Microsoft event 2016

[Three141]

My feelings are; we seem to be on a roll recently this is two years of good conferences; our act is finally together.

We also seem to be innovating well and I can see the Apple inspiration on Microsoft; keeping secrets or "one more thing" up their sleeves and the most importantly (IMO) not leaving it to third party vendors to make the hardware.

What are your thoughts?

 

[bandrews]

My feelings are; we seem to be on a roll recently this is two years of good conferences; our act is finally together.
We seem to be innovating well and I can see the Apple inspiration; keeping secrets or "one more thing" up their sleeves and the most important lesson IMO is not leaving it to third party vendors to make the hardware.

A lot to go into; what are your thoughts?

I think the Studio looks great - but total overkill for my needs.

 

[Queen6]

Vey impressed with the new i7 Surface Book, more so with the Studio, MS is just getting better. Apple is stuck releasing clamshell notebooks and gimped desktops, and an interactive strip is not going to change this anytime soon...

Q-6

 

[jdillings]

Not thin enough

 

[epicrayban]

The Studio desktop looks very impressive.

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbrea...omputer-announced-features-price-release-date

 

[Three141]

I think the Studio looks great - but total overkill for my needs.

Same I would never need that power but I think Microsoft are gradually learning how to tap into 'I don't need it, I want it' mindset.

Design wise (in terms of looks); they still got a bit of catching up to do before devices looks Apple sexy.
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The Studio desktop looks very impressive.

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbrea...omputer-announced-features-price-release-date

Agreed, the trailer surprised me as they are not usually so polished and colourful; working with spread sheets and doing graphs the screen showing charts was a real bonus as otherwise I would of saw this as a artistic/architect device.

Oddly enough seeing the nuts and bolts come together in the trailer reminded me of a Car advert for some reason.

 

[bandrews]

Same I would never need that power but I think Microsoft are gradually learning how to tap into 'I don't need it I want it mindset.

Design wise (in terms of looks); they still got a bit of catching up to do before devices look Apple sexy.

Yeah, I think the hinge looks a little too utilitarian but it looks to be well constructed. Will be interesting to see how rigid it is when leaning against it. My iMac is getting a little sluggish handling my big RAW files from wedding photography but I think this would be more suited to users of any Adobe software other than Lightroom. We shall see what tomorrow brings.....

 

[Queen6]

Same I would never need that power but I think Microsoft are gradually learning how to tap into 'I don't need it I want it mindset.

Design wise (in terms of looks); they still got a bit of catching up to do before devices look Apple sexy.

I can live with the design as long as the functionality usability exists, when it`s the other way round, that`s when I find it a problem. Starting to like MS `s designs more & more as they are more industrial, versus Apple these days.

Q-6

 

[Three141]

Vey impressed with the new i7 Surface Book, more so with the Studio, MS is just getting better. Apple is stuck releasing clamshell notebooks and gimped desktops, and an interactive strip is not going to change this anytime soon...

Q-6

I think Apple will need a bit more than a redesigned laptop and unfortunately for them the rumour guys are getting better killing the advantage of surprise; hopefully they will have something else tucked up their sleeve's or it will be an orchestra of yawns.
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Yeah, I think the hinge looks a little too utilitarian but it looks to be well constructed. Will be interesting to see how rigid it is when leaning against it. My iMac is getting a little sluggish handling my big RAW files from wedding photography but I think this would be more suited to users of any Adobe software other than Lightroom. We shall see what tomorrow brings.....

Agree, I am not a massive fan of the base but as it's gen 1 so I can forgive it; itching to see the reviews for it.

Hope you guys get a surprise Imac/Mac pro updates tomorrow!

 

[Queen6]

I think Apple will need a bit more than a redesigned laptop and unfortunately for them the rumour guys are getting better killing the advantage of surprise; hopefully they will have something else tucked up their sleeve's or it will be an orchestra of yawns.

Sadly as longterm professional user of Mac`s I have to agree, Apple`s focus these days is the mass market, I wish them well with that one. $2K for a notebook is simply too much for the average user, and these days Mac`s are too diluted for many professionals. Mac sales are clearly bombing, nor do I foresee the 2016 update doing much to stop this trend.

Case in fact, unless Apple impresses with macOS or the upcoming MBP, my next will be the new i7 Surface Book with Power Base as it ticks all the boxes, Apple is consistently failing to do the same, if tomorrows event is the same as several previous; all talk and little substance, fewer are going to care...

Q-6

 

[mclld]

MS is one of the most innovative companies out right now, ahead of Apple for sure imo

 

[Three141]

Sadly as longterm professional user of Mac`s I have to agree, Apple`s focus these days is the mass market, I wish them well with that one. $2K for a notebook is simply too much for the average user, and these days Mac`s are too diluted for many professionals. Mac sales are clearly bombing, nor do I foresee the 2016 update doing much to stop this trend.

Case in fact, unless Apple impresses with macOS or the upcoming MBP, my next will be the new i7 Surface Book with Power Base as it ticks all the boxes, Apple is consistently failing to do the same, if tomorrows event is the same as several previous; all talk and little substance, fewer are going to care...

Q-6

That's a dam shame, I reached the same point with Microsoft about 2010/2011 and switched to the Apple eco-system before retuning to the Microsoft (excluding the phone); it is so damn frustrating when it feels like your company can't get anything right.

In regards to your other point about functionality over design I agree but I've noticed in offices I've worked one reason people love Mac is the design of the device, wrongly or rightly some will accept form over function.

I am always going to say come and join the dark side but I'll keep my fingers crossed you Mac guys get something good tomorrow and if not before the end of the year!
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MS is one of the most innovative companies out right now, ahead of Apple for sure imo

Under new leadership we've got a heck of a lot better but boy were there some tough years before!

