<p>Just reading about it makes me believe it will follow The Zune in its attempts to challenge Apple…When will a company come up with a product that will revolutionize a market Apple dominates rather then make a similar product at a similar price…</p>
<p>Hey, it has a USB port and I assume it can run Word! 
Awesome.</p>
<p>S1 works for Microsoft and isn’t putting his name in to buy one. We shall see…</p>
<p>Mr. B’s buddies who work for MSFT say it is really cool - but they are all over 35 for sure :). Maybe it got the older crowd excited, just like Toyota’s Scion.</p>
<p>The entire show points up the difference between MS and Apple: </p>
<p>Apple introduces a product, shows what it can do and then says, oh, it costs x and you can buy it now (or on some specific date in the near future). MS introduces a product by showing some of what it can do while leaving out perhaps the most important, doesn’t say what it costs and leaves an impression that maybe one of the models will ship sometime later in the year. Battery life? Price? When? Those are absolute key points in a product introduction of this type. It says to the tech market: we may be more expensive than the iPad and have shorter battery life. Why leave that kind of doubt floating out there?</p>
<p>I don’t get why they didn’t wait until they could say more.</p>
<p>Don’t take my word. Here is how bad it is: a whole bunch of tech investor analysts are saying MS needs to price like the Amazon Fire, meaning $199. That isn’t possible. Amazon takes a loss on each Fire and the thing is smaller and cheaper quality. They’re asking MS to take a few hundred dollars of loss on each piece. Not possible. (BTW, I don’t think they need to price at $199. I don’t know how it will do, etc. I’m just showing the reactions.)</p>
<p>I view it more like an ipad for the business world and who knows if this niche market is big enough. We’ll see. I love my ipad but it’s definitely more a reader/entertainment/travel device and I am not using it for any real work.</p>
<p>It’s going to be as successful as the Zune. As in not</p>
<p>Hope it doesn’t sink… below the surface… dive! dive! dive!.. The next version will be called the ReSurface.</p>
<p>I am old enough to remember the times where IBM took their eyes off the ball and allowed a small upstart company called Microsoft take over the PC “niche market” by the storm. Microsoft was so feared that they were sued by both DOJ and Europe for being a monopoly. Their glory days seem to fade with the emergence of the latest darlings Apple, Google and Facebook. Apple seems invincible right now but remember the days where Sony Walkman was the THING to own? And Japan was buying up real estate in America? </p>
<p>Every company has its heyday. I am actually more intrigued with what Google is up to nowadays. I wish I had the foresight to invest in them. But I made some money in IBM and Microsoft so my record is not so bad.</p>
<p>Apple is charging $85 for Windows RT (ARM version) and about $50 for Windows on Intel to OEMs. The Android tablets get their OS for free from Google. At Apple, software is used to sell hardware. At Microsoft, they want to sell you software first and hardware second.</p>
<p>I am wondering if Microsoft has lined up contract manufacturing services to build these things. If they have lined up mobile carriers to provide mobile service. If they have a bunch of Apps already ported to Windows 8 that will run on Day 1. If they have an App store for both Windows 8 RT and Windows 8 Intel. How fast can they build retail stores (they currently have 18 worldwide) so that people can play with these devices and buy them? Are the developer tools free and comfortable? Apps developers already grouse that they have to develop for iOS and Android (I believe that they have different languages and quite different development environments). I’m pretty sure that Microsoft will require Developer Studio for development - not sure which language they will require but that means that you need different code bases for three different platforms.</p>
<p>This should sell more MacBook Pros to developers. iOS development requires a Mac. Windows 8 development will require a Windows platform. I’m not sure which platform Android requires but it might run on all three as it appears to be Java-based. At any rate, the announcement does raise a lot of questions.</p>
<p>Microsoft definitely has some good ideas here - but they need to execute.</p>
<p>Agree, BC. Execution will be the key to their success. I already heard from some folks here that they would definitely take a serious look at the tablet. For example, some of them need a portable PC device that can crunch massive Excel spreadsheets and smoothly move data between different versions of the software (upgrades are not possible - the software is wedded to their instruments and the software that runs the instruments). If Surface can do such stuff, they will be delighted.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I am not sure whom those “tech investors” might be, but they are surely confused about this product. Had you said that the Surface needed to be priced like an iPad or a bit higher when competing with the slew of ultrabooks, I might have believed the point of the investors. I wonder if they even looked at the specs! </p>
<p>Comparing the Surface to the Amazon Fire is simply absurd. </p>
<p>As far as applauding Apple for its releases, that is almost comical. Yes, they do announce the specs and prices of a product, but a few days before launch. How long has it been since the new iPhone 5 has been “announced.” If there is one secretive company that believes in FYEO, it’s the one that houses all the geniuses in Cupertino. </p>
<p>People just love to praise Apple and criticize Microsoft. That has not changed since the day Apple was at the verge of disappearing and Microsoft was offering products that allow business to function and returning nice dividends to its owners.</p>
<p>I, for one, will look at this with wide open eyes. Upon returning from an overseas trip armed with an iPad only, I swore I would never be THAT naive and dumb again. The old option is to carry both a laptop and (perhaps) that darn iPad. At it stands, there are simply too many limitations to the iPad to be an all-around device for anyone WHO NEEDS to GET THINGS DONE. How does one respond when someone abroad says "Ok, here is that preso on a USB and it is several hundred megs? Email and download it at roaming charges? Or, let me show me our website. “Oops. He uses Flash” Or please, leave me the document, here is my stick! </p>
<p>Oh well, I have written enough about this in the past! ;)</p>
<p>The people I’ve checked with are coming around to the belief this isn’t a product whose market MS has defined clearly. They seem to be saying this is a way to keep your Windows installations going, but the ARM part muddies that. Putting aside file format issues, they seem to be betting that companies will spend on a tablet that costs more because it’s dressed up as “enterprise”. Will they? Why would they? I see people all over using iPads at work, from customer contacts to POS transactions. I just bought wine from a store that uses an iPad as its checkout: it emails receipts, connects to their inventory and accounting programs, allows me to sign with my finger, etc. I sat next to a guy who was doing sales call follow up. He connected to his company and used his keyboard to email quickly.</p>
<p>Btw, MS isn’t supporting flash either, at least in its phones so I assume in its tablet. Adobe has recognized that is fact and is concentrating on ways to convert flash so it will run on any device.</p>
<p>Intel did the heavy lifting on their Ultrabook program and they were successful in getting Sony, Asus, Acer, Vizio, etc. on-board to develop products. Dell and HP were notably slugs in this area. Microsoft has essentially developed an Ultrabook in their Surface Professional. Intel’s work validates Windows 8 as a tablet/desktop operating system.</p>
<p>On Intel processors.</p>
<p>You get legacy Windows software with a massive library and tablet functionality.</p>
<p>On Intel processors.</p>
<p>Microsoft did the ARM port; unfortunately the hardware vendors didn’t show up to participate. Microsoft didn’t do the work to get the hardware vendors on-board to use the ARM platform that Intel did on the Intel platform. Can you blame them? Why build a Windows ARM tablet? What is the motivation for that? There isn’t a huge software library out there for the platform so Microsoft will have to get their developers (partners) working on that and it’s going to take a year or two before you have the high-quality apps that you have on iOS and Android. I thought that iOS apps weren’t that good when the iPad came out and am pleased to say that things are a lot better now. I assume that Android had the same issues - it took some time to build a base of programs and get the quality up as developers got used to their development platform.</p>
<p>We don’t have iPads where I work. We use workstations - lots of typing and the need for multiple large screens.</p>
<p>]quote]The people I’ve checked with are coming around to the belief this isn’t a product whose market MS has defined clearly. They seem to be saying this is a way to keep your Windows installations going, but the ARM part muddies that. Putting aside file format issues, they seem to be betting that companies will spend on a tablet that costs more because it’s dressed up as “enterprise”. Will they? Why would they?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is an entirely different argument. The original statement was about Surface having to be priced at the level of a glorified and souped-up Kindle. There is nothing comparable between a Kindle Fire and what the Surface appears to be. </p>
<p>And again, there are plenty, plenty of reasons why any company worth its salt should consider a product that might rival with iPad. Of course, that might not be much of a case since the iPad is as useful in a corporate environment as a compass is to a travel agent. Also, anything that frees a user from the overbearing shackles of iTunes must be a good idea. </p>
<p>It also seem that there is a misconception about the iPad pricing. While there is an affordable version, as soon as you opt for the added features, you are getting awfully close to the ultrabook pricing. A good example of this is how the original iPad is developing plenty of connection errors due to their limited capabilities. </p>
<p>Inasmuch as there are people who will always look to support non-Microsoft products, I would always seek to find platforms that allow me to run the programs I use on a daily basis, and … those are almost all MS products. When it comes to leisure, I do not mind exploring the underworld of Linux or the “glamorous” offerings of Apple. Yet, in general, I rather avoid junk like Safari and other “goodies” that come on a MacBook.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>The iPad is useful in some work environments but not others. It isn’t
useful where I work.</p>
<p>You also don’t have to use iTunes to use your iPad anymore.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>The low-end Ultrabooks typically have hard disk drives or small
amounts of SSD or lower-quality flash memory (fewer write cycles).
