Excited about Windows Surface?

[rsnapeuk]

Although an iPad user throughout from consuming to college work, to managing my small business.

I have to say I'm quite exciting to experience the Windows Surface, I think the guys at Microsoft have done a great job of creating a tablet but with PC functionality. And I do think it will be interesting to see how this works, and whether its practical.

Although the design isn't actually as thin [as the ipad], or holds the beautiful retina display [like the ipad] - the intergrated USB ports with the sleek graphite style design, with intergrated stand which folds away, I do think there might finally be a practical or real alternative to the iPad which does hold some weight.

Loving the foldable keyboard too. Anyone thinking of purchasing?

Here's a video of Microsoft's keynote for windows 8 and suface:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jozTK-MqEXQ

And here's anther just summarising the surface tablet:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PP6aTFgkNL4

 

[MRU]

Well i've been using Windows 8 release candidate for last few weeks or more. My conclusion on a standard laptop is that I don't particularly like it. It's just not the right fit for a device without a touch screen.

For that reason, alongside budget I'm interested in Windows RT surface. I particularly like the keyboard cover.

I do think there is going to be a lot of confusion from the general consumer about Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT.

 

[zbarvian]

I'm very excited about the Surface, but it's such a first-gen product, I think I'll wait until Surface 2.0 before I buy one.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I have no interest in purchasing a Windows tablet.

 

[jumpmandds]

It looks cool but I don't think I'd buy one

 

[aaronchow]

I'll buy the Pro instead of the RT. And I'm patiently waiting them to release the official release date and price

 

[rsnapeuk]

Could someone shed some light on the difference between the standard and RT version?

 

[dmelgar]

I think folks who think its cool are dreaming. Projecting your own expectations on Microsoft. Look at the announcement. They couldn't even get the browser to work, nor videos. The whole machine hung. Tried to show how it ignores touches, then had it mess up touches. It was a disaster.

I think Microsoft will give tablets a bad name.

Windows 8? Get real. Its a horrible secondary UI on top of windows. its not an extension of windows but two different UIs. No integration. Horrible. Beyond words. I'm embarrassed for Microsoft.

ARM version. There is 0 software for it. Microsoft advantage of legacy software turned around, they have to completely start from scratch. Not going to happen.

Microsoft does have a lot of money they can throw at it. Lots of marketing. PC vendors don't have anything better to work on. So it will get lots of attention. But I think its an impending disaster for Microsoft.

 

[APlotdevice]

I wouldn't say that I'm excited. Though the Pro version does interest me since I could (hopefully) run my existing copies of Photoshop CS3 and MangaStudio and use it as a digital drawing pad.

 

[aaronchow]

Could someone shed some light on the difference between the standard and RT version?

The main difference between the Pro and the RT versions are support of legacy apps. Windows RT will be running on ARMs architecture. The benefits of Windows on ARM (WOA) processor architecture is that it supports more variations of the hardware, so you will see Windows 8 (hopfully) running on various cheaper appliances, such as Surface, ebooks player, microwave, etc. However, applications written for WOA will not be compatible for apps written with the x86/64 platforms, so that means Windows RT will not be able to run traditional desktop apps. Developers have to re-compile their apps for the RT version.

 

[rhinosrcool]

I think folks who think its cool are dreaming. Projecting your own expectations on Microsoft. Look at the announcement. They couldn't even get the browser to work, nor videos. The whole machine hung. Tried to show how it ignores touches, then had it mess up touches. It was a disaster.

I think Microsoft will give tablets a bad name.

Windows 8? Get real. Its a horrible secondary UI on top of windows. its not an extension of windows but two different UIs. No integration. Horrible. Beyond words. I'm embarrassed for Microsoft.

ARM version. There is 0 software for it. Microsoft advantage of legacy software turned around, they have to completely start from scratch. Not going to happen.

Microsoft does have a lot of money they can throw at it. Lots of marketing. PC vendors don't have anything better to work on. So it will get lots of attention. But I think its an impending disaster for Microsoft.

While I agree that the keynote was unimpressive, I still think this could work. Perhaps, the OEMs (with hardware experience) will really come into play? Unfortunately, if it takes a couple of iterations, it may be too late? I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[TheHateMachine]

Getting two Pros, one for me and one for my GF.