I don't think the keyboard is that great of an idea. It offers no tactile feedback, and is thus no better than typing on the screen of the tablet. In fact, I'd wager that the only reason to have it is the fact that the 16:9 aspect ratio makes the screen too small in that dimension to have an on screen keyboard with a functional viewing area above it.
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Microsoft Announces New 'Surface' Tablet, New Hardware and Software Based on Windows 8
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But that is the problem with an On Screen Keyboard.
It's a very poor idea and only done as a compromise.
Why would you want to cover almost half your screen with your input device ever?
On screen keyboards that cover the area you are working on are just a thing we have to put up with, not something that's good.
There is no Metro ecosystem though. It has to be built from the ground up. And it will take years for there to be as many metro powered devices as their are x86 devices.
What about games like Diablo or Skyrim or Call of Duty? They won't work on Metro now, but if they are made Metro friendly they would lose hundreds of millions of dollars due to the smaller market.
And for the last time, why is Windows Phone being left out in the cold? RT and x86 have zero cross app sharing abilities.
This still boils down to three unique ecosystems that don't play nice with each other.
I think Windows Phone is a kick butt mobile OS and it makes me cringe that MSFT is totally blowing their chance to take mobile share from android.
Also, really, the iPad has dozens of keyboard solutions that are far more ergonomic and make sense for real world use.
I have a Logitec Zagg Bluetooth Keyboard "case" for my iPad. It allows me to type with the iPad propped up in portrait OR landscape. It is also a rigid keyboard so I can actually walk holding the keyboard/iPad and type. Or for those times I need to be really mobile, I set the keyboard down and just use the iPad. Much more flexibility than this provides from Microsoft.
You can tell from the design, they intend this to be used like a laptop, and that is where they fail to see what tablet users want. I carried a laptop for 2 years. Hardly used it. The effort to get everything out of the bag, power it up, and do a quick task, then have to shut it down and re-bag it, setup was often more time than the task I needed to do. Now sure, some people are wanting a mobile version of their office in a laptop bag, but those people are still better served by an actual laptop than this gimmick. What is the purpose of buying this over a laptop for those people?
You have no clue what you are talking about.
And i find it adorable.
Anyway there is a Windows Phone 8 preview tomorrow, and based on all rumors Windows Phone 8 will be sharing the same kernel as Windows 8.
Yes, you did it seems. Fall 2012 for the base version, along with the Windows 8 launch is what the announcement said.
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Don't old your breath. iPad 3 + iOS 6 is what you're getting this year as far as tablets go, and all of that is already announced and previewed.
Right. I'm pretty sure if you account for this discrepancy, IE is up by a large margin in market share.
lol....what?
1. There are two keyboards, one actually have movement (though minimal) and the other is touch. And it is better than typing on a screen because you aren't taking up screen real estate at all. Is it as good as the keyboard i'm typing this on? Most likely not, but it allows a more natural way of typing while viewing your tablet.
2. The reason to have it because Microsoft has been pushing productivity. Office is shipping on the Surface RT. Plus it functions as a case but has an additional function as well.
You're entitled to your opinion, but you need to admit to your subjectivity. Also, you're not entitled to your own facts. Again, there is no data showing what the Zune cost Microsoft vs what Ping cost Apple.
Until they announce the price next month. RT version may come in a $500. Win 8 version: $999.
I do like the keyboard though. It looks like it is probably induction powered, as there are no visible ports on it. So it draws power from the tablet while in use. Could be wrong as I didn't hear them say anything about it.
But I think it will help Apple get back into shape with iOS updates though. No more polishing the old shoe. iOS 6 is nice, but it feels like more of a lateral step in terms of user experience (Developer SDK's are really nice though, so on that front they are destroying everyone else, which is what helps keep devs on their platform. That and users actually buying apps.)
You fail at understanding the on-screen keyboard.
A software keyboard allows the program to control what keys you see. For example, you only need numbers when making a phone call. You need more characters, like an e with an accent mark, if you're typing in a foreign language. You might want to show emoticons, or a special keyboard of cockpit navigation when you're flying a plane.
Microsoft is keeping you in the 'walled garden' of only one keyboard. I guess you only support this 'walled garden' when Microsoft introduces it.
Well first off as you said there was nothing you could do on a Netbook that you couldn't do on an iPad, so Flash games and videos etc do count. But thats not what I'll talk about. How about USB support for transferring files via pen drive? Connect to a Projector or monitor that requires VGA? Or even HDMI, you cannot do these "gracefully" on an iPad as I don't consider having a sack of adaptors very "graceful".
Say I have some songs on a penstick that I want to play, can I plug it into the iPad? How about if I have a video shot on WMV or AVI? Or even .MKV? The iPad cannot even run these, I managed to snag VLC player for iPad before it was removed from the App store and even this is pretty picky about what it plays. What if I want to attach a picture in a forum post? This is supposed to be coming with iOS6 but it currently can't do it. What if I want to download a file from the web such as a video, it can't download it, even if I managed to it probably won't play it.
