Microsoft's Supposed iPad killer....Thoughts?

[BuDo]

[CrimsonNuker]

Just like the Zune. As much as I wish it were, it's not killing the iPad.

[Avalanche]

All depends on price imo. The entry level (RT) might so some dmg, but the pro version is not in the same market as the iPad.

[Aventus]

Not even going to put a dent in the iPad sales, you don't buy apple products because they are superior you buy them because they are the "in" thing right now. They are trendy. This Microsoft thing will more than likely be much better than the iPad but sales won't reflect that.

[Avalanche]

I think this topic should be discussed about the new table and the Win8 operating system, theres already been too much Apple Vs blah blah debates recently.

I for one am hoping for a ~$599 price for the pro because I'd be all over it

[poehalcho]

Those who don't buy ipads know not to buy pads in general. Sales will be mediocre. Which makes me tremendously happy for once because there'll be less support for w8. I hate to have apple win against MS, but I seem to hate w8 even more.

[BuDo]

32 GB - $499.00 ( or $599.00 with keyboard )
64 GB - $699.00
128 GB - $1000.00 (Thats comming out next year)
Keyboard - $120.00

Looks nice but my question is what were they doing when ipad was eating up the market?...Aren't they a bit late with this one?

[*BlackFox]

Will it fit in your pocket? lulz

[BuDo]

Those who don't buy ipads know not to buy pads in general. Sales will be mediocre. Which makes me tremendously happy for once because there'll be less support for w8. I hate to have apple win against MS, but I seem to hate w8 even more.

I'm tired of windows...and windows 8 is a pain out the gate...

[Avalanche]

32 GB - $499.00 ( or $599.00 with keyboard )
64 GB - $699.00
128 GB - $1000.00 (Thats comming out next year)
Keyboard - $120.00

Looks nice but my question is what were they doing when ipad was eating up the market?...Aren't they a bit late with this one?

There is no tablet in the market with a full functioning OS like this. iOS is not OS X and Android is still a mobile platform.

[omier]

Everything is an iPad killer lol.

[TheDrop]

Not even going to put a dent in the iPad sales, you don't buy apple products because they are superior you buy them because they are the "in" thing right now. They are trendy. This Microsoft thing will more than likely be much better than the iPad but sales won't reflect that.

The idea is that Microsoft's tablet would replace Apple's as the new "in" thing/trendy. Ofc won't happen.
I think it would compete more with the other tablets (nexus, kindle etc)

[omier]

The idea is that Microsoft's tablet would replace Apple's as the new "in" thing/trendy.

Once people stop buying what everybody else buys and form their own preferences, this "in" thing can be wider and not only for a specific company.

[TheDrop]

^Well that will never happen, but a new item can replace Apple

Microsoft is way too old and well known to become trendy, also they focus on people that know technology rather than consumers

[Avalanche]

^Well that will never happen, but a new item can replace Apple

Microsoft is way too old and well known to become trendy, also they focus on people that know technology rather than consumers

And Apple is not old? They are as old as Microsoft.

[Fiction]

As someone that has an ipad 2... Laptop > Tablet. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong or what, but my ipad has done nothing but collect dust since I got it when they first released the 2nd one.

Basically my Galaxy 3 can do anything I need to do on the run, and anything too in depth for that, I use the laptop. So not really sure what niche the tablet is supposed to fill.

I don't even enjoy playing angry birds on my ipad =( I'd almost feel like I wasted money if it weren't for my little girl using it to play learning games on.

[Ganja]

^Well that will never happen, but a new item can replace Apple

Microsoft is way too old and well known to become trendy, also they focus on people that know technology rather than consumers

And Apple is not old? They are as old as Microsoft.

Yep, I think remember reading that around '97 Microsoft actually invested money in Apple so that the company would not go under and Microsoft would not become a monopoly.

[CrimsonNuker]

32 GB - $499.00 ( or $599.00 with keyboard )
64 GB - $699.00
128 GB - $1000.00 (Thats comming out next year)
Keyboard - $120.00

Looks nice but my question is what were they doing when ipad was eating up the market?...Aren't they a bit late with this one?

There is no tablet in the market with a full functioning OS like this. iOS is not OS X and Android is still a mobile platform.

Could it be that it's the other way around? That Microsoft made a clearly touch screen/tablet OS for PC?

Or am I just crazy here?

[Skyve]

This looks like sex. I like sex.

[Avalanche]

32 GB - $499.00 ( or $599.00 with keyboard )
64 GB - $699.00
128 GB - $1000.00 (Thats comming out next year)
Keyboard - $120.00

Looks nice but my question is what were they doing when ipad was eating up the market?...Aren't they a bit late with this one?

There is no tablet in the market with a full functioning OS like this. iOS is not OS X and Android is still a mobile platform.

Could it be that it's the other way around? That Microsoft made a clearly touch screen/tablet OS for PC?

Or am I just crazy here?

I would say you are wrong because they already dominate the PC market, regardless of what Apple may say. However, Microsoft is not even a blip on the mobile market (laptops really do not count these days, viewed as PC's). Analysts say that more people are switching/buying mobile devices by the day, and that # is increasing exponentially. Microsoft is late in the game but what they are bringing is a game changer.

This new platform aims at the mobile industry in another way. We now see a market for "ultrabooks" instead of normal netbooks/laptops which are viewed as obsolete (especially netbooks, who run a 1080x600 resolution that win8 does NOT support). These ultrabooks are super thin laptops that have better mobility. Some even have touch displays, which also introduces the new market of "convertible ultrabooks" where the keyboard can be detached and that ultrabook turns into a tablet. Sure there are extensions for the iPad and Android tablets, but as I said before, none of those have a truly functioning OS.

