Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
i agree. because, seriously, why would you want one without a keyboard? then it's like having an overpowered tablet..
btw i like it, if i needed a casual personal computer with high portability then i'd consider one. only drawback of this design is, it only really stand on a table, not on lap/bed, etc.. (maybe i'm wrong though, i never tried one)

I doubt many people would buy one without a keyboard. Including it would be a good move, IMO. You should check one out. Obviously I haven't seen the Pro 3, but the Pro 2 is a nice piece of tech. The 3 should be even better. It's going to be a niche product again, but I'm glad to see these choices on the market. So much stale stuff out there, this is new, even if it's not for you.

----------

?? That's a weird reaction.


Try using one for a while.

Dealing with the extra pieces and parts is annoying.
E.g., you take your device out of your bag and start using it.
MBA:
1. take the MBA out of bag and put it on the table
2. open MBA lid (with tip of finger :cool:)

Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
3. put it on the table
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

That's fiddling around.
Let's not even discuss the stylus.

1. Did you hold the MBA in one hand too? I'm missing something here.
2. Do you usually open your MBA with the same hand you're holding it with?
4. I'd guess since you were carrying it in your bag you'd already have the keyboard attached and not be walking around looking for it.


So basically group the steps together for the MBA and list individual movement for the Surface to make it seem like it's complicated to use. :)
 
?? That's a weird reaction.


Try using one for a while.

Dealing with the extra pieces and parts is annoying.
E.g., you take your device out of your bag and start using it.
MBA:
1. take the MBA out of bag and put it on the table
2. open MBA lid (with tip of finger :cool:)

Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
3. put it on the table
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

That's fiddling around.
Let's not even discuss the stylus.

Stop it, besides the exaggeration (unless you are physically handicapped which it sounds like in your description) it's not that bad. You can exaggerate either way.

Macbook Air:
1) Take the device out of the bag, so far so good, phooey on those surface users.
2) tip of finger, lift lid up, wait it's hitting against something. Crap, it's hitting the airplane/train/car seat in front of me, maybe I can hold it up like a tablet. Let me just use my finger instead of the trackpad, crap I forgot it doesn't have a touch screen.
3) Man I really have to have this presentation done in an hour but I can't use the keyboard or open my laptop. Maybe if I flipped it over and used the stylus to write my key points and annotate the competitor's ad, oh wait I don't have a stylus.
4) Oh well, "stewardess can I have a double whiskey and some peanuts?" It's going to be a long flight.

The stylus shouldn't even be discussed, it's so freakin incredibly useful. Of course YMMV, but for me it's useful. Why would I throw away a tool humans have used for thousands of years?
 
Surprisingly no cell data option. Battery life is a little light. We'll have to see what the reviewers measure.

The large screen and high quality digitizer do seem nice.
 
?? That's a weird reaction.


Try using one for a while.

Dealing with the extra pieces and parts is annoying.
E.g., you take your device out of your bag and start using it.
MBA:
1. take the MBA out of bag and put it on the table
2. open MBA lid (with tip of finger :cool:)

Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
3. put it on the table
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

That's fiddling around.
Let's not even discuss the stylus.
You left out a bunch of steps in the Surface scenario:
Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
1a. inhale
1b. Turn the device around to look at the sides
1c. exhale
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
2a. look around to see if any parts fell out after opening the kickstand
3. put it on the table
3a. sit down
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
5a. Oh snap, I'm now hungry but left my sandwich in the bag
5b. go back to the bag and get the sandwich
5c. sit down
5d.unwrap the sandwich
5e. take a bite
5f. chew the bite of sandwich
5g. inhale mid-swallow and begin choking
5h. wave hands frantically for assistance
5i. finally settle down and begin to work
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down
 
Bad comparison.

?? That's a weird reaction.


Try using one for a while.

Dealing with the extra pieces and parts is annoying.
E.g., you take your device out of your bag and start using it.
MBA:
1. take the MBA out of bag and put it on the table
2. open MBA lid (with tip of finger :cool:)

Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
3. put it on the table
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

That's fiddling around.
Let's not even discuss the stylus.

Obviously you are biased.
 
What would a pro iPad look like and what would it bring to the table?
We all have different definitions/requirements but for me:
- Apple quality keyboard cover
- USB host support
- support for mouse
- support for active stylus

I'd get closer to the hardware flexibility of the Surface (no complaints with the Surface 2 hardware) but have the richness of quality and quantity of apps.
 
You left out a bunch of steps in the Surface scenario:
Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
1a. inhale
1b. Turn the device around to look at the sides
1c. exhale
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
2a. look around to see if any parts fell out after opening the kickstand
3. put it on the table
3a. sit down
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
5a. Oh snap, I'm now hungry but left my sandwich in the bag
5b. go back to the bag and get the sandwich
5c. sit down
5d.unwrap the sandwich
5e. take a bite
5f. chew the bite of sandwich
5g. inhale mid-swallow and begin choking
5h. wave hands frantically for assistance
5i. finally settle down and begin to work
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

Hahaha, that was awesome, thanks for the laugh.

I think he left out some for the macbook air as well.

1) take MBA out of bag
2) shield eyes from golden holy glow, bask in the triumphant hymn sung in the background
3) lower arms as MBA magically lifts itself up
 
The only downside, it runs on windows.

Exactly my first thought! Kudos to MS for coming out with yet another slim and attractive entry. If I wasn't partial to MacOS, I could go for one. At the same time I do wonder how they will be received by the market, as far as target buyer, and pricing is concerned.

It is after all a tablet (albeit a very capable one, once upgraded), and there will be the inevitable comparisons to laptops, but maybe MS is onto something here, and perhaps this is the way of future personal computing. Consumers will decide with their wallets.

