5 ms·

Microsoft reveals Windows RT OEMs, device specs, battery life

26 points by maxko87 14y ago

grecy 14y ago
tldr; Still no price
- barista 14y ago
  This article was not about Surface but the OS that other OEMs will use to build their tablets/laptops. So if there was price coming, it would come from the OEMs and not Microsoft.
twiceaday 14y ago
2.6 lb tablet... And people think the iPad is too heavy.
- robododo 14y ago
  Where did that come from... Did you read the article? "All devices will have a diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick. On the low end, 520g and 8.35mm would be considerably thinner and lighter than the iPad 2/3 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop."
  - sukuriant 14y ago
    1200g = 1.2kg = 2.2 lbs/kg * 1.2kg = 2.6 lbs [edit: HERP! I need to read the article more closely. Near the end of it, it does say that the larger values are presumably a laptop.]
    - robododo 14y ago
      If you don't read the article, at least read my comment ;)
  - MaysonL 14y ago
    Windows RT laptops? That'll work really great...
- cooldeal 14y ago
  Where did you get 2.6lb from? By converting 1200g which the article explicitly says is probably a laptop? The relevant part of the article: All devices will have a diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick. On the low end, 520g and 8.35mm would be considerably thinner and lighter than the iPad 2/3 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop.
  - sukuriant 14y ago
    Both of you really need to add emphasis to "Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop" part. It's the most important part of that blurb and completely miss-able/indistinguishable from the rest of the less important, already read details.
    - cooldeal 14y ago
      Still, don't you think it's a bit disingenuous to pick on the upper part of the range and totally ignore the lower end of the range? One could easily write a comment on the same lines, "Wow, just 520g, and you thought the iPad was light".
rbanffy 14y ago
I only hope the OEMs also offer the same hardware without Windows. Choice is good. Unfortunately, all the mentions of Microsoft working together with OEMs in developing single-chip touchscreens and so on may indicate Microsoft will want to limit availability of competing devices with different OSs. As always, everybody loses but them.
- recoiledsnake 14y ago
  There are a plethora of Android devices available from more OEMs than the few that are shipping Windows RT devices. I don't see that changing except for the fact that they're not selling very well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Android_devices#Tablet_computers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Android_devices#T... >Unfortunately, all the mentions of Microsoft working together with OEMs in developing single-chip touchscreens and so on may indicate Microsoft will want to limit availability of competing devices with different OSs How will that stop Google from developing whatever they want in conjunction with the OEMs? Not to mention collaborating with their subsidiary Motorola. I don't see how Microsoft can limit that even if they wanted to.
  - rbanffy 14y ago
    > How will that stop Google It won't. It'll only prevent these devices from getting different OSs. Also, keep in mind I'm not talking about Android. I use Ubuntu every day and all the pieces are in place for Ubuntu-based fully-functional (as in "you can work exclusively on it") ARM devices. Windows on ARM's key "advantage" is the ability to run Office, but since Linuxes/BSDs on ARM (or MIPS, if you are so inclined) can run the full desktop software suite just like their x86 counterparts (perhaps more slowly, but that's beyond the point here), their advantage is negated. Their only remaining advantage is being able to run Microsoft Office.
    - astrodust 14y ago
      More specifically...to run Microsoft Office...on a touch screen. The utility of this is still unexplored.
niels_olson 14y ago
> diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick Tip for technical writers (I assume tech journalists consider themselves technical writers?): there is a space between the value and the units, whether you use Imperial or metric units.
- baddox 14y ago
  The SI specifies that there should be no space. However, it's extremely common practice to omit the space, at least in the UK and USA: http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event=athletics-men-100m/ http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event=athletics-men-100m... http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-CFL-Light-Bulb-Mini-10-Watt-40W-Equiv-4-Pk/5646245 http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-CFL-Light-Bulb-Mini-10-Watt-40W... http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC359LL/A/apple-ipad-10w-usb-power-adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC359LL/A/apple-ipad-10w-u... http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=172441 http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=172441
- gte910h 14y ago
  Google 550g and 500 g While the former is less common, you still see 17% of people using it. Looks like either is valid.
DigitalSea 14y ago
I am looking forward to the new devices if they're priced right. The specs seem right, I think Microsoft could be onto a winner here. I will definitely consider getting one of these, the interface is a hell of a lot nicer than the iPad or Galaxy tablets.

