Windows RT a necessary disruption

An insight into the idea of RT.

.Microsoft defended the future viability of Windows RT during an interview with CNET today.Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president, Windows Planning, Hardware & PC Ecosystem, talked with CNET about what makes RT important for the software giant.
The platform took some hard knocks before and after it debuted on October 26. A lot of the criticism has focused on the lack of compatibility with older Windows applications, in contrast to backward-compatible Windows 8 on Intel-based devices.
But Angiulo says Microsoft has good reason to stick with the platform.

More at the source.

Microsoft defends Windows RT as necessary disruption | Microsoft - CNET News

 

[Ray8]

Unlike some people I use a tablet the way it's meant to be operated, with touch. If I was writing a novel I'd probably attach a keyboard and mouse, otherwise I whip it out with one hand and start typing on the screen like I'm doing now.

That's why he uses an iPad, the perfect tool (in more ways than one).

 

[BillWindows]

Unlike some people I use a tablet the way it's meant to be operated, with touch. If I was writing a novel I'd probably attach a keyboard and mouse, otherwise I whip it out with one hand and start typing on the screen like I'm doing now.

That's why he uses an iPad, the perfect tool (in more ways than one).

I've got 4 tablets, oh, I have to respond on the forum, I'd better grab a Blue tooth keyboard and mouse so I can type a response in 5 seconds.

I nearly bought another one today, I typed the first part on my Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, the second on the screen.

 

[pparks1]

So if you're lying in bed or on a recliner, you're telling me you need a keyboard, come on now. I think you need a guide on how to use a tablet.

To type effectively, yes I want to use a physical keyboard. You might be fine with slow typing, but I flat out guarantee that my responses are taking me a fraction of the time that they are taking you.

Even with such a small response as above, on a real keyboard that took me no more than about 5 seconds.

I can't even read that fast let alone type that fast, I very rarely use a keyboard to type on this or any other forum, especially when I'm in bed or lounging around.

And that is fine if that is a satisfactory experience for you. I'm simply not going to be satisfied responding in such a slow manner. But your comments insinuating that I use a tablet "wrong" or don't know what I am doing are a bit off base. We clearly have very different expectations and that will clearly slant our opinions on technologies available today.

And I haven't missed the fact that you never supported your statement that I find the surface to be virtually unusable. You seem to have taken some of my criticisms and spun them into what you wanted to hear.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I'd really like to meet the person who can use an On Screen Touch keyboard for typing text - or even a pen writing tool - faster than the classic Keyboard - and for block text selection a Mouse is still the best way to do it.

Touch is fine for all sorts of things - but as people say about technology "Don't throw out the Baby with the Bath water".

There's no way I could even start writing a small text base document (say Word) without using a classic keyboard.

Twatting away on the "Twatosphere" or messing around with "Farcebook" is another issue but for any sort of text composition --classic keyboard every time whether using a tablet or PC.

Actually I could probably use an old fashioned TYPEWRITER quicker than using an on screen touch keyboard. (Of course corrections etc were HIDEOUS to do -- with tippex etc. !!!).

Anybody remember using some of these ---

https://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&scl...98,d.d2k&fp=344bcbb635c15eee&biw=1183&bih=565

Cheers
jimbo

 

[whs]

We still have an IBM Selectric with the wobble ball. It is still being used at times, e.g. for typing a single label or an envelope.

 

[jimbo45]

We still have an IBM Selectric with the wobble ball. It is still being used at times, e.g. for typing a single label or an envelope.

Hi there
I must come from a sporting background as we called those "Golfballs".

Still very useful for that type of application -- but in a few years who will even understand what Snailmail is (was) or what the job of a postman was. -- Where did all the old "Comptometer Operators" go -- I remember an acoounts dept with a load of these machines clanking away constantly.

https://www.google.is/search?q=pict...VDKSn0QXt9oDIBA&ved=0CCYQsAQ&biw=1183&bih=565

Cheers
jimbo

 

[whs]

Must have been in 1958 when I worked with those machines during my university summer vacation at the Burroughs company in Frankfurt Germany. They sold a lot of them in those days.

 

[Coke Robot]

I have a Surface Pro in my bag, a few feet from me. But I am posting this response from my Chromebook. The Surface Pro is just more machine than I need for this post.

What's the point in having both?

 

[Coke Robot]

The future of Windows RT seems iffy to me. Once real decent x86 chips get less expensive (Intel Haswell), the argument for RT isn't there anymore other than for user need, and even then, it'd be best to have an x86 based tablet PC because of the off chance that person doesn't know what they will end up installing.

Actually, speaking of such, has anyone else seen these touch enabled Acer netbooks? Just around 380 dollars if I remember correctly...

 

[whs]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

 

[rmeigs]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

That is sweet. One wonders why someone would purchase a Surface Pro when you could pick this up. Cost and screen size seem so much better.

 

[whs]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

That is sweet. One wonders why someone would purchase a Surface Pro when you could pick this up. Cost and screen size seem so much better.

