Microsoft slashes Surface RT prices by $150 as it flounders against Apple's iPad

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  • Reply 61 of 127
    jollypauljollypaul Posts: 328member


    I've seen this show before with Microsoft's PowerPC version of Windows NT 3.51. I did NT testing and development on a 601 based box... and then it just went away. All the hype and promise with no follow through left developers with nothing but wasted effort.


     


    Microsoft's partners know RT is a dead end. Probably even Microsoft knows RT is a dead end. $349 for a dead end tablet is not a deal.

  • Reply 62 of 127

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pooch View Post





    well, let's be fair. the abiity to have two windows open at a time *is* a useful feature. i'd love it. i'm an apple fan and stockholder, have a houseload of apple products, and will never buy a surface (or any microsoft product) but i could very much use the feature of having two windows open at once. to wit, safari for searching for stuff and iSSH for being connected to a machine, and not having to switch back and forth. that would be useful to me.


     


    Now that Apple is certain they have a very stable platform with a superior battery performance, they are opening up multi-tasking APIs to third-party app designers to include in their apps with the pending release of iOS7. 


     


    I also expect Apple to make several more announcements relating to iOS7 when it leave Beta. They have not completely tipped their hand on the new iOS.


     


    Microsoft is drawing a lot of attention to multitasking and are playing right into imminent Apple strength. Before the year is out Microsoft will rue even bringing the topic up. image

  • Reply 63 of 127
    chadmatic wrote: »
    It amazes me that Microsoft truly thought they could go head to head with Apple's iPad, especially when everybody else who has tried has failed miserably. Is it an ego, complete ignorance, or simply being a glutton for punishment?

    It was their belief that a lack of Office & a keyboard were holding back the iPad. So they thought they had a perfect opportunity. Then they realized: Office & keyboard doesn't sell tablets. Proof #1: iPad sales never depended on it. Proof #2: it's not selling the comparably (or cheaper) priced Surface RT. Office is not the killer app for tablets.
  • Reply 64 of 127
    carlosjk wrote: »
    there is a better one coming

    That was never the problem with Surface RT.
  • Reply 65 of 127

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Richard Getz View Post


     


    To compare two things it would be useful, however, on such a small device it may not be practical. I don't quite see the need to have a Facetime and a spreadsheet as the advantage of seeing someone while reading something is, well, stupid. You can't do both simultaneously even if your tablet can. The ability for the other person to maintain visual while you are doing something else seems logical. 



    The Surface isn't doing Facetime, it was running Skype. It's an important distinction because the Surface (RT or Pro) does not come with a built-in phone option. It can only do Skype over an open wifi. So, assuming there is a wifi running nearby, and its signal could reach the playing field, and the scout had password access, then he could do what the commercial suggested... if the wifi wasn't carrying other traffic and cause the skype video to breakup.

  • Reply 66 of 127
    ....They need to leave some market for Apple now that Apple's iPhone business is in shambles thanks to Samsung and Android.
    In shambles? Really? Please provide us with EVIDENCE of Apple "In Shambles" because everywhere I look the iPhone is number one in cust. sat, reliability, PROFIT, among many others.

    Again, EVIDENCE or this is just more of your usual BS.
  • Reply 67 of 127
    maccherrymaccherry Posts: 924member

    Surface to ipad:


    I have to already slash my ridiculously low price against your premium price just to keep up even though my latest commercial touts me as being more goddamn versatile.


    Ipad to surface:


    Tell Ballmer to keep up the good work.

  • Reply 68 of 127

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    It was their belief that a lack of Office & a keyboard were holding back the iPad. So they thought they had a perfect opportunity. Then they realized: Office & keyboard doesn't sell tablets. Proof #1: iPad sales never depended on it. Proof #2: it's not selling the comparably (or cheaper) priced Surface RT. Office is not the killer app for tablets.


    People may have thought MS Office was essential initially when the iPad started selling into enterprise, but Enterprise, government, schools and institutions got several years of experience without MS Office and learned that they could work just fine without it. Now, with iOS7 and iWork in the cloud and on the web, MS Office will shortly become even more redundant. 


     


    The barn door was open for too many years and Microsoft still thinks they can herd the customers back under their roof... I don't think so.

  • Reply 69 of 127
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    It was their belief that a lack of Office & a keyboard were holding back the iPad. So they thought they had a perfect opportunity. Then they realized: Office & keyboard doesn't sell tablets. Proof #1: iPad sales never depended on it. Proof #2: it's not selling the comparably (or cheaper) priced Surface RT. Office is not the killer app for tablets.


    Microsoft just thinks that since they control essentially 90% of the desktops/laptops that they think they want Microsoft products for smartphones and tablets.


     


    Oops.  I guess they were wrong.

  • Reply 70 of 127
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    But the keyboard clicks!
  • Reply 71 of 127
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post



    But the keyboard clicks!


    Yeah, their biggest innovation.  A keyboard that clicks to the tablet.  OMG, Hold me back!!!!!!!  Stop the Presses!!!!  Stand back, BIG MICROSOFT INNOVATION!!!!


     


     


    They should have just called the thing the Zune tablet.  It's a little more fitting.

  • Reply 72 of 127
    mikejonesmikejones Posts: 323member
    [QUOTE name="drblank" url="/t/158494/microsoft-slashes-surface-rt-prices-by-150-as-it-flounders-against-apples-ipad/40#post_2362162"]
    They should have just called the thing the Zune tablet.  It's a little more fitting.

