Microsoft unveils the "Surface" - potential iPad killer

Originally posted by SoymilkAlaska

Originally posted by Jeedawg
Nice tablet for sure.

I will definitely not be getting one. I've grown very tired of the entire tablet/smart phone market. Every time i see commercials for these devices i cannot help but think how people are getting screwed over with their payment plans and everything else.

I've been out of the cell phone game for a while now... my last phone was an HTC from about 4 years ago which has been out of service for 3 years... I use it as an MP3 player.

I will make an assumption here, i believe that Mac and all those companies probably have 2-3 upgraded generations of their products already packaged and ready to go in the warehouse. They put out a 'new' model every year and force people to think they 'need' this new device through brainwashing advertisements, which are mostly targeted at young teens.

you speak the truth brothah!


THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAaa


peace.

I am growing very tired of your idiotic posts. This isn't Facebook.

-------------------------------------

OP, I like the looks of this tablet. I have a Nook tablet that I freaking love but not having a keyboard is a pain. I also really don't understand the iPad craze. No expansion, no Flash, (my tablet has both and was $250). I really don't see Microsoft taking a chunk out of Apple in this war at the end of the day. Apple really has cornered the market. Then again people said that about the iPhone, and look at Android phones today. I have one. Like it more than the iPhone.

For business, this will probably be incredible.
I've tried all sorts of devices and, so far, bar none, for business use, my touchpad actually beats the ipad and android devices.

The email integration is easiest and works best. Android email sync, for business use, doesn't exists and apple is ok but there are small things that, for reasons unknown, they won't implement, like a mark all as read button.

Given the death of webOS, I will, at some point, need to replace my beloved pre3, with a new phone (or backstep to the pre2). I'll most likely go windows 8 when they're available as I use a zune (also dead) and I don't want to start purchasing songs when I can listen to them for a small monthly fee.

The tablet will be an extension of the pc, a link between phone and pc, in many ways and that will work perfectly and then there's the future tech that microsoft has been hinting at, the xbox streaming and other goodies.

It won't kill the ipad. Nothing will. Apple owns the market as a result of their being first out of the gate with a quality product and their having the cult of Jobs following that results in their users buying everything they make, so long as it looks cool (doesn't have to work real well, like the phone part of the iphone) and has an "i" in front of it.

yep people would cue up to buy the 'Iturd' if it had an apple logo on it.

I've been a harsh detractor of the tablet craze.

As far as I can tell they're expensive toys.

Why a watered down mobile OS on them? It's just a big phone that cant make calls.
Why the "app" nonsense? A program is a program.
Why the hell no ports?
What's with the proprietary connectors?

Surface is on the right track for users like myself.

A real operating system. No more crap like not being able to watch Hulu vids because you
re on a "mobile device." USB port. Standard video out.

It's finally something I can use at work and play.

Of course a laptop would still be more capable and nearly as portable.

Surface isnt perfect but it's moving the ball down the field rather than taking Apples approach wasting time and money year after year.

I've been waiting for tablets to grow up and be more than just oversized smart phones.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I've got Netflix and Hulu on the Nook tablet. Have yet to run into a video online I can't watch on the thing. It's great for reading at night, surfing the we in bed etc. Sure it's no laptop, but it really do love it. I would have paid the $250 even if it was just an eReader.

reply to post by Domo1


You have to be a subscriber to use Hulu on the Nook dont you? Or did they drop that requirement?

I found it absurd that connecting a "mobile" device to my TV to stream Hulu prompted subscriptions and sign ins when connecting a laptop to it just played the free content no questions asked.

Whenever I attempt to load Hulu from the mobile devices browser I am met with demands to install the "app" rather than just the full page I expect to see.

Why download an "app" and pay a monthly fee when I can open up a real browser and just watch?

I want real PC functionality. Not a big phone. Anything less has no use for me.

For reading I use a plain vanilla e-ink reader that doesnt do anything but display text. Otherwise Id get distracted and never finish anything.

most of the tablets will let you install another web browser (in my case opera web browser).

Within most web browsers you can set its identification (by default opera on android or something like that).

you can change this to internet explorer (for example) and then off you go with hulu in the web browser.

this works provided your tablet has enough horse power for the job and flash is installed.

Hope it works.

reply to post by diddy1234


Yeah, there's always a trick to get it to work. Either a simple browser switch or a full on jailbreak.

It shouldnt be that way. Tablets arent phones.

Tablets up to this point have been a stop-gap. An intermediate step bridging convenience of phones and function of laptops.

If Microsoft does this right it'll be a real evolutionary step.

reply to post by DaRAGE


Lol, no it's more than that. I didn't check specs, but it won't have the munch to run games.Is it am arm processor or a x86 type. x86, maybe you can run minefield in 3d with woohoo look at moi graphics.

