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Microsoft to Relaunch Windows Slates Again at CES
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I agree 1000%!
A tablet is not meant to replace all functions and it's silly to think about excessive writing or bookkeeping on a tablet. That's not the purpose.
And all this matters to the consumer in what way?I just love how you said, "The problem is, especially on these forums....". This is Mac forum, do you expect people to lick MS's sauce and love it. Try going to a Windows forum and see how much love you get from them in regards to Apple's products, the majority will spew the usual Apple hate. We get enough people from those forums over here as it is.
Absolutely not. I do not expect anybody to 'lick MS's sauce and love it' but I don't expect them to do it for Apple either.
The problem is your post is a perfect example of the blind leading the blind. I do participate in Window's forums, I prefer for my knowledge to be well-rounded and not filtered through rose colored glasses. A lot of people (including yourself) make these absolute statements about things that you know NOTHING about, or topics they know 1/50th of the facts, and then base their opinion on that 2%.
Your sig says it all "only trolls call people fanboys." You are a blind fanboy who cannot stand anything that contradicts your point of view.
I apologize for thinking everyone on here wasn't just a 'consumer.' Based on some fairly decent comments, I dared to think there might be professionals in here.
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Oh, '08. I'm sure that nothing has changed in two years.
Word doesn't even use the .doc format anymore. It's all about .docx, which are incompatible formats, as many people with older versions of Word know, who ever recieved a file from someone with a newer version of Word. All I'm saying is you can't judge the value of a product if you have an old version of it, which is most likely not even being maintained anymore.
Sad
to see the perennial "also-ran" MS doggedly trying to "innovate" by repeatedly copying Apple is beyond pathetic.
The MS Pad will join the Zune as another epic fail for the company whose motto is "coming soon..."
Yawn......
to see the perennial "also-ran" MS doggedly trying to "innovate" by repeatedly copying Apple is beyond pathetic.
The MS Pad will join the Zune as another epic fail for the company whose motto is "coming soon..."
Yawn......
Make the best better
Since there seems to be some agreement that iWork is not a suitable replacement for Office (yet), how about a new thread, "Top 10 things Apple should add to iWork", so they read it and do most of it.
It would cost nothing and directly address real problems run into in the actual field by real people.
Rocketman
Since there seems to be some agreement that iWork is not a suitable replacement for Office (yet), how about a new thread, "Top 10 things Apple should add to iWork", so they read it and do most of it.
It would cost nothing and directly address real problems run into in the actual field by real people.
Rocketman
Shhhh...! It's impolite to remind fools that they lacked vision. Reading this forum reminds me WHY Jobs doesn't ask his user base what they want in the next big thing.
Oh, '08. I'm sure that nothing has changed in two years.
I don't know what the value, if any, that one gets from saving as .docx or .xlsx except to help MS to sell more Office packages. I set my Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to only save files in the older format so I can communicate untroubled with all of the computing world. This option is available on the latest versions of Office and works automatically.
Also, anyone with an old version of Word, or wants to use Pages or Numbers can get a free program that converts the new file ending to the old one.
Okay, not sure if you're being fair here, you have to look at it 2 ways. If iWork were the dominant office suite and MS Office was new and trying to fit in then one could say that MS Office doesn't convert files well and such. True, while it's up to Apple to build a better office suite, it's unfair to say that complex docs aren't converted well just because they don't end up looking perfect on the MS Office suite, I'm assuming that's what you meant? Who's to say which one is right? I use iWork and as far as I can see it, it's MS Office that's not trying to be more compatible with other office suites, namely iWork and I see that as a monopoly.
BTW, why should iWork "simply save" to a MS Office format? MS Office doesn't simply save to any other format but their own.
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Your post was well written. Just one comment - I would "right click" the same way I do on a Macbook. With a 2 finger tap.
It's already there - in Windows Phone 7. And with Zune Marketplace which makes iTunes look like some 8th grade programming project.
I think that the ipad has pretty much demonstrated that you don't need to have a full blown OS to have a successful product, mainly because tablets are better suited to consumption and 'touch up' productivity.
In this case, I think that the article probably has it wrong. Balmer is probably planning to extend WP7 to a tablet form factor, a la iOS.
I doubt it will run a full version of Office. It will be something simplified like iWork, and incidentally run on WP7 phones too. It will still be called Office though.
The target market will be corporations. MS can't let Apple get an established beachhead there. And the CEO will say: "It integrates with our exchange server without needing a RIM server, and oh, it runs Office? Better get that instead. It ticks most boxes"
In this case, I think that the article probably has it wrong. Balmer is probably planning to extend WP7 to a tablet form factor, a la iOS.
I doubt it will run a full version of Office. It will be something simplified like iWork, and incidentally run on WP7 phones too. It will still be called Office though.
The target market will be corporations. MS can't let Apple get an established beachhead there. And the CEO will say: "It integrates with our exchange server without needing a RIM server, and oh, it runs Office? Better get that instead. It ticks most boxes"
Some might say that THIS is the CES where MS is relaunching the slate again and be correct, but I have a feeling that CES 2012 Ballmer will FOR SURE be relaunching the slate AGAIN.
I think at CES 2010 MS gave away their plan for how they see their customers using the Slate. First it will be held up to ones belly either with a belly-belt or some kind of velcro that works well with a sweater. Users will need to learn how to read upside down as Ballmer hinted at during his 2010 demo.
