Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet, New Hardware and Software Based on Windows 8

[Death-T]

1. There are at least a dozen of keyboards you can buy for your iPad
2. Comes in 12 different versions. No thanks, Microsoft and OS just don't do it.
3. QuickOffice. iWork. If you need some serious editing, no tablet is going to do it for you.
4. Available from various cases.
5. Welcome in 1995.

Enterprise will not care about these things, but Microsoft will force it on them like it did with Windows and Office licenses. That's choice in the Microsoft eco-system.

The built-in kick stand and smart cover keyboard is obviously more convenient and anyone who's been to Walmart knows about those aforementioned iPad cases so what's your point? I'm not sure how # 2 addresses what he said and USBs are widely used today. Why do you have to be so argumentative and butt hurt just because someone is praising the features this device has over the iPad?

 

[greenmeanie]

They can keep that and windows 8!
Both are junk.

 

[Renzatic]

that whole post could of been summarized as "apple good, ms bad" and it would still hold the same level of intellectual discussion the original presented

Pretty much. I don't think I'll ever wrap my head around the mindset of people who love one nearly faceless company so much, they refuse to admit anything from any other nearly faceless company might actually be pretty good.

It's pretty damn stupid.

 

[DrumApple]

It's so amusing how these two companies provide the whole world with what's relevant in the tech world (Apple and Microsoft). And they're both located on the West coast. San Francisco vs Seattle, basically.

 

[Technarchy]

I like the fact that my iPad and Logitech Ultra-thin don't need a table or even a flat "surface"...

The keyboard integration is completely asinine on the Surface

 

[Eidorian]

Pretty much. I don't think I'll ever wrap my head around the mindset of people who love one nearly faceless company so much, they refuse to admit anything from any other nearly faceless company might actually be pretty good.

Maybe it is time to install Ubuntu again.

 

[Renzatic]

Maybe it is time to install Ubuntu again.

Linux people are just as bad. Instead of undying devotion to a single corporation, it's THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE FREEDOM!

"Hey, do you dual boot XP"?

"No. I prefer not to be shackled and enslaved to a destructive corporation who cares nothing for me, and claims ownership of my life and soul through an EULA. I prefer to be free".

"...free as in beer, or free as in speech"?

----------

I like the fact that my iPad and Logitech Ultra-thin don't need a table or even a flat "surface"...

So use the onscreen keyboard if you want. No reason to get indignant over an option.

 

[Anuba]

Pretty much. I don't think I'll ever wrap my head around the mindset of people who love one nearly faceless company so much, they refuse to admit anything from any other nearly faceless company might actually be pretty good.

Psychologically, it serves the purpose of satisfying the primordial instinct for conquering foes. Since this has little to no direct application in modern society, we map it onto avatar entities who do the fighting for us. One side substitutes yourself and the other substitutes your foe. Once upon a time it was gladiators and bullfighters, now it's sports teams, political parties, corporations, and enemies in computer games.

Steve Jobs, with his deep instinctive understanding of what makes people tick, knew exactly which buttons to push in order to trigger your inner monkey's lust for conquest. From the very beginning he positioned Apple as the avatar fighting on your behalf and IBM as the foe, with the 1984 ad. His '83 keynote speech hammered the monkey buttons frantically:

"It is now 1984. It appears IBM wants it all. Apple is perceived to be the only hope to offer IBM a run for its money. Dealers, initially welcoming IBM with open arms, now fear an IBM dominated and controlled future. They are now increasingly and desperately turning back to Apple as the only force that can ensure their future freedom. IBM wants it all and is aiming its guns on its last obstacle to industry control: Apple. Will Big Blue dominate the entire computer industry, the entire information age? Was George Orwell right about 1984?"

The foe is the key. Brand loyalty has no anchor unless you've presented the foe. During the Sculley/Amelio years there was no spotlight on the foe. Their Apple was a eunuck that just wanted to make good products and be all friendly and collaborative and stuff, with the Mac clones thing and whatnot. But once Jobs returned he was quick to dangle foes in front of you like giant piñatas. Microsoft. Intel. Adobe. Google. I remember back in '98 when I was a PC guy working at a web agency with 50/50 PCs and Macs. One morning the Mac guys were really excited because Apple was about to unveil something new. It turned out to be the PowerMac G3. And with it came the "Pentium Toaster" campaign with Intel bunnies on fire. It gave the Mac guys erections. Yeah, getting faster Macs was cool and all, but the true satisfaction came from the image of the utterly humiliated foe. Mmmmm. Kong win. Kong pleased. Kong beat chest.

