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

Enterprise users? That's what RIM said--look where it got them.

Want to run Win 8 apps like Office in native format on a tablet? Touching the screen at vertical while you type horizontally? Will formatting issues and screen size be an issue? Has MS really thought this through?

Fanboism aside, Apple spent what sounds like a decade looking deeply into the user experience of a tablet, and realized that the OS must be different, and the user assumptions must be different, to make the whole thing work. Jobs rejected countless attempts until they got it right.

MS has made something that looks good, but like most MS things, they seem to force you into their old way of thinking in a new and somewhat kludgy package. I just don't see the same level of thought and care here.

Sure, MS continues to run the back office--that's why Stuxnet can succeed.

Now that "Enterprise" users have got their hands on the whole Apple package, however, they are starting to realize the benefits of the whole ecosystem--just like we moms and dads started realizing it when our kids started using iPods and it got us to look at Apple.

Also, distribution systems? MS money is mostly from software, sold through OEMs. Now that you've pissed off the OEMs, what happens now? Build your own outlets? For one device? Really?

I would like this to be cool, new, and interesting. Somehow I doubt it. You can only steal the defining concept once (windows and a mouse) and succeed. Ain't happening again.
 
APlotdevice said:
Holding down the Power and Windows buttons simultaneously on a Windows 8 tablet will replicate the traditional Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
Click to expand...
And on an iPad, holding the same combination restarts it.

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PittAir said:
Enterprise users? That's what RIM said--look where it got them.

Want to run Win 8 apps like Office in native format on a tablet? Touching the screen at vertical while you type horizontally? Will formatting issues and screen size be an issue? Has MS really thought this through?

Fanboism aside, Apple spent what sounds like a decade looking deeply into the user experience of a tablet, and realized that the OS must be different, and the user assumptions must be different, to make the whole thing work. Jobs rejected countless attempts until they got it right.

MS has made something that looks good, but like most MS things, they seem to force you into their old way of thinking in a new and somewhat kludgy package. I just don't see the same level of thought and care here.

Sure, MS continues to run the back office--that's why Stuxnet can succeed.

Now that "Enterprise" users have got their hands on the whole Apple package, however, they are starting to realize the benefits of the whole ecosystem--just like we moms and dads started realizing it when our kids started using iPods and it got us to look at Apple.

Also, distribution systems? MS money is mostly from software, sold through OEMs. Now that you've pissed off the OEMs, what happens now? Build your own outlets? For one device? Really?

I would like this to be cool, new, and interesting. Somehow I doubt it. You can only steal the defining concept once (windows and a mouse) and succeed. Ain't happening again.
Click to expand...

Of course they have thought it through. That's why Office 2013 RT is included , and that the tablet has optional keyboard AND mouse support. What do you think makes it a kludgy package? The optional keyboard? The optional mouse support?
 
One touch-like interface to use outlook while in tablet mode, and another to use with the keyboard and trackpad when sitting down at a desk. Best of both worlds on one device..Seems super awesome to me!

PittAir said:
Want to run Win 8 apps like Office in native format on a tablet? Touching the screen at vertical while you type horizontally? Will formatting issues and screen size be an issue? Has MS really thought this through?
Click to expand...
 
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PittAir said:
Fanboism aside, Apple spent what sounds like a decade looking deeply into the user experience of a tablet, and realized that the OS must be different, and the user assumptions must be different, to make the whole thing work. Jobs rejected countless attempts until they got it right.
Click to expand...

Trollism aside, iPad and iPhone are good things to drain money continuously from users. When you actually buy one iPhone or iPad, you discover you need to spend $100 in adapters, $200 in a dock to hear music at a barely decent quality without headphones (my N8 has a FM transmitter so I can broadcast my media to an old 50's tube system if I want), $$$ in touchscreen apps that your PC/Mac could provide for free, $$$ in data plans because Apple likes to support carriers' business (other brands doesn't care too much on controlling users' data usage).

