Bill Gates: There is 'a strong possibility' Apple needs a Surface-like device - Page 3

I know one market that is hoping with desperation that the surface will take off and sell well... antivirus companies. Their scare tactics of iOS security aren't going down too well and their monthly income must have sky dived during the move to mobile.

Here we go again.

I think Bill Gates' comments were entirely expected, and his advocacy of Surface isn't somehow an unbiased opinion (remember, Gates won't allow members of his family to buy Apple products like an iPod, no matter how much better the iPod is over a Zune).

And I would expect competitors to frame the debate according to their perceived strengths. Microsoft says you can run full Windows on a tablet that looks suspiciously like a laptop that needs a kickstand. Motorola claimed you Xoom would deliver Adobe Flash. RIM proclaimed amateur hour over. HP flew the TouchPad straight into the ground.

I have no doubt some people will not be happy with a tablet unless it requires antivirus scanners, fixing registry errors, and weekly reboots to satiate Windows Update, and weird DLL conflicts, and stupid, inane user experience like this actual message that I got trying to uninstall a service pack: "The removal of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 may put this computer in an state in which projects cannot be loaded and Service Pack 1 cannot be reinstalled." Seriously, WTF? And if you install things in the wrong order, it can create strange problems. Uninstalling things in the wrong order can actually cause later uninstalls to fail (oh yes, I've seen it on my work PC). I'm not making this shit up; this is normal for Windows. I mean, no wonder there's keyboard in the cover: how else are you going to get this "tablet" to boot into safe mode when you can't press F8?

If this is the experience you want from a tablet, Microsoft has you covered.

Apple already has surface competitor. It's called Macbook Air :D.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton 

Um, it just me, or is the forum editor running every line together into one continuous paragraph? It was working earlier...

I don't know anything about the forum editor, but I do know that your previous post is definitely continuous, as in one continuous paragraph.

A third party keyboard mfg could easily design on of these keyboards to magnetically attach and replace the existing cover, but the problem is the angle that Microsoft is using isn't what I would use, it is too vertical.  Now, Apple does have, or at least did have that keyboard stand product, but it wasn't a "cover" per see.  There are various third party keyboard/covers on the market and they sell to those that want a tablet/keyboard device and I see people using those every once in a while.  but again, it can be done and IS being done, Apple just is letting the third party people do it untll Apple feels they actually really need to, but I don't think they do.

"There's a strong possibility Microsoft needs an iPad like device. And a strong probability that after we come up with one, we'll start talking about how Apple is following our lead."

-B. Gates

There. Fixed that for you, Mr G.

Apples response to the Surface is already on the market - it is called the Mac Book Air!

And has Bill twigged to the fact that keyboard attachments for the iPad have also been around for years? So who needs to catch up with who?

--Deleted--

Hmmm...  Let's see...

1 iPad + 1 Bluetooth Keyboard = Apple's version of Microsoft Surface.

Check, check, and check.

Drat. I was hoping the article would be about Apple's need for the original Surface, now called PixelSense. A table or wall sized multi-touch device from Apple would rock.

- Jasen.

Clearly Microsoft is not so confident about this and this is why they have ARM Surface and Windows RT. Price is an advantage of an ARM tablet but this is clearly not the main reason behind the ARM Surface since Windows RT is not actually Windows.

You are the moron. He is not the richest man in the world for being a moron. 

but it does not have a mouse. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apple ][ 

I don't know anything about the forum editor, but I do know that your previous post is definitely continuous, as in one continuous paragraph.

Thanks. Figured it out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider 


"You don't have to make a compromise," Gates said. "You can have everything you like about a tablet and everything you like about a PC all in one device. And so that should change the way people look at things."

Which by its very nature, involves compromise. You can't treat each device as the same thing, otherwise you'l have consumers trying to use one form factor in the same way as another, which will be a BIG problem.

MS has been trying to treat tablet form-factors in the same manner as traditional "computer" form factors since Gates first introduced his clunky, unwieldy idea of a "tablet." Which was a total failure. Microsoft's latest attempt is no different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton 

 

Thanks. Figured it out.

Yes, I saw your previous post again, and it's actually readable now. :)

Mr. Gates is the biggest troll in tech industry, remember the interview of D5 in 2007, when he obviously knew that Apple was working in a tablet in the shadows, how he came with the Surface v1, as if he was saying, "hey, we came with this first, lets get this recorded, they are not doing anything new", then we all know how Apple came with the ipad and they came with nothing.

It's the same thing all over again, he knows that Apple is now in the proccess of mixing iOS and OSX, and making universal apps for all Apple devices, thats why hes coming with this vaporware and stuff, thats how MS roll. They just want to shift attention to ... wait for it ... Nothing.

