Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows

[Ravenas]

WHen customized to the needs of a user, yes, it is.

It is a good alternative t oWIndows7 for power users? NOPE. I never made that claim, but Windows 8 does have a very specific purpose in the market, and Surface very neatly targets part of the ecosystem that Windows 8 is all about.

Oh lord help... It has to be customized to a company full of employees who are going to bitch about every little IT thing... Sounds like a disaster to me.

 

[cadaveca]

Oh lord help... It has to be customized to a company full of employees who are going to bitch about every little IT thing... Sounds like a disaster to me.

Sounds like every day in the field, to me, now, and since technology first made an appearance in the workplace. Ask any IT Manager. Whether it's limiting client-side features like disk defrag, ability to install new programs, or the like, this is part and parcel of what the industry is all about. But thanks for the conversation, anyway.

 

[TheMailMan78]

But it's not a touchscreen?


I just today spoke to a multi-billion company(oil and gas) about remote deployment, and guess what software they want to run, and guess what hardware?

And guess what type of interface they wanted? TOUCHSCREEN.


No laptop has touchscreen. Because then it is a tablet. You keep coming up with failed alternatives to surface, because none of them are TOUCHSCREEN.

Why touchscreen? EASE OF USE.


Companies want to limit the functionality, to limit error, but at the same time, offer a wide variety of functionality that isn't limited by processing power. The Surface was designed with those characteristics in mind.


Yes, many companies, including healthcare, want tablets. TOUCHSCREEN TABLETs. And yes, many of them, right now, are using iPads. The number one complaint? LACK OF HORSEPOWER.


So, find a TOUCHSREEN LAPTOP for less than the Surface, as Mailman said, with similar specs, not alternatives that don't offer the same functionality.

Boom goes the dynamite.

 

[Ravenas]

1. Don't double post.

2. The fact you keep bringing up laptops vs tablets shows me you are out of the loop. Most reps in the field are in sales. This is why they are IN THE FIELD. They don't need or want a laptop. They do very light data entry for PO's and such and need to be SEAMLESSLY connected to a corporate infrastructure. They also need to present well. This is something ALL tablets do leaps and bounds better then any laptop. If is was about being "cheap" Levono would have been out of business years ago.

Everything that can be done in the field can be done better (at this point) with an iPad at a cheaper price point.

Sounds like every day in the field, to me, now, and since technology first made an appearance in the workplace. Ask any IT Manager. Whether it's limiting client-side features like disk defrag, ability to install new programs, or the like, this is part and parcel of what the industry is all about. But thanks for the conversation, anyway.

Yes please go about customizing a windows 8 tablet to make it easy to use. I can't wait to see this.

 

[cadaveca]

Yes please go about customizing a windows 8 tablet to make it easy to use. I can't wait to see this.

It's no different than the billions of office boxes already running Windows in office world-wide. That's part of what Microsoft sells to businesses.

I see you do not subscribe to the Microsoft Technet Newsletters then, because this is a recurring theme in those.

 

[Ravenas]

It's no differnt than biollions of office boxes already runnign Windows. That's part of what Microsfot sells to businesses.

I see you do not subscribe to the Microsoft Technet Newsletters then, because this is a recurring theme in those.

Please continue to dance around the topic...

The iOS is easier to use than Windows 8 on any level.

 

[cadaveca]

Uh, here, I've leave you with this(no dancing involved, altohugh, i do love to two-step):

PCL Construction recognized an opportunity with Windows To Go and how it could enable the work styles of its employees. Working with Windows 8 Release Preview versions of Windows To Go, PCL Construction employees can carry their entire managed corporate desktop and bring it along with them on a small bootable USB drive wherever they go – on the jobsite, from a field office, or from the comfort of their own home computer. They decided on an early implementation of Windows 8 to get feedback from users quickly and in an effort to remove any potential adoption barriers when Windows 8 rolls out to all employees.

and this:

Russ Rosen, CIO of Rooms To Go, stated, “Windows 8 provides Rooms To Go the ability to develop a custom point of sale application that takes advantage of continuous connectivity, and provides a natural touch interface to allow for a cost-effective experience for our sales associates across 175 stores.”

Sure, not everyone like WIndows. But many, in fact, the majority of businesses do. Even secure ones:

Finally, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, through their partner Sparked, is planning to outfit their employees with custom line-of-business applications accessing a Microsoft SharePoint backend on Windows 8 tablet. These applications allow prosecution officers to remain effective and productive whether working in an office, courtroom or while mobile.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/business/

No dancing involved, just real COMPANY statements about everything I have said in previous posts here in this thread. Personally, I don't care what people use, or think. But I won't deny that Microsoft is on to something here.

