Does anyone else not care about Microsoft surface tablet?

[Knife Party]

I think MS is naive to think this will sell well. Its massively overpriced. Tablets such as the iPad for example are doing well because of a few things, it provides core apps which are nicely polished that customers can use easily without hassle, they are largely feature complete. W8 won't have any of that, users will have to go through the hassle of getting feature complete apps from 3rd party vendors, which isn't how it should be. Metro apps are right now a joke functionality and polish wise compared to iOS apps provided as its core..... Turn it on, and get going with the most needed essentials, something which metro still needs to mature at. Also what the worth of this? You can easily go pick up a netbook, with good hardware that will run W8 as fast as needed no problem, at a fraction of the price and probably pack more of punch functionality and hardware wise, so now I ask, how does this make sense from the perspective of you're wallet? It doesn't. Not very thought out....as usual.

[FATILA]

What? Where did you hear this? None of this has been detailed yet, also, Windows RT has PLENTY of apps. Price hasn't been detailed either.

It is common sense, RT is a totally new environment. Did webos/bada/android/meego etc have hundreds of thousands of apps on launch? Even if it uses same apps from windows phone marketplace they are not tablet optimised and still not exactly mature anyway. And they have pretty much confirmed price, they said pro would be competitive with similar spec ultrabooks and we have a rumour which sounds on the dot for pro:

http://easternmorningherald.com/microsoft-surface-price-rumors-and-oem-reactions-hit-the-web/129280/

Of course if RT is $200 less than that it would be a different story. Still weak specs though.

[f0rk_b0mb]

Well, because - comparing with surface pro...

1. Most other tablets have ****ty build quality.

2. Most are underpowered (even iPad considering this one has a ivy bridge processor)

3. Most of the keypads available are not 3mm thin and are bulky.

4. Most do not have USB ports. The pro version has USB 3. This is a big advantage.

5. This has a full fledged Windows 8 pro OS loaded. Can do almost anything that can be dne on a desktop.

6. Working would be a lot easier considering the keypad. Typing on touch screen is horrible compared to a keyboard.

Yeah, but can it play Crysis? :rofl:

[FATILA]

Yeah, but can it play Crysis? :rofl:

If using the hd4000 it can sure, the 3000 could.

[+pmrd Subscriber²]

Does anyone else not care that you don't care about the surface?

[dezebo]

It's not a laptop replacement because you can't just put it on your lap, or any other non-solid/non-flat surface for that matter. I can pick up my laptop and just more or less plunk it down on the kitchen counter, this thing I'd have to set up carefully.

The keyboard thingie looks nice, and it'd probably help use it more productively if set up on a desk. But, it's never going to be as good as a proper keyboard with feedback. Plus, won't you probably have a laptop or computer at that desk anyway? Tablets are better suited for when seated on the couch/crapped/in the park, where you won't be able to use that keyboard anyway.

So what's left is just Microsoft's go at a normal tablet. I'd like to see that, but I'm not likely to buy it anytime soon. :)

[engii]

I don't know, depends on how you look at things. Would it fit into my lifestyle/needs? No, as I am dug into the Apple ecosystem and have my iPad for my tablet needs. But as a tech head and someone who likes to see progression, I think Surface is great for what it is. Now, I haven't played with Windows 8 yet (I have 8 days off coming up and will give it a go) and the OS on these types of devices will make or break the hardware, in my opinion; moreso than desktops and even laptops.

I still feel like Microsoft is a reactionary company when it comes to mobile devices (Zune, tablet, phone) and it would be nice to see them take bigger risks...but that just isn't in the makeup of the company.

reactionary company lol...fit into your lifestyle/needs.....no of course if your reading blogs all day, watching youtube and generally not doing any work i.e. being rather leisurely about the use of your tablet, then yeh i can see how it "doesnt fit into my needs/ lifestyle"....of course if you happen to need a tablet to lets say access outlook from home or login to a corporate network or to support bitlocker type encryption cause your IT manager wont allow you to use toys that fit people's lifestyle need in a work environment, then maybe MS has something youy might be looking for :)...leyts say you want to edit an actualy office document and upload that to sharepoint so you dont have to stay late at work or something along those lines...

As you quite righgtly pointed out, the OS will make or break the hardware....Surface by the way is, im sure youll have to agree, a totally new benchmark in what you call hardweare in terms of what it comes with, how its made and its supposed price point..

Why dont you consider running the iOS app you bought on your mac book or other mac product and tell me how thats working out for you?? Or, i know, lets try and put something on a usb key and, you know, open it on your Ipad (which has had i dont know how many revisons both hardware and software wise)...or install an sd chip to expand the HUGE storage you have on the device...

Reactionary company??? dude they have like 1.3 billion OS install base around the planet...they support that with phone support and updates like daily and they they actually build REAL products like servers, databases and complete platforms that allow actual business to run...xbox 360, possibly, you heard of it but i suppose your a PS fan....

MS has had tablets on the planet for over 10 years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tablet_computers#Microsoft_Tablet_PC), actually they had them right about the time they bailed Apple out bankruptcy (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-comeback-story-2010-10?op=1), they just didnt have the OS to give it the experience your happy with on the iPad....they tried to put a REAL OS on the device ass they did with the Smartphones they had also over 10 years ago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile and i quote Pocket PC 2000, originally codenamed "Rapier",^[12] was released on April 19, 2000, and was based on Windows CE 3.0) and use handwriting etc but never worked out for them...also they dont really make their own hardware they rely on lazy OEMs to innovate.

ok so basically dude u need to read a little more than a couple of blog entries and some comments to form an oppinion...keep putting your money into Apple's hands, a marketing company that uses technology to sell...MS has taken this long to develop the concpet of the 3 screens and a cloud without compromising itself on the total offering it makes when it intrudces the platform (think servers, cloud, dev tools, support, documentation etc)...

let the flaming begin!!

[Miuku.]

Reactionary company??? dude they have like 1.3 billion OS install base around the planet...they support that with phone support and updates like daily and they they actually build REAL products like servers, databases and complete platforms that allow actual business to run...xbox 360, possibly, you heard of it but i suppose your a PS fan....

They failed to capitalize on mp3 players, phones, tablets and a lot of other things - let's not forget, Microsoft thought TCP/IP was a fluke ;-)

[greenwizard88]

By saying the iPad is under powered your saying it fails at a task it should be able to do?

I've not hit a single bottleneck with my iPad(3rd)..therefore, it has enough power to do what it needs to do.. not everything is about numbers, it's about being able to handle what you can possibly throw at it, which the ipad does very well.. why over spec something when it's not needed?

Also, the pro version can barely be compared to a tablet, it's almost just a laptop.

I think you're looking at it with a huge selection bias. The apps that the iPad can handle, are the apps that are in the app store. You won't find an app in the app store that the new iPad can't run.

That doesn't mean that the iPad has the power of a 3rd generation Core i7, it just means that Apple screens app submissions so that only apps that are capable of running on the new ipad, can make it into the app store.

[The Teej]

Yeah, but can it play Crysis? :rofl:

Actually yes, yes it could! :p

[PGHammer]

Personally, I love the idea of the surface. One of my issues is that I do not like spreading my usage across devices. I got annoyed at having a 10" netbook and a 15" laptop so I bought a 13" Macbook Pro. I am getting annoyed at having a 10" tablet and a 13" laptop, so I am very much tempted to get a 10" tablet that I can convert into pretty much a full laptop (which is the case with the Surface Pro). I have been tempted by android transformers over the last year, but always been put off because android is not a proper desktop OS. Windows 8 solves that.

Exactly. As good as the Transformer Prime is (when my cousin visited, I got brief hands-on time with hers, which included the optional keyboard dock, but is still running the base Honeycomb; she has the TF-201), the fact that it's *not* running WindowsRT is a great big minus.

In addition to the Surface Pro, there are also the Ultrabook-based group of "TransformerPrime clones" - the feature base of the Transformer Prime, but with Intel (usually i5) Inside, and running Windows (7 now, and 8 later) - Fujitsu's Lifebooks, Lenovo's ThinkPad xt220, etc.

I think that a LOT of the critics of the Surface Pro (and even the original Surface) are thinking that it literally is all about the money - which doesn't explain the success of the iPad at all.

[The King of GnG]

The Surface tablet interests me like any other kind of tablet does and will ever do: I fukton of absolute nothing :-D

[Guest]

Someone went out of their way to start a thread about something that they don't care about? How ironic.

[44MLX]

As long as my iPad 3 works I don't care!

[simplezz]

Asus' Transformer is actually better if you want a proper keyboard.

But to answer the title question - No, I don't really care for it for a few reasons:

1. It's Windows 8/Metro/Startscreen.

2. It's going to be expensive. especially the pro x86 version, which will likely be around $1k.

3. There are virtually no metro apps.

4. It's currently vapourware. I believe it really exists when they can produce it in bulk. I've heard they've already had production problems.

