New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft • Hacker News Board

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#691

Post by unabst » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:32 PM UTC

scholia wrote: post #637

unabst wrote: post #576

Microsoft has been chasing Apple for a while now, but chasers never win, because they depend on whom they are chasing for instructions. They even hired the Apple store firm to do their stores. Now they are making notebooks at Apple's price points. What's ironic is Microsoft has often tried things first. They tried tablets and hybrid laptops and smartphones before Apple. They even tried flat design before Apple. They…

> by doing as Apple does, only later and weaker Seems to me that touch, pens, detachable screens and a full desktop operating system is Microsoft doing things ahead of Apple, and stronger. Putting the same base OS on laptops, tablets, convertibles, smartphones and games consoles is, arguably, ahead of Apple. Putting smartphone apps on Windows, Android and iOS is ahead of Apple. Running a world-class global cloud serv…

Windows 8 was not stronger. Microsoft Tablet PC was a modest attempt in 2002, but again, not stronger.

The issue with the Surface Book is how closely they intentionally align themselves with their biggest competitor. They are begging for a comparison. And I could have easily mistaken the page for a 2002 Tablet PC overview. Only the pictures are different. "Redefining the laptop" is hardly inspiring copy.

Which demo? Any great quotes?

FYI I have an iPhone like everyone else, but work on a PC. I'm not on either side.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#692

Post by Twirrim » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:32 PM UTC

sampo wrote: post #655

nogridbag wrote: post #481

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm relatively unfamiliar with ThinkPads and happened to be looking at them yesterday. Here's my problem with ThinkPads (as well as most other Windows laptop vendors): http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/?menu-id=laptops Which ThinkPad are you talking about? ThinkPad X, ThinkPad T, ThinkPad W, ThinkPad Yoga, ThinkPad E, ThinkPad L, or ThinkPad Helix, or ThinkPad 11E? Let's say we're talking about ThinkPad T.. Which…

> Let's say we're talking about ThinkPad T.. Which model? > T440p, T450, T450s, T540p, or T550? T450s. When looking for a competitor to Apple, go for the T-series, but also take a look at the X-series. T5XX has 15" screen and numpad in the keyboard, so unless you like numpad, forget those. 440 is the older series, before it there was 430 series, and presently 450 is the current line. "p" stands for "performance", bas…

> When looking for a competitor to Apple, go for the T-series, but also take a look at the X-series.

Sure. Joe Average has no clue about that though. Most of the main vendors suffer from the same proliferation of models. Look at Dell:

Latitude - For Business

Vostro - for Small Business (WTF? Why is this a different model from Latitude?)

Inspiron - For Home and Home Office (Seriously? Why isn't this satisfied by either of the other two models?)

Precision Workstations - For professional creators (that seems like a reasonable distinction, but then looking at the specs it's not really, it's just a slightly higher spec than other models)

XPS - For the Ultimate experience (Okay.. but what about Precision Workstation then? Why on earth does something called the Ultimate have worse spec than some of the other not-ultimate models?)

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#693

Post by ciupicri » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:32 PM UTC

Aldo_MX wrote: post #620

rimantas wrote: post #605

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not upgrading to any of your new closed hardware and OS's. I've missed the part whre Windows was announced open source. Can you give me a link?

> I've missed the part whre Windows was announced open source. Can you give me a link? Sure: http://blogs.msdn.com/windows/announcing-windows-10-open-sou...

> Group Not Found

> The requested Group cannot be found.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#694

Post by untog » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:33 PM UTC

cm2187 wrote: post #676

soapdog wrote: post #667

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use a surface and I have an ethernet to USB adapter, works pretty well.

But then you loose the USB port. But the main problem of USB adapters is that they don't like being unplugged and plugged back which happens quite frequently with a laptop. With a real port connectivity is pretty much instantaneous. I used USB adapters for a while on a MacBook pro and came to the conclusion that I will never ever buy a laptop without ethernet ports. What I wonder is why they don't come up with a mini…

> What I wonder is why they don't come up with a mini-ethernet port format?

I suspect that is part of the problem. The plug is just so big - though IMO Thunderbolt and USB adapters work OK. Realise not everyone thinks this way, though.

> But the main problem of USB adapters is that they don't like being unplugged and plugged back which happens quite frequently

? That's basically what they're designed for.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#695

Post by thachmai » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:34 PM UTC

mozumder wrote: post #640

scholia wrote: post #580

Earlier quoted context omitted.

None of the Surface Pro range has ever been either flimsy or plasticky. At the launch, Sinofsky put wheels on a Surface Pro and used it as a skateboard....

You ever use their keyboard?

The surface pro is NOT the same build quality as their cheap keyboard.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#696

Post by afro88 » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:34 PM UTC

s3nnyy wrote: post #31

In closed state, the surface book has a giant gap between screen and keyboard ( https://goo.gl/n5B7Te ). I think, it can easily happen that things in your backpack slip between screen and keyboard and damage the screen. That is why the old Thinkpads used to have a "click" mechanism.

Not sure why people are sticking up for this design. Even in a neoprene sleeve or backpack pouch it looks much easier to damage with downward force on the top or bottom than a normal laptop where the force would be distributed through the entire chassis. Bendgate 2.0?

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#697

Post by SwellJoe » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:34 PM UTC

I can't believe I'm seriously considering buying a Microsoft product. But, this is a really nice looking laptop, and I suspect does not fall prey to all of the bullshit that is so common on Windows laptops, even high end ones.

If it were possible to dual boot to Linux, I'd be sold. I have my doubts that it is, however. I guess one could use a VM...I've always found that clumsy in the past, particularly in terms of getting accelerated graphics drivers working, but maybe times have changed.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#698

Post by cm2187 » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:39 PM UTC

jaytagdamian wrote: post #690

cm2187 wrote: post #676

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But then you loose the USB port. But the main problem of USB adapters is that they don't like being unplugged and plugged back which happens quite frequently with a laptop. With a real port connectivity is pretty much instantaneous. I used USB adapters for a while on a MacBook pro and came to the conclusion that I will never ever buy a laptop without ethernet ports. What I wonder is why they don't come up with a mini…

Remember these? http://www.recycledgoods.com/media/extendware/ewimageopt/med... Never quite sure why the small connector didn't become the standard for laptops.

I think that was before my time. All it would take is a different plastic socket format. The top 10 laptop manufacturers could agree on a standard in a 10 minutes conference call.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#699

Post by jhasse » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:39 PM UTC

MatthiasP wrote: post #276

That's what the OEMs get for not being able to put out a laptop that could compete with Apple in all those years, they always managed to introduce some fatal flaw in their premium laptops, from weird keyboard layouts to bad fan management software. Let's hope the Surface Book will be succesful and Apple finally gets serious competition in the premium laptop market.

What's wrong with the lineup of ultrabooks? I've switched from a Macbook Air 11 to a Sony VAIO Pro 13 and couldn't be happier.

Re: New Windows 10 Devices From Microsoft

#700

Post by thachmai » Tue, Oct 06, 2015, 9:42 PM UTC

bluedino wrote: post #137

nullrouted wrote: post #3

I think the Surface Book is finally something that can give the MacBook Pro line a run for its money, this should be interesting.

Costs as much as a MacBook, and a Windows laptop that costs as much as a MacBook has never had the widespread adoption a MacBook does.

Never say never. I love my MBP but the Surface Note has me salivating. If it works well then I'll sell the MBP.

OneNote with pen is just amazing. Coupled with the detachable high quality screen, this thing is all I can dream off at the moment.