Microsoft Announces Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2

[Michael Goff]

No you seem to not want to listen: 16:9 is pathetic for web browsing on a tablet.

I have a 16:10 screen and that's actually way better than 16:9. And yes, there are times I need portrait orientation on my external IPS screen which I rotate vertically position.

Stick with your 16:9 - you will be the only fool microsoft steals money from. The rest of the world will buy an ipad.

Oh wow, 16:10.

Interesting... I don't know what to say.

And you use portrait on your laptop?

Listen, I get it ... you love your iPad. But Microsoft isn't stealing from me. My opinion is that this is better for surfing the web than any other tablet I've had. I've only had an iPad 2, Motorola Xoom, and Nexus 7, though.

There is nothing wrong with 16:9 web browsing.

 

[osofast240sx]

Let me guess... you're one of those people that thinks a large number of people are throwing out their laptops and desktop to use a tiny smartphone screen or a tablet? You think people don't have multiple devices, using the more portable ones when it makes more sense?
POST-PC IS A MYTH.

I did not say that u did! Lol

 

[TouchMint.com]

Microsoft is the only company in the world that throws money in the toilet. Why do you think their CEO is fired?

Only company? If you are not taking risks you are not doing it right. Do you know how many projects google cancels each year? Sure they might not waste as much money on 1 product but I spend and lose a lot of money. Going with the safe bet isn't always going to work.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

Oh wow, 16:10.

Interesting... I don't know what to say.

And you use portrait on your laptop?

Listen, I get it ... you love your iPad. But Microsoft isn't stealing from me. My opinion is that this is better for surfing the web than any other tablet I've had. I've only had an iPad 2, Motorola Xoom, and Nexus 7, though.

There is nothing wrong with 16:9 web browsing.

ipad is 4:3

 

[Anti-Lucifer]

Oh wow, 16:10.

Interesting... I don't know what to say.

And you use portrait on your laptop?

Listen, I get it ... you love your iPad. But Microsoft isn't stealing from me. My opinion is that this is better for surfing the web than any other tablet I've had. I've only had an iPad 2, Motorola Xoom, and Nexus 7, though.

There is nothing wrong with 16:9 web browsing.

Of course you don't know what to say - it's obvious from the junk postings. Listen: If you can't understand why 4:3 is superior to 16:9 on a tablet for web browsing, perhaps you should buy the surface 2 and make everyone else believe the hype.

Come back here in 6 months time and eat your own words buddy.

 

[Michael Goff]

Huge difference - people buy laptops - no one will buy a surface pro 1 or 2. Give it up already you are so evangelic for Microsoft, why don't you hop over to that forum and brag more about the surface 2

So now sales are the metric of a good product?

Microsoft is the only company in the world that throws money in the toilet. Why do you think their CEO is fired?

"We're firing you... at some point in the next 12 months. Take your time."

People are firing up PC's most of the time because they literally have to, not because they want to.

That's a problem for the pc industry, easily reflected in PC sales compared to something like the iPad.

The iPad is now three years old. It re-started the tablet market. The PC market is over twenty years old. It is an established market. You're comparing an up and coming market to one that is beyond saturated. And you're not even bringing up that the saturated PC market is still selling roughly 300 million a year.

 

[Anti-Lucifer]

Only company? If you are not taking risks you are not doing it right. Do you know how many projects google cancels each year? Sure they might not waste as much money on 1 product but I spend and lose a lot of money. Going with the safe bet isn't always going to work.

Well, I shouldn't make Microsoft look too bad - they are NOT the only company that throw money in the toilet. But seriously, making part 2 when Part 1 was crap does not compute. It's because you have morons at the helm of the company making these decisions.

Look at the stock price - stockholders don't think it's a good idea.

 

[Renzatic]

> What'd I say? I'm not saying you have to browse in landscape on a 16:9 device, just that I do. Actually, when you think about it... 16:9 is more of a landscape aspect ratio and 4:3 is great for portrait. It's why 16:9 isn't as good for phones when compared to 4:3.