26 points by maxko87 14y ago

grecy 14y ago

tldr; Still no price

barista 14y ago
This article was not about Surface but the OS that other OEMs will use to build their tablets/laptops. So if there was price coming, it would come from the OEMs and not Microsoft.

twiceaday 14y ago

2.6 lb tablet... And people think the iPad is too heavy.

robododo 14y ago
Where did that come from... Did you read the article? "All devices will have a diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick. On the low end, 520g and 8.35mm would be considerably thinner and lighter than the iPad 2/3 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop."
- sukuriant 14y ago
  1200g = 1.2kg = 2.2 lbs/kg * 1.2kg = 2.6 lbs [edit: HERP! I need to read the article more closely. Near the end of it, it does say that the larger values are presumably a laptop.]
  - robododo 14y ago
    If you don't read the article, at least read my comment ;)
- MaysonL 14y ago
  Windows RT laptops? That'll work really great...
cooldeal 14y ago
Where did you get 2.6lb from? By converting 1200g which the article explicitly says is probably a laptop? The relevant part of the article: All devices will have a diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick. On the low end, 520g and 8.35mm would be considerably thinner and lighter than the iPad 2/3 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop.
- sukuriant 14y ago
  Both of you really need to add emphasis to "Presumably the 1200g/15mm form factor is a laptop" part. It's the most important part of that blurb and completely miss-able/indistinguishable from the rest of the less important, already read details.
  - cooldeal 14y ago
    Still, don't you think it's a bit disingenuous to pick on the upper part of the range and totally ignore the lower end of the range? One could easily write a comment on the same lines, "Wow, just 520g, and you thought the iPad was light".

rbanffy 14y ago

I only hope the OEMs also offer the same hardware without Windows. Choice is good. Unfortunately, all the mentions of Microsoft working together with OEMs in developing single-chip touchscreens and so on may indicate Microsoft will want to limit availability of competing devices with different OSs. As always, everybody loses but them.

recoiledsnake 14y ago
There are a plethora of Android devices available from more OEMs than the few that are shipping Windows RT devices. I don't see that changing except for the fact that they're not selling very well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Android_devices#Tablet_computers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Android_devices#T... >Unfortunately, all the mentions of Microsoft working together with OEMs in developing single-chip touchscreens and so on may indicate Microsoft will want to limit availability of competing devices with different OSs How will that stop Google from developing whatever they want in conjunction with the OEMs? Not to mention collaborating with their subsidiary Motorola. I don't see how Microsoft can limit that even if they wanted to.
- rbanffy 14y ago
  > How will that stop Google It won't. It'll only prevent these devices from getting different OSs. Also, keep in mind I'm not talking about Android. I use Ubuntu every day and all the pieces are in place for Ubuntu-based fully-functional (as in "you can work exclusively on it") ARM devices. Windows on ARM's key "advantage" is the ability to run Office, but since Linuxes/BSDs on ARM (or MIPS, if you are so inclined) can run the full desktop software suite just like their x86 counterparts (perhaps more slowly, but that's beyond the point here), their advantage is negated. Their only remaining advantage is being able to run Microsoft Office.
  - astrodust 14y ago
    More specifically...to run Microsoft Office...on a touch screen. The utility of this is still unexplored.

niels_olson 14y ago

> diagonal screen size between 10.1 and 11.6 inches, weigh between 520g and 1200g, and be between 8.35mm and 15mm thick Tip for technical writers (I assume tech journalists consider themselves technical writers?): there is a space between the value and the units, whether you use Imperial or metric units.

baddox 14y ago
The SI specifies that there should be no space. However, it's extremely common practice to omit the space, at least in the UK and USA: http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event=athletics-men-100m/ http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event=athletics-men-100m... http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-CFL-Light-Bulb-Mini-10-Watt-40W-Equiv-4-Pk/5646245 http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-CFL-Light-Bulb-Mini-10-Watt-40W... http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC359LL/A/apple-ipad-10w-usb-power-adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC359LL/A/apple-ipad-10w-u... http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=172441 http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=172441
gte910h 14y ago
Google 550g and 500 g While the former is less common, you still see 17% of people using it. Looks like either is valid.

DigitalSea 14y ago

I am looking forward to the new devices if they're priced right. The specs seem right, I think Microsoft could be onto a winner here. I will definitely consider getting one of these, the interface is a hell of a lot nicer than the iPad or Galaxy tablets.