Trollism aside, Apple is brilliant on providing a user experience that makes us want paying more for the same or less functionality. But this doesn't make other brands dumber because they want to provide a lot of functionality without the state-of-the-art user experience.
 
brdeveloper said:
Trollism aside, iPad and iPhone are good things to drain money continuously from users. When you actually buy one iPhone or iPad, you discover you need to spend $100 in adapters, $200 in a dock to hear music at a barely decent quality without headphones (my N8 has a FM transmitter so I can broadcast my media to an old 50's tube system if I want), $$$ in touchscreen apps that your PC/Mac could provide for free, $$$ in data plans because Apple likes to support carriers' business (other brands doesn't care too much on controlling users' data usage).
Click to expand...

Wait wut? I never spend a penny on anything...

Earphones are great, speakers a good, no need for any extra and optional accessories. Dont have cellular model because I don't need it.

Most of my apps are free like what you said for PC.

Most paid stuff are games which PC doesnt have and shouldnt have because they only work great on the iPad like how many PC games shouldn't be on tablets.
 
Seriously, do half the people even read the article before posting? Or is it just the title, perhaps the first 2 lines and the pictures at most before making their own assumptions about the device.

I've lost count of how many people are smugly gloating "So you need a trackpad and keyboard? This is going to fail!! :rolleyes:
 
wharzhee said:
when I first saw the commercials, I was like, wow, the keyboard looks cool, how come no one thought of that earlier.

But as I began reading some posters, yea, I don't usually use my iPad on the table. It would be utterly useless.
Click to expand...

But this is where you need to get yourself out of Apple mode and think about others.

It's like the old Apple does not have a camera in the iPad1, it would be utterly useless. Now they have a reasonable camera in the iPad3 and that's considered fine.

It strikes me again and again that for some odd reason, Apple users are not used to choice and are actually anti choice. You are suppose to have/use/buy what the company tells you that you should have/use/buy and not give you options and let you pick the item that best suits your needs.

This was of marketing is great for a company that wants to make money, but should be considered terrible for customers.

Ok, so "YOU" may not use your iPad at a desk every, but then, perhaps others might.

Some time ago I used to sit at a table, eat my breakfast and read the early morning paper on my iPad, with it propped up against a pile of books.
At the time I was thinking, oh how i wish there was a small neat stand built into the back of this. But of course a built in stand is considered a hated item as:

"Apple does not do stands"

If iPad's had a neat stand designed into them and the Msoft one did not, then I can guarantee you, this thread would be full of, OMG it doe snot even have a stand, ha ha, prop it up on the old books they comments.

It's good to have choice for customers, you and me may want different things. Neither of us are wrong or right, we just are different.

You may read books mostly and want it lighter
I may play games mostly and want it faster
Someone else may watch movies and want is wider or bigger

there should be no reason to hate, just because it offers something MORE that you personally don't think you will use.

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mac*jedi*g said:
Yes... MS has been the biggest pain to me for years. Work with their product everyday (@ job). But, with that in mind, I have worked with Apple products just as long --- and they have come a long way as to bring to market "what the consumer wanted". MS on the other-hand continued to shove crap our way. Once people realized there was something better --- they heading in that direction. The current market is a direct example of that. And now MS doing everything in their power to *sway* you back their way --- like nothing ever happened. "Good luck, bud with that".

I am all for competition --- bring it! But if this puppy turns out to be "a pig" well... you know the saying.
Click to expand...

If Msoft are such a pain, then why don't your company sell all the PC's and move over to Macs?

Seems there is a love to hate thing. We all hate PCs
Well who is pointing a gun at peoples heads around the world and making the vest majority of people and industries buying PC's ?
 
After watching the whole MS keynote last night it made me really, really glad I have an iPad :).

However, the only thing I want now in a new iPad is more storage - 64GB isn't enough, lol. If the iPad 4 comes with 128GB or more then I can see myself upgrading.

The smart keyboard cover looks like a neat idea although I don't often use my bluetooth keyboard with my iPad as I am more than happy typing on the screen.

I don't really like the kickstand on the MS laptab as I can see myself breaking that off.

Personally, I don't like the Metro interface (although I can see some liking it) and I also don't like MS Office with the horrible ribbon interface. I try to keep my home MS Office free so in my case there is no incentive to buy a MS laptab just to get Office.

