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Microsoft's Prototype Multi-Touch Tablet/Booklet

FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE ACCUSED ME OF BEING A FANBOY:

This actually looks pretty cool and nicely designed!

NOW... Yes he!! may have frozen over for me to say that about a Microsoft product haha, but I will give credit where credit is due. This is just a supposed prototype, so I would need to see how it is actually implemented in reality. The interface is nice, but a bit complex.

I'm glad to see Apple has more reasons to stay ahead! 😀
:apple:
 
HiRez said:
I'm not so sure I like the dual-screen approach (although I said the same thing about the Nintendo DS at first), but one cool thing you could do that was not shown in the video would be to have one screen have a flip-out stand on the back, you prop up the screen and then rotate 90° to use as a laptop, with the lower (flat) screen being used as a large virtual keyboard plus gesture/touch pad which would not obstruct your content on the top (angled) screen.
Click to expand...

Mark my words- what you describe will be the apple design.
The "one last thing" will be SJ flipping the book sideways and using it as a laptop/netbook.

I can image the rage in Cupertino now....
 
andrewhart said:
May be here sooner then you think
Click to expand...

Seriously?

I admit I'm not exactly a fan of Microsoft, but they have a looooooooong history of vaporware and showing off flashy demos of thing that are months, if not years, away from production. I can't blame them. They've had a lot of success with that strategy and it seems to deflate excitement in potential competitor's products and gives them time to catch up, so whatever. More power to 'em, I guess.

I don't hate MS, but when it comes to their products, I'll believe it when it's on the store shelves.
 
"But maybe we've all been dreaming about the wrong device."

Maybe, baby!

This looks brilliant in many respects. And possibly it gives us a glimpse into a post-Jobs world, where design has been elevated to an important place even in the bowels of the Redmond beast.

Touch is the key advance that liberates Microsoft from two decades of crappy GUIs. Again, possibly. Based on past history there's no reason to believe they won't screw it up.

But once it no longer looks or feels like Windows, Microsoft can begin to make inroads into what has been Apple territory.
 
Something that struck me, you can only look at one screen at a time, so half your power is going to waste.

Its sometimes useful having 2 screens when using multi windows, but in terms of work patterns I wouldn't be sure I would getting the most out of both screens.
Might annoy me if I wanted to work on a document close up.

You would also need a strong hand (and nerve) to use it while holding it standing up, it had better be a strong hinge!

And then there is what happens when you watch a movie....

I think apple has chosen a tablet for a very good reason.
 
ShiftyPig said:
... but it runs on a MS operating system.

I'm sure people will love the blue left page of death.
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can stop with the blue screen of death. I haven't had one of those since 2006. Windows vista is pretty rock solid, and Windows 7 is granite. OSX's core apps, on the other hand, have crashed on me numerous times, which caused me to go back to Microsoft, and now no more crashes.
 
I work in local gov, we have a 5 year replacement cycle and i had a BSOD last month.

Never used vista - doubt i ever will now. Its been that good.

Hopefully win 7 will work, but as it hasn't been launched yet - we will just have to see if they have finally got things right.
 
inkswamp said:
Seriously?

I admit I'm not exactly a fan of Microsoft, but they have a looooooooong history of vaporware and showing off flashy demos of thing that are months, if not years, away from production. I can't blame them. They've had a lot of success with that strategy and it seems to deflate excitement in potential competitor's products and gives them time to catch up, so whatever. More power to 'em, I guess.

I don't hate MS, but when it comes to their products, I'll believe it when it's on the store shelves.
Click to expand...

Precisely. It will never change. Microsoft has always been and always will be about imitation, not innovation. Win 7. BFD, Vista with all the crap removed with slight Kernel Changes= XP Super Pro. Zune HD. Yup totally original concept. Microsoft Stores. Luring Apple Managers with ungodly amounts of cash. An everyday business occurrence? Absolutely. Innovative? Hardly. You can't sell a POS product as a quality tool. The product sells itself.

I hope they enjoy being hired as Dog Catchers in a world of Cats.

ROFLMAO.
 
The more i see these small split screens, the more i see why apple is focussing on the iPad as a media device.

Splitting the screens will halve the full screen capabilities.
 
Stately said:
Lol apples tablet will blow this away and that's not hate, it's the pure fact
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(...snipped)

One day you might understand how daft you sound when talking about the "pure facts" when discussing the merits of a vague concept demo video vs. a total rumour.
 
bartzilla said:
(...snipped)
One day you might understand how daft you sound when talking about the "pure facts" when discussing the merits of a vague concept demo video vs. a total rumour.
Click to expand...

Yeah, its pure conjecture.

All he would have to go on is the record of what successes and failures each company have experienced in hardware and software development over the past decade or so...
 
Sweet. This is much like I've been envisioning for 23 years. We're getting there. Needs Real World Ruggedness. Too bad it's Microsux. I'm not interested in a klutzy Windoze like interface. Everything they touch turns to Pd.
 
this looks like its going to **** all over what apple is going to do. I cant see how it can be any better than that.
 
Anyone who's been around long enough will see this footage has all the signs of a typical Microsoft marketing puff piece. Do you remember Origami? Natal? Surface?

Microsoft operating systems are too bloated and slow to make an interface like this work, it's just another attempt to convince shareholders that their research money isn't being wasted.

Ignore it. Nothing of value will come of it.
 
i like the concept, however its not for me. One of the things i like about pc's is that it hides my hurrendous hand writing. Also, being in business, wouldn't apply to much to my work day to day, but for personal use it looks fun. software would be crucial, but all others could be handled with the right hardware (Bluetooth, wireless N and 1 - 2 slots for whatever). I am a fan of all things techie and this, albeit concept, is exciting. What actually comes to consumers is left to be said.
 
Old Microsoft tactic

Microsoft has done this in the past. Leak out a concept to scare and kill off software or devices planned by competitors. Heck, who wants to take on a 800 pound gorilla?

It's a well done concept, but it's not the first one of it's kind. Folding panel designs have been around for the last 22 years.

I hope it happens for the sake of all MS fanboys, but Apple has it's own, and I believe better, eco system and I've been very happy within it for some time. I'm looking forward to seeing the Apple Tablet when it ships.
 
Roofy. said:
this looks like its going to **** all over what apple is going to do. I cant see how it can be any better than that.
Click to expand...

That would be a first.

We don't even know how Apple is going to approach the Tablet paradigm. Which is what makes them so dangerous.

MS has already shown its hand.

But of course, the same company that brought you Macbooks, iPod Touches, and iPhones can't possibly top this! 😀 Dollars-to-donuts they already have.

MS doesn't do consumer tech. They don't know how. What, you think MS' management suddenly acquired Apple-like vision, which was absent for the last decade? They're ****-ups in the consumer market. And if neither company has released two similar devices in question, you alwaya begin by putting your money on Apple. Apple's the smart bet here.

Just take a gander at pics of MS' Pink phone over on Neowin. Unless those aren't real, yikes!

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/09/23/first-pictures-of-microsofts-pink-phones-revealed
 
And...

Also, throw in a phone with 3G! that will make wonders especially when paired with a Bluetooth!

Well.. 3G would probably fall for WiMax and VOIP eventually!
 
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