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Microsoft announces: "Surface" tablet 10.6" display, 9.3mm thin, USB on board

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saintforlife

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Feb 25, 2011
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Built in kickstand and there is a keyboard in the smart cover:

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http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/17/3093335/microsoft-major-announcement-event-live-blog

Will it be the first true iPad competitor unlike the Galaxy tablets and the Kindle Fire?
 
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the keyboard support + office will make this a legitimate player for corporate world already
 
dscuber9000 said:
If it costs $300, it's a real competitor. If it is $500 or more, it's nothing. Waiting for price...
Click to expand...
This, if the price isn't significantly below the iPad, it's going to fail. Not having a retina-like display is also going to hurt it if it's not priced below the iPad2.
 
Who cares about price. I just paid $600 for an iPad 3, you think $500 is going to bother me? Nope ! :D
 
dba415 said:
the keyboard support + office will make this a legitimate player for corporate world already
Click to expand...
Not that much. You'd be surprised at how many corporate people already use iPads. A real office suite might help, though. Not sure about that.
 
Rodster said:
Who cares about price. I just paid $600 for an iPad 3, you think $500 is going to bother me? Nope ! :D
Click to expand...

People want iPads. I'm not sure people want a Microsoft tablet that runs Windows 8. And they're not just competing against iPad, they're going to have to compete against Windows 8 laptops.
 
dscuber9000 said:
If it costs $300, it's a real competitor. If it is $500 or more, it's nothing. Waiting for price...
Click to expand...

Looks like it's going to be more than the iPad. This is from the Microsoft Press Release(http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2012/jun12/06-18announce.aspx):

Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
Click to expand...
 
On the other hand, microsoft does have a potentially huge weapon: office365. If microsoft gives away free office365 accounts, like iCloud, that would give their tablet a big boost.

I don't think microsoft will do that, though, as they seem too concerned about protecting their current businesses, to the detriment of their future.
 
dscuber9000 said:
If it costs $300, it's a real competitor. If it is $500 or more, it's nothing. Waiting for price...
Click to expand...

It's most likely going to be $500 or more - but it does a LOT more than your run-of-the-mill Android tablet. From this keynote - it looks like you'll be able to use standard Windows 8 apps on it - that alone is a very HUGE deal - ESPECIALLY in the business sector.

I love my iPad - I won't get rid of it - but I can't say that MS's offering isn't damn near better than every other iPad competitor out there...

IMO - these are actually two entirely different beasts - DisplayPort, TRUE USB, physical keyboard, e-ink technology - come on - nothing else out there even comes close.

I'm not sure this thing is meant to even be an iPad competitor - just because the form factor appears similar, it doesn't mean we're dealing with two directly competing products...

EDIT - just think about one piece of software - MS Office - in business, it's everywhere - and it looks like this thing will handle the EXACT SAME VERSION of MS Office as Windows 8 PC's - the value in that alone makes it better than every single Android offering...
 
dscuber9000 said:
People want iPads. I'm not sure people want a Microsoft tablet that runs Windows 8. And they're not just competing against iPad, they're going to have to compete against Windows 8 laptops.
Click to expand...

I already own 2 iPad's, 2 Android tablets. I want a Windows 8 Tablet to complete the circle of fate, lol. :D
 
Rodster said:
I already own 2 iPad's, 2 Android tablets. I want a Windows 8 Tablet to complete the circle of fate, lol. :D
Click to expand...
lol, why don't you have a playbook? You need to really complete it! :p

Edit: or that HP webos tablet, too?
 
This is really interesting. This is the first tablet that feels like a competitor, for the iPad. I love the way they have done their keyboard cover.
Also that it is microsoft from beginning to end, is very apple. I love the iPad but I am interested to try this.
 
TLewis said:
lol, why don't you have a playbook? You need to really complete it! :p

Edit: or that HP webos tablet, too?
Click to expand...

I owned a TouchPad, lol. Sold it, made a little money, what a turkey. So is the Playbook, nothing interest me about the PB. :)
 
TheKricket said:
EDIT - just think about one piece of software - MS Office - in business, it's everywhere - and it looks like this thing will handle the EXACT SAME VERSION of MS Office as Windows 8 PC's - the value in that alone makes it better than every single Android offering...
Click to expand...
Unless they're redone the UI (I don't know), it's going to require a separate mouse (how else you do right-clicks, etc.?).
 
TLewis said:
Unless they're redone the UI (I don't know), it's going to require a separate mouse (how else you do right-clicks, etc.?).
Click to expand...

Everything is redone in Windows 8 to tend to touchscreens - that was announced long, long ago...

EDIT - not to mention there's a friggin touchpad BUILT INTO the (physical) keyboard...
 
TLewis said:
Unless they're redone the UI (I don't know), it's going to require a separate mouse (how else you do right-clicks, etc.?).
Click to expand...

Look at the pictures on the kickstand keyboard. There's a touchpad in front of the kybd. :cool:
 
It seems to me that this is the way Windows 8 will work the best. The keyboard looks great. Should allow it to work well in Metro and Desktop mode.
 
TheKricket said:
Everything is redone in Windows 8 to tend to touchscreens - that was announced long, long ago...
Click to expand...
Interesting gamble.

Users hate to learn new user interfaces/use models/etc.. They're risking users:

  • Not upgrading to Windows 8.
  • Moving to Apple.
 
TLewis said:
Interesting gamble.

Users hate to learn new user interfaces/use models/etc.. They're risking users:

  • Not upgrading to Windows 8.
  • Moving to Apple.
Click to expand...

When iOS came out - it was COMPLETELY new (attached to a brand new piece of hardware) - let's see how that works out for Apple...

Oh, wait...
 
TheKricket said:
EDIT - just think about one piece of software - MS Office - in business, it's everywhere - and it looks like this thing will handle the EXACT SAME VERSION of MS Office as Windows 8 PC's - the value in that alone makes it better than every single Android offering...
Click to expand...

But it goes back to why iPad runs iOS and not Mac OS. The interface of Mac OS and its programs was not made with a 10" touch screen in mind. MS Office on a tablet sounds fantastic at first, but I can't imagine using a word processor with a desktop-oriented UI on a 10" touch screen. Even with the keyboard/touchpad attachment. I guess you could use a USB mouse, but then you have a tablet, a keyboard magnet attachment, and then a wireless dongle sticking out and a mouse on the table.

At what point are people going to just use a cheaper Windows 8 laptop? Tablets have to be different from laptops.
 
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