3 ms·

I came here to write basically this. Additionally, I think that Microsoft is making a mistake with this Surface tablet. Consumers want a device that will be e

I came here to write basically this. Additionally, I think that Microsoft is making a mistake with this Surface tablet. Consumers want a device that will be easy and fun to use, and that has good access to a lot of content. Maybe the iPad will eventually transition into more of a productivity device, but right now consumers (and Apple) don't view the iPad as a PC replacement. Microsoft's approach (one OS for tablets and PCs) was a poor choice; the two devices have different needs, and require different UIs and feature sets. They have done so much work on Windows 8 in order to be a competitor in the "tablet market" but I fear that there is no such market. People don't want tablets as MS invisions them. People want iPads. In my view, the Surface is a step between a laptop and an iPad. Does Microsoft intend for this to unify and replace these? They have produced a product inferior to both an iPad and a laptop, and thus I imagine the Surface will replace neither for most people.

cooldeal 14y ago
>People don't want tablets as MS invisions them. People want iPads. How do you know this? What about corporate users and for company owned devices? >They have produced a product inferior to both an iPad and a laptop, and thus I imagine the Surface will replace neither for most people. It can do more than the iPad because you can type on it much more comfortably and has Office and it's better than a laptop because it's much more portable. It's a device with different tradeoffs.
- daliusd 14y ago
  Actually I find Surface keyboard a joke. I sometimes use my netbook in positions I don't imagine using Surface in. Another point: keyboard and Office for iPad is not problem. Here is keyboard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIJUiTlrGI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIJUiTlrGI and here is Pages http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/apps-by-apple/pages.html http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/apps-by-apple/p.... The only thing that is cool in Surface is pen and again its value is questionable. There are multiple pen solutions for iPad if you really need to.
WayneDB 14y ago
I'm a person and I want anything but an iPad. Personally, I can't wait to be able to run a full OS on a 10" tablet.
- ams6110 14y ago
  I'm sort of wondering, when the trend on the desktop is dual 30" (or more) monitors, how many people will feel like they can do anything "productive" on a 10" tablet, keyboard or no. I can't really imagine doing serious work on a 10" screen. Quick edits, surfing, scanning email and dashing off a quick answer, yeah. But a lot of demand for a "full" OS I'm not sure about.
  - gvnonor 14y ago
    Depends on the person. For most people, having a 10" screen will suffice, because they use the computer mostly to browse the internet and only occasionally need the full capabilities of a desktop OS, like when they need to write a word document or preparing a presentation.
  - jmspring 14y ago
    Most days, I tend to develop on a 30" monitor hooked up to my Mac. That said, when heading to cafes, working on the outdoor patio (like I am now), or traveling, my 11" MacBook Air screen is more sufficient. To make matters worse (or to prove my point), I'm working on some NodeJS code which I will be deploying to Azure a bit later. So, my setup: Macbook Air, Windows 7 in Fusion in Unity mode BBEdit on one desktop Powershell and a couple of other Win7 windows on another desktop This isn't quick edits here. That said, my iPad is mostly for consuming data because I haven't found a development paradigm that works for me. I think the same will hold for WinRT. What is not clear about Surface Pro is if it will get only the Metro UI or if it will get "desktop" as well, given it is slated to have an Intel processor. Work can be done on small screens, the question is, does the type of work you do cater to being done on a small screen. For me, the answer is yes on an MBAir, no (currently) on an iPad, unknown on Surface.

cooldeal 14y ago

>People don't want tablets as MS invisions them. People want iPads. How do you know this? What about corporate users and for company owned devices? >They have produced a product inferior to both an iPad and a laptop, and thus I imagine the Surface will replace neither for most people. It can do more than the iPad because you can type on it much more comfortably and has Office and it's better than a laptop because it's much more portable. It's a device with different tradeoffs.

daliusd 14y ago
Actually I find Surface keyboard a joke. I sometimes use my netbook in positions I don't imagine using Surface in. Another point: keyboard and Office for iPad is not problem. Here is keyboard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIJUiTlrGI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIJUiTlrGI and here is Pages http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/apps-by-apple/pages.html http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/apps-by-apple/p.... The only thing that is cool in Surface is pen and again its value is questionable. There are multiple pen solutions for iPad if you really need to.

WayneDB 14y ago

I'm a person and I want anything but an iPad. Personally, I can't wait to be able to run a full OS on a 10" tablet.

ams6110 14y ago
I'm sort of wondering, when the trend on the desktop is dual 30" (or more) monitors, how many people will feel like they can do anything "productive" on a 10" tablet, keyboard or no. I can't really imagine doing serious work on a 10" screen. Quick edits, surfing, scanning email and dashing off a quick answer, yeah. But a lot of demand for a "full" OS I'm not sure about.
- gvnonor 14y ago
  Depends on the person. For most people, having a 10" screen will suffice, because they use the computer mostly to browse the internet and only occasionally need the full capabilities of a desktop OS, like when they need to write a word document or preparing a presentation.
- jmspring 14y ago
  Most days, I tend to develop on a 30" monitor hooked up to my Mac. That said, when heading to cafes, working on the outdoor patio (like I am now), or traveling, my 11" MacBook Air screen is more sufficient. To make matters worse (or to prove my point), I'm working on some NodeJS code which I will be deploying to Azure a bit later. So, my setup: Macbook Air, Windows 7 in Fusion in Unity mode BBEdit on one desktop Powershell and a couple of other Win7 windows on another desktop This isn't quick edits here. That said, my iPad is mostly for consuming data because I haven't found a development paradigm that works for me. I think the same will hold for WinRT. What is not clear about Surface Pro is if it will get only the Metro UI or if it will get "desktop" as well, given it is slated to have an Intel processor. Work can be done on small screens, the question is, does the type of work you do cater to being done on a small screen. For me, the answer is yes on an MBAir, no (currently) on an iPad, unknown on Surface.