Can't help but notice that the tenacity of MS to get this right eventually, is remarkable.
 
?? That's a weird reaction.


Try using one for a while.

Dealing with the extra pieces and parts is annoying.
E.g., you take your device out of your bag and start using it.
MBA:
1. take the MBA out of bag and put it on the table
2. open MBA lid (with tip of finger :cool:)

Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
3. put it on the table
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

That's fiddling around.
Let's not even discuss the stylus.
how bout

1. take the device out of the bag and start punching it on your head untill you realize that what you just wrote here is a big pile of poop?:cool:
 
3:2 aspect ratio is a good move.

I agree, I don't understand why everyone keeps making "cinema" screens and then advertise that you can watch movies on it. Who the heck cares anymore? You can watch movies on any device now and the annoying 16:9 form factor is awful for anything outside of watching a movie.
 
You left out a bunch of steps in the Surface scenario:
Surface:
1. take the device out of the bag and hold it in one hand so you can see the back
1a. inhale
1b. Turn the device around to look at the sides
1c. exhale
2. use the other hand to open the kickstand
2a. look around to see if any parts fell out after opening the kickstand
3. put it on the table
3a. sit down
4. oops, I was using it in tablet mode last time, so I had the keyboard off.
5. Go back to the bag and get the keyboard
5a. Oh snap, I'm now hungry but left my sandwich in the bag
5b. go back to the bag and get the sandwich
5c. sit down
5d.unwrap the sandwich
5e. take a bite
5f. chew the bite of sandwich
5g. inhale mid-swallow and begin choking
5h. wave hands frantically for assistance
5i. finally settle down and begin to work
6. pick up device in one hand, snap on the keyboard with the other, set the device back down

Surface:
1. Get device out.
2. Hate using touchscreen, get keyboard out.
3. Hate using touchscreen, get mouse out.
4. Try to set kickstand out at good level.
5. Try to position keyboard.
6. Try to position mouse.
7. Regret buying the stupid thing - should just bought a cheap $300 laptop and an iPad Mini or Android Tablet for quick stuff... :eek: ;)

 
Very nice product. And Apples 12 inch Pro tablet is where exactly???

This though is designed to take on the MacBook Air, will be interesting to see if they have resolved the hi DPI issues having a bigger screen?

Oh God yes.. please fix the DPI issues. I have a retina screen with windows 8.1 and it's awful.
 
Isn't this really a laptop with a (not included) removable keyboard? I think Microsoft has done a very good job of creating a device I'm not sure anybody wants.

All of the people ranting about how important "creation" is - are going to want to use a keyboard. Which is OK, because a keyboard is what you want if you are putting lots of text or numbers into a machine. But by the time you add the keyboard back in - you begin to wonder why you didn't buy a laptop to begin with.

And for true tablet buyers? I guess the bulkiness of the 12" screen, and the so-so battery life, and the lack of cellular radio begins to count against it.

Maybe there is some niche of user out there that this new Surface is made for. But as a mainstream business or consumer device? I just don't see it.
 
Why does everyone keep saying "Compared to what?" Compared to a MBA of course. For $30 cheaper you get an 11" MBA with the same battery life, an i5 processor and twice the storage running OSX. Sure you lose out on 1" of display and it is marginally heavier. Compared to that, it is expensive.

Compared to a 64 GB iPad where you actually get most of the 64GB, it is maybe a wash. Window washing... I don't know, see what you can do with that.

The MBA has a touch screen and works as a tablet too?
 
Surface:
1. Get device out.
2. Hate using touchscreen, get keyboard out.
3. Hate using touchscreen, get mouse out.
4. Try to set kickstand out at good level.
5. Try to position keyboard.
6. Try to position mouse.
7. Regret buying the stupid thing - should just bought a cheap $300 laptop and iPad Mini... :eek: ;)

YouTube: video

If you hate using a touchscreen, why would you buy an iPad Mini? :confused:

Edit: And why is "get out keyboard" and "get out mouse" two separate things? They're in the same area of most computer bags. That'd be like saying that "get power cord out" is part of the set up process for a MBA.
 
Surface:
1. Get device out.
2. Hate using touchscreen, get keyboard out.
3. Hate using touchscreen, get mouse out.
4. Try to set kickstand out at good level.
5. Try to position keyboard.
6. Try to position mouse.
7. Regret buying the stupid thing - should just bought a cheap $300 laptop and iPad Mini... :eek: ;)

YouTube: video

That's even worse than the previous guy. You're going to have a laptop and your ipad mini out at the same time? The kickstand seemed pretty idiot proof, like it would take all of 1/2 second to set it, but you never know with people these days. You need a mouse with your laptop also, doh?
 
Christ, the fanboys in this thread are a sad example of what MacRumors has become. This is a really nice tablet and only purebred fanboys will deny that.

Maybe people just don't like it. It's a mac rumors board. You know its more likely the people who are here are going to no like it. That doens't mean your opinion is any more valid than theirs. I think some of you on here like every piece of technology no matter if its actually useful or not. I don't have a use for a hybrid tabTop. I was never going to like it. I appreciate the benefits of each device doing only what it needs to be able to do. I don't have a desire for my tablet to be my laptop and vice versa. I'm not going to like it regardless if Apple releases a version of this or not.

Most of the people I've seen buying these hybrids are technology collectors. They buy it because it exists at all. I have a phone an iPad and a LapTop. I try to keep it simple. Don't knock people for not liking the MSFT tablet on a Mac website. It's pointless.
 
Thinner, lighter, longer, and with a different screen ratio.
Much like the iPhone 5, only Apple moved from 3:2 to 16:9
This is a move from 16:9 to 3:2
Coincidence or conspiracy?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.