Microsoft says Surface tablet is 'just a design point'

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
At Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, CEO Steve Ballmer refuted recent speculation that the company is looking to compete with Windows 8-licensing hardware makers by saying Surface is merely a reference design.

Ballmer's statement came on the opening day of WPC, All Things D reports, as the executive looked to reassure OEMs that Microsoft's goal is not to control the Windows 8 hardware arena amid speculation to the contrary.

?Surface is just a design point,? Ballmer said. ?It will have a distinct place in what?s a broad Windows ecosystem. And the importance of the thousands of partners that we have that design and produce Windows computers will not diminish.

Just days after Surface was announced, Acer founder Stan Shih proclaimed the device was just a ploy to drum up interest in the yet-to-be-released Windows 8 platform and guessed that Microsoft would ditch the project after one product generation. The bold sentiment was followed by a report that claimed HP scrapped plans to build a Windows RT tablet in lieu of another ARM-based solution.

Ballmer attempted to ease worries and said Microsoft has "a mutual goal with [its] OEM partners to bring a diversity of solutions, Windows PCs, phones, tablets, servers to market." He went on to clarify that Surface was created for hardware makers to reference as a kind of halo device.

"What we seek to have is a spectrum of stunning devices, stunning Windows devices," Ballmer said. "So, every consumer, every business customer can say, ?I have the perfect PC for me.? We?re excited about the work our OEM partners are doing on Windows 8.?

Surface
Surface marks Microsoft's first foray into the tablet hardware market. | Source: Microsoft


When Surface was announced it was revealed that the ARM-based model would debut with a stripped-down version of Windows 8 dubbed "Windows RT" alongside the launch of OS. Surface for Windows RT will reportedly be followed by Surface for Windows 8 Pro, a more full-featured tablet running a complete version of the OS on an intel Ivy Bridge i5 processor.

It was reported on Monday that the software monolith will be releasing the next-generation Windows 8 operating system sometime in October though no specific date has been set. The software launch will be three months behind Apple's own updated OS X Mountain Lion operating system which is set to hit the Mac App Store in July. A launch date should be imminent as Apple seeded Mountain Lion's gold master to developers and called for Mac OS X app submissions on Monday.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 84
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    Are windows users colorblind? How can anybody not find that extremely distracting, eye-popping color on that keyboard to be really annoying? I wouldn't be surprised if it triggered seizures in certain people. The idiotic and poorly chosen color makes the keyboard more prominent than the actual display and tablet.

  • Reply 2 of 84
    gprovidagprovida Posts: 258member
    This either disingenuous or MS traditionalists have successfully suppressed an effort at disruptive innovation from within the company. If it is the former, then trust will wither as to a certain extent it has. Recall this was not shared with hardware partners and do the seeds have been planted. If its the latter, then once again MS has not had the courage of its convictions, this is what doomed the first tablet and phone.
  • Reply 3 of 84
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    Has MS allowed outsiders real access to either of these devices? Sounds like they are laying the groundwork for some backpededaling...
  • Reply 4 of 84
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    I don't think OEMs are buying this line.

    MS is doing damage-ccntrol here. But really, there's no place OEMs can go *but* to MS.
    By choosing to run someone's whored-out, shitastic OS years ago, OEMs have painted themselves into a corner, and so has MS . . . just a little differently.
  • Reply 5 of 84
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member


    How long until H-P reverses course again and announces they will make a Windows 8 tablet after all?

  • Reply 6 of 84
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member


    Ballmer is already backtracking.... just the beginning of things to come.  

  • Reply 7 of 84
    frsvenfrsven Posts: 2member


    Didn't Monkey Boy just say that he expects to sell millions of the Surface tablet?  Life in Microserfville must be getting confusing.

  • Reply 8 of 84
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member


    Ballmer and company are full of it. They say one thing in the morning and do 180 in the afternoon.


     


    So does that mean OEM are allowed to create exact clones of the Surface?!

