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I don't think of it as an ultraportable competitor. The Surface pro seems to be running into the same issues with the very first tablet computers that ran Windo

by vondur 13y ago

I don't think of it as an ultraportable competitor. The Surface pro seems to be running into the same issues with the very first tablet computers that ran Windows, they were/are a niche product. Great if you have a need for a stylus, but simply not worth it compared to a regular laptop. Like others have mentioned, to make it ultrabook capable,(getting a keyboard/storage upgrade) it's far more expensive than nice Windows based ultrabooks.

oneeyedpigeon 13y ago
This is the point everyone seems to be missing. Microsoft tried releasing tablets with styluses, keyboards, and a desktop OS before - they failed, big time. The market hasn't suddenly changed in the intervening years to one that wants that kind of form-factor. As Apple proved, the market wants a very minimal tablet, with an on-screen keyboard, a great touchscreen, and an OS optimised for those features. For FUN, not for work. A handful of people will use tablets for 'work' and for being creative, a couple of niche industries will find they can integrate tablets into their workflow, but for the average office worker who wants to watch some videos, the iPad is perfect, the surface is 'overkill'. (edit to correct incorrect autocorrect on ... iPad ;-)
- discreditable 13y ago
  > The market hasn't suddenly changed in the intervening years to one that wants that kind of form-factor. I'll agree that most of the market doesn't want that kind of form factor, but two segments in which the convertable tablet has really taken off are in the education and health care industries. I work with a few schools that manage to hand out tablet + stylus + keyboard laptops to all of their students and do pretty well with it. My school isn't a fan of the Surface due to serviceability issues (non-replaceable battery being a big one) and that it is a great tablet, but gives up some ground in the general-use laptop area to do that. The other schools in our group share the same sort of sentiments.

by vondur 13y ago

oneeyedpigeon 13y ago

This is the point everyone seems to be missing. Microsoft tried releasing tablets with styluses, keyboards, and a desktop OS before - they failed, big time. The market hasn't suddenly changed in the intervening years to one that wants that kind of form-factor. As Apple proved, the market wants a very minimal tablet, with an on-screen keyboard, a great touchscreen, and an OS optimised for those features. For FUN, not for work. A handful of people will use tablets for 'work' and for being creative, a couple of niche industries will find they can integrate tablets into their workflow, but for the average office worker who wants to watch some videos, the iPad is perfect, the surface is 'overkill'. (edit to correct incorrect autocorrect on ... iPad ;-)

discreditable 13y ago
> The market hasn't suddenly changed in the intervening years to one that wants that kind of form-factor. I'll agree that most of the market doesn't want that kind of form factor, but two segments in which the convertable tablet has really taken off are in the education and health care industries. I work with a few schools that manage to hand out tablet + stylus + keyboard laptops to all of their students and do pretty well with it. My school isn't a fan of the Surface due to serviceability issues (non-replaceable battery being a big one) and that it is a great tablet, but gives up some ground in the general-use laptop area to do that. The other schools in our group share the same sort of sentiments.