the Surface first came out I keep wondering to myself what has really changed? Microsoft came out with the first tablet over a decade ago. It was Windows on a tablet and it failed. What is so different about the Surface? The keyboard? A stylus? What will make it successful this time around?
I don't think better technology can simply make something that was a failure and turn it into a success. What's that Einstein saying ... insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. At the core I don't think the Surface is much different than what they did before. Just in a prettier wrapper with more bells and whistles.
That said, I do hear good things about it. But for it to be a blow away success, they need to rethink their approach. This is why I believe if Apple did something similar, it can potentially disrupt this market again. Of course, everyone will say that Apple just copies and people are being sheep. But I do believe it's recognizing this subtle difference between doing what Microsoft has already done and doing it differently/better is what will bring us to the next generation of tablet devices.
I haven't owned a Windows Machine for years (sure I run a couple of VM's of XP, 7, and 8.1 for testing purposes), but I am really intrigued by this. Really considering the $599 model.... I need to look at the specs to determine, but the new Atoms are much more powerful than the old Netbook days (and yes I had one).
Apple really needs to do something with iOS on iPad, it's no different then a big phone. Great for casual we browsing and cat videos not so much for getting work done.
This runs full Windows.
One huge problem with the previous *non-"Pro"* Surfaces is that they couldn't run 99.99% of the Windows software out there.
64GB storage and 2GB RAM is a joke on a Windows machine, so you'd want the $599 model with 128 and 4 (still tiny but workable).
It's seems like a good entry-point if you want a tablet that runs Windows and can convert to a laptop *in a pinch*.
My impressions are:
- it's mediocre as a pure tablet
- but it runs Windows and all the Windows apps
- and it has a real stylus
- realistically, it's a crappy laptop: it's a netbook-level device with an awkward kickstand and a tiny keyboard/trackpad
- it's quite pricey considering it as only a tablet or only a netbook. (I think you're going to need the $599 one plus whatever the keyboard cover costs.) But you'd be hard-pressed to buy an equivalent one of each for this price, not to mention the convenience of one device vs. two.
However: the user experience with the pen, keyboard and trackpad is unknown. E.g., if's those are weak, this just becomes a big, heavy, expensive Windows tablet.
Also unknown is the real battery life. I read the marketing materials and they make a 10 hour battery life claim and then immediately qualify it. That's not a good sign.
Conclusion: Pending the unknowns, it looks like MS probably hasn't made a mobile device that's almost totally useless!
One huge problem with the previous *non-"Pro"* Surfaces is that they couldn't run 99.99% of the Windows software out there.
64GB storage and 2GB RAM is a joke on a Windows machine, so you'd want the $599 model with 128 and 4 (still tiny but workable).
It's seems like a good entry-point if you want a tablet that runs Windows and can convert to a laptop *in a pinch*.
My impressions are:
- it's mediocre as a pure tablet
- but it runs Windows and all the Windows apps
- and it has a real stylus
- realistically, it's a crappy laptop: it's a netbook-level device with an awkward kickstand and a tiny keyboard/trackpad
- it's quite pricey considering it as only a tablet or only a netbook. (I think you're going to need the $599 one plus whatever the keyboard cover costs.) But you'd be hard-pressed to buy an equivalent one of each for this price, not to mention the convenience of one device vs. two.
However: the user experience with the pen, keyboard and trackpad is unknown. E.g., if's those are weak, this just becomes a big, heavy, expensive Windows tablet.
Also unknown is the real battery life. I read the marketing materials and they make a 10 hour battery life claim and then immediately qualify it. That's not a good sign.
Conclusion: Pending the unknowns, it looks like MS probably hasn't made a mobile device that's almost totally useless!
I ask this question whenever I read these boards. Why people have such personal attachments to massive, money-grabbing, multinational companies is beyond me.
This is essentially a retina display, it is 213 PPI, retina iPad is 264 PPI, not really that noticeable of a difference, as this screen is larger so you would have it further from your face than an iPad. I agree on the RAM though, but for $100 more you double the RAM and storage...which for a 128GB iPad you are already paying $699, $100 more.
At $500, this thing has the potential to really hurt the iPad and Mac sales to students. It can use a surface pen to have accurate handwriting/drawing for notes, has an awesome keyboard cover (Considerably worse than any mac keyboard/trackpad, but way better compared to everything for the iPad)
If they offer student pricing on this ($500 with keyboard cover would be ideal) they will have a really good shot at taking the college student market from Apple, which is a huge part of their business.
My Lenovo Lynx has 2 GB, and it runs fine even with, for example, eight browser tabs open.
Me too, I've seen about 2 as opposed to 0.
Kidding aside, it looks like a great tablet PC. I'd definitely buy if I weren't in the Apple ecosystem.
What!? When did this happen? Every version since Vista has been less bloated than the previous one.
I will believe it when I see it. Granted we are still in beta etc, but I have the very latest Windows 10 running, and its taking up 24gb of space as a bare OS with zero apps installed. Simply slapping the office 2016 preview on there will further wipe out another truckload of disk space.
1.37 lbs.
With the Type Cover @ 0.58 lbs, the total comes out to 1.95 lbs.
Just a hair lighter than the new MacBook, though the Surface 3 has a 10.8" screen vs the MacBook's 12" screen.
Nice
I have to admit, I don't like Microsoft in any way but I do admire them. I feel with declining iPads sales Apple needs to amalgamate the iPad and MacBooks into one. I love the idea that when you take the keyboard off this it's a tablet and pop a keyboard on and it's a full laptop. Apple could still keep both iOS and OS X but have it change as soon as you add a keyboard. In my heart of hearts I feel this is what they are working on in their labs but when we're going to see this I'm not sure.
I have to admit, I don't like Microsoft in any way but I do admire them. I feel with declining iPads sales Apple needs to amalgamate the iPad and MacBooks into one. I love the idea that when you take the keyboard off this it's a tablet and pop a keyboard on and it's a full laptop. Apple could still keep both iOS and OS X but have it change as soon as you add a keyboard. In my heart of hearts I feel this is what they are working on in their labs but when we're going to see this I'm not sure.
I understand disliking Windows and a variety of other things Microsoft does to try and lock you into their ecosystem (although you should recognize that Apple similarly tries to lock you into theirs), but what's wrong with Bill Gates? He and Steve Jobs were friends in the end, and Bill Gates is a pretty sharp and good guy. I'd regret passing on the chance to hear him speak, given the opportunity to listen to him that you were.
Never liked Windows... But I think Microsoft nailed it this time with Surface 3. I really like the pen and how easy it is to attach and detach the keyboard.