 

[Ravenas]

Sure, not everyone like WIndows. But many, in fact, the majority of businesses do.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/business/

Oh wow... Companies will finally update from Windows XP because Microsoft is releasing a Tablet tablet that uses Windows 8?

 

[cadaveca]

Oh wow... Companies will finally update from Windows XP because Microsoft is releasing a Tablet tablet that uses Windows 8?

That's not what I said. But ok, if that what you want to think I said, please, be my guest.

We could have an intelligent discussion, rather than arguing, too, but I guess not that, either, eh?



But directly, yes, there have been companies that are looking for exactly that..an EVOLUTION to how they do busines, as long as it remains affordable, and profitable.


Damn, I did too much marketing today, I'm just in that mode. Time to go play some games.

 

[Ravenas]

That's not what I said. But ok, if that what you want to think I said, please, be my guest.

We could have an intelligent discussion, rather than arguing, too, but I guess not that, either, eh?

I think people will buy this product and love it. People have a passion for Microsoft products because it is a Microsoft product (just like anything else).

Now for it being a tool. It certainly is... However, I don't believe it's the best tool in the shed.

Things that I think will kill this tablet no matter how many testimonials and opinions and facts you give me:

• Price
• Size
• OS w/ Worse Reviews Vista
• Being late to the party

 

[cadaveca]

I think people will buy this product and love it. People have a passion for Microsoft products because it is a Microsoft product (just like anything else).

Now for it being a tool. It certainly is... However, I don't believe it's the best tool in the shed.

Things that I think will kill this tablet no matter how many testimonials and opinions and facts you give me:

• Price
• Size
• OS w/ Reviews Worse Than Vista

You could be right. Price isn't that big of a deal in volume purchasing(prices are negotible based on volume), size is what was asked for(literally), and OS reviews currently that take WIndows 8 negatively typically aren't done by companies. In fact, I posted three testimonials above, by companies, saying that they liek what Windows 8 has to offer (as did the company I spoke to today).

I mean, I'm not one to tell peopel that if they want to buy something, they are wrong in doing so. There are benefits to be had with Windows 8 that other OSes don't offer without signifigant monetary and time investment. All that Microsfot is trying to do with SUrface, is to take a lot of that confusion about specs, pricing, and features, out of the equation, and offering a platform by which custom solutions can be designed, and then deployed.

The problem with iOS is that it doesn't offer that flexibility, nor does it have the large number of available properly-trained developers and existing applications that can be leveraged like Windows does.

 

[TheMailMan78]

The problem with iOS is that it doesn't offer that flexibility, nor does it have the large number of available properly-trained developers and existing applications that can be leveraged like Windows does.

Yeah but it plays Angry Birds like a motherf@#ker. Work related intergration? Not so much.

 

[Ravenas]

You could be right. Price isn't that big of a deal in volume purchasing(prices are negotible based on volume), size is what was asked for(literally), and OS reviews currently that take WIndows 8 negatively typically aren't done by companies. In fact, I posted three testimonials above, by companies, saying that they liek what Windows 8 has to offer (as did the company I spoke to today).

I mean, I'm not one to tell peopel that if they want to buy something, they are wrong in doing so. There are benefits to be had with Windows 8 that other OSes don't offer without signifigant monetary and time investment. All that Microsfot is trying to do with SUrface, is to take a lot of that confusion about specs, pricing, and features, out of the equation, and offering a platform by which custom solutions can be designed, and then deployed.

The problem with iOS is that it doesn't offer that flexibility, nor does it have the large number of available properly-trained developers and existing applications that can be leveraged like Windows does.

I don't think the buisiness world wants to fork up the money for a new OS, new hardware, a volume of Microsoft Surfaces, and everything that goes along with it just so they can seemlessly use the Microsoft Surface. Firstly, we are nearing an election year, so the buisiness world if going to be cautious of many things in regards to finances. Secondly, the money that goes along with what I previously mentioned. Lastly, you have to take in to consideration Apple's position in the tablet market right now. To say the least, they are completely dominating everything in sight in terms of tablets. If Apple felt the surface was a threat to their buisiness, they would just drop the price of the iPad even further.

It just seems like there is too much against the product right now in terms of the buisiness world and personal world, in my humble opinion.

