The Microsoft Surface Tablet thread.

[Subyman]

FWIW, desktop mode is only there because Office is not fully complete. I'd imagine they will remove the desktop feature once the full version of Office is released.

As for the right track, it really depends. Why compete directly with Apple? Why make a device that does exactly the same thing as an Android or iPad? I'm happy to see them try to make a tablet more functional, one that can possibly split the difference between a laptop and the consumption-only tablets we have today.

The future will be merging tablets and normal computers. MS is ahead of the curve with Windows 8. I'm sure we will see Apple slowly merging OSX and iOS in the future. It is a rough beginning, but I'm interested to see how the next few years turn out for Windows.

 

[dagamer34]

FWIW, desktop mode is only there because Office is not fully complete. I'd imagine they will remove the desktop feature once the full version of Office is released.

As for the right track, it really depends. Why compete directly with Apple? Why make a device that does exactly the same thing as an Android or iPad? I'm happy to see them try to make a tablet more functional, one that can possibly split the difference between a laptop and the consumption-only tablets we have today.

The future will be merging tablets and normal computers. MS is ahead of the curve with Windows 8. I'm sure we will see Apple slowly merging OSX and iOS in the future. It is a rough beginning, but I'm interested to see how the next few years turn out for Windows.

I'm sorry, but this has to be the stupidest line I've ever read on this forum...

 

[rockyct]

I'm sorry, but this has to be the stupidest line I've ever read on this forum...

Well, if Microsoft just made a tablet version of Windows Phone, it would fail pretty hard. At least by tying their tablet OS to their desktop OS, they have a chance to make a real play in the tablet space.

 

[MrX8503]

I think MS have misjudged what people want out of a tablet.

I just dont think most people want their tablet to be a crappy version of a laptop with a touchscreen.

I think MS are trying way too hard to cover too many bases at once and slightly missing the target on all of them.

I agree. That's what I've been saying from the beginning.

A tablet laptop, sounds great right?

It all sounds good in theory, but when executed, the resulting product is a piece of crap.

 

[WelshBloke]

I agree. That's what I've been saying from the beginning.

A tablet laptop, sounds great right?

It all sounds good in theory, but when executed, the resulting product is a piece of crap.

I used to argue that the new tablets (iPad and android tablets) were a step back in function to the old windows ones and that they should make them more like a laptop with a touchscreen.

I was completely wrong. That was very much not what the public wants, which can be seen by the massive success of ipads.

Want to do work on a mobile device with a keyboard? Get a laptop.

 

[Aganazer]

Want to do work on a mobile device with a keyboard? Get a laptop.

What can the iPad do that the Surface can't do? I'm having a hard time understanding why its wrong to add features that may not be used every day.

 

[WelshBloke]

What can the iPad do that the Surface can't do? I'm having a hard time understanding why its wrong to add features that may not be used every day.

Its not a case of the iPad doing more stuff, its a case of a laptop doing more stuff if you want to be productive.

 

[Dari]

My wife and I went to Best Buy to replace her dying laptop. She instantly hated Windows 8 and does not understand the point of a touchscreen on a laptop. She bought a MacBook Pro and had me install Windows 7 on it. Now she has the best of both worlds. Microsoft took a big gamble with Windows 8 they just lost someone who should be in their back pocket (she's a financial analyst).

 

[WelshBloke]

My wife and I went to Best Buy to replace her dying laptop. She instantly hated Windows 8 and does not understand the point of a touchscreen on a laptop. She bought a MacBook Pro and had me install Windows 7 on it. Now she has the best of both worlds. Microsoft took a big gamble with Windows 8 they just lost someone who should be in their back pocket (she's a financial analyst).

Well assuming that you paid for the copy of windows 7 Microsoft probability got more out of you than if you bought a windows 8 laptop.

 

[Dari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dari

My wife and I went to Best Buy to replace her dying laptop. She instantly hated Windows 8 and does not understand the point of a touchscreen on a laptop. She bought a MacBook Pro and had me install Windows 7 on it. Now she has the best of both worlds. Microsoft took a big gamble with Windows 8 they just lost someone who should be in their back pocket (she's a financial analyst).

Well assuming that you paid for the copy of windows 7 Microsoft probability got more out of you than if you bought a windows 8 laptop.

of course I didn't. But ME and its OEM partners are banking on new software and services. now Apple will get it instead.



Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

 

[WelshBloke]

of course I didn't. But ME and its OEM partners are banking on new software and services. now Apple will get it instead.



Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

So if you didn't pay for win7 why would you pay for win8?

If your using win7 then youre still using MS software and services.

And I don't see how it's a loss to MS if you pay Apple and Microsoft rather than Dell and Microsoft.

 

[Dari]

So if you didn't pay for win7 why would you pay for win8?

If your using win7 then youre still using MS software and services.

And I don't see how it's a loss to MS if you pay Apple and Microsoft rather than Dell and Microsoft.

MS has this thing called an App store not unlike the App store for OS X. Then they also have Windows Live services including Xbox games or whatever it's called. There are plenty of new services in Windows 8 that was not in Windows 7.

 

[BladeVenom]

There are plenty of new services in Windows 8 that was not in Windows 7.

How about the things that got left out, like a start button, Aero, desktop gadgets, classic theme, XP Mode, and DVD playback.

