public school boy
Banned
Looks like a large version of the Nokia Lumia 900. Anyone tempted?
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
The Microsoft Surface
- Thread starter public school boy
- Start date
I would imagine most would want to know some details, as Microsoft gave absolutely none yesterday. Knowing these...
- CPU
- Display resolution
- Battery life
- Price
...would be a start.
It does, however, have a kickstand that closes with the same reassuring clunk as a door on a luxury car. They told us a lot about that.
The Touch and Type cover however does look a really nice add-on. Microsoft would sell a zillion if they made similar for the iPad.
tinx
Well-known member
Looks like it is gonna be running windows 8. Having installed the release candidate of windows 8 on a VM and realised it is horrible I'll be sticking with my iPad for now thanks.
TWOCHOICEStom
Well-known member
Nice concept. Could be a genuine alternative to a laptop for many. But until price and battery life are mentioned and this thing gets into revierwers hands, Microsoft has basically just announced a concept.
Microsoft unveils new tablet for uncool people
19-06-12
MICROSOFT’S new Surface tablet is for those who don’t care what others think, the corporation has claimed.
As long as it does the job
The Surface looks deliberately pedestrian and comes packaged with a selection of uncool applications including Classic Rock Gig Finder, Birdwatching Assistant and Grocery Expenditure Buddy.
IT industry analyst Tom Logan said: “This is a shrewd move from Microsoft. When you think about it, there’s far, far more uncool people than cool people in the world.
“Probably less than 0.0000003% of the human race is cool.”
A Microsoft spokesman said: “iPads are fine if you’re the type who likes to sit in trendy bars, sipping so-called ‘lattes’ and eating ‘paninis’ – whatever they might be – while yapping on about ‘chillwave’ music to another idiot in tight trousers.
“However if you resent those people, don’t care about clothes and like word processing, spread sheets and making checklists of real ale pubs, this machine is for you.
“It’s militantly unexciting.”
The spokesman said: “Surface follows in a proud tradition of machines that are less cool than their counterparts – Betamax video recorders, ZX Spectrums and Blackberry phones – but don’t give a shit.”
Sales executive Stephen Malley said: “This is perfect for me, I have a dull job that I dislike and want something that reflects the inescapable mundanity of my existence.”
19-06-12
MICROSOFT’S new Surface tablet is for those who don’t care what others think, the corporation has claimed.
As long as it does the job
The Surface looks deliberately pedestrian and comes packaged with a selection of uncool applications including Classic Rock Gig Finder, Birdwatching Assistant and Grocery Expenditure Buddy.
IT industry analyst Tom Logan said: “This is a shrewd move from Microsoft. When you think about it, there’s far, far more uncool people than cool people in the world.
“Probably less than 0.0000003% of the human race is cool.”
A Microsoft spokesman said: “iPads are fine if you’re the type who likes to sit in trendy bars, sipping so-called ‘lattes’ and eating ‘paninis’ – whatever they might be – while yapping on about ‘chillwave’ music to another idiot in tight trousers.
“However if you resent those people, don’t care about clothes and like word processing, spread sheets and making checklists of real ale pubs, this machine is for you.
“It’s militantly unexciting.”
The spokesman said: “Surface follows in a proud tradition of machines that are less cool than their counterparts – Betamax video recorders, ZX Spectrums and Blackberry phones – but don’t give a shit.”
Sales executive Stephen Malley said: “This is perfect for me, I have a dull job that I dislike and want something that reflects the inescapable mundanity of my existence.”
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Bill Gates, Feb 2010
"You know, I’m a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard - in other words a netbook - will be the mainstream on that. So, it’s not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, ‘Oh my God, Microsoft didn’t aim high enough.’ It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it."
*snigger*
"You know, I’m a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard - in other words a netbook - will be the mainstream on that. So, it’s not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, ‘Oh my God, Microsoft didn’t aim high enough.’ It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it."
*snigger*
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
If Microsoft can bring it in at a price point the same as an i-Pad it will be a raving success , if not it will be the next Betamax.
Really?
What if the spec is shit in order to reach that price point?
