Michal Ždanský A tablet from Microsoft is introduced. It's a bit of a shock, at least for IT-savvy people. Not that Microsoft has never made its own hardware, quite the contrary. After all, Xbox is a shining example of this. As for the Windows operating system, the Redmond company usually left the production of computers to its partners, to whom it licenses the software. Which brings it certain and regular profits as well as a dominant share among desktop operating systems. Producing hardware is a bit of a gamble, for which quite a few companies paid and continue to pay. Although the sale of own hardware brings significantly higher margins, there is a high risk that the products will not be successful and the company will suddenly find itself in the red.
Either way, Microsoft has embarked on its own tablet that will power a system that hasn't even been unveiled yet. The company's partners are probably not very enthusiastic. Those who have rubbed their hands over Windows 8 tablets may now be very hesitant to take on both Apple and Microsoft. All the more likely that the company could succeed with its tablet, because if it doesn't succeed, then probably no one else will. Microsoft is far from betting on one card, and the Surface is not supposed to be a sales driver. This position has been held by Xbox for a long time, and even OEM licenses for Windows are not bad, and Office complements them perfectly.
At the beginning of the press event, Steve Ballmer claimed that Microsoft is number one in innovation. This is a half-truth at best. Microsoft is a relatively ossified company that kind of runs its own disco, reacts late to current trends and doesn't even create new ones. Good examples are music players or the segment of touch phones. The company came up with its product only a few years later, and customers were no longer interested. The Zune player and the Kin phone were flops. The Windows Phone operating system still has a small share of the market, despite the cooperation with Nokia, which also does not know what to create for phones.
[do action=”citation”]Surface comes two years after the tablet revolution, at a time when the market is dominated by the iPad, followed by the Kindle Fire…[/do]
The Surface comes two years after the tablet revolution, at a time when the iPad dominates the market, followed closely by the Kindle Fire, which sells mainly because of its low price. It's a new market and not nearly as saturated as HDTV is. Even so, Microsoft has a very difficult starting position, and the only way it can gain ground is to have a better or equally good product at the same or lower price. It's very complicated with the price. You can buy the cheapest iPad for as little as $399, and it is difficult for other manufacturers to fit under this threshold in order to make a profit on their product.
Surface - the good from the surface
The Surface has a slightly different concept than the iPad. What Microsoft basically did was take the laptop and take away the keyboard (and return it in the form of a case, see below). In order for this concept to work, he had to come up with an operating system that would be 100% finger-controllable. He could do this in two ways - either take Windows Phone and remake it for a tablet, or make a tablet version of Windows. It is Windows 8 that is the result of the decision for the second option. And while the iPad relies on a redesigned operating system for the phone, the Surface will offer an almost full-fledged desktop OS. Of course, more is not necessarily better, after all, the iPad won over users precisely because of its simplicity and intuitiveness. The user will have to get used to the Metro interface a little longer, it is not so intuitive at first touch, but on the other hand it offers many more options.
First, there are live tiles that display significantly more information than a matrix of icons with at most numbered badges. On the other hand, Windows 8 lacks, for example, a centralized notification system. However, the ability to have two apps running at the same time, where one app runs in narrowband mode and can display some information while you're working in the other app, is awesome. A great solution for e.g. IM clients, Twitter applications, etc. Next to iOS, Windows 8 seems much more mature and advanced, also thanks to the fact that iOS 6 is a bit of a farce from my point of view, as if Apple doesn't know where to go with this system.
Windows 8 on a tablet feels simple, clean and modern, which I appreciate much more than Apple's tendency to imitate real objects and materials like leather notebooks or tear-off calendars. Taking a walk in iOS looks a bit like a visit to grandma's thanks to the imitation of real things. It certainly doesn't evoke the feeling of a modern operating system in me. Maybe Apple should think a little bit here.
[do action=”citation”]If the Smart Cover was magical, even Copperfield is jealous of the Touch Cover.[/do]
Microsoft really cared and presented a really high-quality looking device. No plastics, just a magnesium chassis. The Surface will offer several ports, especially USB, which are noticeably missing from the iPad (connecting the camera via the adapter is not really convenient). However, I consider the most innovative element to be the Touch Cover, a cover for the Surface that is also a keyboard.
