Microsoft Surface

[Dbear]

What does RT stand for? Real time?

 

[GQgeek]



What does RT stand for?  Real time?

No, Runtime. It's basically an API. All of the new Metro-styled apps must use it. So yeah, it's a stupid name for a consumer OS.

 

[Dbear]

Surface and Surface Pro would have been fine...lol

 

[Jr Mouse]

Here's a crazy idea. Don't call them both Surface. That indicates they are the same products with the Pro version being an upgrade. That's not the case at all.

I find it incredible they thought this was smart product branding.

 

[Dbear]

That's not the case? Well, then, marketing fail.

 

[Jr Mouse]



That's not the case?  Well, then, marketing fail.

RT is not a computer like Pro is, but a mobile computing device like the iPad or Galaxy 7. The version of Windows that has been coded for RT is limited and runs on completely different hardware architecture. Pro and RT are not fully software compatible and are running different operating systems even if they look the same on the surface (yup that's a pun!).

Paul Thurrott who has basically built a career out of writing about Windows and MS' products has a nice write up about this and why it's such a huge problem. It's no one's fault by MS' own. http://winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-rt-redmond-problem-144554

 

[Dbear]

Gotcha, it just seems like the more time it takes to explain the differences, the larger the chance you have just lost the consumer.

 

[dah328]

That's not the case?  Well, then, marketing fail.

RT is not a computer like Pro is, but a mobile computing device like the iPad or Galaxy 7. The version of Windows that has been coded for RT is limited and runs on completely different hardware architecture. Pro and RT are not fully software compatible and are running different operating systems even if they look the same on the surface (yup that's a pun!).

Paul Thurrott who has basically built a career out of writing about Windows and MS' products has a nice write up about this and why it's such a huge problem. It's no one's fault by MS' own. http://winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-rt-redmond-problem-144554

I think you mean the Nexus 7. In either case, that article is pretty helpful in its discussion of what software will and will not be initially available on both devices, but his assertion that you restated above that the Surface RT is not a computer like the Surface Pro is overly simplistic and wrong. In any meaningful sense of the word, the Surface RT is a computer. It just does not run the same version of Windows that the Surface Pro does. Obviously, that limits the number of apps that it can run, but that does not make it something less than a "computer" any more than a Linux desktop's inability to run Outlook makes it less than a computer. From the perspective of hardware or intrinsic device capability, there is nothing that prevents Outlook or any other Windows app from being ported in the future to Windows RT. They are simply devices targeted to different kinds of end users, though confused by Microsoft's typical marketing ineptitude.

 

[Jr Mouse]



I think you mean the Nexus 7. In either case, that article is pretty helpful in its discussion of what software will and will not be initially available on both devices, but his assertion that you restated above that the Surface RT is not a computer like the Surface Pro is overly simplistic and wrong. In any meaningful sense of the word, the Surface RT is a computer. It just does not run the same version of Windows that the Surface Pro does. Obviously, that limits the number of apps that it can run, but that does not make it something less than a "computer" any more than a Linux desktop's inability to run Outlook makes it less than a computer. From the perspective of hardware or intrinsic device capability, there is nothing that prevents Outlook or any other Windows app from being ported in the future to Windows RT. They are simply devices targeted to different kinds of end users, though confused by Microsoft's typical marketing ineptitude.

Yes I meant the Nexus 7 of course.

We as a society have decided to classify mobile computing devices like the iPad differently then we do desktops and laptops. Under a broad definition the iPad and most smartphones are also computers, but it's helpful to have these sub categories. The point being made is that the Surface RT falls under the same sub category that the iPad does. For the sake of clarity and to prevent confusion, these different classifications are used even if all these devices are "computers" at the end of the day.

 

[GQgeek]

I think Surface is a great name, so I can totally understand why they wanted to use it for both but they need to be more explicit about which does what. I think that they are being deliberately vague about the fact that the RT doesn't run x86 code and that's not helping them. Even with a different name though, the problem is that they look the same, both physically and at the OS level. And the fact that they do look/work the same (aside from the incompatability with all x86 apps on the RT), is actually a big plus. But explaining the difference to consumers is not an easy problem to solve. Maybe they will be more willing to illustrate the differences when the pro is actually available? It's hard to say... I think both should have been launched at the same time. Having said that, we're a month in and this is version 1 of the product. By the time version 2 comes out there will be a ton of apps and hopefully they'll have figured out their message.

 

[MikeDT]



Wow, I just realized they are not bundling a touch cover in with the Surface Pro's either. This adds $120 per device. So realistically this makes your initial investment closer to $1020 for the cheaper one, then $899.

That's a heck of lot of money for a device that only has 64GB storage, minus whatever the OS takes.

I don't get it. Who is the market for these "tablets"?

Ballers. Sort of people who might buy the Goldvishs and Virtues.

 

[MikeDT]

Windows 8 actually looked quite promising until this....

Sorry, but you can't activate this copy of Windows online. To activate, go to a store that sells Windows and buy a Windows Get Genuine kit..

WTF!! Microsoft?

I was always able to activate Windows online in the past. Vista and 7, but 8 can't be activated online....WTF!!!

 

[Harold falcon]

Holy ******* major fail.

 

[MikeDT]

I'm almost certain it's a regional thing, because when I've activated Windows in the past, I was in the UK. Seems to be that it can't do online activation in China.

Holy ******* major fail....indeed.

Can you actually buy Windows 8 or a physical product-key in a box? I've even had a look on Amazon, searched for Windows 8 boxed or DVD, product-key, and "Windows Get Genuine kit"....nothing found. I think it's online only, or you buy it with a new PC.

 

[Harold falcon]

The more I hear the less I like. Hello, Linux!