“Does the world really need another tablet?” John R. Quain asks for Fox News. “Microsoft finally revealed this week that it will introduce its own tablet called Surface… It won’t go on sale until the fall when the next version of the company’s operating system, Windows 8, is set to debut. Pricing also has yet to be determined (translation: don’t expect it to undercut the iPad).”
“The market may not need a Windows tablet, but Microsoft desperately does,” Quain reports. “The company has been steadily — some might say, inexorably — falling behind in the new era of computing, the era in which the ability to easily access information is more important than the operating system or computing device we use to do it. Microsoft still hasn’t understood this, failing to become a significant force in smartphones or tablets, mainly because it’s working from an outdated model of being the Great Copier.”
Quain reports, “Microsoft has always mimicked other technologies, from graphical interfaces to Web browsing to financial software… In general the company’s approach worked because it was based on an artificial monopoly. It was important for us as users to work with common files and formats, so Windows continued to dominate and we adopted its browser and related software. But it’s a different digital world now. No one cares about operating systems and monopolies (Google notwithstanding). The world that Netscape tried to introduce and Microsoft did everything possible to quash is now upon us… Microsoft’s antediluvian role as the Great Copier looks doomed to fail with its Surface.”
Quain reports, “Microsoft may need the Surface tablet, but you don’t.”
Read more in the full article – recommended – here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Mister C” and “chinstrap” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Microsoft’s Surface tablet destined to be as successful as the Zune – June 19, 2012
Surface: Why Microsoft’s big mystery turns out to be a big mistake – June 19, 2012
Microsoft’s Suicide, er… ‘Surface’ – June 19, 2012
ZDNet Sr. Tech Editor Perlow: Microsoft’s Surface has catastrophe written all over it – June 19, 2012
Microsoft previews own ‘Surface’ tablet – June 18, 2012
Microsoft touts ‘major’ June 18 event said to showcase Windows RT tablets – June 15, 2012
ZDNet’s Kingsley-Hughes: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is an awful, horrible, painful design disaster – June 8, 2012
Analyst meets with big computer maker, finds ‘general lack of enthusiasm’ for Windows 8 – June 8, 2012
Dvorak: Windows 8 an unmitigated disaster; unusable and annoying; it makes your teeth itch – June 3, 2012
The Guardian: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is confusing as hell; an appalling user experience – March 5, 2012
More good news for Apple: Microsoft previews Windows 8 (with video) – June 1, 2011
A-Yup….
ZunePad
Right on the money. Microsoft = DCW
Here is a guy who is clearly delusional..
http://gizmodo.com/5919521/microsoft-surface-just-made-the-macbook-air-and-the-ipad-obsolete
That’s sad… Delusional, yes…
That’s Gizmodo dude. What would you expect them to say (after their Apple iPhone 4 prototype shenanigans)? Their now about as anti-Apple as it gets…
“Microsoft’s antediluvian role as the Great Copier looks doomed to fail with its Surface.”
Sounds reasonable …
I never thought I’d live to see the day where the media called out Microsoft for its foibles. 10, hell, 5 years ago every obvious failure unveiled by Redmond would be hailed as the second coming of Christ.
Remember how it was proclaimed by media far and wide that the Zune was sooooooo awesome and it would totally bring the iPod to the brink of ruin, if not kill it outright?
Contrast that with the reception the Surface is receiving.
Has Microsoft’s Reality Distortion Field finally evaporated? Am I dreaming?
I think the iPod was the beginning of the end of the naked Microsoft emperor being able to parade around pretending he’s wearing marvelous clothes. It was a loud, public, obvious example of a smaller company being able to outmaneuver, outclass, outsell and finally dominate MS.
Vista didn’t help them either.
As a Apple users and not much of an Microsoft fan I really think people are being a bit harsh about Surface. Give it a chance to prove its self in the tablet market before you start bashing it. Do I think it be an iPad killer………no, but I do think it will have its fan base and people who like it. Microsoft didn’t do itself any favors by announcing it before it’s actually ready. With no pricing structure or battery life standard set and the fact two versions of the product are going to be released, I do see why some people predict this product will be a failure. However, wait till the product gets on the market and into consumesr hands before it’s doomed to fail.
