Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#691

Post by numo16 » Wed, Jun 20, 2012, 3:59 PM UTC

tmzt wrote: post #450

numo16 wrote: post #401

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In other words, see the Verizon Droid ads that pushed android into being a major competitor to iOS..Android didn't do it all by themselves; Verizon put together commercials that evoked emotional responses that brought in the people who wanted the phone that was a robot.

But how much did those adds sell android versus somebody walking into the Verizon store lookinga for a better phone. Can we separate the two as the occured nearly simultaneously?

People weren't really looking for a better phone at the time, though. Everyone knew you had to go to AT&T to get an iPhone, and if they didn't want to change carriers or shell out $$ for the iPhone, they were fine with the cheap feature phone. Cue the Droid advertising campaign, which let people know there was a smartphone on Verizon that did pretty much everything the iPhone did for a bit cheaper. That's pretty much how I saw it go down, but maybe I missed something and it was your average Verizon store rep that upsold it enough to make android a contender.

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#692

Post by ceol » Wed, Jun 20, 2012, 5:56 PM UTC

hackinthebochs wrote: post #671

ceol wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The technology discussion on reddit is almost always anti-Apple to the point where I would consider them obsessed. Coupled with the memes and jokes, there's just no comparison to HN discussion when new tech is announced.

Compared to the anti-MS sentiment thats oozing out of these comments?

The top comment is pro-MS.

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#693

Post by MaysonL » Wed, Jun 20, 2012, 9:54 PM UTC

tylermenezes wrote: post #485

I don't understand the "OMG MICROSOFT MADE A TABLET IT IS CLEARLY COPYING THE IPAD" reaction Microsoft's getting here. They're absolutely ahead of the curve with the blending of mobile and desktop operating systems, something which I am extremely happy they are doing, and this is absolutely the logical design choices someone in that position would make. Yes, it's very similar to the iPad in many ways. But other than…

OMG: Microsoft preannounced two competing products, with no indication of price, ship date, market availability, processor specs, RAM, etc, etc.

And the Internet goes crazy about it. An iPad-killer at last, hooray!

EDIT: And of course the real question: will it ship with Office included? Or will Office for it cost more than the device itself? And how much cannibalization of their own software revenues will MS accept?

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#694

Post by nosse » Thu, Jun 21, 2012, 7:57 AM UTC

ioanpopovici wrote: post #456

jimster01 wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because "Their own hardware" is still just the same crap that all the other manufacturers would have come up with, (and did come up with) for Microsoft to put their badge on. It's not a technological leap forward nor does it drastically alter the user interface paradigm. Worth seeing, Yes, but definitely not a top of the list worthy post.

I disagree with you, it is their customized hardware, I cant see them fitting standard computer components into a enclosure that thin. Almost everything is custom an for Microsoft it's a big technolohical leap because they've never done this before.

Before I read this I thought it was just some design and people going "WHOA" or "wtf" about it. But your comment made me understand. Sad that it's bottom of the list. There should have been something about the thickness consideration in the link description.

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#695

Post by romaniv » Fri, Jun 22, 2012, 5:30 PM UTC

Shorel wrote: post #688

romaniv wrote: post #576

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good point, but why label those as "attempts"? A decade ago PDAs were pretty good devices with decent amount of free apps and an interesting range of possibilities. (For one, they were extensible via cards. Something that's not available in today smartphones I know of.) You could read books, play games, use internet via WiFi, plus there was a lot of business applications for them. Heck, my old Asus MyPal has better b…

Pricing. Windows tablets used to be more expensive than laptops, and Apple tablets are significantly less expensive than laptops. Windows CE PDAs were also very expensive, about three or four times what a current smartphone costs. So the tech was there, but their pricing made the market very small.

If anything, prices went up.

Asus MyPal (a relatively high-end PDA) was around $400 when I bought it. That is cheaper than modern high-end phones and roughly equal to the prices of mid-level phones.

The laptop I'm writing this from costs around $400 dollars as well. This is the price of the cheapest iPad.

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#696

Post by NormM » Mon, Jul 02, 2012, 8:00 AM UTC

untog wrote: post #335

rst wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Desktop Windows does, but stock windows apps generally don't work well in tablet mode without adaptation. Metro (in the form of Windows Phone 7) is lagging. Windows 8 seems to be something like the two of them running on the same kernel, but unless there are apps on both "sides" that synergize well, the whole may be less than the sum of its parts.

The intel version at least will be able to run all apps- and the keyboard has a multitouch trackpad. UIs will need to change, for sure. But as long as it's possible to port large portions of the codebase of existing Windows apps (see the demo of Lightroom they showed), there should be a lot of options.

The RT version reminds me of the PC Junior, with its chiclet keyboard, and has no legacy apps. You're right about the Pro version, but it seems to me that's designed for people who need a laptop. Those people will buy a laptop.

Re: Microsoft Introduces New "Surface" Tablet

#697

Post by NormM » Mon, Jul 02, 2012, 8:05 AM UTC

greedo wrote: post #398

jasonkolb wrote: post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All they need is a good product at a lower price. iOS struggles at the tablet form factor. Great for phones, too limited for tablets. No, too limited to be the "main machine". Much of that is apple's fault for locking it down too far.

"too limited for tablets." mkay. I think the market disagrees with you a bit. And your strawman about being the "main machine" is contrary to Apple's goals. They would like nothing better than to sell you an iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

I think the market has spoken. The new mobile world is here. Android phone shipments have already passed Windows PC shipments worldwide, and iPhone will also pass Windows this year. If trends continue, iPad passes the PC next year. Most people don't need some other "main" machine.