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

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Comments

  • Reply 201 of 300
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    fransc wrote: »
    Bill Gates seems to forget Apple has MacBook Air to fill that gap in much better way than his awful creation ( specially the 11 inch version).
    do you know the difference between surface and a netbook? 


    LL

    Ha!

    Except the laptop image should have a bidirectional arrow to indicate that the user can reposition the screen to any desired angle!
  • Reply 202 of 300
    apersonaapersona Posts: 27member


    Bill Gates seems to operate in a closed mental system. The wheels are definitely turning and opinions are coming out but there is no experiential input or real insights into human beings. Given that he famously forbid his family to use Apple products, I seriously doubt he has ever spent any time with an iOS device and has never experienced the freedom from the mind-numbing aspects of traditional computing that iOS offers. He has always expressed bewilderment at the appeal of Apple products; these latest statements are just more of the same.

  • Reply 203 of 300
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    agramonte wrote: »
    I care less about microsoft - and yes 90% of the people spend their time on web browsers... because 90% of the people make nothing - it is the rest that still to this day make the sites they look at, layout the e-magazines they read - design and build the apps they use. non of it is made on an iPAD or Mickey Mouse iOS

    It is nice that that 90% that went no further past crayons are happy with IOS - but for the rest of us who actually do not waste that much time on doing nothing - it would be nice to also get a tablet device from Apple.

    Sorry, ten percent isn't a strong argument for making a product just to suit a minority demand. History has shown repeatedly the market for a tablet with a full desktop OS is too small to justify catering. You can throw around all the invectives that you want, you've simply failed to argue a viable business case for the product you want.

    zunx wrote: »
    A 400 to 600 g Mac would be nice. Whatever form factor (clamshell, slider or tablet). The Mac in your pocket. Always. Not for heavy work, but great for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.

    iPhone or iPod Touch with Keynote and PowerPoint can do the job. Or an 11" MacBook Air. Anything smaller and you're really starving the desktop OS of a comfortably usable screen space.

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

    Microsoft is only about giving choices that involve its own products. Competing products, they'll write into their supplier contracts saying that OEMs may not offer computers running non-MS operating systems.

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

    They already had plenty of opportunity to allow reviewers use it, but they denied it. They wouldn't let anyone touch the products, much less use them.

    nikon133 wrote: »

    And... you can run heavy-duty apps like Final Cut Pro, Office for Mac or Aperture on iPad "upgraded" with keyboard?

    I think not.

    Why would you run a "heavy duty" app on a Surface Pro? Wouldn't you want a "real" laptop?
  • Reply 205 of 300
    d-ranged-range Posts: 396member
    agramonte wrote: »
    yeah would be nice to have a tablet for actual talented people

    iPad is for that group that everything they own other people made and everything that has ever inspired them other people have imagined - be nice to have a tablet for the rest of us.

    iOS has always been the dumbing down of Apple - the device for "joe" - who can produce little with their time - reason why it has so many silly video games 

    Serious users will always choose a proper desktop or laptop for content creation. For quick and dirty editing or looking at some boring PowerPoint or Excel sheet, the iPad has everything you need. For video and audio many professional, high-end applications are available. The app store is crammed with apps that let you draw and paint stuff.

    So, what great new things are you going to create on your Microsoft Surface? You gonna hammer in some code in Visual Studio on that 10" screen?

    Another funny thing worth mentioning is that today, a lot -if not the majority- of content creation is not being done on Windows anymore. Sure, all the PowerPoint pilots and MS Word serfs are still on Windows, but that's about it. Almost all the hip and trendy software development action is on OS X these days, and all scientific and industrial development on Unix. The audio and video industry is also still predominantly Mac based. I think the majority of Windows users are office clerks and gamers. Together that's still over 75% of all computer users, but let's not pretend that 'content creation' implies 'Windows'.
  • Reply 206 of 300
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    So PCs aren't using EFI yet?


     


    I thought some BYOC motherboards had EFI, since Windows 7 64-bit supports it. But most vendor built systems are still using BIOS. My PCs use BIOS.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nikon133 View Post



    And... you can run heavy-duty apps like Final Cut Pro, Office for Mac or Aperture on iPad "upgraded" with keyboard?