It's all personal preference, and I'm just making a big deal out of it because that's what people do here.

Me? I don't like 16:9 on a tablet. It's too awkward to hold in landscape, and flat out unwieldy in portrait. I'd say the happy medium is 16:10, since it gives you a little more screen space for your interface, and isn't quite as uncomfortable to hold for extended periods of time.

It's weird, but the 4:3 screen is one of the things that initially disappointed me about the iPad, but eventually became one of the things I liked best about it. It's not perfect, there are some downsides, but it is the most comfortable tablet to hold by and far.

Also, you did call it.

Yes I did.

 

[Michael Goff]

I did not say that u did! Lol

Then what are you trying to say? Please be specific, something you weren't in your last post.

ipad is 4:3

I know, I wasn't the guy who brought up 16:10.

Of course you don't know what to say - it's obvious from the junk postings. Listen: If you can't understand why 4:3 is superior to 16:9 on a tablet for web browsing, perhaps you should buy the surface 2 and make everyone else believe the hype.

Come back here in 6 months time and eat your own words buddy.

Junk postings? And 4:3 is not superior for browsing if you prefer a landscape browsing experience. 4:3 is not as good as 16:9 for landscape experiences. It's not a slight against the iPad, I like my iPad, but it is just the way that it works.

 

[Anti-Lucifer]

So now sales are the metric of a good product?

Wow, you are resorting to this sort of comment? Dude - so if iPad sells well the metrics don't count. Well then how do you gauge what the majority of population is looking for in a tablet?

What's next, if the surface 2 fails again, it's because well, you know Surface 3 is coming right up next year?

Get a grip - people speak with their wallets and you know they aren't talking about the surface.

 

[pscl]

actually i like both devices. greater value than ipad. but i love the look and feel of an ipad more.

 

[Michael Goff]

It's all personal preference, and I'm just making a big deal out of it because that's what people do here.

Me? I don't like 16:9 on a tablet. It's too awkward to hold in landscape, and flat out unwieldy in portrait. I'd say the happy medium is 16:10, since it gives you a little more screen space for your interface, and isn't quite as uncomfortable to hold for extended periods of time.

It's weird, but the 4:3 screen is one of the things that initially disappointed me about the iPad, but eventually became one of the things I liked best about it. It's not perfect, there are some downsides, but it is the most comfortable tablet to hold by and far.



Yes I did. Image

I can respect that. Different strokes for different folks after all.

 

[cocacolakid]

The smartest thing Microsoft could do would be to drop Windows RT completely. Either that or give it a name that doesn't have Windows in it. It's not compatible with any other product, app, or program called Windows or that can run on anything called Windows. People who buy the Surface and do not know that get it home to find out there are around 10 apps available. It's like going back in time and buying the HP tablet. There's not much you can do with it. Microsoft just confuses consumers and irritates the few who buy RT.

Imagine if Apple had created a separate OS for the iPhone 5C, called it iOS C, and it couldn't run a single iOS app. That is exactly what Microsoft did with Windows RT.

 

[Michael Goff]

Wow, you are resorting to this sort of comment? Dude - so if iPad sells well the metrics don't count. Well then how do you gauge what the majority of population is looking for in a tablet?

What's next, if the surface 2 fails again, it's because well, you know Surface 3 is coming right up next year?

Get a grip - people speak with their wallets and you know they aren't talking about the surface.

I try to gauge my electronic purchases based on what's best for me, not what's best for somebody else.

If I had been going for what sells the most, I'd be using a Windows laptop instead of a MacBook Air.

I'm not going to make excuses for poor sales, I'm simply going to say that sales aren't a way of deciding whether a product is good or not. I say that because a bad product can sell and a good product can not sell. That isn't say anything about either the iPad or the Surface, just pointing out a truth.

I do have to wonder, though, why it matters so much to you what I use. If you like your iPad, fine. But please don't make up facts to try and support your purchase.

