If it was made by apple and ran OSX I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Make an iPad that runs OSX apple! 
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Microsoft Introduces Thinner Surface Pro 3 with 12" Display Starting at $799
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Lots of people either want a stylus or would benefit from one if it were a legitimate option. I firmly believe Apple was right to push a touch-based interface in the nascent days of the iPad because people needed time to process what the device was all about. But tablets are a mature segment now, and tablet makers have to be responsive to particular needs. Notetaking, to mention only one thing as stylus is good for, is a use that must be supported, or users will migrate to a platform that supports it.
Wonder if the ntrig inplementation is better than 2013 iterations. I have a sony viao duo--its a great machine and the ntrig is good--except the palm rejection is not foolproof so I often use it with a glove. I also have a surface proa with a wacom pen and it has a more robust palm rejection. The actual inking in comparable.
I'm not looking for a great tablet or a great desktop. I'm looking for an ultra-portable office machine that can be used standing up, giving presentations, taking notes, jotting down diagrams etc while still being able to run everything that a Windows PC would.
As for Windows being a proper, full fledged desktop OS, that's not a matter of opinion. That is a fact.
Seems interesting as a concept, but pricing seems to accelerate rapidly and there seem to be perhaps too many options.
I can't envision myself switching from a laptop to a tablet for everything I do - I like having a bigger screen, a real keyboard, and having everything in one spot - data, applications, etc. While I grant that you could do that with the more expensive Surface models, at that point why not just get a real laptop to start with?
This is probably nitpicking, but it seems to have a Rube Goldberg quality to it with the keyboard cover, "kickstand," and so on.
I can't envision myself switching from a laptop to a tablet for everything I do - I like having a bigger screen, a real keyboard, and having everything in one spot - data, applications, etc. While I grant that you could do that with the more expensive Surface models, at that point why not just get a real laptop to start with?
This is probably nitpicking, but it seems to have a Rube Goldberg quality to it with the keyboard cover, "kickstand," and so on.
I'll say they haven't found it. It's still too heavy.
When this thing is as light as an iPad Air and has the same 12 hour battery, then I'll say they've found it.
But it is immensely better than an iPad as a laptop, and it wipes the floor with the MBA as a tablet.
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OK, so how much to get OSX and a Wacom on the iPad, then?
Yes, pretty much. I wasn't so excited about a piece of hardware since the released of the retina MacBook Pro. Apple will have to play catch up with Microsoft when it releases the rumored 12-inch MacBook Air in the fall. Microsoft just rocked today, like I have never seen it do before.
Hopefully Apple can introduce a product that can function like a tablet when attached and function like a laptop when attached. I actually liked Microsoft's approach to this one, too bad it runs Windows 8 which ruins its laptop mode and that Touch Cover is just too flimsy.
It still seems destined to have the same problems. A more expensive worse version of both a tablet and laptop.
The best they can hope for is a niche market.
I see a keyboard that is worse than most laptop keyboards. A trackpad that is tiny and no doubtedly worse than what you get on most windows laptops.
I see a more awkward laptop design that isn't going to work well unless at a desk.
Then as a tablet I see a heavier reading device; An OS that has lot more baggage compared to the other tablet OSs. (Who wants to load anti-virus on their tablet?); And a hotter/louder device although I amassuming lack of passive cooling.
And to top it off it is twice the price of Windows laptop and ipad market.
All this before you even get started.
I just can't see the market here except illustrators and and maybe that market is gone with the input pen change?
The best they can hope for is a niche market.
I see a keyboard that is worse than most laptop keyboards. A trackpad that is tiny and no doubtedly worse than what you get on most windows laptops.
I see a more awkward laptop design that isn't going to work well unless at a desk.
Then as a tablet I see a heavier reading device; An OS that has lot more baggage compared to the other tablet OSs. (Who wants to load anti-virus on their tablet?); And a hotter/louder device although I amassuming lack of passive cooling.
And to top it off it is twice the price of Windows laptop and ipad market.