 

[epicrayban]

It should be clear to all that Apple needs to step up their game on a number of different fronts across their smartphones, tablets, and computers.

To some of us, this was clear a year ago.

I'm not leaving OSX anytime soon, but Apple no longer holds the crown in hardware and design anymore in virtually any space. And in the case of the smartphone, not even software.

We'll know Apple's computer response tomorrow...

 

[Michael Goff]

It should be clear to all that Apple needs to step up their game on a number of different fronts across their smartphones, tablets, and computers.

To some of us, this was clear a year ago.

I'm not leaving OSX anytime soon, but Apple no longer holds the crown in hardware and design anymore in virtually any space. And in the case of the smartphone, not even software.

We'll know Apple's computer response tomorrow...

Haven't we seen most of their response via leaks?

 

[epicrayban]

Haven't we seen most of their response via leaks?

Yeah, and the new MBP will be exciting indeed, but nothing leaked on iMacs or a new thunderbolt display or the Mac Pro. The Airs seem to be internal upgrades and maybe USB C.

 

[Technarchy]

Personally I didn't see anything that makes me want to leave my 2015 rMBP behind or tempt me from OSX.

Looks like a solid reveal but nothing I personally find enticing enough to spend money on at this time.

It's pretty safe to say MSFT doing hardware is good for customers as well. They really are bringing product design to a whole new level for Windows.

 

[mclld]

This will also spur oem's to make clones for much cheaper

 

[tbayrgs]

Personally I didn't see anything that makes me want to leave my 2015 rMBP behind or tempt me from OSX.

Looks like a solid reveal but nothing I personally find enticing enough to spend money on at this time.

It's pretty safe to say MSFT doing hardware is good for customers as well. They really are bringing product design to a whole new level for Windows.

Yeah--the Surface Studio PC looks cool but it seems to be a very niche product. I'm not a 'creative' so having the pen/touch capabilities on my PC doesn't do anything for me but I can appreciate how other's may desire it. It also says something when a 5K iMac is cheap comparatively.

 

[Michael Goff]

Yeah--the Surface Studio PC looks cool but it seems to be a very niche product. I'm not a 'creative' so having the pen/touch capabilities on my PC doesn't do anything for me but I can appreciate how other's may desire it. It also says something when a 5K iMac is cheap comparatively.

That 5k iMac also does less comparatively.

 

[tbayrgs]

That 5k iMac also does less comparatively.

Sure but all that extra functionality is lost on most people--that was my point. Admittedly, most people aren't dropping a few grand on a 5K iMac either.

 

[Michael Goff]

Sure but all that extra functionality is lost on most people--that was my point. Admittedly, most people aren't dropping a few grand on a 5K iMac either.

Oh, this is certainly focused on a certain market. Creatives certainly haven't been getting a huge amount of love from the fruit company lately.

 

[spinedoc77]

Yeah, and the new MBP will be exciting indeed, but nothing leaked on iMacs or a new thunderbolt display or the Mac Pro. The Airs seem to be internal upgrades and maybe USB C.

I'm not super excited. Seems like that touch bar is just Apple's refusal to put in a touchscreen. It will be funny to see all the people crying about lifting their arm half an inch to touch the screen suddenly rave about lifting their arm half an inch to touch the touchbar.

That Studio just blows the imac away without even trying, incredible. I'm a bit bummed that the surfacebook doesn't have kaby lake, or that they didn't update the surface pro, but there is always next year.

 

[Feenician]

I'm not super excited. Seems like that touch bar is just Apple's refusal to put in a touchscreen. It will be funny to see all the people crying about lifting their arm half an inch to touch the screen suddenly rave about lifting their arm half an inch to touch the touchbar.

That... doesn't make a lot of sense. They touch bar is where the top row of the keyboard always was so you're not lifting for anything, not any more than anyone that ever used escape or a function key in the history of computer keyboards. As for the "lifting half an inch to touch the screen" What screen on a laptop is half an inch high? Do you only touch the bottom half inch of a touchscreen? Really, really does not make any sense.

 

[spinedoc77]

That... doesn't make a lot of sense. They touch bar is where the top row of the keyboard always was so you're not lifting for anything, not any more than anyone that ever used escape or a function key in the history of computer keyboards. As for the "lifting half an inch to touch the screen" What screen on a laptop is half an inch high? Do you only touch the bottom half inch of a touchscreen? Really, really does not make any sense.

Yes I'd only touch the bottom of a touchscreen if I had something that functioned similar to the touchbar, maybe something on the taskbar for example. Having the rest of the screen to use is only icing on the cake. You're still listing a bit to get to the touchbar, depending how long our fingers are, it's not that much farther to just hit the taskbar or an onscreen function bar.

I don't have anything against the touchbar, in fact I do find it useful and would welcome it on my device. I just could never go back to a non touchscreen ever again after having experienced the vast increase in functionality with a touchscreen. Of course this is how I use my device, which may be different than you.

 

[Feenician]

Yes I'd only touch the bottom of a touchscreen if I had something that functioned similar to the touchbar, maybe something on the taskbar for example. Having the rest of the screen to use is only icing on the cake. You're still listing a bit to get to the touchbar, depending how long our fingers are, it's not that much farther to just hit the taskbar or an onscreen function bar.

I don't have anything against the touchbar, in fact I do find it useful and would welcome it on my device. I just could never go back to a non touchscreen ever again after having experienced the vast increase in functionality with a touchscreen. Of course this is how I use my device, which may be different than you.

Ah right, got what you mean now. Don't entirely agree (typing on the keyboard, wrists down is still markedly different from reaching up whatsoever) but I understand what you were getting at.

FWIW I think the touchbar is, generally, a bit gimmicky and I don't relish the loss of a physical escape key whatsoever. The function keys I barely use in any case.