Microsoft Announces Intel Atom-Based Surface 3 With Windows 8.1 for $499

[Billy95Tech]

They never will because that will impact their already slowing iPad sales and endanger their MBA/rMB sales.

I agree i hope they don't make a Mac tablet.

All Apple NEED to do is to improve and bring features like multi windows(split sceen) to IOS(hopefully for 9) for the Ipads then it be good.


Because if Apple don't bother making big updates to IOS for Ipads then i think they will be way less less demand for them especially since Windows 8 tablets like the Surface 3 are at a very price point compared to the Ipad.

What do you think?


But i do agree Apple should stick with IOS on there Ipads instead putting OSX on it.

 

[2IS]

And the average person is not going to even know how to get out of the tiles when they buy a new laptop.


The average consumer is not going to know to download any 3rd party product to mimic Windows 7.


Exactly, wait until NEXT version of Windows......while using workarounds to avoid the existing crappy UI......where have I heard that before?



It's so funny. People come here daily and crap over Apple's products or their practices but if someone (me) wants to express their displeasure of an OS (that's not even celebrated on this forum) they get called "Nickpicky because it isn't Apple" or be told that they don't know what they are doing. Sounds like it hurts non-Apple people around here to hear criticism of Windows.

You don't HAVE to use a 3rd party program. I'm suggesting that to you since it seemed you had trouble navigating windows 8. It's merely an option, you don't need it, but if it makes life easier for you, it's there. I'm brand agnostic, I use both so it's easy for me to spot someone who is either nit picky and/or simply doesn't know what they're doing.

I own an iPad, but I'd really like this Surface 3. The price is right and it is a whole lot more functional than an iPad. SMS Relay is the only factor holding me back as I really like that feature and have to decide if it's worth giving up for a tablet that is more useful in every other way.

 

[richardsonrs]

it reminds me of my dad's computers all the time
after every 3-6 months "THis thing is slow and outdated and a terrible computer" and would buy a new top of the line one.

he'd always give me the old one. I'd always go look and sure enough. 100 toolbars, everysingle application set to start at boot. Constant diskswapping because of his inability to NOT pay attention to installers.

it was good for me. Fresh brand new computer every 6 months. I'd wipe his windows and reinstall and it would be amazing.

Computers, regardless of OS choice are only as good as the operator using them.

When you get your new one can i give you my address so you can give me your "old" one ?

 

[maflynn]

Because if Apple don't bother making big updates to IOS for Ipads then i think they will be way less less demand for them especially since Windows 8 tablets like the Surface 3 are at a very price point compared to the Ipad.

What do you think?

I think that apple is about small measured updates and seeing such huge changes is out of character with the way apple does business. I don't see apple making any major updates to iOS in the near future. I really don't see what they will do to reverse the stagnating iPad sales trend.

 

[Serban]

Trust me, for the iPad Pro wit 12" screen a split screen it is more natural because if you have 2 windows you can see 6" on each. Until now was pointless to have 2 split screen of 4" each or worse for ipad mini..
So split screen it will be for sure for iPad Pro
Next will be multiple users config with multiple passwords and apple accounds(OSX style), 2 Gb ram will be ok because will be iOS 9 and not OSX with triple core

 

[LordVic]

When you get your new one can i give you my address so you can give me your "old" one ?

its been quite a few years since this has occurred. he's learned a lot, and come Windows 7, it hasn't happened anymore.

apparently all he needed was a little UAC to give him a kick in the but

 

[Renzatic]

Snip

I finally decided to do a self built mini-ITX i7. It's gonna cost me a little over a thousand bucks, give or take, and will have me set for at least the next 4 years.

If there's one reason why I'm anxious to move on, it's that 'ole Bessie is HUGE. I slapped everything together into an aluminum full ATX tower. It's about 3 1/2 feet tall, and weighs, I think, 500 pounds. It's hard to move around, takes up a ton of space, and it looks sorta cheesy sitting there on my desk. Considering it's a computer that can now be more than matched by a little 3 pound ultrabook, I figured it was time to move on.

I'll be putting together my new computer in a grey Silverstone FT03-Mini, which is about a quarter of the size, and about 1/10th the weigh.

 

[HenryDJP]

I'm brand agnostic, I use both so it's easy for me to spot someone who is either nit picky and/or simply doesn't know what they're doing.

You may "suspect" that I am being nitpicky or don't know what I am doing but you're completely wrong.

