Microsoft’s new Surface tablet is all over the news today. Google it – you don’t need a link from me. Apparently it is going to be available in October. That will be 2 1/2 years after the introduction of the iPad.
I can see it fitting into the corporate market – it will just be another laptop type device that will have all the standard security and device management features an IT manager craves. It will aslo fit nicely with Lync – the Microsoft Unified communications product. Also note that they haven’t delivered it yet.
I would imagine however that it won’t be that attractive in the consumer market. Sounds expensive and high end – the iPad already does that. It needs to be cheap and it doesn’t sound cheap.
I would like more tablets scattered around the house but they need to be down at the £100 level.
I get the feeling that it could be quite a crunch time for Microsoft this Christmas. Will the ability to throw a seemingly endless pot of cash at it make the difference?
What do you think?
6 replies on “Who wants a Microsoft Surface?”
I have to agree that the product doesn’t sound too desirable. And windows 8? Not sure I want to re-learn how to use features and functions, as indications are that windows 8 v different from existing windows. As you say, why pay more for a personal-use tablet (it’s going to be priced at around the ipad mark) for a product that’s late on the scene, doesn’t have any killer specs, and is going to cost more than most of its competitors. I do like the look of the Acer product though, and the Asus transformer. If I were going to buy.
Its more ultrabook with touch screen, than pure iPad. Though how productive the keyboard will be is hard to say.
The Asus Prime is pretty good in this respect, and the second battery option is good for running all day.
So much of the corporate world is slow to change, that it will take some time to adopt Surface, and many will have already started down the iOS/Android path.
Microsoft could have changed things up a gear by adopting some of the new modular GPU, CPU upgrade technologies into its tablet, which Intel has been showcasing, but it didn’t. Otherwise it’s just another tablet.. with Windows.
Elsewhere I think Windows 8 is kind of fun for techies but I don’t think it holds any real cards over Windows 7 in the work / office environment, where the added gloss of its Metro UI could feel a little obstructive (if it ain’t broke..). Easily solved but they don’t want to do that.
I predict they’ll make some much requested changes by the time SP1 surfaces, following post-launch complaints from those who find Metro tedious on a non-touch screen desktop.
Tbh I think I’m getting bored of the whole subject of Windows 8. I think they have taken too long.
I don’t think this is a killer product. It is an another tablet which has keyboard (smart) on it’s smart cover. It is also very funny Steven Sinofsky’s tablet was broken at the keynote.
I tested the consumer preview at work and could only stand it for 10 minutes and have used every version of Windows since 3.0
Need to get my new home PC built before Redmond stops system builders preinstalling 7 which is great.
Windows 8? More like Vista 2.0 in terms of desktop sales I’d wager.
Surface (which used to a tabletop touch screen) looks like a me-too product.