In this case, Microsoft borrowed two concepts - the magnetic lock from the Smart Cover and the built-in keyboard in the case - offered by some third-party iPad case manufacturers. The result is a truly revolutionary case that will provide a full-fledged keyboard including a touchpad with buttons. The cover is definitely thicker than the Smart Cover, almost twice as much, on the other hand, the convenience of getting the keyboard just by opening the cover and not having to connect anything wirelessly is worth it. The Touch Cover is exactly the case I'd like for my iPad, however this concept can't work because the iPad doesn't have a built-in kickstand. If the Smart Cover was magical, even Copperfield is jealous of the Touch Cover.
Surface - the bad from the surface
Not to mention, the Surface also has a few major flaws. I see one of the main ones in the Intel version of the tablet. That being said, it is intended mainly for professionals who want to access existing applications written for Windows, such as software from Adobe and the like. The problem is that these apps aren't touch-friendly, so you'll have to use either the relatively small touchpad on the Touch/Type Cover, a mouse connected via USB, or a stylus that can be purchased separately. However, the stylus in this case is a return to prehistoric times, and when you are forced to have a keyboard with a touchpad in front of you in order to use the application, it is better to have a laptop.
[do action="citation"]Microsoft is working on fragmentation, even before the official release of the tablet.[/do]
The same is true for a workstation. Although the Surface is more compact than an ultrabook, it simply cannot replace a laptop, and you will be better off with an 11″ MacBook Air, even with Windows 8 installed. The fact that there will be two mutually incompatible versions of the tablet and the operating system is not positive for developers either. They should ideally develop three versions of their application: touch for ARM, touch for x86 and non-touch for x86. I'm not a developer to guess how complex it is, but it's definitely not like developing a single app. Microsoft is thus working on fragmentation, even before the official release of the tablet. At the same time, these are the applications that will be key for the Surface and will have a great influence on the eventual success/failure. In addition, the version with Intel has active cooling and the vents are all around the tablet. Although Microsoft claims that you won't feel the hot air, on the other hand, it simply belongs to passive cooling of the tablet.
Another thing that surprises me a little is the universality of using the tablet. Microsoft chose the 16:10 aspect ratio, which is perhaps classic for laptops and suitable for watching video, but they also thought in Redmond that the tablet can also be used in portrait mode? During the presentation, you don't see a single example where the Surface is held in a vertical position, that is, until the part towards the end, when one of the presenters compares the tablet in conjunction with the cover to a book. Does Microsoft know how the book holds up? Another fundamental flaw in the beauty is the absolute absence of a mobile Internet connection. It's nice that the Surface has the best Wi-Fi reception among tablets, but you won't find many hotspots on buses, trains and other places where using a tablet is ideal. It is the 3G/4G connection that is indispensable for the mobility that is characteristic of a tablet. You won't even find GPS in the Surface.
Even though the Surface is a tablet, Microsoft tells you in every possible way to use it as a laptop. Thanks to the widescreen display, the software keyboard will take up more than half of the screen, so you'll prefer to use the keyboard on the Touch Cover. With the Internet, you only depend on Wi-Fi access points, unless you want to connect a flash drive with mobile Internet, which is offered by operators. You can also control desktop applications on the Intel version only using the touchpad or mouse. On the other hand, at least you can work with a tablet with a connected keyboard without lifting your hands from the keys, which is not very possible with the iPad, since you have to do everything on the screen apart from entering text, Microsoft solves this with a multi-touch touchpad.
For the reasons mentioned above, I am not entirely clear about which customers Surface is targeting exactly. A regular Franta user will probably reach for the iPad due to its simplicity and the number of available applications. More advanced users, on the other hand, will wonder whether they really need a tablet, even with a full-fledged operating system, when a laptop can do the same for them. It's a tempting idea to come to a cafe, lean your tablet on the table, connect a gamepad and play Assassin's Creed, for example, but honestly, how many of us buy such a machine for that? In addition, the Intel version is priced to compete with ultrabooks, so should we expect a price of CZK 25-30? Isn't it better to get a full-fledged laptop for that price? Thanks to its options, the Surface definitely has a better chance of replacing the computer than the iPad, but the question is whether a sufficient number of people are interested in this type of replacement.
What does Surface mean for Apple?
Surface could finally wake up Apple, because it has been sleeping on its laurels like Sleeping Beauty (as far as tablets are concerned) since 2010, after all, iOS 6 is proof of that. I admire Apple for daring to which he introduced at WWDC 2012, say the new major version of the operating system. iOS would really need a significant amount of innovation, because next to Windows 8 RT, it seems quite outdated. Microsoft's operating system for tablets offers users functions that Apple users did not even dream of, such as the simultaneous running of two applications.