    I think not.


    Actually, the kb need not (and should not) be the defining element of a "heavy-duty" app.

    FWIW, there are CAD and video editing apps running on the iPad (and iPhone)... iMovie, Avid studio...

    I suspect we'll see FCP X running on an iPad long before we see an equivalent "heavy-duty" video editor running on a Surface.


     


    CAD and video editing don't require keyboards to work; both are highly visual and would benefit from large and/or high resolution screens. But don't worry, the trolls will just shift around the meaning of "heavy-duty" to fit whatever their vague argument happens to be at the moment. They'll be back.

  • Reply 207 of 300
    rtm135rtm135 Posts: 310member


    Not even close.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by scotty321 View Post


    Hilarious. All you have to do is buy the "Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover" for your iPad, and you have the Microsoft Surface.


  • Reply 208 of 300
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post





    Ha!

    Except the laptop image should have a bidirectional arrow to indicate that the user can reposition the screen to any desired angle!


    It's a funny image, but the image forgot the kickstand. That MS tablet's display does not float freely in mid air.

  • Reply 209 of 300
    jhromerorjhromeror Posts: 46member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by agramonte View Post


    yeah would be nice to have a tablet for actual talented people


     


    iPad is for that group that everything they own other people made and everything that has ever inspired them other people have imagined - be nice to have a tablet for the rest of us.


     


    iOS has always been the dumbing down of Apple - the device for "joe" - who can produce little with their time - reason why it has so many silly video games 



     


    You must be a 'joe' or have an IQ below average. The iPad is a great canvas to shape ideas and there are great apps to use it as such.


    Creating has little to do with the tools and its more about filling the white space infront of you. To do that you dont need icons, menus or a complex CLI.

  • Reply 210 of 300
    b9botb9bot Posts: 238member


    No Bill, Apple doesn't need or want anything to do with your next failure. Tim Cook already said before that Apple wants nothing to do with a Tablet that tries to do everything like a PC but fails miserably at it.


    That's what the surface is and why it won't succeed.

  • Reply 211 of 300
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member


    From the Keynote:  Here's an example of MicroSoft Hardware Productivity in Action!


     


     


    MS Hardware Productivity In Action.png


     


    What's wrong with this picture?


     


     


    As an aside... In his monolog Ballmer mentioned that in 1980, the year he came to MS, their biggest seller was the "SoftCard" for the Apple ][.


     


    Coincidentally, that was the same year and same product that MS used to screw all their Apple dealers... 

  • Reply 212 of 300
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jhromeror View Post


     


    You must be a 'joe' or have an IQ below average. The iPad is a great canvas to shape ideas and there are great apps to use it as such.


    Creating has little to do with the tools and its more about filling the white space infront of you. To do that you dont need icons, menus or a complex CLI.



     


    Great post!


     


     


    There are iPad apps for "idea expression" -- storyboarding, brainstorming, communicating... 


     


    And here is one of my favorites:


     


    SafariScreenSnapz001.png


     


     


    What is it worth to someone who has difficulty speaking to be able to do something as simple as order food, ask directions, seek help or ask "where is the bathroom?".


     


     


    And other apps from the same company:


     


     


     


    SafariScreenSnapz004.png


    SafariScreenSnapz005.png


     


    http://www.proloquotogo.com/products

  • Reply 213 of 300
    rayzrayz Posts: 814member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ewan View Post


    He's clearly referring to the fact that the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet has a full operating system that is capable of downloading any third party program. You're all being ignorant and bashing the man. Apple will in fact have to put a real operating system in the iPad to compete with the Surface, that's if Windows 8 runs smoothly on it.



     


    No, it isn't. The ARM version will only run Metro apps downloaded from the store, and Microsoft has said that you will not be able to run third-party browsers on it. Basically, I can get the same level of functionality by sticking a third party keyboard on an iPad, and also have the added advantage of being able to angle the screen.