Remember there are 2 versions of this too, the Arm/RT and the Intel/Pro and the use cases for each are likely to be dramatically different. The Arm is more likely to compete with the iPad, whilst the Pro could be an entirely new class of device.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 36,019
MS are aiming both barrels at their feet. the key driver to use MS Windows, or rather retain Windows, has always been consistant user experience. for the new devices they've gone with Metro UI, which to be fair looks really good and intuitive. for a tablet. its doesnt work for desktop, because its completely difference experience. then, apparently, it completly fails to integrate with MS networks. So you wont be able to integrate your Surface with your Exchange server. oh dear.
Goldstone Rapper
Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Won't this seriously piss off Microsoft's hardware partners who have to compete with this on price while having to pay a license to run Windows?
That's been commented on, yes, as a licensing fee of c$80 a unit is mooted. What it's likely to do is give Microsoft the premium spot in the Windows tablet world and allow others to scrap for the value end of the market.
It will be troubling for many though as, Samsung aside, no-one can seem to make much out of Android (where due to patent ownership, humorously, Microsoft make more for each Android device sold than Google do) and Windows could have been attractive for some manufacturers. Some might just not bother now.
In Android-land the same could happen with Motorola Mobility who are now owned by Google themselves. Alternatively, Google could just be after the patents and won't manufacture devices any more.
Unlikely as they would actually have to sell in volumes for anyone to even notice let alone get pissed off.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 36,019
what do you think they are planning to do then, not sell many? I have always maintained the reason there is no browser or other usful tools for the xbox is to avoid cannibalising their Windows market and pissing the hardware vendors. seems they just throwing decades of strategy away.
I suspect the RT will be the one that's tricky for them. They need it to hit at roughly iPad price and it's going to need a decent App eco-system. The fact that it's got Office bundled will certainly help (particularly if it lets you painlessly sync desktop to device), but other Apps are what they need to build out and show if they want to sell. That's the big question mark on that version for me. Sure, the spec is important, but much less relevant than it is on the Pro.
The Pro is, as [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, the interesting one. The only thing I can think of that really competes is the Asus Transformer, and those haven't been going great guns. This type of device direct from Microsoft, with their marketing capabilities, has a much better chance to survive. If it can run Photoshop well I know a lot of artists will be very interested in them.
The Pro is, as [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, the interesting one. The only thing I can think of that really competes is the Asus Transformer, and those haven't been going great guns. This type of device direct from Microsoft, with their marketing capabilities, has a much better chance to survive. If it can run Photoshop well I know a lot of artists will be very interested in them.
Strikes me that m$ are biting off a bit more than they can chew here. Much as i love the metro UI design for touch devices I think this is too soon.
They should be throwing serious dev hours at windows mobile 8 and apps for that. Once you have an operating system that can run on more than just nokia devices and a healthy store full of mobile and touch screen apps THEN you release a premium/lifestyle product to leverage it.
Convincing people to take a punt on a new mobile platform which they are used to changing fairly regularly is alot easier than getting them to take the same punt on an expensive tablet which ultimately is a luxury...i think most people that think they look good will wait and see how they take off, because ultimately nobody NEEDS a tablet.
They should be throwing serious dev hours at windows mobile 8 and apps for that. Once you have an operating system that can run on more than just nokia devices and a healthy store full of mobile and touch screen apps THEN you release a premium/lifestyle product to leverage it.
Convincing people to take a punt on a new mobile platform which they are used to changing fairly regularly is alot easier than getting them to take the same punt on an expensive tablet which ultimately is a luxury...i think most people that think they look good will wait and see how they take off, because ultimately nobody NEEDS a tablet.
Tom Bombadil
Well-known member
So style over substance, they must have been watching apple very closely.
I can't think of a single time when Apple have been revealing a similar product where they didn't detail all 4 of my points above very explicitly.
Except you can. The Mail app that's included as part of Windows 8 connects to Exchange servers.
D
Deleted member 22389
Guest
I get it, its a tablet but it can also be turned in to PC with the keyboard. In the end your going to want to do more than just surf the web, your going to want to reply to emails, docs. Your going to want to use a mouse with the keyboard laid out because it more feels natural to do that. You might as well buy a laptop then which is half the price.
This is what I don't get about these tablets. We solved portability with laptops, but what makes this so different compared to other tablets on the market?
This is what I don't get about these tablets. We solved portability with laptops, but what makes this so different compared to other tablets on the market?
Last edited by a moderator: