Microsoft Tablet - Surface - DPChallenge Forums

06/18/2012 08:58:12 PM · #3

The development videos for the surface have been floating up here and there for awhile, with them intending originally for it to more be a tool for businesses than private users. This was, mind you, long before the whole Ipad template craze exploded, so their direction has obviously changed a bit. Here's one of the original discussions, for instance. There were videos out there at one point, as well.

Good to see it finally come out though.

Message edited by author 2012-06-18 20:58:40.

06/18/2012 10:24:56 PM · #4

Very interesting. Competition is never a bad thing. Windows 8 has been getting general love and this seems like the natural extension for it.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/18/2012 10:58:20 PM · #5

Google just crapped the bed.

many people, myself included have been waiting for this, a viable ipad alternative.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

06/18/2012 11:10:37 PM · #6

I just hope they have a well-staffed "customer-surface" department ... ;-)

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

06/19/2012 10:08:03 AM · #7

Originally posted by GeneralE:

I just hope they have a well-staffed "customer-surface" department ... ;-)

You expect problems to surface after launch?

scarbrd

Leica M10

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

06/19/2012 11:33:23 AM · #8

Originally posted by JH:

Originally posted by GeneralE:
I just hope they have a well-staffed "customer-surface" department ... ;-)

You expect problems to surface after launch?

All the Zune and Kin customer support staff should be available. ;-)

06/19/2012 12:03:42 PM · #9

Originally posted by scarbrd:

All the Zune and Kin customer support staff should be available. ;-)

really, how many times do you need to rebrand your services, now everything is going to be xbox?

although i must admit this timing of this announcement was genius, apple has no new tech to show off, iOS 6 will be a so-so update and really failed to unveil anything new, and they preceded Google's announcement next week forcing them to defend there place in he market with an inferior and not as productive OS that will likely run on devices that cost the same as the surface. Plus with windows 8 announcement on Wednesday they are going to own the headlines this week.

I have been a Microsoft advocate for sometime and its about time they did something right in marketing, they have constantly come up with great products and done a terrible job at marketing them.

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

06/19/2012 12:27:27 PM · #10

Zune was just another player in a market of many players (not that it was bad). Kin? I'm not even sure what was up with that. But this does seem to offer something different. A laptop tablet. That seems like a game changer. We use iPads at work in the patient rooms, but they are neglected because we have to basically mirror our desktops on the iPad and it's an awkward workaround. If I could actually run the actual program? Whoa! That would be transformative.

Message edited by author 2012-06-19 12:27:52.

scarbrd

Leica M10

06/19/2012 01:37:06 PM · #11

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

The game changer here isn't that MS game out with a tablet OS, it's that MS came out with the tablet itself. The game it is changing is MS's relationship with the hardware vendors. MS made its fortune on providing software for the hardware manufactures. That relationship was predicated on MS not getting into the hardware game with the exception of mice and keyboards.

Now, MS is in head-to-head competition with their traditional hardware partners. MS 'warned' its partners that it was entering the hardware tablet space. When asked how they felt about the warning, Ballmer had 'no comment'.

MS is walking a fine marketing line between touting its new hardware while supporting its partners. For instance, Ballmer noted during his interview that most PCs sold next year will be from other companies, while also hedging that Microsoft could see significant sales of the Surface.

The end result could be that MS ends up being the only or one of the few vendors selling Windows 8 tablets, while the rest of the non-Apple tablet makers go to Android.

One the functionality front, I seriously doubt the 32GB base Surface tablet will run Photoshop and Lightroom. You'll have to get "pro" version in the 128GB configuration which they've already said will be priced like the ultrabook PCs. With the form factor of the Surface with the physical keyboard, the ultrabook looks like a better offering.

We'll see.

06/19/2012 02:16:21 PM · #12

I agree about the hardware being a game changer. Microsoft has usually had to play jack-of-all-trades and be supportive of eight zillion versions of things like a mouse from Nigeria or a video card from New Zealand. Now they control the hardware (which has worked out really, really well for Apple) on this particular device.

I think they have already said the smaller version doesn't run just anything so I bet you are right. No photoshop on the cheap one. Still, it would still be awkward to take an ultrabook into a patient room (for example) when I have nowhere to put it down. I like the idea of having a laptop when I want a laptop and a tablet when I want a tablet.

