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Microsoft CEO: 'We Built More Devices Than We Could Sell'

Renzatic said:
Hate to be the anal retentive guy who runs around on messageboards correcting everyone, but we've all got a shtick...

...and the Surface line uses a magnesium shell, not plastic.

Now that I've informed you of this fact, my job is done here. I TAKE MY LEAVE OF YOU, SIR!

:woosh:
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Thanks, now that you chimed in I do remember reading about the magnesium alloy shell. Its never anal to correct a mistake.
 
newdeal said:
I tried the touch cover at the store and it was aweful. Not sure why anyone would buy it, the keys dont move and they arent sensitive so you end up hammering each one two finger typing style. RT was DOA anyway as there are full tablets with windows 8 running Atom cpus for the same cost and with the same battery life. Too bad even the new atoms are much slower than even core 2 duos
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the cheap one is awful, the more expensive one that cost $150 does fix all the things you are complaining.

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I'm getting excited, new tablet firesale coming soonnn :D lol
 
The surface rt shouldn't have existed and there should have been a clovertrail non pro surface in its place.
 
SkyBell said:
Actually, I know three people who own one; they're all incredibly happy with it. :)
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Of course they are! People hate admitting they spent their money on junk!

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blitzer09x87 said:
whatever! i m completely happy with my surface pro and plan to buy the next version of it. it's way better than the macbook.
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Lolololololololololol. Thanks for that - I'm home from work sick and feeling pretty miserable. I got a great laugh out of that one. :p
 
law0915 said:
Did anyone actually LOL when you read this? I may be a bit frivolous today, but I did. I know it's not good for competition to have a product come out and immedatley have their @$$ handed to them, but I STILL lol'd.
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Kick MS when they are down? Of course, it's a no brainer

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IGregory said:
Its never anal to correct a mistake.
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Actually, you missed a apostrophe there.
 
MarkCollette said:
While I would still buy an iOS device, I think they make some valid points. I would like to be able to switch to having two apps run side by side at times. Hell, even if it was just two phone apps, that are intended for the small size, running side by side on the tablet. I can't count the number of times I have to switch back and forth between two apps to accomplish a single task. And to make matters worse, the double button click, then find the app and click method is annoyingly time consuming when you just want to go back to the previous app.
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5 finger swipe.
 
donutbagel said:
Well they hold the gaming industry by its balls already.
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Well for portable gaming I think iOS wins. And for console gaming, I think now it's a 3 way tie, after Nintendo's drop from being the clear No.1. No.1 in quality and decision making I mean.
 
IGregory said:
I've spent a lot time handling the Surface at the Microsoft Store near me.
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I've spent 2 months with about 7 different Windows 8 tablets, actually attempting to use them every day for work (I'm the company nerd who gets first opportunity to evaluate new stuff before we decide to buy any).


Due to the lack of Metro apps, they're crap.

Due to having to drop into the classic desktop mode on a regular basis to change settings, browse for files, etc, they're crap.
 
I am not a CEO, I don't work in the computer industry. I am not in a position of knowledge or experience to say ******. But it really does seem like (to me) that Balmer is not a great CEO.

The direction they have taken their company in has not been inspiring. Their constant imitation of Apple and Sony is strange. They are a company that will never have that sort of good will and loyal consumers. I wish they would go back to make operating systems. I know that's not possible per se, as PC is dying.

But the Nokia + Microsoft deal is not a bad deal. The Lumia phones are some of the best products they have realized. Their only problem is that they where late to the race.

I say to forget about Xbox, (not gonna happen) , surface and all that. Let the great hardware makers do that. Combine your efforts with Samsung, Lenovo, and all the others. You can be a great partner if you go back to just making software. You can let these hardware dudes make cheaper and more reliable hardware.
 
keysofanxiety said:
So basically, Microsoft is saying they built more than one Surface?
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Classic....:D. We looked at the Surface out of curiosity a while back...the store had it lined up with the competition including the iPad, the Nexus etc. it's not a good screen, at least not in the store light, and the whole thing just looks and feels cheap. I'm an all Apple guy, but I don't knock MS for the sake of it, it just seems that they don't do hardware well....just the Xbox which we have. Maybe the second generation will be better, but three hours battery life? Seriously, they have to address that if they want to sell them.
 
jglonek said:
There's an easy fix for all of Microsoft's problems:

1) Ditch Windows RT. Immediately. Before more people buy it at a fire sale and expect things for it.
2) Get Haswell-powered Windows 8 tablets out ASAP, at the iPad's price MAX. Doubling the price isn't going to sell them.
3) Remove Metro from desktop Windows. Or at least give the option of a FULL Windows Desktop or Metro (not this silly start button that goes to Metro in 8.1). Either way it's on the same core, who cares what the GUI looks like?
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The biggest issue when you remove metro is that its near impossible to use Windows' GUI on a tablet - its not even remotely designed for it.

