Tablets Surface RT?

[w00t951]

First of all, I'd like to say that I'm not trolling or flaming.

Who would pick Windows RT/Surface over iPad/iOS?

I personally would go for the iPad, as you have:
App Store
Retina Display
iWork (similar to Office Preview)
12 hours of battery life

For the businessman or the casual consumer, the iPad with perhaps an Origami Keyboard Case and Apple Wireless Keyboard seems to be the better choice than the Surface RT tablet.

 

[waa1futs]

1) Type cover (with trackpad)
2) Built-in kickstand
3) Ability to upload documents
4) Microsoft office
5) USB

These are the things so far that have me leaning towards the Surface.

To each his own though.

 

[HowardSmith]

1) Type cover (with trackpad)
2) Built-in kickstand
3) Ability to upload documents
4) Microsoft office
5) USB

These are the things so far that have me leaning towards the Surface.

To each his own though.

Me too. Plus Freedom from iTunes!

The RT is just for practice till the Surface PRO arrives!

 

[w00t951]

Me too. Plus Freedom from iTunes!

The RT is just for practice till the Surface PRO arrives!

The Pro will be in the ballpark of $1000. I don't think we're comparing that and the iPad.

 

[Night Spring]

Typecover is a nice concept, but I'd need to try it to see if typing on that will be comfortable for me. iOS 6 is a proven and mature OS, while Win8 has yet to prove itself. I'm planning on spending some time at a Microsoft store to give Surface a try, but for now I'm sticking with my iPad.

 

[waa1futs]

Typecover is a nice concept, but I'd need to try it to see if typing on that will be comfortable for me.

You're talking about needing to get used to the Touch Cover (the one without physical keys). If you can't get used to it then the Type Cover will suit you fine with physical keys just like a regular keyboard.

The Type Cover is only $10 more than the Touch Cover.

 

[Night Spring]

You're talking about needing to get used to the Touch Cover (the one without physical keys). If you can't get used to it then the Type Cover will suit you fine with physical keys just like a regular keyboard.

The Type Cover is only $10 more than the Touch Cover.

Sorry about the confusion, and thanks for the clarification!

But I do think even the Type Cover needs to be tested out first -- it's still a lot thinner than regular keyboards, so I have no idea how I will feel typing on one.

 

[Mrbobb]

MS should just license the OS and let others make the hardware. With exception of game console, MS has shown not able to make cool hardware.

THEN, for competitors to succeed they have sell cheaper than Apple. Me thinks Apple only worries about Amazon, Google, not MS.

 

[CapnJackGig]

Surface because it's running a real OS and not that god-awful iOS6. It also has a real assortment of ports. Only reason to ever get an iPad is if you watch a lot of movies/tv. Otherwise it's useless if you own a good laptop/PC/Mac.

----------

MS should just license the OS and let others make the hardware. With exception of game console, MS has shown not able to make cool hardware.

THEN, for competitors to succeed they have sell cheaper than Apple. Me thinks Apple only worries about Amazon, Google, not MS.

That's exactly what they've done.

 

[0x000000]

It's too expensive. It was rumored to start at something ridiculous like 199 or 299 a while ago, well that would've been killer. Now it may be cheaper than the iPad but still expensive. And the touch cover costs a small fortune, too. Bleh, I'm disappointed.

The true game changer was, in my opinion, the not-even-yet-announced Surface Pro, because it's a full PC in almost the form factor we know from Tablets. But seeing the RT-price it'll likely cost around 1k and for that money you could just as well buy a MBA.

What disappoints me most is the painfully bad commercial that's neither cool nor funny. Nothing compared to the very stylish first surface teaser which gave me goosebumps. I believe Microsoft botched this one, even though I really wished them not to.

 

[Abazigal]

Think we will need to wait for some hands- on reviews first. Everything about the surface has been sounding good on paper thus far, the challenge now is seeing if they can deliver in real-life usage.

For all we know, there may be limitations not so readily apparent, such as fluidity and smoothness of the interface? That's the reason apple uses 2 separate OS; will be interesting to see whether Microsoft can bridge this divide it not.

 

[Vizin]

.

 

[0x000000]

Hard to say. I wasn't sold on the iPad's UI until I got a chance to play with it. I've never liked the tile UI from a conceptual standpoint, but I've also never had a chance to use it on a tablet.

From a conceptual standpoint the Surface is far superior. Those icon grids you have on the iOS devices are completely ridiculous and so out of date, it hurts. It's the continuation of the "desktop" metaphor people thought of decades ago, when no one knew anything else but a desk with files, folders, a small calculator and trash bin. It's a giant anachronism.

The Surface does all that better, but it is new and will thus likely lack polish and software. And seeing how they're more or less identically priced, the easier and proven answer will, for most people and for quite a while, be the iPad.

