More specifically Apple makes more money on Macbooks AND ipads. Their marketing that the consumer needs BOTH devices has worked masterfully and there is no way they would combine those.
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Went to Microsoft Store and Apple Store right after--thoughts.
- Thread starter Frisco
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More specifically Apple makes more money on Macbooks AND ipads. Their marketing that the consumer needs BOTH devices has worked masterfully and there is no way they would combine those.
Weird your Best Buys don't display Surface Pros well.....ours here in the North Texas area (DFW) have big Microsoft sections with lots of Surface Pros and other Windows products on display.
Our mall (near me, Stonebriar Centre) is getting a Microsoft store too which is cool.
FYI on the Apple Store, those iPads in the plastic stands (can't be picked up) show the specs relatively easily. You can only swipe through a few screens. If you tap the "Compare" tab it'll bring up a couple different Macs with one of them labeled "this Mac".
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I agree - I wouldn't ever want to touch the display of my MacBook Air.
Perhaps I've been masterfully marketed to....but I prefer my iPad Air 2 for most of my computing needs and resort to my MacBook Air only when necessary (school work requiring specific data addons for Excel for example).
I also don't see the draw in touching a laptop display while it's in laptop position (L). I rarely touch my iPad propped up on the smart cover in this position - I only put it that way when I want to see what's on the display: either watching a movie or displaying song info.
Our mall (near me, Stonebriar Centre) is getting a Microsoft store too which is cool.
FYI on the Apple Store, those iPads in the plastic stands (can't be picked up) show the specs relatively easily. You can only swipe through a few screens. If you tap the "Compare" tab it'll bring up a couple different Macs with one of them labeled "this Mac".
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I agree - I wouldn't ever want to touch the display of my MacBook Air.
Perhaps I've been masterfully marketed to....but I prefer my iPad Air 2 for most of my computing needs and resort to my MacBook Air only when necessary (school work requiring specific data addons for Excel for example).
I also don't see the draw in touching a laptop display while it's in laptop position (L). I rarely touch my iPad propped up on the smart cover in this position - I only put it that way when I want to see what's on the display: either watching a movie or displaying song info.
Really? Maybe it is because I've used a retina MBP for a few months, but when I look at a non-retina display (like my wife's MBA), it is painful. The difference is staggering.
Once you see the difference, you'll never be able to go back to a low-res display ever again.
Happy hunting.
What about a MBA that changes to 'iOS mode' when you detatch the screen or fold over the keyboard? At some point it will be profitable and they will merge the device lines I wager. I think we all doubt they will make an L shaped touchscreen laptop. I think we are talking about some different form factor.
Or even the fabled iPad pro would probably take os features from osx, maybe not a straight port of OSX but some kind of evolution.
Great to hear about the Microsoft store. I just moved to the area (Frisco/Plano) and really loving the access to multiple Apple stores and malls.
I've used corporate issued ThinkPads for years, they're really terrific. With the keyboards designed to be spill proof it's genius. Full cellular connectivity built in, they're most impressive.
I've got an AIO HP Touchsmart for work. The screen is clear and touch is responsive.
I have touched it once. It added nothing to the experience of using the computer. In my work case there have been zero useful or handy touchscreen based scenarios.
My only reason to maybe use it in the future is that the wireless HP mouse included with it is the most frustratingly erratic, temperamental mouse I have ever had the misfortune of touching.
Personally, the iPad Pro form factor does not appeal to me, but I can see to whom it would.
I also don't think a 2-in-1 that detaches would work for me either. All those are much too large for my liking.
I don't see something like that ever completely taking over the tablet space because 7.9" and 9.7" tablets are still popular and the sweet spot for casual computing.
A hybrid could theoretically merge the iPad Pro with a MacBook....but again, I'd rather the MacBook itself with my smaller iPad. Adding things in like a detachable display add complexities to the design which make them bulkier.
And for me, my iPad is the perfect device for what I need it for. Similarly, a MacBook works perfectly for a different use case of mine. I don't want compromises just to merge the two together.
The Surface has intrigued me, but not enough to actually move forward with one. And I think the ultrabooks that detach or flip around are ridiculous.
My $0.02.
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Awesome! Yup - sometimes I have to remind myself that others aren't as lucky to have multiple Apple stores within a short driving distance. My first piece of advice with those having issues is always a trip to the Apple store.
I've lived in Frisco/McKinney for the last 17 years.....before it was all built up (we were 30,000 strong back then....nothing but cattle fields and dirt roads really). It's amazing how everything has grown. Great, booming area.
I'm probably getting a Surface Pro 4 because I want touch/pen input. I like marking up documents by hand.
Personally I cannot imagine ever preferring to reach right across my desk to touch the screen of my 27" iMac instead of using either the keyboard or trackpad, both of which are at my fingertips. It would disrupt the flow of work and thought to consciously move my whole body enabling me to touch a screen that is further than an arms reach away and then move back into position connected to the keyboard and trackpad.
Large desktop computers typically aren't favored for touchscreens, as the mouse and keyboard are easier to manipulate as you said. But for laptops, it's a different story. Can't begin to tell you how many people I see trying to tap the new MacBook screens in store. Touch input is becoming the norm.
The question is, will touch input ever be viable for large desktop computers? Maybe, but I doubt it. I think the user interface will change (a la Minority Report) before we utilize touch screen on a 27" iMac or similar PC.
As an extension of the mouse/trackpad. You can point/drag select something on the screen, sometimes its easier to do that vs the mouse.
With my SP3, I find it a lot easier to use it in place of my mouse/trackpad when I use it on my lap with the keyboard attached.
interesting.
are there any specific apps or actions that you think work better on a touch screen than others?
After 20 years of using Windows, we completely switched to Macs this last year. There's only one thing we miss from our latest Windows laptops: the touchscreen.
While the Mac's trackpad is VERY intuitive (much more than the PC ones), there's something very comfortable about scrolling through a web page or document by touch. Also, we found that placing a cursor right where you wanted it in your Word document was super handy.
If my Mac had a touchscreen for things like that, it would be the perfect computer to me. In fact, that's one feature that would cause us to upgrade again immediately.
While the Mac's trackpad is VERY intuitive (much more than the PC ones), there's something very comfortable about scrolling through a web page or document by touch. Also, we found that placing a cursor right where you wanted it in your Word document was super handy.
If my Mac had a touchscreen for things like that, it would be the perfect computer to me. In fact, that's one feature that would cause us to upgrade again immediately.
For the last 3+ weeks I've been deliberately using my Acer Aspire Switch 11 instead of my 11" MBA + iPad 4. My previous Surface RT and Surface 2 teased at what a hybrid might be able to do, but this Acer is really driving the point home.
In notebook mode, it works very well... no compromises for my uses. It has been nice to be in a meeting using it as a notebook (using the keyboard to type notes) and then popping the tablet off to draw some diagrams with the stylus (3rd gen Dell Venue 8 Pro stylus). Having a multi-touch trackpad and additional full-size USB in the keyboard is very handy.
In tablet mode, the 2 greatest compromises are 1) the 16:9 aspect ratio... still too odd for a tablet of that size, 2) Availability of Modern UI apps... though the situation has significantly improved since I had my Surface 2 (about a year ago).
I'm still hopefully for an iPad "Pro" that provides comparable functionality.
I tried to like the Macs trackpad, I just found it less intuitive to use than just using a good mouse. In all fairness though I don't find much use for any trackpad unless it's on my lap and it's my only choice. There are just way too many cool things you can do with a good mouse these days, and the control seems much finer.