The Microsoft Surface Tablet thread.

[finbarqs]

5 hour battery life makes it worse than the lenovo yoga pad... Microsoft's really 'eating it' now... I can't help but to think they got what they deserved... Too much bad press... They think they can be the underdog tablet like what the ipad once was:

Everybody laughed at it. Everybody said would fail. Steve Ballmer even said that the ipad was comparable to Microsoft's 'Vista' product. But look at it now, it's the leading tablet device that can command $499 for a 16GB version.

Sorry Microsoft, you're just not apple. Too little, too late.

 

[KentState]

The Surface Pro sounds great for what I need. My laptop is too bulky to quickly take around the office or to meetings.

 

[MrX8503]

The Surface Pro sounds great for what I need. My laptop is too bulky to quickly take around the office or to meetings.

There's always an ultrabook.

 

[KentState]

There's always an ultrabook.

Why do I want an ultra book?

 

[MrX8503]

Why do I want an ultra book?

Because your laptop is too bulky?

 

[Aikouka]

I wish....It's a "3rd Gen Intel Core i5 Processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000
4GB RAM—Dual Channel Memory"

Darn Was hoping for Haswell. Intel is really dropping the ball. They should have worked with MS and gotten Haswell into the Surface Pro!!!

If I recall, Haswell isn't due out until the middle of next year, which is about 4-5 months after Surface Pro comes out. If Intel's power figures are correct, Haswell should definitely help a device like the Surface Pro given its designed for more efficient idling.

 

[KentState]

Because your laptop is too bulky?

An ultra book is too bulky with the keyboard. I want a tablet and my laptop, not my laptop and another laptop.

 

[MrX8503]

You could get a tablet and an ultra book.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

An ultra book is too bulky with the keyboard. I want a tablet and my laptop, not my laptop and another laptop.

i agree. i dont think people want laptops without keyboards (surface) or laptops that become tablets (flip screen ultrabooks). what people want is a laptop, an ipad and a cellphone.


you could tell surface was going to be a dud once they announced the price. nobody wants a clunky desktop os on an expensive tablet when they could get a laptop for $350. surface was never going to be able to compete with ipad

 

[MrX8503]

i agree. i dont think people want laptops without keyboards (surface) or laptops that become tablets (flip screen ultrabooks). what people want is a laptop, an ipad and a cellphone

That's what I have. A laptop, iPad, and iPhone. I'm tempted to go MBA, but I don't like not being able to upgrade the ram/ssd.

 

[quest55720]

You could get a tablet and an ultra book.

That would cost a lot more and be 2 devices instead of 1. People want to reduce the number of devices they have not increase them at work. If you move around during the work day it is quite the pain to lug around even an ultrabook they are bulky period. The surface is what I have always wished for in a device for work.

At home once INTEL gets to broadmore I could see being down to 2 devices cell phone and future surface thanks to display port at home ditch the desktop. That would be the dream IMO.

 

[Deeko]

Personally, I have no desire for a tablet-only 10" device. It just adds no utility for me. If I'm sitting on my couch, why would I use a tablet when my laptop is nearby and does the job just as well? I understand the draw to 7" devices - I take my Kindle Fire on the go all the time. However, to me, what I want is a device that can act like a tablet if I want it to, but also take the place of my laptop. Basically, something like the Surface Pro or the Lenovo Twist / Dell XPS 12. A standalone 10" tablet is useless to me.

 

[lkailburn]

Personally, I have no desire for a tablet-only 10" device. It just adds no utility for me. If I'm sitting on my couch, why would I use a tablet when my laptop is nearby and does the job just as well? I understand the draw to 7" devices - I take my Kindle Fire on the go all the time. However, to me, what I want is a device that can act like a tablet if I want it to, but also take the place of my laptop. Basically, something like the Surface Pro or the Lenovo Twist / Dell XPS 12. A standalone 10" tablet is useless to me.

Amen brother. A 10" tablet is a large toy. I'm in for the pro

 

[Ravynmagi]

What disappoints me about the Surface Pro is that it sucks as a tablet and a laptop.

At 2 pounds and have the battery like as ARM tablets, it's just not a good tablet. It's heavy and not something you'd probably want to hold long. It's very boxy looking, so doesn't look comfortable in the hand. I also worry about how warm it'll get.

Windows 8 tablet should like great laptop replacements (for those that only need light duty laptops). ASUS, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and just about everyone else gets it, a Windows 8 tablet needs a keyboard dock. Snap the tablet into it's keyboard dock an voila an instant Ultrabook. And you can use this laptop in you laptop. The Surface Pro with it's keyboard cover can't be used in your lap, you need a flat surface to prop this up on.

And Steve Ballmer, didn't you say the tablet sweet spot was $300 to $800? What is this $900 to $1,000 business? Did Acer's complaining finally get to Microsoft, so they raised the prices to the point their partners wouldn't complain anymore?

 

[Coca Cola]

nobody wants a clunky desktop os on an expensive tablet when they could get a laptop for $350.

People that haven't used windows 8 but read the comments of others that have used it for twenty minutes and put their hands up then say "I quit, going back to 7" among long time users have complained that they don't want a "tablet os" on their desktop. So now that this "tablet os" is installed on the surface pro, people don't want a "clunky desktop os" on a tablet?

The same can be said about the $500 ipad, get yourself that $350 laptop and a tablet. With the mini at 330, twenty dollars more and you can get yourself a $350 laptop.

 

[s44]

what Mac owners want is a laptop, an ipad and a cellphone

FYP

It's laptop sales that the iPad has been hammering.

However, to me, what I want is a device that can act like a tablet if I want it to, but also take the place of my laptop.

