Below the Surface

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crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

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#104897 22-Jun-2012 10:54

This is just one of those 'What do you think?' threads, just for fun.

OK, so we have all seen the photos of the new MS Surface device. To be honest I think I might be one of the few people who isn't impressed. Not so much by the specs which seem reasonable or the Windows cross platform support which seems really good but the form factor.

My thinking is a follows, a tablet is a device which you hold and view or hold with one hand and operate with the other, it is mainly for content consumption as it goes with this Surface seems fine. The way they have added a keyboard and stand, however, means that if you want to use it as for typing or laptopish tasks you need a desk or table to put it on and you can't pick it up without easily as you would do with a conventional laptop. This would be all well and good except you can't use it type out an email on bed or on the couch easily, you also couldn't prop it on your knees to use the keyboard. To me this really limits the appeal as it limits how I can use the device.

My hope is the new Asus Transformer, TF300t, gets a Win8RT edition when Win8 is released as this would be my tablet of choice. As an added bonus you get the extra battery life.

Mind you I wonder what Nokia have up the sleeve, eh?

What do you think of Surface or possible Win8 tablets?

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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#644608 22-Jun-2012 11:01

crackrdbycracku: The way they have added a keyboard and stand, however, means that if you want to use it as for typing or laptopish tasks you need a desk or table to put it on and you can't pick it up without easily as you would do with a conventional laptop. This would be all well and good except you can't use it type out an email on bed or on the couch easily, you also couldn't prop it on your knees to use the keyboard. To me this really limits the appeal as it limits how I can use the device.

This is no different from people buying iPads then buying external keyboards to use it for taking notes, etc - they also needs a table or a platform.

This is not a Surface problem. It's a tablet design constraint. Nothing to do with Microsoft, or Surface...

BlueShift

1692 posts

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#644609 22-Jun-2012 11:01

crackrdbycracku:
Mind you I wonder what Nokia have up the sleeve, eh?

I think Nokia will be lucky to still be around in 12 months, unless MS have given them some extensive inside info, and they have been very, very agile. Sales of their Lumias, already less than they'd like, are going to tank now that people know for sure they won't upgrade to WP8. Unless they have a supermagical WP8 phone ready to go pretty much now, so it can be on the stands on WP8 launch day, they're stuffed.
MS will end up buying them out for a pittance just for their patents to stop Apple or Google or Samsung buying them first.

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

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#644615 22-Jun-2012 11:10

freitasm:
crackrdbycracku: The way they have added a keyboard and stand, however, means that if you want to use it as for typing or laptopish tasks you need a desk or table to put it on and you can't pick it up without easily as you would do with a conventional laptop. This would be all well and good except you can't use it type out an email on bed or on the couch easily, you also couldn't prop it on your knees to use the keyboard. To me this really limits the appeal as it limits how I can use the device.

This is no different from people buying iPads then buying external keyboards to use it for taking notes, etc - they also needs a table or a platform.

This is not a Surface problem. It's a tablet design constraint. Nothing to do with Microsoft, or Surface...

Yeah, but the Asus Transformer line get it prefect in my opinion. The hinge on the keyboard dock supports the screen, with the extended battery as a bonus. A lot of people are excited about the prospect of Win8 on such a device.

I guess there are limiting factors with this design too as you can't make it as thin and light as the Surface is. Comes down to how you use it and personal preference I guess.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

wellygary

8341 posts

Uber Geek

#644616 22-Jun-2012 11:12

crackrdbycracku: This is just one of those 'What do you think?' threads, just for fun.

OK, so we have all seen the photos of the new MS Surface device. To be honest I think I might be one of the few people who isn't impressed. Not so much by the specs which seem reasonable or the Windows cross platform support which seems really good but the form factor.

My thinking is a follows, a tablet is a device which you hold and view or hold with one hand and operate with the other, it is mainly for content consumption as it goes with this Surface seems fine. The way they have added a keyboard and stand, however, means that if you want to use it as for typing or laptopish tasks you need a desk or table to put it on and you can't pick it up without easily as you would do with a conventional laptop. This would be all well and good except you can't use it type out an email on bed or on the couch easily, you also couldn't prop it on your knees to use the keyboard. To me this really limits the appeal as it limits how I can use the device.

The Surface still contains an onscreen keyboard, the external keyboard is not required , but to sell this into an enterprise environment they need to have a "hard" keyboard as part of the package.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2012/06/18/microsoft-live-from-hollywood/
4,28pm

motorwayne

841 posts

Ultimate Geek

#655226 13-Jul-2012 20:08

Won't the hard keyboard version of the surface be like the Trans Prime in affect?

motorwayne

841 posts

Ultimate Geek

#655227 13-Jul-2012 20:15

motorwayne: Won't the hard keyboard version of the surface be like the Trans Prime in affect?

Actually no...not quite.

Still, I'm getting one.