Why Surface Will Be Good for the iPad and the Rest of Us
Tech.pinions’ Steve Wildstrom notes that for the past 2 1/2 years, iPad as has ruled the world of tablets, with little competition worth mentioning. However, the entry of Microsoft into the fray, both with the Surface and an assortment of third-party Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets, the business is about to get a lot more interesting. Wildstrom contends that some real competition will be good for both platforms, as the rivalry between iPhone and Android has made both better and thinks the entry of Windows Phone 8 can only improve things, pushing both Apple and Android.
He also notes that Android tablets have suffered from the lack of decent software, adn that the Android app situation remains calamitous, amounting to mostly blown-up phone apps that are terrible on a 7-inch tablet and unspeakable on a 10-inch. However, Microsoft is not making this mistake, and while the selection of Windows RT apps is still quite limited, he says Microsoft understands the care and feeding of developers, and the RT apps that are available are designed for the Surface’s display.
Wildstorm further observes that Surface isn’t designed as a head-on competitor for the iPad, and in many respects, such as its ability to work with USB peripherals and its all-but-mandatory keyboard, it’s far more PC-like than Apple’s tablet, and like the iPad itself represents a new device class in what is turning out to be a surprisingly big space between smartphones and traditional PCs.
Why Microsoft’s Surface Tablet Is Rob Enderle’s New Favorite Device
TGDaily’s Rob Enderle reports that he’s been playing around with Microsoft’s Surface tablet for several days, and has suddenly realized that he’s using it very differently than any other tablet or laptop he’s ever owned, and that Microsoft’s new device has really improved the quality of his life. He contends that Surface represents more than just a new product and should be pereceived as the beginning of a new way of blending work and play, and with Surface you really can leave your laptop at home.
