[Ketan]

Originally Posted by acurafan

For most of my desktop programs I connect to my desktop through remote desktop. I am not really power user so it works quite nicely for me. Surface pro is a laptop with detachable keyboard but for me it is too expensive and more power hungry.
One thing I like about the whole Surface/Windows8 system is the gesture integration. You can swipe to close programs, swipe a different way to bring other programs that are running in the background, split the screen to run two programs concurrently which initially I thought was a gimmick but turning out to be really useful feature.
Anyway we are a loyal windows mobile family, so it perfectly fits our eco-system

Thanks for the inputs, I've got very good experience of WP7.5 and will start using WP8 and Surface soon (I may have left you guys thinking here), I agree with your inputs on app market, it may take a while. It may not impact me in a big way, I'm focused on using office suite and common apps / programs which RT already has. I will have my notebook running pro so shouldn't miss that either. Nice to hear good things about WP platform and new windows platform.

[sbala]

Originally Posted by acurafan

I am not sure what you mean by good app suites. The app store for Surface is coming up quite nicely over last one month. I need a fully working office suite, media player, a good browser and a good keyboard. Surface checks all of these points.
Also most of the apps that have been released for WP8 will migrate to Surface soon. This was the same excuse I used to hear for Android tablets and look where they are now.
There are lot of apps in iOS and Android which are nothing but a wrapper for web access. Surface practically works like a desktop and for many things I just use IE and the keyboard including posting here.

Right., the question is,

Are folks going to buy Surface and wait for the ecosystem to get built OR go with the other established one?

Practically, I won't be the person who buys a device now and wait for it to get better tomorrow.

[chennai-indian]

Originally Posted by sbala

Right., the question is,

Are folks going to buy Surface and wait for the ecosystem to get built OR go with the other established one?

Practically, I won't be the person who buys a device now and wait for it to get better tomorrow.

I think acurafan was clear about the "ecosystem" in his post. He was looking for specific things that Surface perfectly provides for him so he bought that. If it is "ecosystem" (what an over-hyped word!!) that you are looking for, then waiting is the best option for you though I really wonder how many of the Zillion apps available in Iphone/Ipad "ecosystem" is regularly used by anyone.

[sbala]

Originally Posted by chennai-indian

I think acurafan was clear about the "ecosystem" in his post. He was looking for specific things that Surface perfectly provides for him so he bought that. If it is "ecosystem" (what an over-hyped word!!) that you are looking for, then waiting is the best option for you though I really wonder how many of the Zillion apps available in Iphone/Ipad "ecosystem" is regularly used by anyone.

I am not criticizing anyone for buying Surface. I am just putting across some points. Thats it.

On the Ecosystem - Haven't you heard about Software Stack or Software Services?? I am just talking about those. If there is no good software stack for the device, then Whats the fun in that? After all, these zillion apps only makes the tablet world interesting.

[chennai-indian]

Originally Posted by sbala

I am not criticizing anyone for buying Surface. I am just putting across some points. Thats it.

--Me too

On the Ecosystem - Haven't you heard about Software Stack or Software Services?? I am just talking about those. If there is no good software stack for the device, then Whats the fun in that? After all, these zillion apps only makes the tablet world interesting.

Totally agree that it is the apps that make the tabs enjoyable to use and for certain people, not having such a huge selection is a deal breaker. However, for the average Joe (like me) who would like to get work done (where MS Office unfortunately rules) and also have some fun on the same device, Surface fits the bill.

The same (absence of ecosystem) was said about Android tabs but that has not hindered their sales and hope Surface will also catch up slowly.

[sbala]

Originally Posted by chennai-indian

Totally agree that it is the apps that make the tabs enjoyable to use and for certain people, not having such a huge selection is a deal breaker. However, for the average Joe (like me) who would like to get work done (where MS Office unfortunately rules) and also have some fun on the same device, Surface fits the bill.

