Now that Microsoft has made its move with the Microsoft surface tablet, how do you all think it will do compared to the ipad? I know there are some things that I like and somethings I don't. The biggest thing I like about the surface is having a microsd port. I know that is my biggest complaint about my ipad, and it would be nice to stick in a sd card and instantly get more memory. Also their inclusion of usb and hdmi is nice too. I like the size of the ipad better, and the looks are better. It seems like the ipad will still have better resolution, so that is an advantage for the ipad. I guess it'll be a while before we see it running, but I personally think it will make the ipad better since competition always brings out the best. I wonder too if the surface will have bluetooth joysticks because it seems like they will integrate into xbox live a lot. I really wonder if gaming will be better on it or the new ipad. Your thoughts?
It might encourage some developers to make games for Win 7 OS, which I guess is what that tablet will run on. It's something they need, considering Win 7 phones count for only about 5% of the smartphones in America.
Gaming wise it appears its going to crush apple just because it can run steam and some fairly recent games like Civ. 5. Being an apple fanboy I have to admit this tablet looks pretty decent.
This runs Windows 8 yo. Anyway this looks fantastic. The Keyboard cover and impressive tech and specs (gorilla glass ftw) make me really want one. It may be my first non-e-book tablet I buy.
There's no question this will force both Apple and major Android partners to step up their game across the board, both in terms of tablets with the RT ARM-based models and the Ultrabook-class Professional models, too. How things actually go will depend on real-world availability and pricing, though, and in the case of the RT iPad competitors, a truly healthy app store.
Can anyone explain what steam is and how the Microsoft surface would use it? And couldn't Apple make a comparable service?
Steam is a computer gaming platform for PC and Mac. It is owned and run by Valve- the creators of Half Life, Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress, Portal, Counterstrike, etc. It's basically like PSN or XBOX Live- both a marketplace for games, and a social gaming network with achievements. It would only work on the pro version though, as far as I know. Apple does already have a comparable service- the AppStore and Gamecenter, though Steam has big blockbuster games in addition to small indie titles, and amazing sales (better deals than the AppStore offers- they often sell big games for crazy low prices. Example: I got Fallout New Vegas and Fallout 3 GOTY almost a couple of years ago for like $10 in a bundle and also got Borderlands for $5). Steam is the best game marketplace I've usee IMO.
If this can run Steam and all, then it means its gonna be stinkin' good. Anyone thinking that iOS and Steam are on the same par is kidding himself, Steam is far above in terms of quality. That said, we'll see if there's anything else that'd sweeten the deal. Probly won't pick up any tablet, but this is quite an interesting idea. If it can run Steam it's ahead of Apple by a good deal (hopefully Apple will finally approve Onlive at least) but if not Apple is still ahead there. Why Apple doesn't try to do something like this is beyond me. Abandoning the iTouch, leaving Onlive in the void, and sitting on their hands does nothing for the gaming territory, with the app store's apps and games being the one thing that's made it far better than the rest. They better step up their game or they'll be losing a lot of their non-fanboy customers.
I agree, it is always good to have another major player enter the stage. That means more variety. For us developers and for the clients.
I don't see why it shouldn't be able to run steam, it runs windows and not some mobile OS that someone decided should be put on a bigger screen.
I got a question, does the ipad have a 3d graphics chip? I know it has a gpu, but can't remember anyone saying anything about 3d graphics on the ipad. Would the surface have a 3d chip? Also, windows had activex, would that be used to render 3d graphics on the new surfacefor for most surface games? I can see for gaming that the surface may be the better platform for hardcore 3d games as well as driving games, but for casual games, I have a feeling that ipad will be superior.
They all have 3D nowadays - it's actually right there on the same chip as the cpu in most cases. I would expect this thing to have comparable performance to the Xbox 360. That tech is very old now. If not exactly that, then expect something similar - it's more about heat and battery drain than anything else. Apple will have put some muscle into the next iPad to compete. But I'm sure they will, it would truly suck for Apple execs to think they fell behind the dreaded Microsoft. They don't see Android as a threat (though they should imo) but this new MS product could be a game changer.
Wow, that would be pretty powerful, if it as powerful as the Xbox 360. While the new ipad is getting closer to console gaming, it still has a ways to go. But I do think it's the premiere portable gaming system out on the market. I would much rather have a new ipad rather than a sony vita or nintendo ds, hands down. I wonder if the surface will become somewhat of a console itself. You mentioned that it will probably have the horse power, plus it has an hdmi port to hook up to your tv. Also with an sd card, you could easily load in extra graphics for memory intensive games, so you would not need dvds or cartridges. Also, I'm sure microsoft will come out with bluetooth controllers, or better yet, they will make all future xbox controllers work on the surface. I sure wish apple would get its act in gear and release a bluetooth joystick for the ipad before xmas, or it may lose a huge marketshare due to gamers wanting a good joystick. So as you mentioned, apple will now be forced to compete. How are ways that you or others feel that apple will do so? I'm sure better cpus, gpus, but anything else? And will apple one day let us use sd cards in our ipads so we can do things like watch videos, download more games, and transfer files between devices? I sure hope this forces apple to do so. I do like the looks of the ipad way more than the surface though. I like the more square shape sleeker look, and simple style. But the surface looks like it could be a gamechanger in the gaming world, or maybe the business world. Wonder which route Microsoft will go, make this more for hardcore gaming or more for business. These are two niches that apples new ipad does not do too well with. Otherwise, apple is really doing really well, and I like my new ipad alot. Just in two years, I wonder what platform I will be using. I'm sure the ipad 4 will become much more powerful, and I can see it having much better 3d ability than the new ipad. But Rubicon, what other things do you think apple might add due to the competition the Microsoft surface tablet will bring?
I like that it's gorilla glass 2 but I think they said it's 0.7 mm thick it may as well just be normal glass then as far as shattering goes. Bit more scratch resistant probably but just as likely to break if dropped.
I though I heard rumours that the new ipad was going to have gorilla glass, but it never happened. Wonder if the ipad 4 will have it. But seems much harder to drop a tablet than a phone. I hope I never drop my ipad...
I certainly hope they don't double the resolution again! I dunno really, Apple's whole "user experience" is hard to knock so they have that in their favour. Some more meat under the hood should be doable enough too. What I'd really like to see is some sort of simple joypad in the box. Peripherals are fine but you really need the widget to be available to everyone to rely on designing stuff to use it. Maybe a dockable gizmo that sits along the bottom or something.
If the surface is as successful as it could possibly be, I think apple would be losing serious market from both the iPad and Air. I think the only thing they could do if that happened is to make an equivalent tablet/computer but instead of IOS it would have to be heavily based on OSX and run all the proper computer apps. Now it's a giant "IF" as it has a long way to go and still a lot of unknowns but it would certainly make an interesting future.