We'll see, though, when the rubber hits the road in December/January for the pro version. What's the battery life? How fast does it turn on and off if it's a full OS? etc. etc. etc. Lots of questions we don't have answers to.

kenskid

Nikon D700

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

06/19/2012 09:56:51 PM · #13

It will have to be priced right, light, powerful and good battery to compete....

Also...would you work with Photoshop with your fingers...stylus...nose hair? Should be interesting.

spiritualspatula

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

06/19/2012 11:02:23 PM · #14

Originally posted by kenskid:

It will have to be priced right, light, powerful and good battery to compete....

Also...would you work with Photoshop with your fingers...stylus...nose hair? Should be interesting.

Since I already use a tablet for editing, I could see fingers being quite adept at this. It's actually very nice to use a stylus, much better than a mouse, but does take some getting used to. I imagine fingers would be similar.

DCNUTTER

Canon EOS-7D

06/19/2012 11:08:35 PM · #15

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

Originally posted by kenskid:
It will have to be priced right, light, powerful and good battery to compete....

Also...would you work with Photoshop with your fingers...stylus...nose hair? Should be interesting.

Since I already use a tablet for editing, I could see fingers being quite adept at this. It's actually very nice to use a stylus, much better than a mouse, but does take some getting used to. I imagine fingers would be similar.

Not to mention the Surface Pro at least has a full size USB plug. Along with the full Windows 8 Pro version it will have you can easily plug a mouse or an Intous tablet into it if you'd like.

ETA: ..and of course the keyboard for all your shortcut keys etc.

Dave

Message edited by author 2012-06-19 23:09:33.

kenskid

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

06/19/2012 11:44:04 PM · #16

I wonder how that keypad thing will work...looks like a good idea. I'm thinking that this thing will be price about what the Macbook Air's are currently at. The surface pad seems more like a notebook without a hinge rather that a typical "pad".

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

06/20/2012 09:03:03 PM · #17

The Surface Pro with the Intel chip and Win 8 is the one that will run any Win 7 legacy program or any new Win 8 developed program, ie. Lightroom and / or Photoshop. The lower end Surface will only run apps developed for Win phone 8 and the tablets. I don't think they will have any problem pulling in customeers for the higher priced Surface Pro the real challenge is getting developers to up the app game for the lower end consumer tablet. The problem with Phone 8 is that you can not just port an app over from Android or iPad,they have to be completely rewritten.

08/14/2012 05:38:19 PM · #18

Whoa! Rumor has it the lite version of the Surface will sell for $199. That ought to make people wake up and take notice. It's an iPad with a Fire pricetag.

08/14/2012 05:41:18 PM · #19

Originally posted by jbsmithana:

Win phone already has lots of high profile apps, if there is a market, the developers will port the apps.

Dr.Confuser

Nikon D800

Sony SAL-1855 DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

08/15/2012 12:03:01 AM · #20

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Very interesting. Competition is never a bad thing. Windows 8 has been getting general love and this seems like the natural extension for it.

The CEO of Valve called Windows 8 a catastrophe. Maybe that's tough love. Valve is porting its 2500 or so games to Unix as an expensive hedge against Windows 8 meltdown.

Can anyone spell Windows 7 ME.

JamesDowning

Sony SLT-A33

08/15/2012 09:28:06 AM · #21

I have to be honest, when I saw the word "surface" I was expecting something bigger.

Something like the way Dow Corning sees the future: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

08/15/2012 10:07:50 AM · #22

Originally posted by Dr.Confuser:

Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Very interesting. Competition is never a bad thing. Windows 8 has been getting general love and this seems like the natural extension for it.

The CEO of Valve called Windows 8 a catastrophe. Maybe that's tough love. Valve is porting its 2500 or so games to Unix as an expensive hedge against Windows 8 meltdown.

Can anyone spell Windows 7 ME.

I read the article and I got the impression he was talking about the business model for Microsoft being a catastrophe more than Windows 8 being one. I presume that's why he's talking about margins.

As quoted:

â��We want to make it as easy as possible for the 2,500 games on Steam to run on Linux as well. Itâ��s a hedging strategy. I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. I think weâ��ll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. If thatâ��s true, then it will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality.â��