 

[dagamer34]

How about the things that got left out, like a start button, Aero, desktop gadgets, classic theme, XP Mode, and DVD playback.

1) Start button - this is not a "feature". It's an old construct that Microsoft has been fiddling with for years and it never really worked that well.
2) Aero - I found the transparency annoying and tacky. Always turned it off.
3) Desktop gadgets - never very popular, and start screen live tiles are far more useful.
4) Classic theme - again, not a feature.
5) XP Mode - Hyper-V is now included in Windows 8 and is far more powerful.
6) DVD playback - use VLC for crying out loud.

I mean, come on, Microsoft cannot keep every single feature it has ever included in Windows forever. That causes the bloated mess that makes a new version of Windows difficult to create.

No one is saying you must upgrade to Windows 8, I think it's silly to complain about every thing they removed.

 

[finbarqs]

The multi-tasking and the point of windows 8 being bi-polar makes it a difficult sale.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

The multi-tasking and the point of windows 8 being bi-polar makes it a difficult sale.

what is the issue with multitasking? it multitasks as well as win 7----right?

 

[cheezy321]

FWIW, desktop mode is only there because Office is not fully complete. I'd imagine they will remove the desktop feature once the full version of Office is released.

As for the right track, it really depends. Why compete directly with Apple? Why make a device that does exactly the same thing as an Android or iPad? I'm happy to see them try to make a tablet more functional, one that can possibly split the difference between a laptop and the consumption-only tablets we have today.

The future will be merging tablets and normal computers. MS is ahead of the curve with Windows 8. I'm sure we will see Apple slowly merging OSX and iOS in the future. It is a rough beginning, but I'm interested to see how the next few years turn out for Windows.

It is already happening in OSX. iMessages and notification systems are unified throughout iOS and OSX. Safari is working the same way as well. It is happening already.

 

[gus6464]

I really don't get all the W8 hate everywhere. It's a pretty damn good OS imo once you get used to the changes.

 

[BladeVenom]

I really don't get all the W8 hate everywhere. It's a pretty damn good OS imo once you get used to the changes.

The changes were pointless and stupid for a desktop.

 

[MrX8503]

I really don't get all the W8 hate everywhere. It's a pretty damn good OS imo once you get used to the changes.

I think it's great for Microsoft to be forward thinking, but I think the general public is going to have a real hard time with W8. There's hidden functions that make sense on a touch device, but doesn't make sense at all on a conventional computer.

 

[podspi]

The changes were pointless and stupid for a desktop.

Many (including myself) said about the same thing about the changes made in Windows 95. The changes were pointless and stupid for a 'work machine'.

I have since learned to embrace change, otherwise you will be left behind as the rest of the world changes. The reason for the UI changes is because Microsoft sees most computing devices becoming more consumer oriented, and make no mistake Metro is very consumer (both meanings) oriented.

I think it's great for Microsoft to be forward thinking, but I think the general public is going to have a real hard time with W8. There's hidden functions that make sense on a touch device, but doesn't make sense at all on a conventional computer.

It does take a bit getting used to, but unified settings and universal search make up the clunkiness (for me, anyway) of the off-screen controls.


I do agree with what some are saying about Windows 8 being bi-polar though. In Metro UI I feel very much like I'm on a tablet or smartphone, while in desktop mode I'm just using a computer. I am always worried that the app will stop doing whatever it is doing, for example, if I leave it.

This issue is compounded by the fact that sometimes when I leave an app I WANT it to be unloaded, when of course Windows doesn't seem to manage this as aggressively as my smartphone (for obvious reasons).

There are definitely some growing pains here, but overall (imho) it is an enjoyable experience and definitely a sign of things to come regardless of which OS vendor you prefer.

 

[buckshot24]

I think it's great for Microsoft to be forward thinking, but I think the general public is going to have a real hard time with W8. There's hidden functions that make sense on a touch device, but doesn't make sense at all on a conventional computer.

I just upgraded my work machine to 8 and I have to say most of the time I don't even notice a difference. I'm not the general public though.

 

[BladeVenom]

Many (including myself) said about the same thing about the changes made in Windows 95. The changes were pointless and stupid for a 'work machine'.

I have since learned to embrace change,

So do you use a Dvorak keyboard? Don't be left behind with an outdated keyboard interface. Embrace change. QWERTY is outdated.

 

[Skel]

The changes were pointless and stupid for a desktop.

I think that's the point. Microsoft is saying Windows is not just a desktop anymore. Right or wrong they're shifting direction. It may be a bit drastic for this generation. Of course with a lot of posters around here it wouldn't have matter what they did, they'd have found something to be pissy about.

 

[finbarqs]

The desktop is inferior to win 7 desktop, that's for certain. I can multi-task better on win 7, than win 8. Heck, I can have 5 windows open all simultaneously, and do 5 things at once. Windows 8 allows you to mount in 3rds, which means a maximum of 3 windows open simultaneously. And besides that, switching between apps was a breeze. Just click on the task bar where the app is, and access your app that you were once on. Sure, on the new method, you swipe from the left, then dock it and access the rest of your apps. But that's just that much more steps to do, especially when you wanna move between 2 specific apps. You don't wanna swipe the whole damn thing over again to get it again... it's just too much hassle. Microsoft should've listened to the public.