They need a different OS for tablets, not the same one. Apple handled this well. They kept the core of the OS and created a new UI for it. Microsoft simply slapped on a new UI as an app, leaving the ~16GB of Windows bloat along side it.

I've said it before, and I'm sure (given how thick the MS board seem to be) I'll say it for many years to come: Ballmer is not, has never been, and will never be fit to run ANY company.
 
The only reason they're selling any at all is because they have such a huge user base. But this thing is ill conceived from the ground up. Microsoft needs to sell office. So this is the kind of machine needed to run office. The difference with Apple is that they build the best device with the best user experience, and then see how they can make the software fit to that. Apples way of thinking creates revolutionary devices. Microsoft's way of thinking makes the share holders happy in the short term. The problem though is that M$ has simply become irrelevant. Libre Office and Google Docs and amazing alternatives to Windows have finally caught up with them. The computing world will be much better off. However, the biggest concern is Google's power. That's my biggest concern anyhow.
 
osofast240sx said:
Google will be ditching Android OS for Chrome OS sooner than we think.
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Yup, and rightly so. Chrome OS is fantastic compared to Android. Once Samsung move over to Tizen I think we'll start to see a few ChromeOS phones and eventually the handover of Android back to the community.
 
philosopherdog said:
But this thing is ill conceived from the ground up. Microsoft needs to sell office.
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Have you held Surface in your hand and used it? If not don't give an opinion on something you know nothing about. I suppose you would like Microsoft to build a device that infringes on Apple and Google patents.
 
Prediction--in 3 years the only place microsofts tablet os will be running is on laptops and desktops. The touch laptop shows some signs of market popularity--time will tell
 
z2daj said:
I'm looking forward to the Haswell update to the Surface Pro, and may have to pick one up if the price is right.
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One might as easily say MS was to the market 1 year early as 3 years too late. Haswell technology is huge step up for win based mobile technology. MS would never have hedged there bets with RT if haswell was available.

MS should stick with surface pro. It has a limited market, but it could bring them some much needed hardware cred. Overall, the full os tablet is dead, but the touch laptop is gaining momentum
 
Probably wrong place to say this, but I'm loving my MS Surface Pro.. needed a great drawing tablet with pressure sensitivity that didn't run just 'apps'.. and it's fitting the bill nicely.
 
SlCKB0Y said:
Lolololololololololol. Thanks for that - I'm home from work sick and feeling pretty miserable. I got a great laugh out of that one. :p
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I believe him. I'm looking to a surface pro to replace my rMBP for travel. It's half the weight, better to use on a plane and I can put all my productivity stuff on it. It even offers new functionality with the stylus.

The only thing holding me back is the battery life seems to tight and I'd like the cost to be $150 cheaper so I can bill it through for under $1000.
 
MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


During an internal town hall event earlier this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and COO Kevin Turner spoke to employees about the recent $900 million writedown the company took for the Surface RT, reports The Verge.

"We built a few more devices than we could sell," said Ballmer, in reference to slow Surface RT sales. Ballmer also went on to say that the company isn't happy with its Windows sales, either. "We're not selling as many Windows devices as we want to."

Microsoft has been heavily marketing the Surface RT as an iPad competitor in a series of negative advertisements that highlight the Surface RT's multitasking capabilities, its accessories, and its low price.

Earlier this month, Microsoft was forced to drop the price of its Surface RT tablets by $150, making the base price for the 32 GB tablet just $349, or $449 with a Touch Cover included. Despite the slow sales of the Surface RT, Microsoft is pushing ahead with plans for a second generation tablet.

Article Link: Microsoft CEO: 'We Built More Devices Than We Could Sell'
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As I used to say, Microsoft is DEAD. But now I mean it.
 
The Surface is a joke

Microsoft has entered this game way to late to be considered a competitor. Even when PC's first came out, Microsoft new they had to get in the game with something competitive within two years of any releases. What has happened to the mindset of these guys up in Redmond is beyond me. Granted, Microsoft did make a tablet before the iPad came out, but it had no where the capabilities of the iPad. Ever since Gates has retired, Microsoft has done nothing but taken a back seat in technology. Their saving grace, is not Windows, but rather the XBox...Need I say more....

Jeff Doehring
Owner
www.phoenixlocalshops.com
 
MarkCollette said:
While I would still buy an iOS device, I think they make some valid points. I would like to be able to switch to having two apps run side by side at times. Hell, even if it was just two phone apps, that are intended for the small size, running side by side on the tablet. I can't count the number of times I have to switch back and forth between two apps to accomplish a single task. And to make matters worse, the double button click, then find the app and click method is annoyingly time consuming when you just want to go back to the previous app.
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Agreed. The side by side option would fix 80% of my frustration with the iPad. Constantly switching between IM and browser, things like that.

Also their keyboard covers (and mouse support) are something that Apple could learn a lot from. Some people, like me, use their iPads as mini laptops and these things would really help.

However I don't agree with your last comment, I use the 4-finger swipe to switch between apps and it works brilliantly.
 
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