I hear people here say things like "I hate the color of the folders in OS X" or "The Dock should be darker". I don't call them nitpicky as most others might. I gave valid reasons why I don't care for Windows. That was the question earlier. I simply answered it with my own opinions from my experiences. That should be respected rather than putting me down for my opinion.

 

[Vegasman]

Apple Xserver Enterprise customers...haven't been able to buy a machine since 2010 when Apple left that market segment so ... those business users... still get their updates on their 5+ year old machines until they break and can't be replaced.

Are you really trying to make the argument that Apple has a better legacy support program than Microsoft? Seems like a guaranteed way to lose an argument.

 

[LordVic]

...

for me it was the noise. there was nothing I could manage to do to make this old thing at whisper levels and it was getting louder by the day. And I just couldn't justify the effort and cost of hunting down all new CPU and GPU coolers just for noise levels of a 5 year old computer.

its going into my computer graveyard (which right now is the garage)
an old dell XPS Core2Duo, this, 2 old netbooks, a 100mbit based NAS. I realllllly need to get to the junkers.

Sadly, I think my Macbook air might be destined for it as well. The screen cracked recently, and now the CPU fan itself wont spin up. its still usable for some light web browsing while plugged into my TV. but because of the lack of CPU fan, I am hesitant to use it for what I really intended, and that is Steam in home Streaming.

I will likely replace it with a small Mac mIni like unit, Unfortunately, Apple nixed a sale of Mac Mini for me with the direction they took.

 

[sseaton1971]

Ok, Windows is free to all consumer users running Windows 7 and newer, including all people running pirated consumer versions.

Enterprise costumers who want a version of the operating system to be maintained on a different schedule than consumers are allowed to pay for such an option. Including those people running server editions of Windows.

Apple Xserver Enterprise customers...haven't been able to buy a machine since 2010 when Apple left that market segment so ... those business users... still get their updates on their 5+ year old machines until they break and can't be replaced.

I'm not sure what your point is. We have to buy Enterprise and Software Assurance. It is not an option for our organization. So, we don't get free upgrades according to Microsoft. And what does an Xserve have to do with anything? I am not talking servers at all.

 

[billystlyes]

Can buy three of these for our family, or one MacBook with $79 dongle to be usable for around the same price. Plus, comes with Office 365 for year and unlimited Onedrive space. Easy choice...

Apple better step game up!

 

[JohnnyGo]

the current Apple ethos is two devices (or 3 if you include phone) for your life.

Microsoft is attempting to change that to be one device to rule them all.

I do not pass judgement that either is better than the other. We could probably do a complete chart of pros and cons to either setup and walk away still undecided. For some peoples usages, one will be better, for others, the other will be better.

it comes down to what you are trying to do and how your process flow is to accomplish it.

Better comment of the whole thread. Most critics come from two sides: not a good enough tablet (expensive, heavy), or not a good enough laptop (slow, bad trackpad). But MS is shooting for a compromise and comparing two separate devices (2 budgets, 2 weights) to one device.

Is there a niche for this ? Certainly. Is this niche limited to business-only or student-only ? Nope. Will this hurt iPad sales / growth ? Yep. Will this be the iPad killer ? Certainly not.

IMHO, MS almost got it. The price with the necessary accessories is still high ($779 for device+cover/kb+stylus with 4Gb RAM + 128Gb SSD) but reasonable if you are substituting an MBA ($899) + iPad ($599) combination. And the ATOM is still one generation behind the Core M processor in terms of power. But I am in the 2-devices camp, so I might be biased here.

How will Apple respond ? I hope a combo device is in the works: one that can run both OS X and iOS. Core M gives us hope that Intel is almost there. Will Apple oblige ? Or will it continue to keep both H/W lines totally separate ?

 

[2IS]

You may "suspect" that I am being nitpicky or don't know what I am doing but you're completely wrong.

I hear people here say things like "I hate the color of the folders in OS X" or "The Dock should be darker". I don't call them nitpicky as most others might. I gave valid reasons why I don't care for Windows. That was the question earlier. I simply answered it with my own opinions from my experiences. That should be respected rather than putting me down for my opinion.

You're more than entitled to your opinion, just as I'm entitled to mine and we're both expressing our respective opinions.

 

[Dmunjal]

2gb of RAM running a full desktop OS. No thanks.

$100 extra gives you 4GB of RAM and an extra 64GB of storage. What does Apple give you for $100? Just 48GB extra storage.

 

[maflynn]

How will Apple respond ?

I don't think apple responds, they do what they think is best and ignore what others are doing (for the most part). I think this keeps them focused on what they believe is right and don't get distracted.