I see only two choices: iPad, Macbook Air. A third for when I’m rich- the new MPR. In addition to the schizoid Microsoftian mess this product is- people forget- it’s also Windows, its biggest weakness of all.
I have to agree. Think about it. The Pro model is about as powerful as the Macbook Air and can also be used as a tablet. I wouldn’t write it off just yet.
Maybe so, but running any form of Windows virtually guarantees it’ll run at the speed of a MacPlus.
Hey! I resemble that remark!
I see it took you over an hour to type that reply, so QED. 😉
++
Producer James is asking MDN readers to wait for Surface to come to market and actually fail…before we can make a prediction based on history and recent observation that we think it is likely to fail. Um, no thanks.
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck….
Can you say “Potemkin Village,” James? Can you say “Courier”? How about “Project Pink”? How about (wait for it) . . . . . Redmond V-A-P-O-R-W-A-R-E”?
We can say anything we damned well please about an ephemeral, non-existant, demo-killing, ghost product that most likely won’t see the light of day this year. Fact: All vaporware is doomed to failure until it (again, wait for it) ACTUALLY SHOWS UP! This is just another Wizard-Of-Oz-man-behind-the-curtain presentation and nothing more. Of that I am certain UNLESS and UNTIL the product actually shows up on someone’s retail shelf.
Think that’s gonna happen before Christmas? NO CHANCE. And, in this case, my opinion is just as good as the Ballheadmer Boy’s, isn’t it?
Why did people think that the Surface would failed miserably? Because Microsoft has spelled it out loud and clear: the Surface is a V-A-P-O-R-W-A-R-E.
You’ll never see the same criticism on msnbc… since they happen to be in bed with Microsoft. You’ll also never see criticism of GE on NBC. You will however see rave reviews and news stories about the advantages of wind power and other green energies. Because GE happens to have a huge stake in these technologies.
yeah, msnbc cuts up sound bytes and calls it news….
Then the next day plays 1/3 the byte and says they didn’t have time to play the full byte… Yet they had time to laugh and make fun of the person in the byte in the original airing they cut up…
And as soon as they play the correct byte they immediately change subjects…
While MSNBC was founded as a partnership between Microsoft and NBC, MS has had nothing to do with the network for a number of years. It’s just that the name wasn’t changed after the divorce.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSNBC
You were correct about GE – they own NBC.
@Pirate: Microsoft sold off its entire stake in MSNBC a decade ago. There is no modern link between Microsoft and MSNBC.
As for this device, it’s vaporware at the moment. “On sale in the fall” probably means launch sometime in November. And then in the Spring, here comes the iPad 4.
“On sale in the fall”
You mean in AOE?
After Obama Era.
No Jean Poole, to bring this thread back on topic, AOE is a moot point.
M$ made this announcement probably because none of its hardware partners would take it seriously until it publicly committed itself to a tablet form factor and OS.
The Dulls, Asses and other assorted partners of M$ have had their collective butts kicked too many times in the market place these last few years by Apple. Now they have a clear sign from M$ to develop their offerings (if they want that is) to take on Apple. You knw, that little company out of Cupertino that just won’t die. The one that wreaked such havoc on the PC makers precious little netbook market as well as others that have have had the title “beleaguered” bestowed upon them by MDN…
This AOE thingy has got absolutely nothing to do with it.
It’s just M$ trying to get the hoopla going in an otherwise deflated environment.
M$ is also desperately attempting to equip CTO/CIOs with enough to create sufficient doubt in the minds of their CEO/COOs to avoid making their enterprise investment in iPads.
In a word, FUD.
I was expecting you to say “and in the spring comes service pack 1” 😉
So a quick note to MDN. I appreciate your recommendations on the articles you highlight. I normally hit the main article of those that interest me and almost always click on the Recommended ones.
And rarely on the Think Before You Click™
So thanks for taking the extra time on your links.
“in the new era of computing, the era in which the ability to easily access information is more important than the operating system or computing device we use to do it.”
This kind of crap bugs me…
It IS the combo of hardware/software that people are FLOCKING to… It does make a difference. If it didn’t, microcrap’s old tablet pcs would still be selling.
My question is: Can you scratch the Surface?