There are many things that Apple should rethink, whether it's the way the system works with files, how the home screen should look in 2012, or what would be best for controlling games (a little hint - a physical controller).
The sum total
Steve Jobs claimed that the perfect product should be a perfect match between hardware and software. Microsoft has almost always maintained the opposite position on this, and it was hypocritical of Ballmer to say the least when he suddenly turned one hundred and eighty degrees and started claiming the same thing as if he had discovered America. There are still a few question marks hanging over the Surface. For example, nothing is known about the duration, price or the start of official sales. In doing so, all three aspects can be key.
For Microsoft, the Surface is not just another product with which it wants to wet its beak in the consumer electronics market, as it did, for example, with the failed Kin phones. It gives a clear indication of the direction it wants to take and what is the message of Windows 8. Surface is supposed to present the new generation of the operating system in all its nakedness.
There are several things that can break the neck of a tablet from Microsoft - lack of interest from developers, lack of interest from ordinary users and businesses, the established gold standard in the form of the iPad, and more. Microsoft has experience with all of the above scenarios. But one thing cannot be denied to him - he has broken up the stagnant waters of the tablet market and is bringing something new, fresh and unseen. But will it be enough to reach the masses?
I really like the laptop vs. surface :D MSFT flipped the laptop. Otherwise, I quite agree with the article, I have been saying for some time that the future is such that we will carry a full-fledged system in a mobile together with a mobile system, probably in the way that I have an iPad or an iPhone and if I use it in a normal state, it runs iOS and when I come to work, I put one or the other in the docking station, or I put the whole device in the monitor and it docks and I have a monitor, keyboard and mouse (trackpad) on my desk, and maybe a handsfree, and the iOS operating system suddenly switches to full in an instant featured Mac OS X system and I will continue to work as if nothing had happened. In my opinion, this is the future, and in addition, I will always have my office and home office at hand. When you remove the phone or iPad from the dock, nothing turns off, only the full-fledged system goes to sleep in the background and saves the current state of things, and iOS comes to the fore again, completely invisible to the user. MSFT essentially offers this by mistake, except that the normal desktop can be called up even if only a tablet is used without docking.
You hit the nail on the head, we carry a lot of junk with us and are equipped with a computer at home and at work... So the ideal is really one (max 2) device capable of everything, Moore's law applies and still works (it technology is getting smaller and more powerful). I'm surprised that no one made it to the finals (the attempts of Motorola and Asus on Android will be unsuccessful)
It is even possible to imagine that in the distant (10-15 years) future it will be possible to reduce the size of this System so that the only problem is the ergonomics of control and it will also be possible for it to become a part of the individual (we will have the opportunity to improve personality abilities by choosing a suitable I know, but that's a eugenics book...)
+1
On the other hand, I don't think the future is headed this way, it certainly won't end with you having 1-2 devices with a full-fledged OS that will solve everything for you. Look at it from a vantage point, how nature deals with it and she already has a hell of a lot of experience. Are all systems really full-fledged, each of them can solve any task? Your solution is quite uneconomical and requires a lot of effort in case of changes or modifications.
Let's go back to the early 90s, when everything was up in the air and there were so many new ideas. At that time, could anyone have predicted what would happen next? Maybe I will have a hand-held modem and someone will retrofit the phone booth with a connector.
I agree with the author of the article that iOS 6 is only a very slight evolution of the existing system. iOS has been with us for 5 years without radical changes, so it deserves a proper facelift. For example, not being able to turn WiFi off/on using the interactive menu is one of the key things I miss. "Going" to Settings, and to the next sub-option, I don't consider smart and certainly not fast at all.
Although we basically only have iOS and Mac devices at home, I thought quite intensively whether the new iPhone "5" would be the right solution for me. I'm a little annoyed that Windows Phone (or manufacturers) don't support a better display resolution. I really don't want to go back from the retina display of the iP 4S to something worse, but it is possible that I will eventually do so due to the general iOS obsolescence. Unless Apple introduces a REVOLUTIONARY iPhone, which I don't expect.
lenovo and samsung will release in the next few months an ultrabook with a touch display, where the display will be rotatable by 180 degrees, thus turning it into a tablet, when turned only by 1-90 degrees it will be a normal ultrabook, of course the display will stand on its own without a stand
full USB etc... with optional stylus, ARM version for a quiet 10-15 hours of work and USB to go with it... I'm looking forward to it
somewhere there was also a concept that the piece of the keyboard would be transparent and when the ultrabook was closed, the top line of the display with a row of subway icons would be visible (although a normal eink on the back would be better)
Very good and balanced article. Personally, I think the Surface could score in the business segment as a multi-function portable device for shopping malls, etc. Personally, I can imagine using it for various meetings, etc. Where I use an iPad now, but sometimes I get stuck because I'm missing something.