 

[osofast240sx]

Then what are you trying to say? Please be specific, something you weren't in your last post.



I know, I wasn't the guy who brought up 16:10.



Junk postings? And 4:3 is not superior for browsing if you prefer a landscape browsing experience. 4:3 is not as good as 16:9 for landscape experiences. It's not a slight against the iPad, I like my iPad, but it is just the way that it works.

I think the masses don't want one device but would rather toggle between three devices A smart phone, a tablet and a laptop/desktop

 

[TWSS37]

nice, now I wait for the fire sale of the first gen

1.) It's a fire... sale

2.) It's actually been going on for months. Tons of sub $300 price points for awhile now.

 

[Michael Goff]

actually i like both devices. greater value than ipad. but i love the look and feel of an ipad more.

I have to agree with part of that. The iPad has always been a nicely designed machine when it comes to the look and feel. Apple generally does get that right, though.

----------

I think the masses don't want one device but would rather toggle between three devices A smart phone, a tablet and a laptop/desktop

Ah.

Well, for now I think you're right. Guess I got the wrong message there. I think, eventually, people will start to want a laptop/tablet and a smartphone, but that's in the future. Atom needs to get more powerful or the i5 processors need to get more power efficient.

 

[Liquorpuki]

To make a general statement that you cannot do real work on a iPad that's trolling.

He didn't say anything about not being able to do real work. He said it's for those with performance needs, which is true.

 

[Miharu]

How does the Pro 2 compare with the latest Airs? If you add in the type cover (I hate the touch cover, and now it's only 10$ difference) they seem to have similar price...

 

[iKrivetko]

What a fine mac rumour.

 

[iSee]

I think they need to decide whether they want to make a tablet or a laptop.

They built a tablet but seem to want you to use it like a lappy.
E.g., their recent commercial touting that you can:
1. prop it up
2. attach a keyboard
3. plug stuff into it

What they are doing now, just seems like another variation on their "convertible" strategy for tablets that they've been failing at for years. Why do they think people suddenly want that now?

I think they should go one way or the other: make a tablet or make an ultra book.

 

[haravikk]

Never actually seen one out in the wild.

Same. I've tried the v1 devices in stores and they're not bad products, but were definitely too expensive until the price was dropped. It's good to see a spec bump, and not an insignificant one, but my main gripes were the lousy power-connector, and neither keypad is really sturdy enough to use these as actual laptops (i.e - on your lap); they were better for use on a table, but in that case you don't really need the portability that they offered as a slightly heavier, but better keyboard dock would be better for using at home/work, with tablet use for the commute, for example.

So while the news is around the decent spec-bump, the lack of polish on some aspects of the hardware is more important IMO, so it'd be nice to see if they addressed any of that. Also the lack of apps for the surface RT; it's not as bad as it was, but it's still not exactly stunning either.

And they absolutely need to change their advertising campaign; the negative advertising just isn't working, and doesn't really convince you of the need for one of these surface devices.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Of course you don't know what to say - it's obvious from the junk postings. Listen: If you can't understand why 4:3 is superior to 16:9 on a tablet for web browsing, perhaps you should buy the surface 2 and make everyone else believe the hype.

Reason they go 16:9 widescreen on the Surface is because it allows multitasking via snaps.

 

[Michael Goff]

How does the Pro 2 compare with the latest Airs? If you add in the type cover (I hate the touch cover, and now it's only 10$ difference) they seem to have similar price...

The MacBook Air has better battery life.

Beyond that, considering they're both using Haswell, they should be about the same.

SP 2 has a 10 point multi-touch screen and is capable of being written on with a stylus, the MBA has neither.

The MBA has a backlit keyboard, the SP2 does not.

You can buy a MBA right now, you can't buy a SP 2 now.

There are a few more differences, but those are off the top of my head.

 

[osofast240sx]

He didn't say anything about not being able to do real work. He said it's for those with performance needs, which is true.

thats what a laptop is for. But explain. Please