Also it's a good way to stop people talking about the Nexus 7.

I think Bill Gates is trying to increase MS tablet base by nefarious means by reducing Apple's tablet customer base by making such asinine comments that causes the Apple masses to die laughing!  At least that's MY theory.

/

/

/

LMFAO! Yes, moron he is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by juggernaut30 

If the full experience is so great then why even make Windows RT tablets???

Microsoft is giving consumers CHOICE. I know that ugly word is mostly foreign to Apple fans.

Quote:

Originally Posted by therealestmc 

You are the moron. He is not the richest man in the world for being a moron. 

No, he's the richest man in the world for figuring out you can create a business model around whoring out a totally shit operating system to everyone and their dog. 

Beyond that, as far as tech is concerned, he's a total fraud and hack. The really great ideas came from others, especially Apple. Microsoft designed software in order to make money by spamming volume. Tech designed around the consumer (that is, everyday people), in order to prevent them from pulling their hair out in frustration, was never their priority.

Which is why, beyond the money-making idea of universal licensing with no regard for the qualitative outcome (which *did* work), Microsoft has very, very little respect from me. 

On second thought . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0FtgZNOD44

Nah. I think they have even less. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eksodos 

 

Microsoft is giving consumers CHOICE. I know that ugly word is mostly foreign to Apple fans.

You can choose poorly implemented tablet OS #1, or you can choose poorly-implemented tablet OS #2. 

How's that for "choices"? 

Awesome. 

We don't need "choice." We need **what's already there** to be perfected. Because when that happens, you don't need to look elsewhere. 

Only intelligent answer I've seen on this board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadra 610 

 

You can choose poorly implemented tablet OS #1, or you can choose poorly-implemented tablet OS #2. 

 

How's that for "choices"? 

 

Awesome. 

It's impressive you've already formed these opinions before the product has been reviewed by a single person outside of Microsoft.

It's quintessentially Microsoft to smugly anticipate upsetting a market they've proved they don't understand and in which they've never successfully competed with two untested products which don't yet exist.  

'Tis pity Gates won't stoop to becoming President of the United States.  He'd make a fine politician.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogifan 

if consumers wanted this choice how come the transformer prime isn't selling like hotcakes? Because it doesn't have Outlook and Office and can't run Photoshop? LMAO!

Nobody knows yet. It's impossible to judge fairly until real people have the opportunity to use these new products and review them. But Microsoft Office is still very much a big deal for a lot of people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eksodos 

 

It's impressive you've already formed these opinions before the product has been reviewed by a single person outside of Microsoft.

I *very wisely* keep my expectations low when it comes to Microsoft. You'd be wise to do the same. 

You don't need to read reviews to know that the entire concept of the Surface is flawed. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObjectiveSee 

I can't wait to see the price of Surface. MS will find out the titanium model will sink them so they will do a cheap plastic version instead and still not match Apple on price. They don't have the volume buying power to make this make any financial sense. 

Exactly.  The downfall won't be the keyboard cover or the OS.  It will be pricing and distribution.  Microsoft doesn't have the partners and connections or high volume to get good deals on manufacturing.  More importantly, they have no way to market the device to the most likely buyers (i.e., enterprise users). I don't think Dell and HP are going to be pushing these devices.  Does MS really think corporate IT departments are going to reverse their policies about allowing iPads just so they can cram MS tablets down our throat like they do PCs? Good luck, I think it is too late.  My IT department has the most anal-retentive, ultra-conservative morons on the face of the planet and they allow iPads.   

Hello McFly!  MS needs a place to sell its crapware.  I'm sure Best Buy and Walmart will sign up, but the customers in Best Buy and Walmart won't understand that it can run MS office and will see it as an overpriced inferior product to the iPad.  The business people who might appreciate the full versions of MS Office will continue using laptops and are not the kind of people strolling through Best Buy and Walmart making impulsive purchases. 

Seriously Gates, how are you going to sell this thing????  You might want to start talking to the accountants at RIM to know the best tax strategy for writedowns on indefinite channel inventory. I predict Surface will succeed just like the RIM tablet. What was the name of RIM's tablet?  Most of us probably don't remember. However, I'm sure we could read about it in a "history" section of a Wikipedia entry on tablets. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton 

Here we go again.

 

I think Bill Gates' comments were entirely expected, and his advocacy of Surface isn't somehow an unbiased opinion (remember, Gates won't allow members of his family to buy Apple products like an iPod, no matter how much better the iPod is over a Zune).

 

And I would expect competitors to frame the debate according to their perceived strengths. Microsoft says you can run full Windows on a tablet that looks suspiciously like a laptop that needs a kickstand. Motorola claimed you Xoom would deliver Adobe Flash. RIM proclaimed amateur hour over. HP flew the TouchPad straight into the ground.

