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Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

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Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#51

Post by corporalagumbo »

FrojoS wrote: post #22

So how long until someone makes such a cover/touch-keyboard, with bluetooth, for the iPad?

They've tried. A lot. Newsflash: iOS is a touch-only OS born and bred, and trying to control it with a keyboard makes about as much sense as strapping tits on a bull. Sure, you can type away in an isolated text box and it's sorta alright, but beyond that you're looking at a severely hobbled experience - because that's what you get when you just inflate your apps 'n icons phone OS and toss a keyboard into the mix. Whereas Microsoft has developed their OS from the ground up to mix between different input styles and it shows.

Microsoft is simply leagues beyond Apple when it comes to really optimising for productivity. They -get- productivity - Apple doesn't.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#52

Post by corporalagumbo »

I like this review. It's genuinely quirky, and no bullshit.

Honestly despite all the quibbles (across all the reviews) I think this is a big win for MS. The praise for the fit and finish, the feeling of the kickstand, the click in of the covers, the covers themselves - it's astronomical. Words like 'meticulous' and 'remarkable' are massive praise here. This might be revision one, but sounds like it definitely holds its own against the iPad. MS has made a product that is extremely, extraordinarily confident. And that's the most important thing really - because they've lacked or seemed to lack confidence against Apple for a while, and it's been their biggest problem.

Gosh I'm excited. This only bodes well, for MS and for us. A reinvigorated MS will be an amazing thing to experience - it's time for an end to this boring iEverything monoculture! I personally cannot wait for Apple to get their smugness rubbed right back in their snotty faces.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#53

Post by ktizo »

How is this anything other than a rehash of the Asus Transformer line of tablets, with winRT added?

[edit] Off topic - Meh, just realised I've been hellbanninated. Oh well, I might be able to get more work done now.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#54

Post by timthorn »

nodata wrote: post #32
timthorn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed this is a real issue, but a professional buying a device personally is unlikely to care about those bits of the puzzle. Compared to the existing tablet market, Windows RT is significantly better in terms of enterprise integration.

How is it better? RT has zero AD support, Android apparently has lots of app options for centralised management.

It does support multiple user accounts (yes, not synced to AD, but better than Android and iOS) and FS encryption out of the box. MDM is baked into the platform; again, no Group Policy, but it can be managed through System Centre. It supports the concept of a mouse, it has USB, it can (I think) integrate with Sharepoint.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#55

Post by timthorn »

wlesieutre wrote: post #50
NZ_Matt wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything that I've read claims that the differences between Office 2013 and Office RT are negligible. The full desktop version is definitely included, it's the metro version that lacks features.

Windows RT doesn't have desktop apps, they'll only be supported in Windows 8 on x86/64 processors. ARM tablets like this version of Surface are Metro only.

This is wrong. You're unable to install desktop apps, but there are desktop apps bundled, including Office Home & Student.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#56

Post by timthorn »

seanx wrote: post #24
tvon wrote: post #4

> Yes, you can use it as your only computer. I would never have made that claim about an iPad or Android tablet. But if you only need to live in Microsoft Office and the web and e-mail, and use your computer for media consumption, you’ll do great with this. So an "only computer" requires Microsoft Office, everything else is negotiable.

For our CEO and GM, that's true. Add a citrix client and it could be an only computer for the rest of our staff except for me.

I believe it has an RDP client. If it does I'm buying one, if it doesn't I probably won't.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#58

Post by anonymfus »

timthorn wrote: post #56
seanx wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For our CEO and GM, that's true. Add a citrix client and it could be an only computer for the rest of our staff except for me.

I believe it has an RDP client. If it does I'm buying one, if it doesn't I probably won't.

http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/ru-RU/app/remote-desktop/05...

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#59

Post by jfb »

firefoxman1 wrote: post #16
joejohnson wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like it just works. And after "[struggling] mightily with typos and finger placement for the first 24 hours". Who's going to put up with that?

I'm wondering why you would want that touch keyboard in the first place. If their laptop-style keyboard is just as thin and it gives you tactile feedback, what's the reason for touch-only style?

The laptop keyboard is in no wise as thin as the touch keyboard.

Re: Wired's Review of the Microsoft Surface

#60

Post by [deleted] »

buro9 wrote: post #27
hnriot wrote: post #15

Wow, looks awesome and for business, the ability to use Microsoft office is the "killer app", as much as I dislike ppt and word and wheel they are the staples of most companies so the lack if office on iPad is hurting it for business users and this will be just what they are looking for. I am glad to see a new player (although msft are well experienced at touch computers) and excited to get my hands on one. They hit…

OneNote on Windows RT could be the killer app that makes me want one. I want a sketchpad, handwriting recognition, the ability to insert audio clips and videos and images, OCR for text in those images... in fact let me take a photo, paste it in and then extract the text in the photo... quick text tools with basic formatting... and all of this should be searchable, shareable, integrated. That's OneNote. On the desktop…

[deleted]
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