The Windows OS is relatively big and may use up more of your flash
memory compared to iOS. You also aren’t getting the GPS and gyroscope
hardware in your typical ultrabook - mainly because you don’t need
those features.</p>
<p>The original iPad’s processor is pretty weak compared to the iPad 2.
Adding a second core makes a huge difference in performance - that’s
what technology improvements will get you.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Well, you can use Firefox. If you don’t like something about Firefox,
you can pull the source code, change it, build it and run it the way
you like to.</p>
<p>I spend most of my work time on Linux so using Mac OS X is more
natural than Windows.</p>
<p>We competed with Microsoft heavily in the 90s and they eventually
put a lot less effort into their product which I guess was kind of
like conceding. We respect them as a fierce and determined competitor.</p>
<p>I liked Conan O’Brian’s take on the Surface: "Today Microsoft announced their new tablet to compete with the iPad. The announcement: “You’re probably not going to buy this.”</p>
<p>I’m just trying to figure out what this thing is and what it means in the market. I don’t care about MS vs. Apple and all that crap. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are apparently mixed messages on pricing. MS has said it will be priced comparatively, but they’ve waffled on what they mean by that, as in comparative to the iPad or to ultra books. The former starts at $499, $399 for the older model. Ultra book prices have been higher, though they seem to be coming down. Intel has said they want to push them down below $700, but that’s for lesser models. The base Air is $999, which is a pretty good price point for the market given what is in the machine. Given the screen size, the talk about magnesium cases and the like, I assume they’re talking about a higher price point. I assume that in part because it’s tough to imagine someone being able to control the supply chain as well as Apple has and because other companies have been unable to beat Apple’s cost with their tablets.</p></li>
<li><p>One implication is this thing is supposed to be a replacement for another computer, meaning it may be an oar in the water for which way the market moves: toward tablets replacing laptops and desktops versus tablets working in conjunction with them. If it’s a replacement - with the stylus and keyboard cover - they have a big hill to climb because, among other things, access to the cloud isn’t that fast or reliable so few people are comfortable storing so much in it and accessing it only that way. If the idea is you buy a hard drive, well again maybe. </p></li>
<li><p>I’m not sure how MS partners will react. Intel is pushing ultra books. Windows licensees are now in competition in hardware with MS. </p></li>
<li><p>I’m not sure the idea really is, as I’ve read in some places, that MS wants to make a table on which you can “create content.” Most people don’t create content at work; they interact with systems like CRM. They interact with calendars and email and the like. They make spreadsheets and presentations but I don’t see right away how this tablet is better or even as good as a laptop or desktop for sophisticated work. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>We’ll see.</p>
<p>Any info as to price?</p>
<p>The Lumia is selling for $100 less than iPhone, but that doesn’t seem to be making a big difference in sales yet.</p>
<p>The “lite” version sounds like pricing will be competitive with iPad, the Intel version which will be released three months later and will run more applications will be priced like an ultra book.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[They’re</a> back!](<a href=“Homepage - Source”>Homepage - Source)
[Surface</a> Tablet Crashes During Microsoft Unveiling in Hollywood - The Informer](<a href=“http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/06/surface_tablet_microsoft_angeles_hollywood_crash.php]Surface”>http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/06/surface_tablet_microsoft_angeles_hollywood_crash.php)</p>