It will be ARM, not Intel. Shape doesn't make a tablet a tablet; passive cooling, battery life, and <2lb weight are essential.

 

[MrX8503]

That would cost a lot more and be 2 devices instead of 1. People want to reduce the number of devices they have not increase them at work.

Believe me if I could have one device that does it all, I would be all for it. If my toaster oven could cook/bake as well is my full size oven I would get rid of my oven.

The problem is that we don't have such a device that can fully replace a tablet and a laptop. Others can live with the compromise, but I can't. I'd rather carry two devices to do what I need rather than one.

People that are concerned with weight/bulk, why own a bulky laptop to begin with?

 

[Zink]

Small tablets at around 0.7 lbs add little bulk, less than many laptop power adapters. A Nexus 7 or iPad mini has the advantage in ergonomics, weight savings and battery life and is easy to carry around on its own or with a laptop.
Surface Pro with type cover and AC adapter is sitting at 3 lbs and $1000+. One alternative for the same user would be a $800 ultrabook at around 2.5 lbs and a $200 Nexus 7 providing the battery life to leave the power adapter at home and totaling around 3.2 lbs while offering a bigger screen or smaller screen depending on the need.

Maybe with Haswell this kind of product could become popular but as it is I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless they specifically need a high power touchscreen device or have tons of cash and don't need battery life.

 

[SKORPI0]

yes. Microsoft Surface Tablet is awesome with windows 8. Because im saying this I just received my Microsoft Surface Tablet free to test and review it. If you guys from USA you can also participate this web site HERE and get the Microsoft Surface Tablet for free to test it and review for there.

Really?

Post a picture with the MS Tablet and your username on a piece of paper and write "Yes ATOT this is my free MS Tablet". :whiste:

 

[dagamer34]

The first inteeation of any product is rough. Almost everyone said that the first iPad was too heavy and had too little RAM immediately as soon as it came out. But that doesn't mean it won't improve.

We know 10W Haswell parts are coming soon and I think it's just better for Microsoft to learn how to build a PC at all, learn to manage inventory and being primary customer support for PCs, etc. The MacBook Air was total crap when it was first released (too expensive, terrible cooling, too slow, small amount of storage) but look where it is now. We also ready know that Sharp is working on making thinner panels with IGZO technology that use only 25% of the power current chips do. Again, Intel is working on lower power chips and stringer requirements on motherboards. So it will most certainly get better. It's just that we want today's MacBook Air 4 years ago.

 

[rockyct]

I think the biggest issue right now is just the lack of apps, but since there are already 40 million Win8/WinRT copies sold it's just a matter of time before the apps come.

 

[dagamer34]

What disappoints me about the Surface Pro is that it sucks as a tablet and a laptop.

At 2 pounds and have the battery like as ARM tablets, it's just not a good tablet. It's heavy and not something you'd probably want to hold long. It's very boxy looking, so doesn't look comfortable in the hand. I also worry about how warm it'll get.

Windows 8 tablet should like great laptop replacements (for those that only need light duty laptops). ASUS, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and just about everyone else gets it, a Windows 8 tablet needs a keyboard dock. Snap the tablet into it's keyboard dock an voila an instant Ultrabook. And you can use this laptop in you laptop. The Surface Pro with it's keyboard cover can't be used in your lap, you need a flat surface to prop this up on.

And Steve Ballmer, didn't you say the tablet sweet spot was $300 to $800? What is this $900 to $1,000 business? Did Acer's complaining finally get to Microsoft, so they raised the prices to the point their partners wouldn't complain anymore?

Microsoft has always said that the Surface Pro would have Ultrabook pricing. Also, he was referring to Surface RT pricing in that interview, not Surface Pro. Lastly, the Surface Pro is an Ultrabook in a tablet form factor. You'd be hard pressed to find a comparable Ultrabook with the same specs and build quality at the same price.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Any word yet on if we would be able to replace the insane failure of an OS that ships on these devices with something better, even WindowsME?

Compared to a $699 64GB ipad that's limited to an ARM cpu and mobile apps?

The iPad at least has mobile apps that are usable. What does SurfacePro have going for it? Desktop x86 apps that we can try and run on a tablet? We've been seeing that done for over a decade now, it is *always* fail. Not borderline, not almost there, wtf were they thinking fail. I've been playing around with Windows tablets for ten years, desktop apps suck hard on them, SurfacePro does nothing to change that. Sadly, their obscenely poor mobile OS- getting throttled by RIM it is so bad, lacks the application support that an iPad or Android tablet has. In terms of truly usable applications on a tablet interface, a $70 Chinese knock off Android tablet looks a *lot* better then a $700 Surface Pro.

 

[MrX8503]

Desktop apps on a tablet would fail, because it already has. I think what MS is trying to do different this round is with Win8. The OS brings a desktop tablet hybrid experience. Unfortunately that experience is a bit wonky.

 

[lkailburn]

Any word yet on if we would be able to replace the insane failure of an OS that ships on these devices with something better, even WindowsME?



The iPad at least has mobile apps that are usable. What does SurfacePro have going for it? Desktop x86 apps that we can try and run on a tablet? We've been seeing that done for over a decade now, it is *always* fail. Not borderline, not almost there, wtf were they thinking fail. I've been playing around with Windows tablets for ten years, desktop apps suck hard on them, SurfacePro does nothing to change that. Sadly, their obscenely poor mobile OS- getting throttled by RIM it is so bad, lacks the application support that an iPad or Android tablet has. In terms of truly usable applications on a tablet interface, a $70 Chinese knock off Android tablet looks a *lot* better then a $700 Surface Pro.

Probably the dummest post I've read in this thread. Sorry