[Glenbot3000]

Discuss.

(Specs)
http://www.microsoft.com/global/surf...especsheet.pdf

[mangoh]

we already have been in the tech society...

[Glenbot3000]

oops.

still, pretty big announcement probably needs its own thread. >_>

[RollerBall]

That's actually a pretty cool advert, especially for MS standards.

[super.teve]

Functional, (there's an ARM version and an Intel version...woop)
Sexy,
A full desktop replacement,
Portable,
Quiet (no fans),
yep...getting one as soon and as fast as I can. Wait, two, one for work and one for home.

I really think lots of people will think this is an iPad copy, it's not, it's a competitor. It differs in so many ways, it runs a full desktop OS for instance, it has a kickstand, the "touch cover", the magnetic holder for a touch pen, other than being flat and an in-house product, it's nothing like the iPad.

Say goodbye to my laptop, this baby is a beaut.
Glad I waited up to see the event!

[Glenbot3000]

(Original post by RollerBall)
That's actually a pretty cool advert, especially for MS standards.

I take it you haven't seen with IE9 ads, then.

(Original post by super.teve)
Functional, (there's an ARM version and an Intel version...woop)
Sexy,
A full desktop replacement,
Portable,
Quiet (no fans),
yep...getting one as soon and as fast as I can. Wait, two, one for work and one for home.
Glad I waited up to see the event!

My only issue is the lack of HDMI port, but it's not a dealbreaker by any means. Hopefully SmartGlass will provide something genuinely interesting, too.

[super.teve]

(Original post by Glenbot3000)
I take it you haven't seen with IE9 ads, then.


My only issue is the lack of HDMI port, but it's not a dealbreaker by any means. Hopefully SmartGlass will provide something genuinely interesting, too.

I just read over at Engadget that the PRO version does support HDMI output, I really want to see pricing, and the PRO version isn't expected until 3 months after the Win8 launch, which would mean it would hit around January 2013?
I'd wait, happily...but sooner rather than later would be better.

[super.teve]

And before anyone barks, Apple didn't invent the tablet, they have been around for years...they just popularised them...

[+ polarity -]

No one said anything about Apple man

[Leon Trotsky]

The cheap version only runs Windows RT () and the Pro version that runs Windows 8 will be way too expensive. Nice try though.

[super.teve]

(Original post by Addzter)
The cheap version only runs Windows RT () and the Pro version that runs Windows 8 will be way too expensive. Nice try though.

On a par with ultrabooks. Don't forget, Microsoft has a huge corporate client base and in any case, as long as the specifications meet that of ultrabooks (which it seem as if it will), the additional features will take some of that marketshare away from HP, Asus and the like.
On top of that, they've also got a massive amount due to come in from the licensing of Windows 8 to OEMs - either way, whatever sells, Microsoft will still earn, in terms of Windows anyway. And even then they get Android royalties.

Don't forget the PRO version not only targets tablets from Apple, those running Android and Ultrabooks, but also the Mac Book Air too.

[Leon Trotsky]

(Original post by super.teve)
On a par with ultrabooks.

Which are all roughly £700 - £1,000. Not many people will be prepared to pay that for a tablet, even one with a full Windows OS.

[super.teve]

(Original post by Addzter)
Which are all roughly £700 - £1,000. Not many people will be prepared to pay that for a tablet, even one with a full Windows OS.

But it's not a tablet, it's not a PC and it's not a tablet, it's also not an ultra-book. It's a mixture, and if the specifications are up there then it will do well.
Ultrabooks are selling well, and £700-£1000 is in the Mac price range, it all depends, but if it's well speced, people will.
I'm not saying everyone will, but clearly people pay that much (and more) at the moment for Ultra books. But it's not a tablet, it can run full Windows applications, not some dumb mobile OS, which does go some way to justify the price tag.

Plus the amount of research and design that has gone into this, the massive marketing budget which will ensue and the expensive magnesium case.

I do hope they sell at a loss, like they did with the 360, that worked well and clearly paid off.

[Leon Trotsky]

(Original post by super.teve)
But it's not a tablet, it's not a PC and it's not a tablet, it's also not an ultra-book. It's a mixture, and if the specifications are up there then it will do well.

I don't think it's a good thing that's it's somewhere between an ultrabook and a tablet. If people won't a high performance and ultra-portable laptop, they'll buy an ultrabook and get better specs for the same price; if people want a tablet they'll buy an iPad or an Android tablet (Asus Eee Pad?) which are far cheaper and have more established operating systems better suited to a tablet.

