Apple WWDC vs Microsoft vs Google I/O

[Mopetar]

Search iPad keyboard cover to get a better idea of what I'm talking about. I don't own one myself and haven't done any research to determine if there are any that are similar to the approach used by Microsoft, but there are several that are nowhere near as bulky as that one in your example image.

Microsoft has certainly taken their own unique approach to the tablet, both in terms of hardware and software, but I'd hardly call it innovation in the sense that it's something groundbreaking or monumental.

 

[Eug]

Maybe. But it also looks like it's the first time its been done right. So whether or not that's innovation might be in question, but Windows hardware that goes this form factor is typically garbage.

Microsoft knows what it needs this time around.

Yet, MS wouldn't allow anyone to actually try it out. I suspect it will suck less than most existing ones, but then again that's not saying much.

 

[Bateluer]

Surface (in my opinion) is little more than a Microsoft branded tablet with a fancy keyboard cover.. Odds are that similar covers will be available for the iPad and Android tablets before Surface even ships.

Keyboard covers will almost certainly be available before the Surface ships, since MS laid their cards on the table without pricing or availability.

 

[ultimatebob]

Keyboard covers will almost certainly be available before the Surface ships, since MS laid their cards on the table without pricing or availability.

You don't think that teams of engineers in Taiwan and China aren't reverse engineering that keyboard cover design right now? I'll bet that they'll have several clones available for Android and Apple tablets before Windows 8 is out of beta.

 

[Mopetar]

You don't think that teams of engineers in Taiwan and China aren't reverse engineering that keyboard cover design right now? I'll bet that they'll have several clones available for Android and Apple tablets before Windows 8 is out of beta.

They would probably need one in their hands to actually know how it works, but they might be able to guess. Microsoft, or some other company, might have some patents on it as well, so no telling if that will be an issue.

 

[dagamer34]

You don't think that teams of engineers in Taiwan and China aren't reverse engineering that keyboard cover design right now? I'll bet that they'll have several clones available for Android and Apple tablets before Windows 8 is out of beta.

Unless you are building the hardware and software at the same time, a 3rd party attachment isn't going to get the same level of integration. Heck, find me a 3rd party iPad keyboard that works even 1/2 as well as the Transformer Prime! And that product was DESIGNED to have a keyboard. The Surface takes that concept (though it probably started on it first) to the next level by making it thinner, lighter, and something you will never want to leave at home, or even in your bag, but always on the device itself.

There's no way you can get a keyboard cover as thin as the Touch/Tap Cover while still supporting the tablet itself. That's why the kickstand is built-in.

 

[QueBert]

Unless you are building the hardware and software at the same time, a 3rd party attachment isn't going to get the same level of integration. Heck, find me a 3rd party iPad keyboard that works even 1/2 as well as the Transformer Prime! And that product was DESIGNED to have a keyboard. The Surface takes that concept (though it probably started on it first) to the next level by making it thinner, lighter, and something you will never want to leave at home, or even in your bag, but always on the device itself.

There's no way you can get a keyboard cover as thin as the Touch/Tap Cover while still supporting the tablet itself. That's why the kickstand is built-in.

3rd party stuff can be even better imho

http://clamcase.com/clamcase-ipad-2-keyboard-case-black.html I have seen this in real life and it was absolutely beautiful and worked so well you would think there's no way they're not a 1st party accessory.

 

[WelshBloke]

3rd party stuff can be even better imho

http://clamcase.com/clamcase-ipad-2-keyboard-case-black.html I have seen this in real life and it was absolutely beautiful and worked so well you would think there's no way they're not a 1st party accessory.

That's pretty fugly compared to the new Microsoft ones.

 

[MrX8503]

JB, surface and rMBP were the stand outs in their presentations. JB addresses a lot of performance issues. Nexus 7 is cool but it's just an ordinary cheap tablet. Still no tablet support from Google. Nexus Q is a fail at $300. Surface brings desktop to the tablet space, which could turn everything upside down. The rMBP will bring many innovations to the laptop market coming ahead. Powerful, thin, light, and retina, it's a laptop ahead of its time.

 

[Zargon]

About 5 years ago I bought a dell laptop with a 1600x1050 resolution. It looked fantastic in Windows Vista. Things have regressed in a big way since then - ever since 'HD' became a popular moniker, and they could get away with calling a display HD as long as it was at least 1280x720, that became the defacto standard laptop resolution. Terrible/

yeah I have a friend still using a centrino dual 17" laptop because its 19x12 and he literally cannot buy something reasonable to replace it due to his blind hate of 16:9

bu its pretty hard to find 1080p laptop half the time without spending huge cash

 

[Red Storm]

3rd party stuff can be even better imho

http://clamcase.com/clamcase-ipad-2-keyboard-case-black.html I have seen this in real life and it was absolutely beautiful and worked so well you would think there's no way they're not a 1st party accessory.

I had that case. What a letdown. Trying to type on a keyboard that's only as wide as an iPad is fail. I could honestly type faster on the virtual keyboard.

 

[Phokus]

Apple's event was boring, what was the point?... Microsoft showed some promise... Google's was groundbreaking.

 

[bigrash]

As an Apple fan, I agree that their event was a dud. Nothing impressive. I really was expecting a lot more from ios5. But maybe they'll reveal more stuff once they announce the next iphone.

Google's event was probably the best. I ordered the Nexus 7 right away.

 

[ultimatebob]

JB, surface and rMBP were the stand outs in their presentations. JB addresses a lot of performance issues. Nexus 7 is cool but it's just an ordinary cheap tablet. Still no tablet support from Google. Nexus Q is a fail at $300. Surface brings desktop to the tablet space, which could turn everything upside down. The rMBP will bring many innovations to the laptop market coming ahead. Powerful, thin, light, and retina, it's a laptop ahead of its time.

Nexus Q might find a niche if they can convince wealthy people that it's audiophile grade.

Remember, audiophiles will pay $200 for a speaker cable if they think that it sounds slightly better than generic cables... even if it doesn't.

 

[Eug]

Nexus Q might find a niche if they can convince wealthy people that it's audiophile grade.

They won't.

I get the impression that people from all niches and the mainstream are looking at this Q thing and are just collectively saying "WTF?!?".

 

[AstroManLuca]

They won't.

I get the impression that people from all niches and the mainstream are looking at this Q thing and are just collectively saying "WTF?!?".

Yeah. Too expensive for the average joe, not impressive enough for audiophiles.

 

[vshah]

JB, surface and rMBP were the stand outs in their presentations. JB addresses a lot of performance issues. Nexus 7 is cool but it's just an ordinary cheap tablet. Still no tablet support from Google. Nexus Q is a fail at $300. Surface brings desktop to the tablet space, which could turn everything upside down. The rMBP will bring many innovations to the laptop market coming ahead. Powerful, thin, light, and retina, it's a laptop ahead of its time.

what do you mean by "still no tablet support from google"

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

what do you mean by "still no tablet support from google"

still not enough apps perhaps?

 

[WelshBloke]

... The rMBP will bring many innovations to the laptop market coming ahead. Powerful, thin, light, and retina, it's a laptop ahead of its time.

It's a laptop with a high res screen, what innovations are we talking about here?

 

[Mopetar]

Apple's event was boring, what was the point?... Microsoft showed some promise... Google's was groundbreaking.

The only thing that could be considered groundbreaking was the glasses, which they've shown off before. Granted we didn't get a live demo previously, but they really didn't show off anything surprising.

 

[MrX8503]

what do you mean by "still no tablet support from google"

Apps are non existent on tablets and Google isn't pushing tablet development

It's a laptop with a high res screen, what innovations are we talking about here?

If you read Anandtech's review, its not just a high res screen. There's a big software side to make it work and it has no cover glass. The screen looks painted on.

It also has full fledged Ivy and Keplar into a form factor that's .76" thin while maintaining thermals. No other competitor is going to match this for a while.

 

[Super56K]

Best event of those three would have to be Microsoft. They've been almost non-existent in the mobile space so they drummed up a good amount of buzz.

Most drool worthy product is definitely the rMBP for me. Makes me extremely jelly to be using a low res, 16:9 Windows laptop. But, a MBA isn't even in my price range so I'll continue being jelly.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

If you read Anandtech's review, its not just a high res screen. There's a big software side to make it work and it has no cover glass. The screen looks painted on.

Dell already put out a laptop with an optically bonded gorilla glass display so that "painted on" look isn't special.

Google is pushing tablet development, most developers are simply to stupid to take advantage of the tools they are being offered.

 

[zerocool84]

Dell already put out a laptop with an optically bonded gorilla glass display so that "painted on" look isn't special.

Google is pushing tablet development, most developers are simply to stupid to take advantage of the tools they are being offered.

From what I read on Engadget, they aren't pushing app development on tablets. They want Android tablets to be a media consumption device it seems.

 

[vshah]

Apps are non existent on tablets and Google isn't pushing tablet development

the support is there. devs have had no incentive to create tablet apps. I'm hoping the nexus 7 will change that.