The same (absence of ecosystem) was said about Android tabs but that has not hindered their sales and hope Surface will also catch up slowly.

Everyone here is Average Joe. Trust me, You will start using your tablet like anything. You wont be restricted to just MS Office.

Android was once like a developing country. People hesitated to support it. They always stayed out of it. Only few were with them. And now, it has outgrown most competitors. Surface with Windows RT has just started drawing its boundaries. It may become a x386 Windows Replacement. But, not at this point of time. So, at the moment, Its always wise to stick to the road more taken. Thats my point

[acurafan]

Originally Posted by sbala

On the Ecosystem - Haven't you heard about Software Stack or Software Services?? I am just talking about those. If there is no good software stack for the device, then Whats the fun in that?

What exactly is the software stack in this context ? Apps don't make a software stack. How is Android or iOS software stack better than Windows 8 RT or WP8, care to explain?
I use an Android phone (Corporate Phone) daily and have used Android tablet in the past which I had hacked extensively. I have an iPod touch that runs iOS5. So I have a fairly good idea on what apps are available on each OS. At this point I am not sure whether there are any deal-breaker apps that I cannot live without in WP8 or Win8 RT. Yes there are apps in iPod touch that let me control my TV, Music System, Music database, Blu-ray player etc but I am not going to replace that device by either iPad or Surface due to the form factor. I will probably replace that using WP8 soon as some of the control software are already available but not all.

On the other hand, Surface allows me to access files from my laptop and desktop without a hitch. Allows me to run Visual Studio remotely on my desktop whose intermediate results are copied on to my tablet's microSD card which allows me to view them on my TV sitting in my couch. I can work on my email while running video of Daily Show/Bloomberg etc side by side. I wonder how easy it is do these things natively without downloading 10 different apps.

Also I love technology and love to take risks. I started to use Apple iBooks when even Apple employees did not use them. I found them more value for money because I was using Latex and XWindows--> Matlab for most of my grad school work and it was easy to use these things on Mac than Windows. I bought first gen Android tablet and had installed every possible variation of Android on it and found that Android tablets have the potential when people over overwhelmingly thought iPad is the panacea for all evil. My gut feeling is WP8 and Windows 8/RT are the next big technology innovation and I try to put my money where my mouth is.

[ampere]

My only thoughts here:

Between Win8 and others the difference is what the MS Office Suite can bring to Win Tablets.

As some TV hosts of gadget programs (I think it was NDTV) put it; Win 8 tablets can become
a content creation tablet while the rest are content consumption tablets.

But of course Win tablets should not restrict themselves to play in the office space alone, else
they might become history like RIM/Black Berry. The office feature support should be used as an
advantage. Hope fully the "fun" apps should also catch up with the Windows eco-system.

Originally Posted by acurafan

Also I love technology and love to take risks. I started to use Apple iBooks when even Apple employees did not use them. I found them more
value for money because I was using Latex and XWindows--> Matlab for most of my grad school work and it was easy to use these things on
Mac than Windows. I bought first gen Android tablet and had installed every possible variation of Android on it and found that Android tablets
have the potential when people over overwhelmingly thought iPad is the panacea for all evil.

+1. Even I use my MAC for the same reasons even now (apart from Photography reasons) !
Emacs/Latex and Matlab is fun on a MAC. Amazing synergy.

(Sorry for the OT)

[sbala]

Originally Posted by acurafan

What exactly is the software stack in this context ? Apps don't make a software stack. How is Android or iOS software stack better than Windows 8 RT or WP8, care to explain?
I use an Android phone (Corporate Phone) daily and have used Android tablet in the past which I had hacked extensively. I have an iPod touch that runs iOS5. So I have a fairly good idea on what apps are available on each OS. At this point I am not sure whether there are any deal-breaker apps that I cannot live without in WP8 or Win8 RT. Yes there are apps in iPod touch that let me control my TV, Music System, Music database, Blu-ray player etc but I am not going to replace that device by either iPad or Surface due to the form factor. I will probably replace that using WP8 soon as some of the control software are already available but not all.