     


    The system you're talking about is the Intel version of Surface which will run just about any Windows app according to Microsoft. But here's the problem I have with it:


     


    According to MS the Intel Surface (no pricing) will be about 13.5mm thin. Stick on the thin keyboard and it is 16.5mm. Impressive (though Microsoft says on their website that the size and weigh of the device may vary due to components and manufacturing. Have they actually built a real one yet?).


     


    But the Macbook Air is full blown PC, capable of running Windows, Linux and OSX, and comes with a bigger screen, a decent sized keyboard and is only half a millimetre thicker.

  • Reply 214 of 300
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member


    Quotations from Chairman Bill:  "The cream rises to the Surface".


     


    But, Mister Bill... Often you can say the same thing about a turd!

  • Reply 215 of 300
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rayz View Post


    Basically, I can get the same level of functionality by sticking a third party keyboard on an iPad, and also have the added advantage of being able to angle the screen.


     



     


    Not to mention having a far superior keyboard to type on. If I just need to type something short, the iPad screen is good enough for that. And if I plan on writing a book, I'll use Apple's BT keyboard. I don't really see any use at all for that MS keyboard built into the cover.

  • Reply 216 of 300
    nikon133nikon133 Posts: 2,600member
    rayz wrote: »
    No, it isn't. The ARM version will only run Metro apps downloaded from the store, and Microsoft has said that you will not be able to run third-party browsers on it. Basically, I can get the same level of functionality by sticking a third party keyboard on an iPad, and also have the added advantage of being able to angle the screen.

    The system you're talking about is the Intel version of Surface which will run just about any Windows app according to Microsoft. But here's the problem I have with it:

    According to MS the Intel Surface (no pricing) will be about 13.5mm thin. Stick on the thin keyboard and it is 16.5mm. Impressive (though Microsoft says on their website that the size and weigh of the device may vary due to components and manufacturing. Have they actually built a real one yet?).

    But the Macbook Air is full blown PC, capable of running Windows, Linux and OSX, and comes with a bigger screen, a decent sized keyboard and is only half a millimetre thicker.

    I believe Surface Pro comes with 13" screen in full HD resolution... so no, you don't get bigger or better screen. Plus, you cannot use Air (or any other Ultra book) in portrait mode. No touchscreen option (yet).

    I don't think Surface Pro is better computer than Air (save for the screen), but it has potential to beat the crap out of any Ultra book for tablet-specific usage. Likewise, it is not better tablet for many users - majority, likely - than iPad and likes, but for those who need tablet with PC processing power, or have both tablet and ultra portable laptop and would like to replace both with one device (like me), it can be very interesting. If it turns out to be as good as promised.
  • Reply 217 of 300
    nikon133nikon133 Posts: 2,600member
    Quotations from Chairman Bill:  "The cream rises to the Surface".

    But, Mister Bill... Often you can say the same thing about a turd!

    Please - why vulgarity? Not cool, not fun. Surely better arguments can be found.
  • Reply 218 of 300
    nikon133nikon133 Posts: 2,600member
    I thought some BYOC motherboards had EFI, since Windows 7 64-bit supports it. But most vendor built systems are still using BIOS. My PCs use BIOS.


    CAD and video editing don't require keyboards to work; both are highly visual and would benefit from large and/or high resolution screens. But don't worry, the trolls will just shift around the meaning of "heavy-duty" to fit whatever their vague argument happens to be at the moment. They'll be back.

    Guys... you are comparing toyish video editing on iPad with heavy-duty pro video editing software like Final Cut Pro. Please, stop.

    CAD on tablet? Really? You think that is what CAD is about? Oh, my...

    Also... I didn't say KB is required for such software. I said adding keyboard to iPad doesn't make it fully featured PC, if you need desktop software in highly portable form. I know calling someone a troll without bothering to read and comprehend one's comment is considered easy way out around here, but it is still just as lame.
  • Reply 219 of 300
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    nikon133 wrote: »
    Guys... you are comparing toyish video editing on iPad with heavy-duty pro video editing software like Final Cut Pro. Please, stop.

    How much longer do you think you can get away with calling the iPad a toy?
  • Reply 220 of 300
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nikon133 View Post





    Please - why vulgarity? Not cool, not fun. Surely better arguments can be found.


    i knew it would offend some but I felt it was the most succinct way to make the point!

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