Today, in a local mall, I happened across the only place in Oregon one can walk into and buy a Microsoft Surface. There was a line to purchase them, maybe a wait of 30 minutes at the most. No one, to my knowledge, camped out overnight - if there was even an advance warning that they would be selling them.

It was a cool device, and if it were the first tablet on the market, they might have a hit, but at $700 for the 64GB model, I found no compelling reason for having one, and I'm one of the biggest early adapters around. It had cool features but no must have features. I like how the app icons continually update in live time.

I like tech and new gadgets. I really was trying to find a reason to buy one, but I couldn't. It won't run the Windows programs now on my computer, and although, it has a free Office app, I can use similar apps on the tablets I have, and although they leave something to be desired, I can get them to work with my Word program on my home computer, even if I have to sometimes email a file to myself.

The keyboard that also functions as a cover works, but it would take a while to get where I could type on it with any speed.

They are coming out with a version that will run regular Windows programs, and maybe that will be better - also much more expensive - but I just don't see this version of the Surface succeeding. I think it's going to flop.

I was reading somewhere on MS was predicting an "epic" year with the tablet and Windows 8.

Everyone was replying with "epic fail."

Hell, I just now upgraded to XP this year!

Paolo wrote: Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:01 pm I was reading somewhere on MS was predicting an "epic" year with the tablet and Windows 8.

Everyone was replying with "epic fail."

Hell, I just now upgraded to XP this year!

Holy Shit! Finally!

Paolo wrote: Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:01 pm I was reading somewhere on MS was predicting an "epic" year with the tablet and Windows 8.

Everyone was replying with "epic fail."

Hell, I just now upgraded to XP this year!

XP is still the best OS IMO Vista makes me want to punch kittens, 7 is a good OS but 8, well lets just say if I ever have to change over to 8 I will "Nuke a Gay Baby Whale for Jesus"

Microsoft thinking that they have something with 8 is beyond me, sure for tablets it will work but they are also selling it as a PC system.

....

gunnutz (imported) wrote: Sat Oct 27, 2012 6:41 pm Microsoft thinking that they have something with 8 is beyond me, sure for tablets it will work but they are also selling it as a PC system.

I get the feeling that both Microsoft and Apple see mobile devices as their future cash cows. They're not ready to pull the plug on support of PCs and laptops--yet--but when's the last time you saw anyone buy a "tower" style PC? Personally, I like having a real keyboard, not the representation of one on a touch screen, but then I still watch movies and listen to music on those round plastic DVD and CD thingys, too.

Sandi

Microsoft OS's run in odd numbers, I think.

8 - will suck

7- was OK

Vista - sucked

XP - well liked

NT & 2000 - should have been modified with graphics and marketed to home use. Excellent systems.

ME - disaster

98 - liked, but rather unstable

95 - sort of a disaster but workable

C&TL2745 (imported) wrote: Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:07 pm I get the feeling that both Microsoft and Apple see mobile devices as their future cash cows. They're not ready to pull the plug on support of PCs and laptops--yet--but when's the last time you saw anyone buy a "tower" style PC? Personally, I like having a real keyboard, not the representation of one on a touch screen, but then I still watch movies and listen to music on those round plastic DVD and CD thingys, too.

Sandi

I am a PC gamer so all the time:D

Best Buy had a lenovo ultra-book I liked. It has Windows 8, a touch screen, and a keyboard that can folded all the way over, so you can use it as a tablet. It has a good processor, 4GB ram, and a 128GB hard drive, but the thing weighs about 4lbs, and I couldn't find out what the battery life is. If I didn't already have a Windows 7 laptop with a more powerful processor, more ram, and a bigger hard drive, and it includes a DVD drive and weighs under 5lbs, I might consider it; but it's way too heavy to carry around and use like a tablet, and costs almost a thousand bucks.

I'm sure some neat things are coming from other makers, but I'm predicting the Surface to be a big fail. For what this RT version will do and considering the few apps it has, I don't see any place for it. I think we have another HP Touchpad, which, running WebOS, was an epic fail. I actually bought one but took it back before the week was out.

I'll probably go back tomorrow and ask more questions about the Surface, but I doubt they are going to tell me anything that will convince me to buy it.

5 lbs.?

I have a 2000 Toshiba laptop that weighs about 10!

They made fun of it at the airport, too.

I mean, hell, you could kill someone with this thing.

Paolo wrote: Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:39 pm Microsoft OS's run in odd numbers, I think.

8 - will suck

7- was OK

Vista - sucked

XP - well liked

NT & 2000 - should have been modified with graphics and marketed to home use. Excellent systems.

ME - disaster

98 - liked, but rather unstable

95 - sort of a disaster but workable

Anything B4 NT is toilet material. Never used 2000, liked XP for several years. Hate despise loathe vista. 7 is OK. Afraid to touch 8. Incoming....!!!