I guess the main difference is size and weight. But 2.1KG is still not very heavy. But you are right. In the face of that option, the Surface Pro is very expensive.

I like the fact that the Asus has an SSD and a big HDD. The SSD is probably used as a caching device for the HDD. That gives you a good speed and plenty of storage space at the same time.

If I did not have 4 laptops already, I would buy it. At least there, Windows 8 would make more sense.

 

[Coke Robot]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

Oh, that's actually the ASUS laptop I've been speaking about on a different thread, VERY nice! I should talk to one of my friends about this, they were thinking of buying the Vizio ultrabook, but the ASUS costs 750 in store over 900 and it's touch enabled and has a number pad as well and a MUCH larger hard drive with a 24 gig SSD cache I believe. This for 600?! YES!

 

[Coke Robot]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

That is sweet. One wonders why someone would purchase a Surface Pro when you could pick this up. Cost and screen size seem so much better.

I guess the main difference is size and weight. But 2.1KG is still not very heavy. But you are right. In the face of that option, the Surface Pro is very expensive.

I like the fact that the Asus has an SSD and a big HDD. The SSD is probably used as a caching device for the HDD. That gives you a good speed and plenty of storage space at the same time.

If I did not have 4 laptops already, I would buy it. At least there, Windows 8 would make more sense.

Sell one laptop and buy that one!

 

[whs]

Are you in the market for a couple of 2007 Vista laptops ?? LOL The wife loves those and would not let me take them away from her. The other two are very recent i5 models with Windows 7. They all run on SSDs.

 

[Coke Robot]

Are you in the market for a couple of 2007 Vista laptops ?? LOL The wife loves those and would not let me take them away from her. The other two are very recent i5 models with Windows 7. They all run on SSDs.

HAHA! I wouldn't image a need to replace a laptop any time soon if it had a SSD, for sure! But do any of those laptops have a touchscreen? Methinks not!

You could always try selling it at a pawn shop. A friend of a friend bought this HP TouchSmart AIO PC recently at a pawn shop that was selling it for 600, but the guy that bought it returned it as the hard drive died. They later sold it for 100 dollars. Actually, that might be a good route to take.... Hmmmm..... I'll have to look into that.

 

[chrisa]

I don't know whether I would buy an Acer. But there is always this one for $599 with coupon code S5555555

Asus VivoBook 15.6" Touch Screen Ultrabook, Black i5-3317U 1.7GHz #S500CA-DS51T S500CA-DS51T

That is sweet. One wonders why someone would purchase a Surface Pro when you could pick this up. Cost and screen size seem so much better.

The Hard Drives are weak. Only a 24gig SSD, which i'm not sure you could get Windows 8 on. It also includes a slow 5400RPM clunker.
Physical Size is huge in comparison, even more so when you go to to tablet mode on the Pro.
The screen resolution is crap. 1366X768? Seriously?
Nearly two and a half times the weight.

I mean, its fine if all you want is a cheapo clunker of a laptop with weak screen res and weak hard drives. But don't pretend its the same quality and specs as the Surface Pro. Its not.

 

[whs]

The 5400RPM HDD will be pretty fast with the 24GB SSD caching. The SSD is not a seperate unit on which you install Windows 8 - although it would easily fit if appropriately tuned.

On the screen resolution you have a point. that is not really fantastic but for normal usage it will suffice.

The weight is neither here nor there. Depends how you use it. I usually travel with the car, so a couple more pounds make no difference. And for a portable tablet I prefer the 7" form factor.

It is definitely not a clunker. The Surface Pro is an overpriced toy for the rich - nothing else. Once the hype is over, it will gather dust on the shelves like the Motorola Xoom did. From an initial price of $800+ it came down to $345.

 

[pparks1]

I have a Surface Pro in my bag, a few feet from me. But I am posting this response from my Chromebook. The Surface Pro is just more machine than I need for this post.

What's the point in having both?

Already had the chromebook, it was $250, so great price. It's great for long typing responses. It lasts all day. Great for the kids as they cannot install anything onto it. It outputs directly to tv via HDMI.

 

[chrisa]

The 5400RPM HDD will be pretty fast with the 24GB SSD caching. The SSD is not a seperate unit on which you install Windows 8 - although it would easily fit if appropriately tuned.

Lol.. no.. just.. no.

It is definitely not a clunker. The Surface Pro is an overpriced toy for the rich - nothing else. Once the hype is over, it will gather dust on the shelves like the Motorola Xoom did. From an initial price of $800+ it came down to $345.

And once again.. just.. no lol.

Are you on the flip side saying that only the rich bought Macbooks? Because most of those have been traditionally higher than even the Surface Pro's current price point. A lot of people have paid more than that for their TV, and they weren't rich. A lot of people pay more than that for a full quality workstation(especially if a gamer). The very first computer I personally bought was $2000 back in 1993. Calling a $999 device a toy of only the rich is just being silly. Its just simply a matter of if its the computer that fits you, and if you have the money set aside to be able to buy it.

But if you go cheap, you get cheap hardware.. its always been that way. You really do get what you paid for.