On the other hand, Surface allows me to access files from my laptop and desktop without a hitch. Allows me to run Visual Studio remotely on my desktop whose intermediate results are copied on to my tablet's microSD card which allows me to view them on my TV sitting in my couch. I can work on my email while running video of Daily Show/Bloomberg etc side by side. I wonder how easy it is do these things natively without downloading 10 different apps.

I believe you are taking it too personal as you work for the company which links with Surface RT.

Deal breaker is individual's perception. Whatever listed is just your perspective. It cannot be a deal breaker for someone else, like me, in this case.

Just read what industry experts are saying. You will understand what i am pointing out. At the moment, Surface RT is just for early adopters and developers.

[acurafan]

Originally Posted by sbala

I believe you are taking it too personal as you work for the company which links with Surface RT.

Not really. Most of our business comes from the success of iOS and Android and Surface RT does NOT use our chip. Success or failure of RT will not really make much dent in our revenue.
As I said I am more interested in the technology and appreciate Microsoft for actually innovating rather than developing a "me too" product.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by acurafan

... Microsoft for actually innovating ...

When did this happen??? Been searching for that for the last 28 years without success!

"Me too" is a great way to start - trouble is when one gets left behind.

[sbala]

Originally Posted by acurafan

Originally Posted by acurafan
... Microsoft for actually innovating ...
.

From my standpoint, just moving to architecture other than x386 is not innovation

[acurafan]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

When did this happen??? Been searching for that for the last 28 years without success!

"Me too" is a great way to start - trouble is when one gets left behind.

Well it is quite easy to bash Microsoft but if there is one company that still promotes open sky research then it is Microsoft.
Kinect is a truly revolutionary device that blended machine learning successfully in a consumer device. Internet Set-top box was actually promoted way ahead of its time by MS. I would even consider WP7/8 to be lot more innovative than blatant copying by Google. Also I feel that OS that actually run on millions of devices with different combination of hardware is not a simple task. Try to install OSX on Hackintosh than you will realise how hard is that.
I wonder why people think iPad is an innovative device. It is nothing more than a big Ipod Touch. To me iPhone was really a big step forward. Then the whole app store concept started when people hacked iPhone to install programs.

[Ohh!Oxygen]

Originally Posted by sbala

From my standpoint, just moving to architecture other than x386 is not innovation

I think microsoft has started doing more than that. When they ruled the corporate world, their competitors (google, apple etc) changed the way computing was done. Now they are back on top of their game.
They really have not done anything worth mentioning in last two decades(office was released in 1990). They are sitting comfortably on their cash pile(40B $ in 2010 ). Look at the things they brought to market in last 20 years (MSSQL, MS Dynamics, countless windows updates). Everything except XBOX are light years behind their competitors.
Now they seem to be waking up. Q1 2011 was a real eye opener for them when Apple made more than Microsoft selling only iphones and ipads. I am no microsoft fanboy but look at xbox kinet, outlook.com, windows phone 7.5 and metro interface. They really have the wow factor so not typical microsoft products.
Nice read
http://mainlinemedianews.com/article...6661110737.txt

[acurafan]

Originally Posted by Ohh!Oxygen

Nice read
http://mainlinemedianews.com/article...6661110737.txt

Thanks for the link. Yes, bing translate is actually quite useful and we were initially quite amazed on how mature that product was. Also Nokia being another partner for MS in WP7/8 has been really helpful. We worked with Nokia to enable few features in the Lumia 920/820 displays which are way more advanced than what Samsung or Apple brings to the table.
Try this out next time when you are in bright sun and try to read a webpage or your email on Lumia 820/920, iPhone5 and Galaxy SIII. The difference is quite astonishing. Also try to scroll pages fast and see which display is more readable. I am sure next year iPhone6 will come up with these features and claim "magic" .