All this before you even get started.
I just can't see the market here except illustrators and and maybe that market is gone with the input pen change?
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On the flip side you could say the iPad is a better tablet and a MBA is a better laptop.
But for many what makes the iPad powerful results in the opposite of some of the things on your list.
The ipad is much lighter due to its lesser specs. A big plus for use in the field and as a reading device and communications device or sales device etc etc.
Sandboxing is also a positive for such a use case. There is less potential for viruses and problems.
These design decisions result in a "powerful" device for many use cases. You're too stuck in thinking it is all about pure processing power all the time. It isn't. Not for everyone. Not for every use case.
And don't forget MS has been selling Windows in a tablet form factor for decades now. It never took off. It remained niche. Despite how "powerful" the specs were.
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Exactly. That's the problem the Surface faces. IT's also twice the price of either an ipad or an average Windows laptop.
You are absolutely right. Personally I never saw the need for one. I have seen people drawing amazing stuff using just their bare finger on iPad. I guess SJ was right when he made his famous comment about stylus.
I am guessing you are being sarcastic. RT models are what helped to get Microsoft into this issue.
If my MBA and RMini died tonight, I'd get a Surface Pro 3 tomorrow.
I think it makes what Apple is doing with laptops lately look pretty stale and yesteryear. I'm not saying anything about product quality, but the Surface Pro 3 is certainly more exciting.
Right now I am typing this on my MBA at my desk. It would be cool to just walk over to the couch and be able to use the same device as my casual consumption tablet as well.
I think it makes what Apple is doing with laptops lately look pretty stale and yesteryear. I'm not saying anything about product quality, but the Surface Pro 3 is certainly more exciting.
Right now I am typing this on my MBA at my desk. It would be cool to just walk over to the couch and be able to use the same device as my casual consumption tablet as well.
Because 16:9 sucks in portrait mode. 4:3 has too much black space while watching videos. 3:2 is a good compromise.
Worth noting, it was the aspect ratio of the iPhone before the iPhone 5.
You get a lot of content on screen with 3:2 compared to 16:9.
Personally I think the experience on all 16:9 tablets sucks. 16:10 is marginally better but still kinda crappy. This is why most android tablets feel dreadful.
The iPad is 4:3.
3:2 display? This is actually intriguing... Too bad it runs windows.
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Still, I can't get over how stupid adding a keyboard to a tablet is. It totally eliminates the tablet form factor as you then have to use it on a flat surface. Hell, it's even less usable than a laptop because you can't really use it on your lap. Maybe one day we'll have desktop OSes working really well with a touch only interface but until then give me a thin and light laptop. (wish I had an Air so bad
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Still, I can't get over how stupid adding a keyboard to a tablet is. It totally eliminates the tablet form factor as you then have to use it on a flat surface. Hell, it's even less usable than a laptop because you can't really use it on your lap. Maybe one day we'll have desktop OSes working really well with a touch only interface but until then give me a thin and light laptop. (wish I had an Air so bad
Recently purchased an Windows 8 Tablet and it's actually a very good device. Windows 8 is good as a touch OS and the ability to run full Windows programs on device is invaluable.
Battery life is fantastic, system is responsive, multi-tasking is real, etc.
I think this is the future of mobile computing - tablets were a good intermediary step but I think once people use these devices they won't want a compromised OS anymore.
I wonder when Apple is going to release an iPad Pro... the problem I see is that OSX has a long way to go before it is touch ready - Microsoft has a 3 year head start in that respect.
The only Surface Pro 2 showing up as available from Microsoft is the 512GB model. The others are showing as out of stock. I wonder if they just produced a smaller amount of the Pro 2 in order to avoid drastic price cuts to move excess stock like they did on the original Surface. The first Surface is still available, so they still haven't gotten rid of the old stock. I remember reading the the Surface 2 was sold out before Christmas and it was a few weeks before they had any inventory, so Microsoft must have cut way back on orders. We might no see any Pro 2's being sold for bargain prices if this is the case.