How about running 2 apps side by side? A web browser on 1 side with a chat program? Having to switch back and forth is a major PITA, also seeing as my app of choice IM+ Pro still has to "reconnect" for a few seconds after app switching back in. Also you simply cannot change app defaults on the iPad such as the Web Browser or Email client. If you receive an email with a web link, you are forced to open it in Safari, copy the link and paste it into your other browser. A similar story occurs if you click a link in a web browser etc for "email us" it always opens up in the default mail app.
I'm not saying the iPad is a bad appliance, I own one myself and enjoy using it, (suffering minor annoyances when running into roadblocks which force me to switch to my Computer). It's just that your claim that an iPad can not only do everything a netbook can do, and that it can do it more gracefully is false.
Riddle me this:
When Apple creates a keyboard cover, and releases it for purchase in September 2012, BEFORE the keyboard cover for the Surface is available to purchase....
Who is copying who?
LOL
When Apple creates a keyboard cover, and releases it for purchase in September 2012, BEFORE the keyboard cover for the Surface is available to purchase....
Who is copying who?
LOL
Riddle me this:
When Apple creates a keyboard cover, and releases it for purchase in September 2012, BEFORE the keyboard cover for the Surface is available to purchase....
Who is copying who?
LOL
Don't get your hopes up.
Thats easy...
Just press the HOME button and the POWER button at the same time....Apple created this industry standard with the iPad.
Just press the HOME button and the POWER button at the same time....Apple created this industry standard with the iPad.
It'll be released with Windows RT, which is to say before the holiday season. So it'll actually be less than 5 months, sooner if Microsoft can help it.
The Release Preview fixed a lot of those problems, and ok ok so the registry exists, but it's not something that gets corrupted easily or anything. It's, IMHO, no different from the plists that Apple uses for settings.
I don't believe so, as there's a few emulators in the windows phone marketplace.
Indeed, I agree, so you offer your customers both.
The on screen keyboard for the reasons you mention, and also a ultra thin more standard keyboard built into the cover for when you wish to do a lot of word processing, typing in forums etc etc.
Editing text, is such a pain with an on screen keyboard.
So give customers an easy and practical way to have both.
Be honest, if Apple had a similar ultra thin keyboard built into an optional smart cover you would be raving about it.
It's choice for the customers. Some will want it, others may not, but it's there if they do, and nothing extra to carry/dock to also.
Riddle me this:
When Apple creates a keyboard cover, and releases it for purchase in September 2012, BEFORE the keyboard cover for the Surface is available to purchase....
Who is copying who?
LOL
That's as likely as Apple creating a stylus for the iPad...
Microsoft is trying far too hard to 'have it's cake and eat it' with Metro, classic desktop, x86 and ARM, and now (sort of) making its own hardware. It could easily end up being an update nightmare.
Having said that, a version of Win8 that runs on x86 and ARM and having an App that can run on both hardware platforms makes it a much more interesting prospect for devs. They tap into the obviously established Windows market and produce an ARM compatible version in the same breath, easy! And dependent on OEM pricing, this could be good for tablet manufacturers trying to differentiate themselves in the Android world.
Microsoft could very well end up eat Androids breakfast ... or cake ... err, I put too many food analogies in this post.
Having said that, a version of Win8 that runs on x86 and ARM and having an App that can run on both hardware platforms makes it a much more interesting prospect for devs. They tap into the obviously established Windows market and produce an ARM compatible version in the same breath, easy! And dependent on OEM pricing, this could be good for tablet manufacturers trying to differentiate themselves in the Android world.
Microsoft could very well end up eat Androids breakfast ... or cake ... err, I put too many food analogies in this post.
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The release preview still has quite a few problems due to the fundamental nature of it (gesture trackpads for one). And you can't take out an entire OS X install by corrupting a plist. Plists are way better than the registry. (How many people screw up their registry when trying to edit it?)
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No, YOU have no clue! Apple could have easily included a USB port but they chose not to. They could easily choose usbhost but they chose not to. They could easily have included a file system, they chose not to. And these omissions are all for the aesthetics?? Get a grip. Its to stop people buying an ipad, connecting a mouse, keyboard, external hard drive and using it as a pc. Get a grip of reality!
Why do you want Microsoft's failures to be so lightly taken? I have admitted Apple has failed. I wholeheartedly agree Ping is a fail and I agree the cube was a fail, both are small pieces of the whole pie. Ping is a part of iTunes which is a big win for Apple. The cube was one computer model in a line of models that are successful. What part of Zune succeded? What part of Windows Phone succeded? What I keep saying is Microsoft has had huge failures with nearly everything they have tried to compete against Apple or Google. Business software is where they continue to rake in the money. You are trying to equivocate Ping and the Zune which is ludicrous.
Microsoft makes * ALL * its profit by selling software to businesses and Windows licensing agreements with hardware manufacturers.. That is the only reason they are still even a topic for discussion. The truth is they have bled red ink from every hardware venture thus far, bar none. My prediction is the new tablet will fail just as bad. They are still bleeding out with the Xbox. I could care less if they fail or succeed. Comparing the Zune failure to Ping is not being intellectually honest. Its an apples to oranges comparison, the two are not the same and with this last reply you are trying to shift the topic to the two companies total profits.