  • Reply 9 of 84
    mj webmj web Posts: 918member


    Steve Bummer can talk? 

  • Reply 10 of 84
    woodlinkwoodlink Posts: 198member
    The Higgs boson will prove more tangible than a Surface.
  • Reply 11 of 84
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    woodlink wrote: »
    The Higgs boson will prove more tangible than a Surface.

    MS would love if you started calling it the God Tablet?
  • Reply 12 of 84
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    sflocal wrote: »
    Ballmer is already backtracking.... just the beginning of things to come.  

    This seems to me the position MS was always taking. They have no interest in selling tablets but they do have an interest in selling the OS that goes on tablets. The fact is their vendors have been unsuccessful in both smartphones and tablets (just as they were with PMPs) and they blame the vendors (just as they did with PMPs). This is just a desperate act to get some traction in the tablet so their vendors can get a Windows foothold. I think it will fail (just as they did with the Zune) but that's for another discussion.
  • Reply 13 of 84
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member
    "Apple wrote:
    [" url="/t/151202/microsoft-says-surface-tablet-is-just-a-design-point#post_2144326"]Are windows users colorblind? How can anybody not find that extremely distracting, eye-popping color on that keyboard to be really annoying? I wouldn't be surprised if it triggered seizures in certain people. The idiotic and poorly chosen color makes the keyboard more prominent than the actual display and tablet.

    What's with being a colorblind hater? It won't be long and it'll be covered under a disabilities act...

    ;)

    Seriously though, I'm colorblind and find the look atrocious.
  • Reply 14 of 84


    I don't think it's possible to be any more duplicitous.


     


    The smart money says they're in for a 'three-repeat' after the Kin and Courier...

  • Reply 15 of 84
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ChristophB View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by "Apple 

    [" url="/t/151202/microsoft-says-surface-tablet-is-just-a-design-point#post_2144326"]Are windows users colorblind? How can anybody not find that extremely distracting, eye-popping color on that keyboard to be really annoying? I wouldn't be surprised if it triggered seizures in certain people. The idiotic and poorly chosen color makes the keyboard more prominent than the actual display and tablet.




    What's with being a colorblind hater? It won't be long and it'll be covered under a disabilities act...



    image



    Seriously though, I'm colorblind and find the look atrocious.


    In this particular instance, that might be an advantage rather than a disability.  The color scheme really is hideous.

  • Reply 16 of 84
    jdsonicejdsonice Posts: 156member


    Here we go again. Another huge cloud of smelly gas from Ballmer. Maybe he should take some laxative and clean out the crap..

  • Reply 17 of 84
    bwinskibwinski Posts: 164member
    See, Bomber just hosed you again... When will you guys learn? The 'Surface' WILL NEVER GO TO MARKET - NEVER.
  • Reply 18 of 84
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    MS would love if you started calling it the God Tablet?


     


    Yeah, but I have a feeling that the masses who use it will be calling it the 'God D*mn Tablet'... I bet.


    /


    /


    /

  • Reply 19 of 84


    Microsoft is selling what others are giving away (Google).


     


    The OEMs can't match Apple's price point with the same quality/specs.  Apple rules the supply chain.  The only opening right now is at the low end (Fire) and I'm not sure there are profits there either.


     


     


    There is a squeeze on profits happening and it leaves MS with no options but to get the whole pie.  They can't afford to split any of it with the OEMs.  Really, the OEMs can't afford to split it with MS either.


     


     


     


    It has been said elsewhere, but it is a key point that is driving the whole thing.  MS might not admit it, yet.


     


     


    Surface will place MS in the unusual place of have higher priced product than Apple... just wait.

  • Reply 20 of 84
    Well, I want a full fleged tablet. The Microsoft surface appeals to me because I am looking for a touchscreen laptop lacking a keyboard. I do love the iPad, but it isn't for me, even though I am a diehard apple fan.
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