And that is why people cheer for faceless companies.

 

[Eidorian]

Linux people are just as bad. Instead of undying devotion to a single corporation, it's THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE FREEDOM!

"Hey, do you dual boot XP"?

"No. I prefer not to be shackled and enslaved to a destructive corporation who cares nothing for me, and claims ownership of my life and soul through an EULA. I prefer to be free".

"...free as in beer, or free as in speech"?

Ouch. Well not that it is a new line from me but..."the user base is its own worst enemy".

 

[DougB541]

I like the fact that my iPad and Logitech Ultra-thin don't need a table or even a flat "surface"...

The keyboard integration is completely asinine on the Surface

Completely asinine because you need a table?

Could you be anymore dramatic?

----------

Sure it does to you, so you can use it as a validation of your own point.


Microsoft is in the business market They are in nothing else - their business industry pays for their utter failures, like Zune.



Multitasking is a dream on iOS. And you'll be locked into MS Enterprise System with failing software. You're getting suckered into it again.



Windows is fancy eye-candy without any decent thought of how people use computers. This is Vista (security nightmare) and 7 (slide something aside and all of a sudden it takes up half my screen space - thank you for this marvellous gem, Microsoft) revisited. You are getting suckered into it again.


Word sucks, Access is for only a marginal number of people. Excel is for my secretary and Powerpoint < Keynote by a landslide.


Nothing is free in Windows world - good luck losing productive time that you'll spend on repair time.



It is probably you who cannot multitask.



Well...good luck with your USB on your Surface - it sounds real inventive to have to carry something with your data on it so you can work on your Surface.


As said - the Microsoft option of choice. Gridlock users because of business deals. Which are largely illegal according to the EU.


I'll be laughing at the Surface Pro, I like real invention rather than blatant copies from a company that hasn't shaped the tech industry in more than 15 years, despite numerous attempts. Plus, I like to be productive: I do not need a machine that needs two hours of software repairs per week and will probably be out of juice after three hours of work.

In fact, my university bought 300 iPads last spring. It was a breeze to set up - printing, networking, email, software. Printing costs have gone down by 50% and productivity (measured using various proxy measures) has gone up by some 30%.


The only way the Pro will be successful is if Microsoft employs their old style - company deadlocks.

Again, you are getting suckered into it again by Microsoft's promises, promises, promises. You probably had high hopes of Zune (did you Wifi your music to somebody else??) too. Or you just might be Mr. Paul Thurrot himself.

Anyway, the Surface is another Microsoft fail in the making.

this whole post is laughable.

I love when Zune is brought up as if it was a bad product. It was too late to market is a fact sure, but Zune 80 and Zune HD were solid products and Zune software is awesome. iPod was too much of a household name by that point.

But whatever one trying to talk with a poster like you will just get no where.

 

[Technarchy]

Completely asinine because you need a table?

Could you be anymore dramatic.

It's not dramatic, it's a fact.

Between that kickstand and keyboard design, the Surface is a ergonomic mess. It looks snazzy in pics, but the execution is lacking for real world use.

 

[damir00]

And that is why people cheer for faceless companies.

It's just the geek version of being a sports fan. Jobs vs Ballmer, Brady vs Manning. Same damn thing.

Only the latter has waaaay better tailgate parties.

 

[DougB541]

It's not dramatic, it's a fact.

Between that kickstand and keyboard design, the Surface is a ergonomic mess. It looks snazzy in pics, but the execution is lacking for real world use.

oy vey.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/11kyja/iam_panos_panay_gm_of_microsoft_surface_amaa_ask/

Does the kickstand arrangement work for someone who wants to type with Surface on their lap? To me it looks like it's only stable on a table top.