This leaves BOTH hands free to hold a keyboard and mouse. This arrangement works perfectly for showing an impromptu PowerPoint presentation. One only needs to assume a wide stance and suddenly whip open his jacket. Ta-daah!
As a fashion statement, various kinds of neck-wear screen savers could be programmed into the Slate to help the enterprise user to slip easily between business formal and business casual.
It won't take long for the MS Slate belly-wear to catch on and iPad users will be outcasts for "holding it wrong."
Yes they did for business users. However, when the iPad really took off, HP did a collective "oh crud" and pulled the consumer version, bought out Palm, and have been working on a more consumer friendly device that can "compete" with the iPad, seeing as everyday consumers didn't want a computer OS on a tablet device- as well exhibited by Apple. Yes, Apple could have made the iPad a tablet Mac, but why? They knew people wanted something even simpler yet just as powerful. They proved it with the iPhone, and as everyone has seen, they have proved it with the iPad. It's the perfect computing device for people who want a computer but will never figure out how to use one (my in-laws for example).
Well, the iPad is making a lot of headway into corporations now, so they might be a little late to the party, and I'm guessing the mail app does integrate with exchange servers the same way the iPhone does..
So...
Aside from having Office on a mobile platform, why would a user need a tablet running Windows?
They way this was written…
I read on other site about Microsoft and their plan for CES. Possibly show off Windows 8 and introduced some new Windows 7 tablets, which sounds logical. But here they say reintroduced, giving the reader the feel that Microsoft is drowning and scrambling, etc. I mean relaunching? Come on. It's like take a normal story, related to Microsoft, add a word like relaunching, to make people here express a feeling of happiness and triumph. Bad journalism. Whoever wrote it also had a defensive fanboy like tone crowbarring his opinion and making excuses about Apple not being 1st with the iPad form, and trying to make it seem as if everyone else is copying the iPad, despite it not being original. At least they mentioned that Microsoft has been researching tablets for years. Which reminds me of a Bill Gates video from 2005, with Bill Gates talking about the future, and the slate, as smaller chips become faster and require less power.
By the way, HP Slate came out in early November.
I read on other site about Microsoft and their plan for CES. Possibly show off Windows 8 and introduced some new Windows 7 tablets, which sounds logical. But here they say reintroduced, giving the reader the feel that Microsoft is drowning and scrambling, etc. I mean relaunching? Come on. It's like take a normal story, related to Microsoft, add a word like relaunching, to make people here express a feeling of happiness and triumph. Bad journalism. Whoever wrote it also had a defensive fanboy like tone crowbarring his opinion and making excuses about Apple not being 1st with the iPad form, and trying to make it seem as if everyone else is copying the iPad, despite it not being original. At least they mentioned that Microsoft has been researching tablets for years. Which reminds me of a Bill Gates video from 2005, with Bill Gates talking about the future, and the slate, as smaller chips become faster and require less power.
By the way, HP Slate came out in early November.
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Agreed. A pocketable tablet would be super handy.
If Apple were feelin super crazy, they'd make a little hinged butterfly case you could use to connect an ipod touch to your iphone, that when closed would act as a lid, and when open, could enable both devices to share one OS or two intelligently, maybe even and get a big boost of power... & stereo sound & possibly a little usb dock & the whole bit.
This sounds like a very good idea to someone such as myself that is an industrial designer and doesn't know squat about computer engineering & how impossible such a feat would be.
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Tablets just don't appeal to me, once you've mastered the keyboard shortcuts and mouse everything is faster than sitting around touching a screen.
That being said..Microsoft needs to introduce a NEW operating system, maybe based on Windows 7 but certainly not the UI..because lets face it Windows 7 is based around a mouse and keyboard not for touch navigation.
Microsoft needs to have some vision and come up with NEW IDEA instead of doing these "day late, dollar short" products.
Zune HD was a awesome device and had some huge potential..but they pretty much threw it away because they didn't entice 3rd party developers to make apps for it.
I'm all up for some sort of competition for apple because it always makes products better.
That being said..Microsoft needs to introduce a NEW operating system, maybe based on Windows 7 but certainly not the UI..because lets face it Windows 7 is based around a mouse and keyboard not for touch navigation.
Microsoft needs to have some vision and come up with NEW IDEA instead of doing these "day late, dollar short" products.
Zune HD was a awesome device and had some huge potential..but they pretty much threw it away because they didn't entice 3rd party developers to make apps for it.
I'm all up for some sort of competition for apple because it always makes products better.
But then they wouldn't be Microsoft. Innovation -- beyond what appeals to hardcore programmers -- is simply not their DNA.
Everything except design, graphics & illustration work.
As for basic business admin tasks, typing documents is faster if you're a speedy typist, I'll give you that. Keyboards are tools for typing. Spreadsheets seem to be the same tho, since the time spent is in your head designing the formulas & functions, not in actually plugging them in. I definitely email quicker on my ipad than I do on a workstation or laptop.
So, I reluctantly keep a Motion LE1700 tabletPC for CAD & Illustrator work plugged in at my desk (there's just no comparison in speed & accuracy to drawing on-screen with a fine-tipped wacom stylus), an iMac for big models, presentations, & video/music editing, but do all my petty business admin work on the ipad, since it's much quicker and more convenient to do that on go, as well as sketching, vector animation storyboarding, & music arrangement, since you never know when ideas will strike.
People who still state that the ipad is a content consumption device only make me laugh a little. My creative output has skyrocketed thanks to this thing.
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