If I wanted to get another non iPad tablet in addition to my iPad I think I would get an Android one.
 
I dont think Apple will be selling only iPad and MBA to compete with Win8 tablets and am looking forward to the coming Apple's counter attack.

It is very exciting to watch the battle between 2 Giants. The war just begins. I hope the winner be Apple.

Please enjoy this exciting competition. :D
 
Crazy! 76 pages! In all my time, I never saw a thread get this long before, and waddaya know, it's nothing to do with an Apple product!

I think surface looks pretty interesting. At least there's now some 'sensible' competition...
 
this just got interesting. this surface tablet will make things a lot more versatile for business and casual users. right now all i use my tablet for is browsing and reading.. i hate having to switch from tablet to laptop to get real work done. an all-in-one device is the way to go. i will definitely consider this if the price is right. heck, i can actually use real programs now or even fire up vmware to run another OS. sounds like a winner.

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johnnyinternets said:
There's an awful lot of butt-hurt in this thread.
Click to expand...

people defend the product they use as if they invented it... don't know why there's so much butt-hurtness. why can't we just be objective and enjoy the technology... could be the fanboi apple brainwash effect. SMH.
 
I really want a tablet and this has made me even more indecisive! The iPad would be far more suitable for personal use, but the MS tablet would be ideal for my business use. In fact, once I add the MS tablet to the domain, it will come into it's own as a business tool.

Hmm...
 
Just viewing the viewing the two advertisements between Apple and Microsoft, shows that Apple keeps it simple saying what its device can do. However the Microsoft surface commercial features a pan shot of non operational product with raining metal balls, i see the ad so pointless what the hell does this got to with a product thats meant to revolutionise the ultra book and even what Microsoft claims the PC market.

In Microsoft's press conference 9 - 5 mac reports that:

" it would not be a Microsoft demo without a few crashes, Microsoft Vice President Steven Sinofsky was eventually able to launch apps like MS Office, Adobe Lightroom, and Netflix on a backup demo model".
link: http://9to5mac.com/2012/06/18/microsoft-launches-surface-tablet-with-keyboard-touch-cover-kickstand/

Than there is the Microsoft thing of heavily charging the consumer for a different version of Windows that does the same job. Although I give credit to the company for having a full os installed. This product will be at higher price range than that of the iPad, whilst enticing the consumer to go Ultrabook with intel's predicting that most ultra books will have a touchable surface come next year, one can only wonder who needs what is more than likely an overpriced and nonfunctional product.

But than again the macbook pro retina is also overpriced, I wonder if the Surface will affect its sales.
 
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mrmarts said:
Just viewing the viewing the two advertisements between Apple and Microsoft, shows that Apple keeps it simple saying what its device can do. However the Microsoft surface commercial features a pan shot of non operation surface with raining metal balls, i see the ad so pointless what the hell does this got to with a product thats meant to revolutionise the ultra book and even what Microsoft claims the PC market.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY, even the advertsiement is poorly conceived, dated & ultimately meaningless.

If they can't even get that right, what chance do they stand of having designed an inovative product? Is there so little of worth saying about it that they've had to resort to cliched videography & fx to create an ad that could quite literally have featured a car, a razor or a television sat in the midst of that rubbish?

Welcome to Miicrosoft's world of the banal and derivative...
 
Wow, people are so anal on here! They dont even want to see any positive in this new tablet. The more the best I say. Actually this one look more like the Asus eee slate (also with i5) than the ipad. The Asus eee slate is a really cool beast as it include a wacom digitizer. You get very precise pen input with it, perfect for using stronger app like Zbrush, maya, photoshop and other sketch tools. I believe the i5 Surface will be the same.

Ipad is great because it's cheap and it work well with media if you use some third party apps to play AVI and MKV. Still I cannot work on it. The microsoft Surface might give me that little extra power I need for that.
 
I can see businesses adopting this because it "fits in" with what they already have (Windows etc)

I'm sure MS will whore it out and knock the iPad out of that market. I can't see why anyone would want this as a personal device though.
 
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