Arm, not a hope.

I prefer getting my tablet to run a version of linux than windows, windows will never compete even with windows 8.

You're talking eating jarrah pie, forget apple or even strawberry. It's too hard a wood to make it do anything else.

If they have a processor in it that equates to a laptop, or low end pc.. maybe.

but then, look at the way M$ are heading. win8 is a toss. a load of cold toss.

gah, I'd rather forget they exist. nothing wrong with ice cream sandwich from where I stand, so far. limited market forgiven..

I'll wait for the "pro" version that comes out later. It should sport an ivy-bridge i5 processor with an 1080p screen. Oh ya!!

Surface for Windows 8 Pro tablet
Processor: Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)
Weight: 903 grams
Thickness: 13.5 millimeters
Display: 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD (1080p) capacitive touchpanel
Battery: 42Wh
I/O: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, 2x2 MIMO antennae
Software: Windows 8 Pro
Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand, Pen with Palm Block
Capacity: 64GB / 128GB
Availability: "Three months after" the Windows 8 launch this fall
Pricing: To be determined

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


My tablet being a non market brand, was rooted right out of the box.

But didn't have superuser app, so I had to install it to make sure I know what's taking root control etc.

Ahh, as long as I can mod hosts it's all good.

still waiting to see who comes up with the best firmware yet as this ootb is perfect.

Originally posted by staple
I'll wait for the "pro" version that comes out later. It should sport an ivy-bridge i5 processor with an 1080p screen. Oh ya!!

Surface for Windows 8 Pro tablet
Processor: Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)
Weight: 903 grams
Thickness: 13.5 millimeters
Display: 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD (1080p) capacitive touchpanel
Battery: 42Wh
I/O: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, 2x2 MIMO antennae
Software: Windows 8 Pro
Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand, Pen with Palm Block
Capacity: 64GB / 128GB
Availability: "Three months after" the Windows 8 launch this fall
Pricing: To be determined

-- pricing to be well above a lappy you can get for better spec, no doubt about it.

add a few hundred at least.

Originally posted by diddy1234
yep people would cue up to buy the 'Iturd' if it had an apple logo on it.

I had never owned a Mac until 2008. All the time before i had PC's and swore I would never be one of those Mac people.

Yet I got a 2nd hand Macbook of ebay and it has lasted me longer than all my PC's combined. It has never broken down, never failed to boot up, never had a virus, never needed defragmentation. Windows OS in my experience has been nothing but trouble.

Long live my Macbook.

reply to post by mainidh


I am looking at the footprint and that it is made of metal. I travel and need a capable windows workstation that will withstand the tsa gorillas.

Knowing past microsoft products it's probably going to have a fundamental design flaw somewhere, or purposely missing a feature that will be added on to it's next full priced installment

reply to post by Crakeur


Are you talking about MS Exchange? If so it absolutely works, flawlessly, on Android.

yes it looks interesting. However, it is from Microsoft therefore it will be almost two years before all of the bugs get worked out.

to succeed against apple:

it would have to be bigger, way thinner like a movado watch, extremely light that you can hold it for hours, not heavier and with a stand.

voice recognition so you use the key board as least as possible. for example; saying "launch ats" would take you to the ats website, or "turn page" would turn the page as an option to the keyboard.

as much freebies as possible.

which goes against the ms business model of charging for every single component possible.

and try to implement smart class technology, if possible, to the screen so the tablet looks like something out of the future.

and the most important, anti-cult technology to combat apples grips on consumers.

This right here is what will make this a seller.

A core i5 version with Win 8 Pro.



With that there's not much you can't do.

Microsoft Office.
Photoshop.
Illustator.
AutoCad.

reply to post by Jaellma


I've found that Apple and Microsoft products are better not mixed. So I have a PC.. it's pretty much just for games anymore. I have several macs for my design, development and photography. Everything changed with the "Cloud" .. so I edit a photo on my Mac at home, I can carry my Ipad to my client and display the work, write down the notes I want to change on my Ipad, upload to my server, it shows up on my partners Mac where he can with the same programs make quick edits, upload back to the cloud and within 15 mins I have alterations to show my client. I could probably do this with a Microsoft product interchanged with. As well as not having all my apps from Apple.. I just cannot imagine going with anything else. So my point is, those with practical uses, not just to have a glorified Iphone, would never change to a Microsoft product. Or anyother product. For a practical purpose a Microsoft product would benefit most other people, unless you rely on Apple like I do.

(Also for $99 you can buy a stand/keyboard/cover just like the Surface from Zagg.. in like 20 different colors as well)