MS does not care about fragmentation, Metro applications run on both ARM and Intel.
In addition, the applications should also be compatible with Windows Phone 8, and I wouldn't be too surprised if the bezels were also on the new Xbox. That's why MS is trying to push Metro as much as possible, and Windows 8 completely removed the Start menu.
I strongly disagree with the first half of the article and agree with the second. For example cover/keyboard. For one thing, they picked up the idea with magnets, and then nobody knows how to write on it, and it seems pointless to me. It can be seen that they really see that the wide-angle format is ahead and they don't think about the height. On the other hand, I use the iPad at a height less often. The second stronger version of the keyboard will probably work decently, but what about mobility and the price? I see her the same way. I almost want to write that Jobs thought it through perfectly. iOS looks a bit old-fashioned, but I like it that way. It's also more user-friendly than the stark no-nonsense lines of Android and W8. It almost looks as if they are modern and nice panel houses against castles, castles and log cabins. That's why Apple does it that way. The system deserves a little extra, but it should be unobtrusive and functional. The applications you need to work with should be able to do the rest. I don't mind the reuktion, but some central file + maybe a micro USB with full functionality or at least Bluetooth not only for Apple would be nice. The picture is excellent and says it all.
As a businessman, the Surface would be useful... Without a 3G network, it's unusable... I'm sitting with a customer in a cafe and there's no Wi-Fi, so what... NOTHING... and for hot air to blow on my hands when I'm holding a tablet, thank you very much...
What is the use of a tablet with 3G when you certainly have a 3G phone with a personal hotspot. If there is no faster WiFi connection available, the tablet connects to my phone and I only pay one tariff for data. Not all operators provide dabl for the same price, in a lot of cafes the connection is slower than 3G, and after 4G is launched, the situation will be even more dramatic, because then I will have a desktop computer, laptop and tablet connected through one phone. And I always carry my phone with me.
It was precisely because of this solution that I chose an iPad with 3G. I would not like to hang around somewhere with a dead phone at the expense of 3G internet. I constantly observe a colleague who chose this solution when he gets tangled in the wiring and is constantly looking for an outlet because the mobile really only lasts a few hours compared to the tablet.
Personally, I'm very happy with the Surface. This is the tablet I imagine. Too bad it's not under iOS. I am very disappointed with the introduction of iOS6. You can have your say by joining the Disappointment at New Maps group. https://www.facebook.com/WeLoveGoogleMapsInIosApple Especially after the announcement of StreetView coverage throughout the Czech Republic, the new maps are quite out of place.
Why I would buy a Surface and why I don't have an iPad:
– more user OS
– sensible work with files
– I can use it as a laptop when I need to occasionally
– connection of peripherals
Maybe when they show the prices you won't be so happy :) I rather think when looking at the Surface why not buy an ultrabook or an Airbook. And you can hardly use the cheaper variant as a laptop when it is limited by applications like the iPad, where of course there are already many more, so it can also be used elsewhere. I don't know... I expected something a little different. I guess I'll stick with Apple. So, for now, only with tablets, because it works with photos and videos at least as well for me as on a laptop. It's just the file system that's clumsy, but it's not that bad.
Despite the disappointment brought by iOS 6 (especially when I tried maps) I still don't know who the potential Surface customer is. My experience says that a typical tablet user wants to watch movies, read books, watch youtube, read the internet, study from a pdf, reply to an email, post a status or like on Facebook - and here is the perfect iPad that does not bother or complicate these activities …
There is no iOS 6 that you should be disappointed with. So far it's only the first beta and don't get mad at me, but it's probably logical that it doesn't work 100%. It's been beta since.
Sorry, but I would agree if it was a cheap tablet under 6 thousand. For a 17+ device, I expect something more than just being clean and clicking on Facebook. Fortunately, I can say that the iPad already offers more, but if the average user only wants this, then it's a shame that he doesn't buy something else.
I don't understand why you all are bashing iOS for needing a change. It can be seen that you have never understood Apple when you want to quickly turn on WiFi and Bluetooth, etc. nonsense. Go to Android. Apple's goal is and should be that the user DOESN'T have to worry about these things. Apple prefers to go the route of reducing the power consumption of the WiFi chip, so that turning it on/off has practically zero effect on battery consumption. After all, this approach was also seen in the first versions of iOS, which did not offer the display of battery percentage (and not on the iPod Touch even after that.)