Ultrabooks are selling well, and £700-£1000 is in the Mac price range, it all depends, but if it's well speced, people will.

Yeah, but they'll be pitching it as an alternative to the iPad, not the MacBook Air. And a fairly low-end computer being priced at around the same range as a Mac isn't necessarily a good thing. If a Mac's around the same price AND has better specs, I imagine people would plump for the Mac more often than not.

I do hope they sell at a loss, like they did with the 360, that worked well and clearly paid off.

Yeah, but the reason they were able to sell the 360 at a loss is because they'd be able to make it up with the profits from game sales, Xbox Live, movie rentals, accessories, peripherals, etc. But with a computer, once you've bought it, you don't really need to pay Microsoft for anything else. It comes with Office, and if you want to play games (even though it obviously won't be optimal for doing that), the majority of people do that through Steam.

[tface]

(Original post by Addzter)
I don't think it's a good thing that's it's somewhere between an ultrabook and a tablet. If people won't a high performance and ultra-portable laptop, they'll buy an ultrabook and get better specs for the same price; if people want a tablet they'll buy an iPad or an Android tablet (Asus Eee Pad?) which are far cheaper and have more established operating systems better suited to a tablet.



Yeah, but they'll be pitching it as an alternative to the iPad, not the MacBook Air. And a fairly low-end computer being priced at around the same range as a Mac isn't necessarily a good thing. If a Mac's around the same price AND has better specs, I imagine people would plump for the Mac more often than not.



Yeah, but the reason they were able to sell the 360 at a loss is because they'd be able to make it up with the profits from game sales, Xbox Live, movie rentals, accessories, peripherals, etc. But with a computer, once you've bought it, you don't really need to pay Microsoft for anything else. It comes with Office, and if you want to play games (even though it obviously won't be optimal for doing that), the majority of people do that through Steam.

I personally think a Windows 8 tablet running an Ivy Bridge i5 with a portable keyboard and kickstand is way preferable to an air, and going to be cheaper too.

[Leon Trotsky]

(Original post by tface)
I personally think a Windows 8 tablet running an Ivy Bridge i5 with a portable keyboard and kickstand is way preferable to an air, and going to be cheaper too.

Really? How come? The only real advantage I can think of is that it has a touchscreen. And yeah it'll probably be cheaper, but not dramatically so. Maybe £100-£200 cheaper. If this turned out to be around £850, I'd definitely go for the MacBook Air.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by Addzter)
The cheap version only runs Windows RT () and the Pro version that runs Windows 8 will be way too expensive. Nice try though.

Most people are retards in technological terms. RT is like Windows with kid gloves on. It's probably a good thing.

[Intriguing Alias]

(Original post by Addzter)
The cheap version only runs Windows RT () and the Pro version that runs Windows 8 will be way too expensive. Nice try though.

As aphotic said, for people who want a tablet which rivals the iPad, but still has some real PC abilities then RT seems like a good fit.

[Intriguing Alias]

(Original post by Addzter)
Yeah, but the reason they were able to sell the 360 at a loss is because they'd be able to make it up with the profits from game sales, Xbox Live, movie rentals, accessories, peripherals, etc. But with a computer, once you've bought it, you don't really need to pay Microsoft for anything else. It comes with Office, and if you want to play games (even though it obviously won't be optimal for doing that), the majority of people do that through Steam.

But Windows RT will only officially support 'apps' through the windows store - and it's ARM based so it would be hard for people to buy from elsewhere.


With the Pro, yes you're right I'd say - but it could be a way of trying to get corporates to take up windows 8 early (if they all use it on their tablets, they may want to convert their PCs so their systems are all integrated well).

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by Addzter)
Really? How come? The only real advantage I can think of is that it has a touchscreen. And yeah it'll probably be cheaper, but not dramatically so. Maybe £100-£200 cheaper. If this turned out to be around £850, I'd definitely go for the MacBook Air.

They said the Pro outspecs the most powerful ultrabooks, implicitly that means the UX31 and the Series 9 which start at £999. If they can deliver that kind of power in a tablet, even if the tactile or touch covers are £60-80 a pop extra, for £850-999 then they'll be amazingly popular for enterprise and power users. I already know it's going to be my next tablet and PC.