 

[TheMailMan78]

I don't think the buisiness world wants to fork up the money for a new OS, new hardware, a volume of Microsoft Surfaces, and everything that goes along with it just so they can seemlessly use the Microsoft Surface. Firstly, we are nearing an election year, so the buisiness world if going to be cautious of many things. Secondly, the money that goes along with what I previously mentioned. Lastly, you have to take in to consideration Apple's position in the tablet market right now. To say the least, they are completely dominating everything in sight in terms of tablets. If Apple felt the surface was a threat to there buisiness, they would just drop the price of the iPad even further.

It just seems like there is too much against the product right now in terms of the buisiness world and personal world, in my humble opinion.

Ah ok so they will just buy old laptops without a touch screen and run XP, OR they will buy iPads that don't integrate with their infrastructure and are vastly under powered compared to the Surface? Wow! You are really on to something!

 

[1freedude]

I don't give a shit what the OS is...if the app that is running is not finger friendly, might as well use a Treo. The developers have to think about button placement, what the button next to the other button will do if accidentally pressed, minimizing menu accesses, clarity of the next task...none of this has to do with hardware or os. Besides arm vs x86

 

[remixedcat]

you can still integrate ipads into windows based networks with vmware view and vmware vsphere. many businesses allready have vmware vsphere and remote desktops so adding an ipad to that and using the remote vmware view desktop is easy as installing an app from the app store. the employee can use the same remote desktop on all vmware view supporting devices like android, ios, etc.... and use the same workstation they do at work or whatever.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

How about just entire a domain name, username, password, and you're in? VMWare is a bad idea in a business environment--just another thing to go wrong costing money instead of making it.

 

[DannibusX]

I forsee the biggest customer base for the Surface being State and Federal governments.

 

[remixedcat]

you can install windows 8 on a mac with bootcamp or vmware fusion... vmware fusion can even run bootcamp partitions!

 

[remixedcat]

How about just entire a domain name, username, password, and you're in? VMWare is a bad idea in a business environment--just another thing to go wrong costing money instead of making it.

is there an ipad app for that that's as reliable as using vmware??? and as secure??? show us please!

and vmware also scales and has fault tolerance. not just a remote desktop, but a remote desktop that's scalable and fault tolerant. want more RAM? just log into vmware vsphere client and add RAM in a few clicks. You also get way more controls and security then using regular domains. each remote desktop is isolated and dedicated. way more secure then regular user/domains.


webhosts use this all the time.

and vmware is used by tons of companies of all sizes and it's actually more reliable to have a cloud server network, redundant SANs and thin clients then it is to have old school servers.

if you got a cloud then you just add the RAM, cores, etc with the vmware console rather then physically powering off a server and upgrading the RAM. and with vmware you can even upgrade the whole cluster by just adding a machine to it seamlessly. and if one server fails the vm is instantly moved to a different server with no downtime becuase the data is stored on the SAN.

 

[Wile E]

is there an ipad app for that that's as reliable as using vmware??? and as secure??? show us please!

and vmware also scales and has fault tolerance. not just a remote desktop, but a remote desktop that's scalable and fault tolerant. want more RAM? just log into vmware vsphere client and add RAM in a few clicks. You also get way more controls and security then using regular domains. each remote desktop is isolated and dedicated. way more secure then regular user/domains.


webhosts use this all the time.

He's not talking about iPad. He's talking about Win 8 and surface. No matter how you slice it, Win 8 will integrate into the infrastructure of a Windows based work environment better than any other option, period. It's fully native. No need for any third party tools like VMware. VMware is a band aid solution, not native integration.

 

[remixedcat]

this is for businesses allready using vmware or considering moving to cloud based infrastructure.... and the example was in regards to the ipads cant be used for work purposes comment.....

(PLEASE NOTE: this is not the same "cloud" as file storage sites, this is private clouds managed by your company and not an external entity)

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Only journalistic buinsesses have invested heavily in iPad. I doubt that is likely to change seeing as they, in particular, spearhead the cult of Apple (and always have).

Most other businesses are sticking with what they know (desktops and laptops). They haven't ventured into tablets/netbooks/ultrabooks yet. They're the masses that will likely buy up Windows 8 Pro in droves.

 

[Wile E]

iPads can be used for business, and currently are, but they are buggy and don't work nearly as well as a native product, hence companies all but begging for something like Surface.

 

[Bundy]

The iPad does this and is cheaper and less bulky.

Furthermore, this is more of an extremely overpriced laptop than a tablet.

Lol please sir you have no idea about me so please don't even start to think you do.

I am a travelling rep and I have read these and your other posts in this thread. You haven't a clue. What reps want are tablets running their corporate software. The only thing that will stop the surge to windows tablets will be HTML based corporate portals. I can't see that happening yet.