 

I have no doubt some people will not be happy with a tablet unless it requires antivirus scanners, fixing registry errors, and weekly reboots to satiate Windows Update, and weird DLL conflicts, and stupid, inane user experience like this actual message that I got trying to uninstall a service pack: "The removal of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 may put this computer in an state in which projects cannot be loaded and Service Pack 1 cannot be reinstalled." Seriously, WTF? And if you install things in the wrong order, it can create strange problems. Uninstalling things in the wrong order can actually cause later uninstalls to fail (oh yes, I've seen it on my work PC). I'm not making this shit up; this is normal for Windows. I mean, no wonder there's keyboard in the cover: how else are you going to get this "tablet" to boot into safe mode when you can't press F8?

 

If this is the experience you want from a tablet, Microsoft has you covered.

Macs require updates too and they are not errors free nor is the ipad which needs to be restarted when apps go insane.. Please refrain from thinking the Apple products are perfect because they are not. There are actually people out there that carry both Pc and Mac, iPad and now hopefully the surface. I am one of those and having both Pc and mac I can see the pros and cons of both world. Unfortunately, there are narrow minded people who think that their platform is superior than the other. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanExtremists 

Real men already have built in equipment for having 'fun'.  Usually involves a partner.  They don't need to pay big money to a fruit named company to do so.

Fruit named company...Ouch! Sting! I suppose you prefer the Bing variety of cherries.

I think your partner would take exception to being called 'equipment' or at the very least it would take the 'fun' out of the relationship. I'm guessing you ain't got no...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dickprinter 

Since when do companies give out advise to their competitors?

Only when they hope to undermine them. If he had fired Ballmer about 5 years ago and come back to crack the whip at Microsmoothie they might be in a better position.

> Speaking to Microsoft's first attempt at a tablet format, Gates said that he had the idea "way too early,"

Yes, he had the idea that something called Windows should be everywhere, no matter how wildly inappropriate or disfunctional it may be.

> "You don't have to make a compromise," Gates said. "You can have everything you like about a tablet and everything you like about a PC all in one device. And so that should change the way people look at things."

This is the real problem.  Microsoft just doesn't want to decide anything.  It's got to have every option that is fully configurable because somebody out there just might want that feature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by therealestmc 

You are the moron. He is not the richest man in the world for being a moron. 

You're right. He's a very smart guy, but his company is currently run by one of the biggest cement-heads in Microsoft history.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton 

Here we go again.

 

I think Bill Gates' comments were entirely expected, and his advocacy of Surface isn't somehow an unbiased opinion (remember, Gates won't allow members of his family to buy Apple products like an iPod, no matter how much better the iPod is over a Zune).

 

And I would expect competitors to frame the debate according to their perceived strengths. Microsoft says you can run full Windows on a tablet that looks suspiciously like a laptop that needs a kickstand. Motorola claimed you Xoom would deliver Adobe Flash. RIM proclaimed amateur hour over. HP flew the TouchPad straight into the ground.

 

I have no doubt some people will not be happy with a tablet unless it requires antivirus scanners, fixing registry errors, and weekly reboots to satiate Windows Update, and weird DLL conflicts, and stupid, inane user experience like this actual message that I got trying to uninstall a service pack: "The removal of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 may put this computer in an state in which projects cannot be loaded and Service Pack 1 cannot be reinstalled." Seriously, WTF? And if you install things in the wrong order, it can create strange problems. Uninstalling things in the wrong order can actually cause later uninstalls to fail (oh yes, I've seen it on my work PC). I'm not making this shit up; this is normal for Windows. I mean, no wonder there's keyboard in the cover: how else are you going to get this "tablet" to boot into safe mode when you can't press F8?

 

If this is the experience you want from a tablet, Microsoft has you covered.

LOL, this is a fine piece of commenting.  Seriously you made me laugh out loud three times.  You get one LOL for the "HP flew the TouchPad straight into the ground." Another LOL for "some people will not be happy with a tblet unless it requires antivirus scanners....".  However, the loudest LOL comes from the statement, "no wonder there's a keyboard in the cover: how else are you going to get this 'tablet' to boot into safe mode when you can't press f8". 

That shit is just plain FUUUNNNYYY

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadra 610 

 

I *very wisely* keep my expectations low when it comes to Microsoft. You'd be wise to do the same. 

 

You don't need to read reviews to know that the entire concept of the Surface is flawed. 

I think it's wiser to try and keep an open mind.

I don't feel the need to set my expectations artificially high or low. I'll be utterly unaffected by whatever happens with Surface - no matter how good or bad it is.