Terrible article. I haven't read such an unprofessional article in a long time. How can you rate something you haven't even tried. Amateur work.
This is exactly what occurred to me, why on earth is this crap being discussed on all websites, and I'm still calling it iPad competition. A tablet should be a tablet and not some piece of crap with a keyboard. The real iPad is a simple couch, mobile, fits in your hand on the train, on a blanket on vacation, in bed, or just on the go! That makes a tablet a tablet. If I want something funny, I can turn on my laptop right away. I think that MS did not understand the concept of the tablet and the author of the article. In addition, I would like to see the battery life compared to the iPad.
I agree, in my opinion, the operating system should be as simple as possible and only delegate applications that mediate access to the hardware. I don't see where people get the idea that it should be a joke. When it comes to enabling applications to work, if we compare the number and quality of applications in the App Store with competing platforms, it speaks for itself. That's why I don't understand why people still think that iOS should be a joke like Android.
I delve into the depths of iOS and OS X every day and as a developer I have to say that Apple is almost the only company that has a completely clear and established vision, is confident and does not need to be controlled by the competition. It can be seen from the WWDC lecture. Apple keeps getting better.
I still don't see any reason to radically change a well-functioning, well-known and popular operating system. Incremental changes are the best way to do it. If you do some bastle-jump, just so the public doesn't think you're sleeping, you can really piss off the developers, who will have to change everything. The past then says that Apple has it all figured out in its 'head' and has no need to present itself in such a way. This must be done by those who are not taken seriously by anyone on the market.
And I understand that it is now cool to say that iOS is outdated and that 6 is a disappointment... But I have not yet heard a single reasonable argument that would support these claims. Because from what I see 'under the hood' of iOS, it's anything but outdated or slow to develop...
I wouldn't have written it better! I agree with everything you write. We're developers too, and the fact that Apple doesn't revolutionize its system every year is why we love iOS.
Something stimulating after a long time. One is immediately interested.
That's a different story than reading about the stand (and, by extension, discussing it :) ).
iOS(6) - let's be happy that Apple will not significantly change the system, who would know about it then...? yes, journalists may have nothing to write about and nothing to test, but millions of users will not be lost there. and when I need to find it in the settings once every two months, they find it there. I don't know who remembers the iPhone OS from the time before the App Store, like me... back then it was a simple OS, now it's 50 times more extensive and a new user can slowly have problems even with this...
Exactly as MarcelL wrote, fragmentation will not take place. I still don't understand where the "experts" from the ranks of journalists and debaters get this information.
Metro apps will be the same for x86 devices and ARM devices. These applications do not reach directly to the HW, but via the WinRT engine.
The developer will then make a single version - for Metro and it will run everywhere. Since the new computers will only have Windows 8. The only thing that will remain outside of Metro will be special applications such as graphic editors (eg PhotoShop) or part of the development tools. They will run on a modified Aero.
But let's be honest: what part of PC users work with such software? 5%?
Another note about mobile connectivity. Where did you find the exact and definitive information that the Surface tablet will only have WiFi? The 3G module is very small, so it is not a problem to add it to the final version. And I'm sure it will be there. At least in some versions. The same applies to the GPS module.
In my opinion, Surface and similar hybrids in general have no future. It is mainly due to ergonomics.
Classic situation, I'm sitting on the train, I get an email, I click on reply and now the right time comes on the external keyboard. Of course, I have to find a solid surface as soon as possible, because it won't hold on my knees, I'll write the text and I want to send it. And now it's coming, I have to hold the keyboard with one hand so I don't topple the hybrid tablet when I tap the display with the other hand. Regardless of how the display will look after one day of use.
Simply, every time I write a text, when I want to curse myself somewhere else, I will have to remove my hand from the keyboard and hold it in an unnatural position when clicking on the screen.
All this would not happen to me on a small macbook air 11.
The Surface also has a software keyboard just like the iPad. In addition, you will not receive e-mail on the train because it does not have 3G, only Wi-Fi.
I know that it only has Wi-Fi, but I assumed that I would create a hotspot with my mobile phone. Yes, it also has a soft keyboard, but I wanted to point out that people see it as an external, or "integrated" hard. keyboard as a way out. Although in terms of ergonomics when connected to a tablet, I don't think it is...
