Microsoft reveals new Surface Tablets and Windows Phone 8

[Khaled]

Assalaamu alaykum

The higher end models look pretty impressive, considering Microsoft is not really known for its great designs

Surface Tablet



Windows Phone 8

[abu rashid]

Microsoft is really struggling to compete in the mobile space, and it shows. There's nothing really worth taking note of here.

The only reason they dominate the desktop is because they got people hooked into their ecosphere. In the mobile space they don't have that advantage, and so based on their own merits, and faced with decent competitors, they're losing big time.

[Khaled]

I think the fact that their new smartphone OS is running a full version of Windows 8 anld is fully integrated with PCs and the Surface tablet is a big advantage over the iPad. I also like the fact that restrictions will be nowhere near what iOS have. You can install all your favorite programs, like MS Office, Photoshop, and many others. Also, you can do C and C++ programming and use Flash. Along with the USB 3.0, Bluetooth, HDMI and microSD ports and that awesome keyboard and trackpad smart cover, Apple need to really impressive with the next iPhone. My biggest interest in the ablest is the integration with my PC but I admit I will need to eventually buy a MAC to play around with it a bit.

Should be interesting to see what the public prefer.

Oh and an i5 processor sure helps

[is@]

Microsoft announced 2 versions of Surface - an ARM based model running WindowsRT which won't allow you to run any x86 based apps, only windows metro approved apps which they have very little of at this stage. This model will have to be priced no more than an iPad or Android equivalent tablet. Given the strength of these two ecosystems why would anyone invest in an ARM based WindowsRT tablet that doesn't run standard windows apps?

The other version of Surface runs on x86 architecture and is similar to ultrabooks from a tech spec perspective. It will be priced to match. It's an interesting proposition though it's not really a new idea. Still, questions remain from a usability point of view for running desktop based apps such as photoshop on a 10 inch screen. It's a struggle to do that with a 13 inch laptop and trackpad.

The ARM model could confuse many traditional Windows users because they won't be able to run standard apps, whereas I can see corporate uses opting for the x86 model. Competition is good.

[abu rashid]

I think the fact that their new smartphone OS is running a full version of Windows 8 anld is fully integrated with PCs and the Surface tablet is a big advantage over the iPad. I also like the fact that restrictions will be nowhere near what iOS have. You can install all your favorite programs, like MS Office, Photoshop, and many others. Also, you can do C and C++ programming and use Flash. Along with the USB 3.0, Bluetooth, HDMI and microSD ports and that awesome keyboard and trackpad smart cover, Apple need to really impressive with the next iPhone. My biggest interest in the ablest is the integration with my PC but I admit I will need to eventually buy a MAC to play around with it a bit.

Should be interesting to see what the public prefer.

Oh and an i5 processor sure helps

Akhi, what exactly do you think the "advantage" is? What exactly is a "full version of windows"?

By this, I take it you think you'll just be able to download any Windows software and load it onto the tablet? Think again.

Tablets usually run on ARM processors. It's a completely different hardware architecture to the x86 processor in a desktop/laptop. I think this is what you really mean when you say "full version of windows" (ie. you mean Windows on x86, which most desktop software is compatible with). Your software will simply not run on them. Only software specially ported over to ARM, and compiled for the ARM architecture will work on them.

Without the huge catalogue of software support, Windows is no different to any other platform... except those platforms already have hundreds of thousands of apps available, which Windows on ARM doesn't.

So in reality, the only advantage to Windows (ie. its huge catalogue of software) is going to be lost. Microsoft has already lost the game it once won in the 80's, and ironically has largely lost it against the same company they beat in the 80's (ie. Apple).

[abu rashid]

Still, questions remain from a usability point of view for running desktop based apps such as photoshop on a 10 inch screen. It's a struggle to do that with a 13 inch laptop and trackpad.

Whilst it's obviously not the full Photoshop suite, Adobe have adapted many photoshop features to work on tablets.

Photoshop Touch for Android

[Amin]

The main benefit for enterprises is the MS Office compatibility. They haven't released the pricing yet.. should be interesting.

It will probably make a good laptop replacement.

[abu rashid]

The main benefit for enterprises is the MS Office compatibility. They haven't released the pricing yet.. should be interesting.

It will probably make a good laptop replacement.

That's about it. But the problem here is, if Microsoft doesn't start opening up its office suite, it's going to be left behind. The open document format is already gaining ground, hence Microsoft's inclusion of support for it.

Why would people wanna go forward with proprietary formats dominated by Microsoft? When they can use formats everyone can use?

[is@]

The Office suite is included for free in the ARM version of Surface, whereas the full desktop office suite will still have to be purchased separately for the x86 Surface.

5 - 10 years ago Microsoft Office was a must have for many, these days companies big and small and the education sector in particular are steadily migrating to google docs, box.net, Office365!, etc... not to mention a host of other web services like freshbooks, salesforce, wunderkit, and many others. Office is just not that big of a deal any more, the world has moved on and Microsoft is desperate to save it's main revenue earner.

[Newbee]

According to Micrososft, October 26th is the date Windows 8 will be generally available @ retail.



http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/81055