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Microsoft Announces Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2
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That's exactly what Apple did with iOS. It can't run any OSX apps, but it's perfectly fine despite that.
The biggest mistake Microsoft made was calling this entirely different OS that doesn't use windows at all (unless you're using Office) "Windows".
Maybe, they aren't actually new, but old stock (left overs) which have been "updated" to get rid of inventory.
Good luck to them, they'll need it.
I have to agree. Even if they called it Windows, they should have used a better name to help differentiate it. They needed to make sure that people knew it wasn't going to run their normal Windows apps.
Or maybe instead of Windows, they could have just called it "Modern OS" to go with the Modern UI.
Going by that logic, apparently no one liked Macs because people bought PCs over them 10:1.
Sales are never a true metric of quality. Only what's popular. And yes, you could say that popularity and quality go hand in hand, but...look at the above statement. I doubt you'll say Windows is better because it sold more, and therefore better reflected what people wanted.
And then I'm sure we'll get into the whole issue about people being "forced" to buy Windows, and how no one had a choice, and OH GAWD IT'S ALWAYS ONE GREAT BIG ENDLESSLY LOOPING DISCUSSION THAT GOES AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND IN ONE GIANT CIRCLE OH WHY DO I KEEP DOING THIS TO MYSELF OH GAWD OH GAWD OH GAWD!
...cough...cough...ahem. S'cuse me. Got a little existential about arguing on the internet there for a second. I'm better now.
Well, the Pro is very similar to the Air, on many points. Pro includes a stylus. Both support USB 3 and have a mini-DisplayPort. Both have a memory card slot, though different form factor. Similar if not identical processor, can be configured for similar memory and storage. Pro does (barely) cross the line into retina-quality display (208 pixels/inch).
Air (and OS X) implement gestures on the touchpad; Pro is very touchable on screen, although for desktop apps you'll want to use the touchpad or stylus (stylus, or mouse, is much more precise than the TypeCover's touchpad).
Beyond that, it's form factor, operating system, and availability of the apps you want. Pick what works for you.
Was there a Waterworld II?
Or a Howard the Duck II?
They generally don't make sequels to flops.
Seriously, it's kind of funny to go to Best Buy and see a dozen people crowded around the Apple products in a small area, and perhaps 2 people looking at the Surface Kiosk, which takes up 4 times the area.
Or a Howard the Duck II?
They generally don't make sequels to flops.
Seriously, it's kind of funny to go to Best Buy and see a dozen people crowded around the Apple products in a small area, and perhaps 2 people looking at the Surface Kiosk, which takes up 4 times the area.
Look back at history, the iPod initially didn't do quite as well as the competition. Then they released a second, which fixed the flaws, and it sold like hotcakes.
Will that happen to the Surface? Probably not, it will remain a niche product. I happen to like it, but that doesn't change reality.
If I had to pick any one major fault of MS, it's that they've always been so hung up on Windows as a brand and a base. They seemingly won't do anything unless they're somehow able to tie it to Windows, and they've allowed a lot of good products to slip by the wayside because of their stubborn insistence in doing so.
This is a problem Apple doesn't have. They weren't worried that people might not immediately associate the iDevices with Macs. They just made it the way they thought it should be made, and watched it sell. I think this is the major reason why they tend to be a far more flexible company.
Fair enough. In the UK we're looking at month long shipping delays, only minutes after launch. The flagship store in London – Regent Street – had one single batch of iPhones on Friday, which, according to the BBC reports, was fairly minimal. They have had none since. I went there this evening after work to have a look and had a chat with an employee.
Of course some people care. Some people use the Surface. I know a couple of developers who use them, and enjoy using them. "No-one" is a bit extreme, no?
You can see I'm not new here. I don't own a single Microsoft product other than my old Xbox, you can also see that from my signature. The word "troll" is incredibly childish. I'm no advocate of Microsoft, however.
I'm not suggesting anything about the upcoming success or failure of the Surface. Simply that month long delays are not unique to MS, beloved Apple has succumbed to severe supply chain problems leading to similar delays.
Apple also has another benefit that Microsoft does not share, sadly enough for them. Apple has long since bragged that iOS is based on OS X, but nobody cares that it doesn't run the apps.
Apple hasn't built the tradition of being so... legacy focused. While it is good for enterprise, it screws them over when they try to court consumers. Really, at this point, they should focus on an enterprise OS and a consumer OS, the ends aren't the same.
The era of one size fits all is over.
Wait a minute. Sales were dismal for the Surface right? So why make a 2?
If first you don't succeed, try and try again.
Do you not remember the original iPhone!!!!!
There is a plethora of control surfaces and outstanding music apps for the iPad, there has been for ages, the Surface stuff announced today really looks rudimentary.
It's a shame the first one failed, and inevitably this one will too. I like it as a fairly capable tablet that can run desktop applications. A colleague has one and runs Photoshop and a 3D modelling app on his journey home. I'd get one but I'm already happy (as much as one can be with a limited device) with an iPad.
Most people on here, except those not brainwashed by Apple marketing, do nothing but give Apple 'fans' even less credibility to those that don't swallow marketing bs ... I.e. these tablets have their place in the market and are in many ways a better proposition than other tablets including the iPad. Shock horror I know, call me unbiased and not on here purely to suck up to Apple.
Shame most on here can't get past childish quips based on nothing but immature bashing of anything other than Apple. Very childish!
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They just love to invite the trolls and jump on the Apple bandwagon (I.e. Apple can do no wrong, everything else is crap!)
Shame most on here can't get past childish quips based on nothing but immature bashing of anything other than Apple. Very childish!
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Glad someone brought this up.
They just love to invite the trolls and jump on the Apple bandwagon (I.e. Apple can do no wrong, everything else is crap!)
Yep its like putting 500 horse power in a vw bug. Would you agree MS needs a seamless ecosystem ?
With it's hardware specs and price, IF it ran iOS, I could actually get excited over it, but alas, it's a PC wanting to be a tablet wanting to be a PC.
Personally I think the Pro is fine. There are tradeoffs between it and a laptop but it's a converged device in a slate form factor with laptop grade power. Even doing mundane tablet things like browsing or reading eBooks, the performance difference is noticeable. Using the integrated WACOM is something you can't do with a pure laptop. And the ability to break away from the ARM ecosystem and run x86 suites that require power is a big draw for those who need it. The tradeoff is the smaller screen.
And yeah I agree they need a more seamless ecosystem when it comes to x86 touch support. I think that was their goal with W8 even though their execution hasn't been great.
I love the look of metro. I just can't trust a windows ecosystem for anything.
I would like to try Exchange on their OS.
I would like to try Exchange on their OS.
Yes. hmmm oh look it's the OLD Surface Pro running full Windows games....
http://www.youtube.com/user/SurfaceProGaming/videos
So the new Pro will be even BETTER! But as this is a Mac site the usual MS hatred is the norm, and that's a shame as the Surface is a pretty innovative well made product.