“Negative. Negative! It didn’t go in. It just impacted on the Surface.”
Wow. MDN got me to read something at Fux News. Bizarre.
From the article:
One suspects that the Surface announcement was a disappointment for Microsoft…. By having the press conference in Los Angeles Microsoft clearly hoped that Hollywood studio execs would be standing beside them on stage touting major movie deals for the Windows Store. That didn’t happen.
I had not counted on Microsoft severely embarrassing themselves TWICE this year! I knew Windows L8 was going to create users LASH-BACK! But I thought their latest FAIL attempt at a tablet would be a snooze inducing affair. Apparently NOT! Instead they’ve made it into a FLASHY SPEND-AND-FAIL affair! Spend Ballmer! SPEND SPEND SPEND!
I hope the pharmacies in Redmond are stocked up with anti-depressants! It’s gonna be a hell-of-a glum Microsoft year.
I can taste the tears from here.
(;_;)
(i don’t like microsoft very much)
hmm. coding fail. i could have sworn i closed that bolding. that’s why i don’t code for a living.
One hilarious thing: Among We-The-Geeks, ‘Surface’ is well known as the BIG ASS TABLE. BWAHAHAHA! Leave it to Microsoft to perpetuate the name ever further. 😆
“Surface” sounds so … superficial.
It is!
Its a fitting name. Glossy and glaring UI with the same old shit bag OS hiding just below the “surface”
“assuming they don’t fumble the execution”
Where do I start? The obvious: The demo crashed. The pattern: Vista, 8, Surface. (Plop, plop, fizz). A pun: Execution, what a wonderful parallel. I could go on and on and on…
Agreed.
Every other release of Windows takes a bullet for the next release. That has been my experience with them over the years.
At some point you either wake up and get off the crazy train or resign yourself to a lobotomy while wearing the ultimate premium signature edition rose colored glasses.
“You don’t need Outlook when Google offers a free calendar online. Today, we’re using iPhones, tomorrow Androids.”
Ugggg!
And he was doing so well!
“Better hardware doesn’t mean higher sales. Look at the Microsoft Zune, a superior product to the iPod in many ways. It boasted better sound quality and had more features, like an FM radio.”
. . . never mind about doing so well
it will fail. !
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? No bad mouthing of Fixed (Fox) News?
I guess if the reporting bashes Microsoft, than Fox News is doing great reporting?
Can you say hypocrisy?
Because it is MS, I suspect the Surface is going to be mediocre.
However, until we know the price point and the battery life, it is just speculation. Apple’s iPad strategy has clearly focused on two features (price, weight, and battery life) and user experience.
Battery: it does have a 41 W-h battery, which beats the 25 W-h battery in the iPad. Maybe that is why the thing is closer in thickness to an ultrabook than the iPad. However, since Apple has invested significantly in their processor and battery tech working together, the capacity of the Surface battery is only part of the story. The Surface will also run full desktop apps on Windows 8, which will be more demanding on the battery than iOS running mobile apps.
Price: if they are willing to take a loss, this could be priced to gain market share.
Weight: Again, situated right between iPad and ultrabooks.
user experience: they have not provided specs on processor, RAM, and graphics card, so whether they can actually run Windows well on Surface is not clear. However, ultrabooks, which are pretty close to the minimum necessary, sacrifice battery life – in the range of 5 h per charge. Not sure of the capacity of those.
overall strategy: you could take the view of Gizmodo that this is a competitor for both MacBook Air/ultrabooks and iPad/Android tablets. However, my view is that it is a ‘tweener that sacrifices any strengths to minimally cover up weaknesses. As it stands today, in order to achieve the mass and battery power necessary for a mobile device, you need to sacrifice some processing power. If you want full processing power, you sacrifice some size and mass. Maybe MS has made some great advance in OS technology to change that, but I doubt that. Their Surface ad campaign is likely to state: Jack of all trades, master of none.
From Wilson Rothman, tech reviewer at msnbc.com:
“I want to emphasize a key question: Why did Microsoft embark on this new hardware venture when it has so often failed in the past?
“Because it has to.”
When MSNBC and Fox both agree on something, you know two things: first, there’s got to be something to it; and second, the city of Dis is about to become a ski resort.