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Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

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Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#41

Post by ChuckMcM »

I wasn't really surprised by this, I've got a Surface Book (ordered after the announcement) and so far have been very pleased with the hardware, and hoping the software can catch up. For me, to replace a paper book and paper notebook you have to have a great reading experience and a great drawing experience. For me, the Surface Pro 4 has both of those.

That said, I'll probably end up getting the tablet version to augment the Surface Book unless they can fix detach. Way too often I try to detach and it won't because something is unable to release, and when I'm in "clipboard" mode there are no ports on the clipboard. I can get around that partially by using the dock which has ports but I'd really like a USB-C port and a micro-SD card slot on the display half.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#42

Post by ommunist »

even if they'll give Surfaces for free, and pay people to use it, I am afraid, more and more people will use Android and iOS. It is simply too late for MS to "own the desktop". IN december I 've seen first time in my GA account that hits from Android users prevailed over MS OS, iOS being on the 3rd place.

UPD: since its mostly dull corporate websites, I think I am correct.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#43

Post by nextos »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #41

I wasn't really surprised by this, I've got a Surface Book (ordered after the announcement) and so far have been very pleased with the hardware, and hoping the software can catch up. For me, to replace a paper book and paper notebook you have to have a great reading experience and a great drawing experience. For me, the Surface Pro 4 has both of those. That said, I'll probably end up getting the tablet version to aug…

It's really excellent harware. But sadly it's not very usable in Linux yet [1]. I'd love to use a fanless Surface with a tiling window manager as my daily driver.

But it comes nowhere close to my MBA 2012 (used by Linus for sometime) in terms of Linux compatibility. Almost perfect with a stock kernel except for really minor problems (no battery ACPI ticks when it discharges).

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#44

Post by wlesieutre »

ArnoldP wrote: post #27
gelasio wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are actually multiple lap modes that both work great. 1) Like a regular laptop. 2) Fold the keyboard back and open the stand so it makes a right angle. Place the right angle so that the keyboard is parallel with your stomach and the Surface is perpendicular. Now the Surface is floating above your lap near the bottom of your chest where it's easy to read and write on. 3) Completely remove the keyboard. I feel so…

Admittedly I haven't used one aside from once briefly in a store, but seeing people balance them on their laps using the keyboard just looks awkward. Like they are top heavy? Or just too small for that purpose, necessitating one to keep their knees close together.

Works fine for me, but I can imagine issues for people with short legs. If the kickstand needs to be out past the end of your knees you're going to have a problem.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#45

Post by UnoriginalGuy »

guelo wrote: post #32
devsquid wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like all the people responding to you here have never actually used one on their laps. Particularly not to type for very long. It really doesn't work well for that. Honestly I think the product is pretty poorly designed, its just marketed well. Thats why the product hasn't turned much of a profit. Microsoft spent 400 million alone for the NFL to use them. Now with all the problems surfacing(kek) they don't app…

Surface Pro 3 lapability test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvNSVjI02wI Looks fine.

I own the SP3, and that video is accurate.

But I disagree that the SP3 works well on lap in laptop "mode." The keyboard is so close to the crotch that he can barely get his hands in to type, and it doesn't seem workable medium to long term, I have exactly the same experience.

I never use the SP3 on my legs with the keyboard cover, only as a tablet + on-screen keyboard. However the keyboard cover works great on a bed, tablet top, or even floor.

PS - The Windows on-screen keyboard is garbage. Still no swipe/gesture-entry support even all these years later. It is as bad as Apple's default keyboard (REALLY bad).

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#46

Post by ChuckMcM »

nextos wrote: post #43
ChuckMcM wrote: post #41

I wasn't really surprised by this, I've got a Surface Book (ordered after the announcement) and so far have been very pleased with the hardware, and hoping the software can catch up. For me, to replace a paper book and paper notebook you have to have a great reading experience and a great drawing experience. For me, the Surface Pro 4 has both of those. That said, I'll probably end up getting the tablet version to aug…

It's really excellent harware. But sadly it's not very usable in Linux yet [1]. I'd love to use a fanless Surface with a tiling window manager as my daily driver. But it comes nowhere close to my MBA 2012 (used by Linus for sometime) in terms of Linux compatibility. Almost perfect with a stock kernel except for really minor problems (no battery ACPI ticks when it discharges). [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux

Linux support is, as you say, non-existent. That might be better with the new Dell Skylake laptops. That said, I've never found a pen-aware Linux sketching program that had any utility and I don't have the time to write one.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#47

Post by umeshunni »

mythz wrote: post #11

iPad: 7.1B - doomed category Surface Pro/Books: 1.35B - super impressive, categories of the future!

Assuming an ASP of $800 for Surface, approx 1.7m units.

I think the reality is that Microsoft is essentially gaining market share as an OEM at the cost of its former Windows PC OEMs like Dell, HP etc.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#48

Post by pwnna »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #46
nextos wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's really excellent harware. But sadly it's not very usable in Linux yet [1]. I'd love to use a fanless Surface with a tiling window manager as my daily driver. But it comes nowhere close to my MBA 2012 (used by Linus for sometime) in terms of Linux compatibility. Almost perfect with a stock kernel except for really minor problems (no battery ACPI ticks when it discharges). [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux

Linux support is, as you say, non-existent. That might be better with the new Dell Skylake laptops. That said, I've never found a pen-aware Linux sketching program that had any utility and I don't have the time to write one.

Sketching or note taking? Xournal is a pretty good note taking software and I've been using it for several years at this point.

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#49

Post by Eric_WVGG »

arrty88 wrote: post #31

I used a surface pro 3 for a couple weeks before ultimately returning it. Windows as a dev platform couldn't cut it for me, and the ubuntu VM in Virtualbox did not survive multiple sleep cycles one puts the surface through during normal use. The thing i did love about the surface is that the processor is not sitting on my lap, where as the macbook air/pro burns my legs all day long. I would love for apple to make a v…

hey I’m not trying to troll you or anything, sincere question: Exactly how do you work? On a sofa? Airplanes?

(irony zone, shortly after posting this, I realized that I’m typing from a lounge chair with my laptop squarely on my legs… but this is an unusual circumstance for me)

Re: Microsoft pulls in $1.35B in revenue for Surface line

#50

Post by nextos »

pwnna wrote: post #48
ChuckMcM wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux support is, as you say, non-existent. That might be better with the new Dell Skylake laptops. That said, I've never found a pen-aware Linux sketching program that had any utility and I don't have the time to write one.

Sketching or note taking? Xournal is a pretty good note taking software and I've been using it for several years at this point.

Yep, xournal was the one I had in mind.

For the remaining stuff I'm completely keyboard-driven. Yet I prefer Surfaces to regular laptops. This is for ergonomic reasons.

I find it easy to place them split from the keyboard, which makes a great mini desktop. Also I can hold them as a tablet if I'm reading or surfing casually.

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