    [/QUOTE]
    But would anyone have wanted a turd-colored tablet? Or to "squirt" things at their friends?
  • Reply 73 of 127
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    The Surface isn't doing Facetime, it was running Skype. It's an important distinction because the Surface (RT or Pro) does not come with a built-in phone option. It can only do Skype over an open wifi. So, assuming there is a wifi running nearby, and its signal could reach the playing field, and the scout had password access, then he could do what the commercial suggested... if the wifi wasn't carrying other traffic and cause the skype video to breakup.

    Connecting your phone via bluetooth or hotspot to a Surface is a very trivial task, not to mention it has a normal USB that can also handle a cellular modem. The commercial you are referring was show casing a Dell XPS, not a Surface, and this tablet does have built in LTE support. Samsung, Asus and Dell all make Windows 8 tablets with built in 3G/4G.

    Dell XPS tablet with LTE

    700

    Dell Latitude 10 with LTE and removable battery

    700
    700
  • Reply 74 of 127
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Now that Apple is certain they have a very stable platform with a superior battery performance, they are opening up multi-tasking APIs to third-party app designers to include in their apps with the pending release of iOS7. 

    I also expect Apple to make several more announcements relating to iOS7 when it leave Beta. They have not completely tipped their hand on the new iOS.

    Microsoft is drawing a lot of attention to multitasking and are playing right into imminent Apple strength. Before the year is out Microsoft will rue even bringing the topic up. :)

    Sorry but do you have anything that can back this up? One of the reasons why the iPad has such could performance is that it limits the amount of processes that are running in the background. Apple will have to add more than 1GB of memory if they are going to start extending the amount of programs that can be ran in the background.
  • Reply 75 of 127
    minicaptminicapt Posts: 219member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Lord Amhran View Post





    In shambles? Really? Please provide us with EVIDENCE of Apple "In Shambles" because everywhere I look the iPhone is number one in cust. sat, reliability, PROFIT, among many others.



    Again, EVIDENCE or this is just more of your usual BS.


    The Constable speaks with cheeked tongue.


     


    Cheers


  • Reply 76 of 127
    minicaptminicapt Posts: 219member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post



    "Microsoft slashes Surface RT prices by $150 as it flounders against Apple's iPad"



    I think this is an insult to flounders.


     


    They did it for the halibut.


     


    Cheers


  • Reply 77 of 127
    mikejonesmikejones Posts: 323member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Relic View Post





    Sorry but do you have anything that can back this up? One of the reasons why the iPad has such could performance is that it limits the amount of processes that are running in the background. Apple will have to add more than 1GB of memory if they are going to start extending the amount of programs that can be ran in the background.


    Anything to back up what exactly? Apple has already talked about how iOS 7 expands what programs can do in the background quite a bit. Also, needing more than 1GB of RAM? No, all it requires is a good scheduler and smart memory paging. And iOS 7 is bringing about more intelligent scheduling. It's funny how you go on about him needing to back up what he said, when you haven't provided anything to back up your claims.

  • Reply 78 of 127
    macbook promacbook pro Posts: 1,605member
    Agreed! Let's see:

    1) MS tries to go head to head with Apple's iPod/iTunes Store with the Zune. Epic fail.

    2) MS tries to go head to head with Apple's iPhone/App Store with the Kin phone. Epic fail.

    3) MS tries to go head to head with Apple's iPad. Epic fail.

    I think this is a trend....

    P.S. Hey, MS, Dude, I will do Balmer's job for $50,000/yr.


    The challenge for Microsoft is defining their core business, once their core business is defined they can determine the best financial model from which all decisions must be justified:
    • Desktop Operating Systems
    • Server Operating Systems
    • Productivity Software
    • Infrastructure Services
    • Mobile Operating Systems
    • Mobile devices
    • Game Consoles
    • Software Development
    • Search Engine
    • Mapping & Navigation
    • Social Networking


    Apple = Hardware (Software and Services are free or inexpensive and the user experience is critical in customer satisfaction and loyalty with user referrals of friends and new markets to generate growth)
    Google = Advertising (Hardware is free or inexpensive and market share is critical with new markets to generate growth)
  • Reply 79 of 127
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,958member
    At the risk of beating a dead fish, those who are sailors may know that to founder is more precise than the more general sink. Sink means to go down to the bottom by whatever means (hole in the hull, cut on two by another vessel, etc.) to founder means to take water over the gunwales to the point that the ship is disabled, but doesn't necessarily sink. A boat that has foundered may be immobilized but not sink, and thus be towed to port and saved.

    Then there is the founder/flounder matter. I realize that as a living language, I may fighting a losing battle by trying to stem the tide of misuse that has allowed flounder to become a verb. But ask yourself why a flounder would flop around any more helplessly than any other fish? Someone way back when simply confabulated founder with blunder, and the visual image of the fish in distress was simply too vivid to make its misuse go away. So there! ;-)
  • Reply 80 of 127
    mikejonesmikejones Posts: 323member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post



    I realize that as a living language, I may fighting a losing battle by trying to stem the tide of misuse that has allowed flounder to become a verb.


    Yes, you are definitely fighting a losing battle. It has been used as an intransitive verb as an alteration of founder since around 1592 according to Merriam-Webster. You're about 421 years late to the party.


     


    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flounder


     


    Origin of FLOUNDER


     


    probably alteration of founder

    First Known Use: 1592

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