Mobile computing has been an inescapable theme for our reviews coverage this month, after some of the most eagerly awaited new tablets and smartphones all saw their official launch within the space of a few weeks.
Surface RT: ARM'd, but not dangerous
Apple has finally confirmed what has only been speculated before (and even pooh-poohed by the late Steve Jobs), by designing a smaller version of the iPad. Even the name of iPad mini holds up the expectation, as does the sublime attention to detail in its design.
But competition in the under-eights category is now fierce, with cut-price mini-tablets offered at knock-down prices from some familiar non-hardware companies with vested interests to finance. We’ve covered the Google Nexus 7 before, thought to be a loss-leader pushed out to boost Android tablet uptake.
Now the big American retailers are at it - first Amazon, then Barnes & Noble, with cost-subsidised devices the corporations hope will inspire you to open your wallet and fill their tablets with paid-for books, music and rented film downloads.
We can’t be sure, but the latest Google smartphone, the spookily cheap Nexus 4 that’s this time built by LG on behalf of the advertising giant, may be benefitting from incredibly slim profit margins to help further the platform’s cause. Android already has huge market share, and is now the largest smartphone OS, so perhaps Google is playing a long game to help shut out Microsoft from the smartphone business.
But, as we found with the Nokia Lumia 920 - Microsoft’s Nexus, if you will, since the Windows maker all but owns Nokia now - there’s little chance of Windows Phone 8 becoming the go-to choice for a while. Useful software availability is one obvious drawback, along with the type of teething troubles you’d expect of a generation-one Microsoft release.
The where’s-my-app theme is echoed by the Surface - or, as we should call it, the Surface RT, in contrast to a Pro version promised for next year, which should even run Windows PC programs. In the case of the Surface - ARM’d, but not especially dangerous to Apple or Google just yet - limited software is only one gotcha.
Microsoft’s first PC is immature, with some obvious customisation options absent and its stability in question. These issues demand fixing for later releases, provided that Microsoft doesn’t do a Zune and give up on another unloved and floundering me-too product.
Until Windows Run Time becomes more viable, we suggest it first learns to walk as Windows WT.
Comments
conix67 said: It is an attempt to make it easier a good attempt but a poor execution My biggest gripe is why the hell you include desktop windows mode to run Office and the Office itself is not designed from ground up for tablet use instead it has been customized Would Google of Apple have done the same if they had to do itOK including Office keyboard and touchpad makes it easier to use as a productivity machine but still no match for a laptop And one reason I like tablets is that it DOES NOT have the folding keyboard Sure you can take off the keyboard from surface but youd still need to carry it around somehow to make use of it when necessaryIn the end it does both but not the best in either world In other words its a crippled tablet crippled laptop
Diyogee said: Are consumers looking for serious productivity from a tablet Definitely No as was answered by current market trendYoure right consumers generally use tablets as entertainment devices But its not because they dont want to do work on their tablets its because its difficult to work on tablets The Surface has changed that It has made it easier to do both
Diyogee said: Microsofts first PC is immature with some obvious customisation options absent and its stability in questionHave you ever used a Surface I think not Because if you had the last thing you would call it is immature If anything it has raised the bar for what one will expect from a tablet going forward It is basically a laptop in tablet form and unlike other tablets on the market one can do some serious work on it I would recommend it to a college student in a New York minute Not so with other tabletsNo one has downloaded 275000 apps to their tablet and no one ever will Its not how many apps there are its whether the apps one needs are available and so far for me they have beenI have used Windows 8 and Windows RT since their release They are bothexcellent operating systems The apps will come But if youre an Apple biased reviewer and I suspect that you are I can assure you that you are correctits time to panic
Sam Wagner said: If you properly design your software for the WinRT model you do not need to design 2 different versions of the software Thats only necessary if you want to also make Win32 software in addition to WinRT software
Billy Liar said: Must be a pain in the ass for developers to think about two versions of software for Windows 8 - RT and X86 I think most developers have abandoned or wish to abandon Windows now Windows 8 is fast becoming a kind of black comedy
conix67 said: Points well taken but for productivity use it is still no match for a laptop Are consumers looking for serious productivity from a tablet Definitely No as was answered by current market trendNot saying Surface is a bad product It is a solid product if you look at it by itself If you wanted to use an Android tablet as a serious productivity machine that expectation would not have been fulfilled anyway and surface would suit you better However most people including myself would find actual laptop far better system for serious productivity workGoing back to original comment 14GB for OS and office is simply outrageous It speaks volume about how inefficient the design is Do we really need 14GB of preloaded stuff to make it do things on a tablet Also apps situation is critical as it was the weakest point for Android and Playbook still it is for this tablet For a large SW company like MS releasing a product with missing key apps they could have paid is surely disappointing Things will improve but the initial impression is the one that last longest
scoob101 said: I dont remember claiming that it was However from a productivity standpoint it makes competing tablets look like toys - and toys are great if all you want to do is play But I wanted to do some real work as well as consume media
conix67 said: Curious how is it better than a laptop then
scoob101 said: Having owned and used aSurface RT device for a week now I do find all the negative reviews of this device a little baffling Im very impressed with the device - its an enormous improvement on the Android tablet it replaced The excellent PC style device support 5ghz wifi and built in office apps mean it can effectivley replace a laptopLast night I scanned some documents using an network scannerprinter and emailed them then typed some word documents and printed them out on the same network printer All using the Surface RT over wifi and nothing else Only criticism I would have is the power connector is fiddly Other than that - superb Why is it a disaster Have you even used one
Nayan Patel said: You can buy 64GB MicoSD card in 40-50 bucks and It will give you100GB storage total or buy 32GB Card in 20 Bucks in Future you may get 128GB cards at very cheap price at that moment you will have atleast option in Surface to expand memory but forget that in iPad
Peter Panagiotou said: the 32 GB has only 18 GB of available space And no Apps its a disaster