As for Window 8 on a normal desktop PC with a keyboard and mouse, it just makes the OS simplified for less experienced users. Why do moms and children use iPads way more than Android tablets? Ease of use. iOS is super duper simple, and people prefer simple over "EXPANDABLE MEMORY AND BATTERY SWAP ON ANDROID!!". By retaining the desktop of windows 7 and adding a simpler UI to desktops, this just makes it easier for the mass majority of people to use computers. Now I know a lot of us here are more technologically inclined than others, but the mass of the market is not. We are just a small %. As for all-in-one pc's, well, that is a really small market there. My dad has one and I find myself never using the touch capability. Steve Jobs was right about that, touch screens should be on a horizontal plane, not on a vertical plane.

[Mirosuke]

Tablet PC... just more portable. Idea is good, but how fast it would be across the time?

[strangelove]

I would say you are wrong because they already dominate the PC market, regardless of what Apple may say. However, Microsoft is not even a blip on the mobile market (laptops really do not count these days, viewed as PC's). Analysts say that more people are switching/buying mobile devices by the day, and that # is increasing exponentially. Microsoft is late in the game but what they are bringing is a game changer.

This new platform aims at the mobile industry in another way. We now see a market for "ultrabooks" instead of normal netbooks/laptops which are viewed as obsolete (especially netbooks, who run a 1080x600 resolution that win8 does NOT support). These ultrabooks are super thin laptops that have better mobility. Some even have touch displays, which also introduces the new market of "convertible ultrabooks" where the keyboard can be detached and that ultrabook turns into a tablet. Sure there are extensions for the iPad and Android tablets, but as I said before, none of those have a truly functioning OS.

As for Window 8 on a normal desktop PC with a keyboard and mouse, it just makes the OS simplified for less experienced users. Why do moms and children use iPads way more than Android tablets? Ease of use. iOS is super duper simple, and people prefer simple over "EXPANDABLE MEMORY AND BATTERY SWAP ON ANDROID!!". By retaining the desktop of windows 7 and adding a simpler UI to desktops, this just makes it easier for the mass majority of people to use computers. Now I know a lot of us here are more technologically inclined than others, but the mass of the market is not. We are just a small %. As for all-in-one pc's, well, that is a really small market there. My dad has one and I find myself never using the touch capability. Steve Jobs was right about that, touch screens should be on a horizontal plane, not on a vertical plane.

Simplifying an OS is a two-edged sword, especially for companies like Microsoft, who depend greatly on businesses to purchase their products. The new UI will serve to simplify tasks for novice users (or scare them off), but I believe they'd be alienating the core of their business customers by going this route. While I have not inspected the OS very closely yet, I've no doubt they've made good strides in adding more business-centric features. However, from a practical standpoint, I don't see many businesses flocking to buy this touch-centric OS and will do what they've done for the past decade, which is to stay with Windows XP/Windows 7. This is an issue because a very large chunk of their cash comes from these contracts with businesses, schools, etc. Then again, Microsoft has been stagnant for while now so they may actually be trying to fundamentally change how their business operates. They replaced their logos this year, hired better UI designers, which to me indicate that they're probably betting a lot on this.

From a consumer standpoint, I also still don't find the OS very practical for daily usage. I realize the new bits of UI can be 'sort of' hidden to expose the familiar Windows desktop, but it seems to me that much of OS' functionality is based on having some sort of touch-based and gesture-capable input device which means exactly as Crimson described; you will be using a touch-based OS with a mouse. When Apple decided to take this approach (integrating iOS features into their desktop OS), they began shipping their non-mobile computers with touch-based trackpads or mice that are built on the same tech as their iPhone/iPod screens to provide a seamless experience between mobile and non-mobile navigation. It even went as far as inverting scrolling so it works the same on desktops and mobile devices.

There is no tablet in the market with a full functioning OS like this. iOS is not OS X and Android is still a mobile platform.

I think it's important to mention to those who are unaware that only the Pro version of the Surface will be the actual full-fledged computer/tablet. The WinRT version (the one being sold right now) lacks the ability to install third-party applications. This is why I find this particular tablet uncompelling. It's a walled garden with the ecosystem of WebOS. To offer that to the public as an introductory product coupled that with the fact that the touch keyboard Microsoft has been pushing is a separate $120 purchase seems like poor judgement to me.

[omier]

Asus has had a laptop with a removable touchscreen for a long time already. Now they made a bigger laptop with a screen on both sides lol.

[DarkJackal]

I'd rather have a psp equivalent for Xbox. Otherwise tablets/smartphones = Android all the way for me.

[Skyve]

People actually buy PSPs? Lol

[DarkJackal]

Iuno, the last handheld I ever had was GBA. Just mean a Microsoft/Xbox handheld would be nice.

[Skyve]

Iuno, the last handheld I ever had was GBA. Just mean a Microsoft/Xbox handheld would be nice.

I know what you mean actually. I was this close [-] from buying a 3DS when they were 149,99$ last summer. I mean it would entertain me on the train but there's maybe only three or four franchise I'd care about (Golden Sun, Fire Emblem, Pokemon, Mario Adventures/Kart)

[TheDrop]

^Well that will never happen, but a new item can replace Apple

Microsoft is way too old and well known to become trendy, also they focus on people that know technology rather than consumers

And Apple is not old? They are as old as Microsoft.

Apple is old as well but they weren't as known to average customers when they came out with iPod, as say Microsoft is right now.

[CrimsonNuker]

Shit just got way too serious for me.

[Mirosuke]

Iuno, the last handheld I ever had was GBA. Just mean a Microsoft/Xbox handheld would be nice.

Heck, Nintendo has a bunch. Sony has PSP. You're right. We need a Microsoft handheld game system... Actually would be cool to play XBOX360 games on a handheld, with the same graphics? Maybe in a far future... or not at all... XBOX720