 

[Catacang]

I have an iPad 2 and do not plan to buy a new tablet until late next year but one thing I can say: unlike most Android tablets currently on the market, this Surface tablet actually seems pretty cool, something that could have been launched by Apple.

The hardware design and the UI seems polished yet simple and clean.
I would buy this over any Android tablet.

 

[Oohara]

I think the Type/Touch covers will prove to be a joke for any serious typing and shouldn't even be counted in as a strength for the Surface. They look cool but probably offer way too little key travel and distance between the keys (none, on the Touch cover).

Just try out a few of the many keyboard covers for the iPad. They are all horrible aside from the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover from Logitech, which is on a completely different level than all the rest but still quite bad compared to almost any real laptop keyboard. And you can tell already from the pictures that Microsoft's Type cover will have far less key travel than the Logitech cover.

So anyone thinking that the Surface will be any more of a laptop replacement than the iPad is just fooling themselves, I think. As for the OS, I don't see anything in Windows RT that'd make me choose that over iOS. If anything, I'd go Android instead.

The Surface Pro might have been a threat to the iPad had it been a lot cheaper. As it stands now, I can't see Microsoft taking tablet market shares away from anyone but Google.

Edit: Oh, and in before "broken Surface kickstand"-gate.

 

[smellysox8]

Holding out for the Surface Pro

 

[ActionableMango]

MS has a horrifying record of failing with tablets, portables, ecosystems, and mobile OSes, even when they put the full force of their cash reserves and marketing power to bear.

Microsoft Kin, DOA
Microsoft Zune, dead
Microsoft "Plays for Sure", dead
Microsoft "Zune Music Pass", dead
Every Microsoft tablet ever, DOA
Microsoft Windows Mobile, ALIVE! And all 62 people who have it, love it.

I'd be afraid to be an early adopter of yet another failed MS platform.

1) Type cover (with trackpad)
2) Built-in kickstand
3) Ability to upload documents
4) Microsoft office
5) USB

Those are compelling reasons, if they work well. MS is keeping this thing under such tight wraps that there are no reviews. Press events have been hands-off. Anyone pre-ordering this is essentially buying blind and hoping for the best. For all you know, the Type Cover is unreliable, the kickstand breaks easily, uploading documents is tedious, Office is unintuitive or buggy, and the USB port is flawed.

Sure, all of those things could also work flawlessly and with incredible sophistication, but this is essentially my point... we don't know. Why the hell is MS hiding this thing? Get some review samples out to the press for crying out loud. Anyone preordering this thing is doing a blind buy on faith that a company with a track record of failure will get it right this time.

In the movie industry, it is not a coincidence that review screeners often don't go out ahead of time for movies that suck. It's because they want to sell as many tickets as they can before the bad reviews sink in. I can't help but think MS wants all your preorders before the reviews hit.

Now if all goes well, it's a great success, has great reviews, developers make apps, etc., I could see myself getting one. But it's going to take a year or two to build my trust.

 

[waa1futs]

MS is keeping this thing under such tight wraps that there are no reviews. Press events have been hands-off. Anyone pre-ordering this is essentially buying blind and hoping for the best. For all you know, the Type Cover is unreliable, the kickstand breaks easily, uploading documents is tedious, Office is unintuitive or buggy, and the USB port is flawed.

I never pre-order anything so I dont need any reviews from the media. Whenever it's convenient I'll go to the Microsoft store and test one out in person, then make my decision.

I don't get the same "OMG I'VE GOTTA HAVE IT THE VERY FIRST DAY IT COMES OUT!!!" fever that some people get.

 

[ChrisTX]

The Surface looks great, but my iPad 3 with with the Logitech solar keyboard folio is tops. The app selection can't be beat, Windows 8 or not!

 

[Oppressed]

The most compelling feature is the keyboard cover, and to be honest until more applications are made it is just $500 internet viewer. The iPad still works wonderfully.

 

[sineplex]

forget surfacePro. an ultrabook is probably cheaper and more powerful.

the keyboard on the RT is also an extra $100. that is $600 for the base model.

 

[thelead]

They crippled the rt version with the screen. I so badly wanted to get it until I saw the resolution. For the price, it should have been at least 1080p.

 

[urkel]

I wouldn't pick Surface over the iPad but I'm pretty tempted to pick Surface over the MacBook.

 

[frozzbite]

I like the fact that i can connect my iPhone to the Surface. Not useful, but i like that idea. And the fact that it has a fully functional USB port is really great!

It makes me look at my iPad and think about its shortcomings.

Either way, the iPad will always have the app store.

 

[DingleButt]

They crippled the rt version with the screen. I so badly wanted to get it until I saw the resolution. For the price, it should have been at least 1080p.

When you get a chance check it out in person. Reviewers have mentioned it really looks better than the retina on iPad even with the lower res. Ill reserve my judgment till I can see for real.