[simplezz]

Someone went out of their way to start a thread about something that they don't care about? How ironic.

I think he's just sick of all the hype for a vapourware product as am I.

[Guest]

The Asus' Transformer is actually better if you want a proper keyboard.

But to answer the title question - No, I don't really care for it for a few reasons:

1. It's Windows 8/Metro/Startscreen.

2. It's going to be expensive. especially the pro x86 version, which will likely be around $1k.

3. There are virtually no metro apps.

4. It's currently vapourware. I believe it really exists when they can produce it in bulk. I've heard they've already had production problems.

1. Which is just as well because most people state that they either love the idea or have tried metro on a touch computer and it's great

2. Pure speculation

3. Yet

4. Most new hardware comes with production problems, it will either be out when expected or not much longer after. Admittedly this is also speculation but it's unlikely to be released in longer than 6 months due to the existing announcement of the product. Courier was vaporware, this is a product which will be released.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I think he's just sick of all the hype for a vapourware product as am I.

It's not vapourware. And most of the hype is from the community, not Microsoft.

[rfirth]

If you not care about it, why do you open a topic about it? :|

Someone went out of their way to start a thread about something that they don't care about? How ironic.

I know, right? I don't care about the iPad, iPhone, or Android devices, and I don't go around making threads about them. Personally, I even try to avoid reading those threads.

I think MS is naive to think this will sell well. Its massively overpriced.

I stopped reading here. If you're criticizing the price of Surface and Surface Pro (at this point!), you obviously have nothing really of value to say. Come back when prices have been announced and you aren't making stuff up.

I mean, Microsoft doesn't even need the Surface to sell well. That would hurt their hardware partners. It could fail, and as long as their OEM partners sell boatloads of Windows 8 devices, Microsoft will still win. And with the avalanche of Windows 8 tablets coming in the fall, expect a whole range of options and prices. A price war would drive down prices.

[Guest]

Regardless of what hardware sells well, Microsoft will do well as long as Windows 8 gets into the hands of as many people as possible with revenue through their App Store (Market place or whatever it's called?).

[Knife Party]

I know, right? I don't care about the iPad, iPhone, or Android devices, and I don't go around making threads about them. Personally, I even try to avoid reading those threads.

I stopped reading here. If you're criticizing the price of Surface and Surface Pro (at this point!), you obviously have nothing really of value to say. Come back when prices have been announced and you aren't making stuff up.

I mean, Microsoft doesn't even need the Surface to sell well. That would hurt their hardware partners. It could fail, and as long as their OEM partners sell boatloads of Windows 8 devices, Microsoft will still win. And with the avalanche of Windows 8 tablets coming in the fall, expect a whole range of options and prices. A price war would drive down prices.

why? Who cares if you continue reading? My post sorry should be modified to be phrased on future projections of the price and market target with the device. My argument was also based on the lack of metro functionality, especially in apps compared to native ones found on iOS as an example. It will be interesting to see how the market and people receive the surface, especially against other prices and competitors.

[Scorbing]

It's just one of the first Windows RT tablets, the first of many, from many different companies. I don't see anything special that differentiates it from the Windows RT tablets that other OEMs will product.

When it is compared to the iPad, there is such a fuss that it has a "keyboard" integrated into it's case. Well guess what, just look online and you will find millions of different keyboard cases for iPad and Android. There is nothing special going on here.

It seems that Microsoft have attached a lot of hype to a product they have been working on called "Surface", which the name over to this (which is not the same "Surface" product they have been hyping) and then the tech sites seem to be getting their panties in a bunch over it when really it is just another product that isn't more special than anything else. If this was the real "Microsoft Surface" they have been working on for years that may be different, but this is just another tablet.

Give the MS product a chance. Who knows, maybe it will be a success, then again it may not be. We shall see. It will all depend on the price tag. If they really want to compete with Apple and Android tablets, the price must be right. If it is not, it will definitely fail.

[Hardcore Til I Die]

Nah, iPad is good for me.

[Daedroth]

I don't much care about it, nor about any other tablet or smart phone. Maybe I would if I could afford them, but at the moment I simply cannot justify spending such an amount on a device like that, which I have no requirement for and therefore won't be used as much.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a tablet or smart phone, but I'm certainly not paying, stealing or getting dodgy stolen/knock-off ones.

[derkim]

At the moment I don't care Tablets in all. They are no gain in my life yet.