 

[HenryDJP]

You're more than entitled to your opinion, just as I'm entitled to mine and we're both expressing our respective opinions.

Not the same. "I" am expressing my opinion about a product. You're expressing your opinion about me personally and you don't know my computing habits. Let's keep the discussion on the product in question rather than making it personal, shall we/you?

 

[sracer]

I agree i hope they don't make a Mac tablet.

All Apple NEED to do is to improve and bring features like multi windows(split sceen) to IOS(hopefully for 9) for the Ipads then it be good.


Because if Apple don't bother making big updates to IOS for Ipads then i think they will be way less less demand for them especially since Windows 8 tablets like the Surface 3 are at a very price point compared to the Ipad.

What do you think?


But i do agree Apple should stick with IOS on there Ipads instead putting OSX on it.

A 12" iPad Pro that contains (realistically, given Apple's history):
- multi-window iOS
- active digitizer
- support for BT mouse

would be quite nice, and allow room for the incrementalism that maflynn was referring to.

I think that Apple is going to need to do SOMETHING to offer to those of us who want hybrid devices.

I don't think apple responds, they do what they think is best and ignore what others are doing (for the most part). I think this keeps them focused on what they believe is right and don't get distracted.

Apple will probably only respond when sales figures of hybrid Windows devices demonstrate that there is a viable demand. They did it with phablets and wasn't harmed by waiting.

 

[Serban]

Microsoft " the tablet that can replace your laptop"

 

[Night Spring]

Lol, oops. yeah tablet and laptop. I never understood why consumers don't mind getting duped like that. Well I understand when the ipad was the only sheriff in town, I owned an ipad for a long time and loved it. But the world has changed and we now can have a full PC inside an ipad like shell and it still baffles me why people don't want one. A $499 tablet built as well or better than the ipad with full windows, usb port, digitizer/stylus etc I think is going to turn the tide quite a bit though.

I don't need usb ports or stylus on my tablet. I do appreciate that other people do need them, but I don't. If the Surface 3 were lighter than the iPad, I might be interested, but for me, lighter tablet trumps full PC.

It's just that, if I'm going to be doing any extended typing, it'll be at a desk, and if I'm going to be at a desk, I might as well have a real full PC. In my view, tablets are at that awkward stage we had once with laptops, where laptops were almost powerful enough to replace desktops, but not quite. In a few more generations, I think tablets will get to the point where it really is a no-brainer to have them be full PCs in tablet form, but at the moment, there are still compromises to getting a full PC into a tablet form factor. So I suspect I'll be sticking with the iPad for a few more years, at least.

 

[SuperNova2150]

OK Apple, bring on the iPad Pro model that runs OSX.

The new MacBook says "hi"

----------

$100 extra gives you 4GB of RAM and an extra 64GB of storage. What does Apple give you for $100? Just 48GB extra storage.

Exactly. Add the fact you can install iTunes (+ tons of desktop apps) and have access to your Music, TV Shows, and Moview, the Surface 3 is basically the iPad killer.

 

[manu chao]

2011 model year Macbook air shipped with a 2gb version.

I know

I have one

still works well enough. But i'm just splitting hairs

Yes, I missed that one. The 2011 13" MBA didn't ship with 2 GB and I had assumed that applied to the 11" model as well.

 

[2IS]

Not the same. "I" am expressing my opinion about a product. You're expressing your opinion about me personally and you don't know my computing habits. Let's keep the discussion on the product in question rather than making it personal, shall we/you?

Your post was worded in a very negative light which seemed to suggest anyone who decides to buy a windows device will be in for a world of hurt and so lost that they wouldn't be able to navigate their way around the OS. I felt it necessary to clear the air. I mean, if you had THAT much trouble with Windows 8, and I didn't, then the difference is with the operator. I doubt your copy of windows 8 functioned differently than my copy of Windows 8.

 

[Four oF NINE]

There are those that think the iPad which is little more than a giant iPhone that doesn't make calls

Yeah.. about that.. My iPads are able to initiate and receive phone calls all day long.. So are my MacBooks.

 

[Night Spring]

The new MacBook says "hi"

Could Apple reverse the thinking, and modify OSX to run iOS apps? I'd love it if I could run my iOS apps on the new MacBook. Of course, it'll need a touch screen.

But the general trend has been to wish Apple will come up with an iPad that runs OSX. But what I love about my iPad is iOS apps. An "iPad" that runs OSX would just be a MacBook without a keyboard, which would be kind of useless to me. But a MacBook that runs both Mac apps and iOS apps would have me shouting "Shut up and take my money!"