Alan DraperI must say since I am no Apple fan it was no surprise that I got really excited and very much interested in the recent reviews of the new Microsoft Surface tablet that will be ready with the new and improved Windows 8 / Windows RT. If you didn’t get a tablet yet; I would strongly advise to just wait, it will be worth it.
The Web the first Generation
Any one reading the history of the Web and how it started knows that in the earlier days everyone was fascinated by the amount of information the Web was providing and we were very content to be able to find all sort of details about most things. The web sites, at those days, were a replicate of what magazines and brochures offered which is basically a one way push mechanism to provide information.
If you are thinking about the relevance between this and the current topic, I would say that I think of the iPad and the current line of Tablet products filling up the market as the first generation of the Web. They are all meant to push a lot of details and information towards consumers and provide creative and alternative representations to how that information can be displayed and as such facilitate optimum consumption.
From the iPad 1, to the Blackberry Playbook, to the latest Galaxy Android Tablets, the market has envisioned millions of applications and methods to make use of the handy high resolution devices to deliver content to users when they need it the most. Same as what the early days of the Web managed to do for everyone who was hungry for information and could not believe that it is so easy to find.
Tablet Usage .. Do we really need one !
Most of the people I know have an iPad because they thought it was nice to have, I rarely get comments like I need it or I have replaced my laptop with it. What I find fascinating is that most of those who do have an iPad do so because of the success Apple has in creating the persona of innovation and as such tips over the 13-15% market coverage point that turned those relaxed about technologies and those who have little interest in gadgets to become Apple users since there are no alternative simple devices available in the market.
The aftermath .. Here comes Tablets 2.0
After the big excitement of getting all that information came the need to be an activist. To be direct contributors to the Web and speak out by creating sites that generate content from user interaction, from material uploaded by users, recorded by users, and written by the guy next door.
With the current set of Tablets we are some where tide up between our desire to practice the Web for how we know it and between the joy of having such a handy device to read the daily news from an iPad / Android Tablet app that is specifically created to make reading the news a fun experience.
If we went back to why the Web evolved, we would know that the hype around static delivery of content through a mobile tablet is gone and what we need now is a way to use Tablets the way we use our laptops. To still get that handy device that is great for taking notes, great for a quick purchases of web sites, great as an education tool, and not forgetting a nice computer gaming device but yet again a device to create material, documents, and images that is at the core of what we do these days with laptops and computers in General.
This is where Microsoft Surface and the new Windows 8/ Windows RT promise to take us. The next generation of Tables, the next level that is just a simple step towards harnessing the full benefits of Tablets making them a true replacement to laptops merging the benefits of the two world.
For Apple lovers, I will say the iPad is a great start and a great push for innovative gadgets. However, the final word as per the statistics is that by 2015 Microsoft will be on top of the mobile and Tablet world with its integrated phone 8 and Windows 8 that promises to move us one step ahead and maybe become the new benchmark for Tablets 3.0.
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Alan Draper.
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You missed the early history of the internet. It was scientists exchanging information globally, using teletype and CRT terminals. Even reading content required a fair amount of user participation by today’s standards.
Then the net went public and we got PCs. The user became more passive. Game playing and surfing became popular. This was epitomized in Facebook (Yuck!!).
The tablet is the ideal tool for the passive user. You don’t even have to learn to type.
As you pointed out, there are still active net users. They want a keyboard to create input.
A touch screen (or even a mouse) is a great interface for a surfer. An author or graphic designer needs a more complex interface to work effectively.
Microsoft has attempted to satisfy both needs. They have the touch screen for the passive user, and a minimal keyboard/mouse for the creator.
I predict that the RT version will appeal to the mass market for social media passive users. They will probably use the keyboard mainly as a protective cover.
The Pro version, if priced right, will be used by creative users, much like an Ultrabook. These will probably lose the flimsy keyboard and buy an ergonomically superior replacement. The attraction for them will be light weight, compactness, and (hopefully) windows 8 with it’s ability to run legacy MS Office apps.
When you step back and look at it, the keyboard and windows 8 are both the feature and the problem.
It would make sense to sell RT as a pure tablet with the touchscreen optimized windows 8. Cut price by dropping the keyboard.
Sell the Pro version with a better keyboard, and a non touch screen OS. Windows 7 or XP would do nicely. Stability, familiar GUI, and ability to run legacy office apps would be it’s forte.
The product presented suffers from the Swiss Army Knife syndrome. It tries to do everything. Sort of.
The IPAD has been a success because it does one thing very well. The laptop is established because it does the creative job.
Surface has a nice package, and a good display form factor. Pricing as presented is not out of line.
The two models could satisfy the passive and the creative user.
I will be waiting to see if the Pro version meets my needs, or will wait until Lenovo comes out with a better Ultrabook.
I agree that it is an evolutionary step beyond the iPad, but I still think of the Surface as a content consumption device. Anyone doing serious content creation is unlikely to be satisfied with a 10.6″ screen, in my opinion.
i totally agree
I agree on the concept that a device trying to do too much is an issue. However, I see a big lack in just providing a device to consume info. and use another to create. I see Microsoft or Google, if the can, taking this further with the use of cloud services to completely replace laptops if the barrier turned out to be desk space or strong processing. Microsoft launched outlook.com and aims to have that as its main email platform even supporting Gmail. They are moving in the right direction for business users who do 70% of their work through mail. With Microsoft Surface business users might not need laptops …. who know … we need to wait and see..
That thing is A Great Step for consumers… However, I’m still skeptical about the useability of those keyboards for people like me who type tens of thousands of characters per day. For these people, the ultrabook, laptop or desktop cannot be replaced by a tablet, not even a Microsoft Surface.
Solid analogy, I’m also of the opinion that the Surface if delivered as advertised represents a significant evolution of the tablet. As much as I like the iPad, it’s a consumption device plain and simple.
The surface (especially the Pro version) may have the power to bridge the basic consumption world to the full featured computing world of ultrabooks…laptops…desktops…workstations.
I don’t see these tablets displacing an ultrabook for all applications, but I do see them fitting nicely into the niche at the bottom of the ultrabook market (that currently is only served by netbooks – which IMO will be killed by these tablets). Just like ultrabooks can’t entirely replace laptops, and just like laptops don’t replace desktops. It’s another step in the food chain.
Yes I agree the iPad is useless and the surface is excellent!
The Surface Pro represents the natural convergence of the tablet/laptop.
I think most people miss that the Surface Pro has HDMI output and USB. It also runs an i5 processor. This means it can replace my current laptop, which is connected to a 28in monitor and a kb/mouse.
hey really nicty tab
i like it………….
Looks like Microsoft has done it …it definitely look great . Seems like it is only available online through Microsoft store and I found an additional savings from http://www.packersave.com/stores/Microsoft-Store/
This would be a great tablet from business perspective, at least the IT will not cry about supporting this device as they do with Ipad and android tablets. Now they will have one OS to support if this is adopted by the businesses.