The tablet is simply for the couch, in bed and on the road, and the laptop for the table (the desktop cannot be carried). Therefore, I see no point in using the keyboard on the road. Well, when I come home or to work and sit down at my desk, I can connect the keyboard and it becomes a laptop.
I wanted to show that connecting a keyboard is not as ergonomic as it might seem, one writes faster and more accurately, but on the other hand, there is no trackpad or mouse available and one has to click on the display, which is vertical to the table and has a size of 10 inches , When I run full-fledged programs on it, I strongly doubt that it will be adapted to 100% for comfortable touch control (too small buttons, etc.)
You forget that it will not run Windows 7 but Windows 8 with Metro. So no small buttons and so on. Whether it is a tablet or a laptop, it will be controlled by touching the screen. Of course, you can connect a mouse or use a touchpad, but directly on the display is more intuitive and faster.
partially true, I admit that I haven't tried W8 yet, but I can't quite imagine that a developer should create an optimal interface for a 10-inch touch-controlled tablet and an external 20+ inch monitor. Maybe except for basic things like IE etc.
I've been testing it for some time now, it still has bugs, but it certainly has a future.
Basic things like IE are the majority.
However, when it comes to a developer or a graphic designer, he will use Aero, which in Windows 8 will be, or its modified and faster version. And it will use Photoshop or Visual Studio in it. And in time there will also be versions for the subway, because it is only a matter of time before someone comes up with a vision of how to effectively use such programs on touch screens. Just like we couldn't imagine some things on the iPad and they finally arrived and we use them today.
How do you know it doesn't have 3G? Microsoft has not yet provided further specifications. The final is still far away and since the 3G module is a small thing, I see no problem putting it there.
After a long time, a very high-quality article, I praise my own thoughts (added value). Keep it up!
While watching the presentation of the Surface, at first I couldn't believe my eyes, how Microsoft could come up with such an amazing tablet out of the blue. However, after the sentence "I can browse smoothly" I started rolling with laughter :D:D Whoever saw the presentation knows...
While watching the presentation of the Surface, at first I couldn't believe my eyes, how Microsoft could come up with such an amazing tablet out of the blue. However, after the sentence "I can browse smoothly" I started rolling with laughter :D:D Whoever saw the presentation knows...
Perfect article, I agree with the author about iOS6, it's a serious farce, the first update I'm not looking forward to at all, quite the opposite.
In addition, from the user's point of view, I get bad maps instead of great ones, so not only does it not add value, but on the contrary, it takes away.
In fact, if Apple goes with the iOS6 style, I will soon go elsewhere and I think I won't be alone.
Another thing is that skeuomorphism has been a major issue with Apple lately, it works in a jerky way and doesn't match the otherwise perfect hw.
For those who asked what to improve in iOS?
There is no need to dig through everything, it would be enough to be happy:
modernize the lock screen, the current look is to add a joke
Add gestures to the iPhone, improve the Notification Center, especially on the iPad. Allow 3rd parties to add their own list to the notification center. Hmmm. What kind of joke is that sub-list for Facebook and Twitter in notifications. Center? Who invented it? It would also be useful to have a quick menu with switches for wifi, etc.
On top of that... iOS 6.0 didn't really bring anything... Nothing worth installing it. The only reason will be that the applications will eventually only be on it. So, unfortunately, one will have to go to that place.
It's completely useless, 99% of the software on Win is not designed to be controlled by touch, you won't be able to do anything on it except look at the subway, in order to use it, you will have to turn on the keyboard and add a mouse and it won't feel like a tablet to me anymore but as a failed nootebok
It will be completely useless until all the developers sell their sw for touch control and I want to see how they get involved, it will be like windows phone
What good is a file manager to me if there are no usable applications on it, regardless of the fact that a lot of practical apps and most games for tablets are not for windows, maybe only angrybirds
But when iOS started, it was the same. However, developers have gradually converted a large number of applications from Mac OS to iOS. This is already happening at the Metro.
And what is the motivation? As in iOS, the ability to buy apps in the store. Let's say 50 cents for a simple program, but when we consider the potential for the future, it can be thousands to millions of profit.
I will add one more drawback, the keyboard will have practically no lift and 10 inches diagonally, so there is no question of comfortable typing...
I don't know if you haven't thought of it, but it will normally be possible to connect a mouse to the Surface via USB, which makes the Surface x86 usable even for the Win desktop.
nice item! I have an iMac at home, I had an ipod touch, but I got tired of iOs after a few years. The iPod felt like a child's toy with it, so I moved on to WP7. There are also some missing functions on this system, but otherwise it is a modern and fast axis!