I've been using my Surface for a couple of month now. It works on your lap in multiple ways. Typing on the lap works fine, Surface is great for typing while on your couch. There are so many ways it folds and adjusts to your typing needs. You will be pleasantly surprised.

But its clear you're not interested in it so i'm sure this does nothing to change your opinion.

 

[Renzatic]

It's not dramatic, it's a fact.

Between that kickstand and keyboard design, the Surface is a ergonomic mess. It looks snazzy in pics, but the execution is lacking for real world use.

It's really no different than rolling up the smart cover and using the Apple keyboard with the iPad. You don't have to use these things, but if you want or need to, there you go. Having them there doesn't suddenly make the iPad less of a tablet.

And that is why people cheer for faceless companies.

You know, I want to think that might be a little overanalized, but...it kinda makes sense.

 

[raptorstv]

this tablet ain't gonna sell

 

[rjohnstone]

this tablet ain't gonna sell

Yeah... never mind the fact that all the pre-orders for the 32GB model sold out in one day.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411155,00.asp

 

[Renzatic]

Yeah... never mind the fact that all the pre-orders for the 32GB model sold out in one day.

In before someone says "they probably only made 5 of them just so they could say they sold out olol".

 

[Eidorian]

In before someone says "they probably only made 5 of them just so they could say they sold out olol".

5...million? I have no idea what the model distribution looks like.

 

[GermanyChris]

now if Windows will make an line of actual computers Apple may have to actually do something other than say it's magical

 

[Renzatic]

5...million? I have no idea what the model distribution looks like.

5...billion.

Actually, MS hasn't released any numbers, which does make me think it's a fairly modest number. Maybe around 500,000 or so.

Still, for a product that hasn't had all that much hype, and hasn't had any hands on previews, it's an impressive achievement. I just hope for MS' sake it's a decent, well built, smooth machine, because they only have one real chance to shake things up in the tablet scene. If they blow it now, it'll take them forever to regain traction.

 

[rjohnstone]

In before someone says "they probably only made 5 of them just so they could say they sold out olol".

Nah... at least 500. Gotta make the run somewhat profitable.

 

[Eidorian]

5...billion.

Actually, MS hasn't released any numbers, which does make me think it's a fairly modest number. Maybe around 500,000 or so.

Still, for a product that hasn't had all that much hype, and hasn't had any hands on previews, it's an impressive achievement. I just hope for MS' sake it's a decent, well built, smooth machine, because they only have one real chance to shake things up in the tablet scene. If they blow it now, it'll take them forever to regain traction.

3-5 million is the figure I have seen mentioned online for this last quarter. 500,000 for launch day?

 

[Renzatic]

500,000 for launch day?

I dunno, man. I'm guessing here.

I'd assume MS would want to have at least a decent amount available on launch day, but wouldn't go all out like Apple would with the iPhone, since it's an unproven product. 500,000 of the 32GB entry level device seemed a reasonable number to be.

----------

Nah... at least 500. Gotta make the run somewhat profitable.

Hell, they could easily sell 10 and turn a profit. Everyone knows MS builds them out of the spare parts they found in that shack behind Bill Gates' house. Also, they use migrant workers with hammers and soldering irons to put them together.

 

[DougB541]

5...billion.

Actually, MS hasn't released any numbers, which does make me think it's a fairly modest number. Maybe around 500,000 or so.

Still, for a product that hasn't had all that much hype, and hasn't had any hands on previews, it's an impressive achievement. I just hope for MS' sake it's a decent, well built, smooth machine, because they only have one real chance to shake things up in the tablet scene. If they blow it now, it'll take them forever to regain traction.

3-5 million for the quarter as quoted by MS (unless i misread something).

EDIT: here it is: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Microsoft-is-making-3-to-5-million-Surface-tablets-in-Q4-2012_id35589

 

[Eidorian]

3-5 million for the quarter as quoted by MS (unless i misread something).

EDIT: here it is: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Microsoft-is-making-3-to-5-million-Surface-tablets-in-Q4-2012_id35589

Given what happened with the pre-order, Windows 8 in general is going to sell a lot of licenses. In addition, the lower prices for upgrades and vendors slashing costs even on OEM licenses.