The Microsoft Surface
What do you guys think about Microsoft's answer to the iPad: The Microsoft Surface?
The reason why I'm so intrigued with this thing is the fact that it's so much like an actual laptop, minus the useless optical drive, the fragile screen, and spinning hard drive. But, from a purely productivity point of view how much value does the iPad have? (I mention the iPad because it's the dominate player in the market, not as a MS vs Apple thing.)
Really, the iPad is great for checking email, playing games, reading eBooks, watching movies... consumption. With the additions of a bluetooth keyboard it gets marginally better but it's still not really much of an honest "productivity" tool.
The Surface Pro will include an Intel i5 chip, and presumably a full-fledged Windows 8 desktop along with the Metro interface. Add to this the USB port for a mouse or a 1TB external hard drive and we'll see if it gets what's not so far from an "honest productivity tool".
Previous Windows-based tablets don't have the computing power, graphics, USB port, magnetic keyboard w/ track-pad, or the portability this thing will have. You can easily format comps and DCFs on Excel with this thing, which is more than you can say about the MacBook Air.
I'm done with laptops because of their unreliability, desktops for their lack of portability, and Apple/Android tablets for their uselessness. This time, Microsoft has caught my attention with the Surface. Anybody else thinking of getting one?
--Or I could blow $2,200 on the new MPB with retina display and run Boot Camp like a hipster?
This came out years ago. Welcome to 2012.
^ what is he talking about. It came out this year?
Anyways, I agree with you OP. The surface looks very solid. I have the ipad and had a powerbook, and either one was tremendously frustrating when using microsoft software. I really hope that the Surface will live up to being a productive instrument.I won't be the first one to rush out and get it, but will wait until the reviews are favorable. Fingers crossed.
This explains it in better detail... http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/19/microsoft-pilfers-surface-name-from-…
I think it's going to revolutionize the whole tablet market, and put those other Windows-based tablet producers out of business. I think Acer was bitching to Microsoft today about making a huge mistake and this will kill its competitors (including the ones it relies on for its business). Android tablets will have a hard time competing with this, but Apple still has the brand/ease of use, so iPad sales should survive this product release (for now). I'm long MSFT for this of many reasons though.
Is it compatible with the Zune?
+1
I see what you did there.
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