Jamo Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 They not only had the chance to introduce fully managed tablets, but with their expertise in the Kinect and the upcoming release of the Leap (done by a small company they could easily have swallowed) they had the chance to push past touch to gesture interfaces and really drive the market forward. But then, Ballmer being a directionless CEO is hardly news, is it. Christ that leap is cool! Not sure how often I throw wizzy 3d maps around but when I do it will be great!
Bromcom_John Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 Christ that leap is cool! Not sure how often I throw wizzy 3d maps around but when I do it will be great! It has two levels of cool. 1 - It is an amazing little bit of kit (the resolution is incredible) 2 - It is totally leveraging the Apple cool device look. It's an innocuous little black slab that looks a "little" bit like a mini iPhone. Item 2 would see it achieve unprecedented sales figures alone! Just by fanboi's mistakenly buying it on impulse Wonder what the height map is on it. If you could just have a keyboard layout printed on your desk (or on a sheet of acetate) and the thing was sensitive enough to detect your typing locations... Shiny.
sonofsanta Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 Christ that leap is cool! Not sure how often I throw wizzy 3d maps around but when I do it will be great! Maybe not, but if everything is heading that way, I'd sure as hell prefer not to have to stretch my arm all the way out to my monitor just to cover it with smudges. I'd rather be able to go to the next email with a casual flick of the hand I'm leaning on as I fall asleep at my desk than end up at the doctors with a bad shoulder from poking my screen all day long.
mattx Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 They not only had the chance to introduce fully managed tablets, but with their expertise in the Kinect and the upcoming release of the Leap (done by a small company they could easily have swallowed) they had the chance to push past touch to gesture interfaces and really drive the market forward. But then, Ballmer being a directionless CEO is hardly news, is it. You have to remember they did bring out a tablet before but no one was interested. Stick a stupid logo on the front with a man in jeans and a black sweater and the loons just fall over themsevles to part with their money....
jinnantonnixx Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) You have to remember they did bring out a tablet before but no one was interested. Stick a stupid logo on the front with a man in jeans and a black sweater and the loons just fall over themsevles to part with their money.... No... if memory serves, I think it they developed something reasonable but Bill G canned it as it didn't fit with Windows. The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet Edited October 3, 2012 by jinnantonnixx
mattx Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 No... if memory serves, I think it they developed something reasonable but Bill G canned it as it didn't fit with Windows. The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet Oh sorry, did not realise that Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was not really a tablet edition then.... Pen Input: Tablet PCs include digital pens that you use to control the computer and to write text in your own handwriting. Tablet PC Input Panel: Input Panel is an on-screen keyboard and writing pad. With Input Panel, you can type text without your standard keyboard. Microsoft Windows Journal: Windows Journal turns your Tablet PC into a writing pad. Microsoft Sticky Notes: You can use Sticky Notes to create and manage short handwritten or voice notes in the same manner that you would keep a stack of paper sticky notes. Handwriting Recognition and Conversion: You can write in your own handwriting, and then convert it to typed text. Speech Recognition: Tablet PCs have built-in speech-recognition capabilities. Document Annotation: You can annotate imported documents with a Tablet PC pen. Reading: Your Tablet PC uses Microsoft ClearType technology and a high-resolution display. Screen Rotation: You can quickly rotate your screen for landscape or portrait viewing. Gestures: You can use your Tablet PC pen to make "gestures." "Gestures" are movements with the pen that complete common tasks.
jinnantonnixx Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) ^^^^^^ You have to remember they did bring out a tablet before but no one was interested.. Hell, we actually had one of these in the office. Not only was no-one interested, but I had completely forgotten about it. Edited October 3, 2012 by jinnantonnixx
sonofsanta Posted October 3, 2012 Posted October 3, 2012 To be fair, Apple did more than stick a shiny logo on their tablet - the difference between them and MS was that MS always approached it as a sizing down of a full-fat PC, which never worked because fingers (attached to a hand that gets in the way) are never going to be as precise as a KB+M combo. Apple came at it from the other angle, sizing up a mobile OS such that the touch interface made sense and the screen estate felt sizeable and liberating, rather than cramped (as Windows on a 10" screen does). It helped that iOS was usable, as well, unlike Windows Mobile 6.5 - not to mention capacitive vs. resistive (and the multitouch that brought). MS have finally cottoned onto this, sizing up Windows Phone 7 into full-fat Windows 8, just that they've thrown the baby out with the bathwater and completely neglected KB+M in the UI for those of us who still like precision in our long computer sessions. The touchscreen laptops with swivel screens will always seem cool to me, though. The company I worked at in Switzerland used to buy a handful every year just in case they were useful yet. How I miss corporate indulgence!
fullause Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 I agree... But Windows 95, "The grand daddy of all OS's". LOL
tmcd35 Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 Oh sorry, did not realise that Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was not really a tablet edition then.... If you used it (which I have) then you'd know the answer to that question. Same answer to this question... "Is Windows 8 a tablet OS?" Seriously? Have you tried? Hell NO!!! lol.
SYNACK Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 If you used it (which I have) then you'd know the answer to that question. Same answer to this question... "Is Windows 8 a tablet OS?" Seriously? Have you tried? Hell NO!!! lol. I liked tablet edition and it did have a market in some corp stuff and with those that could use a pen. I like 7 in tablet mode too, not via finger touch though. MS always got on it too early for most people though, WinMo eclipsed the featureset of the initial iPhone before nokia started using coloured screens. MS's management does have a PHD in running stuff though, they canned the xbox and it took some dedicated employees to keep it going.
tmcd35 Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 To be fair the one thing MS have, and the others are still missing, is handwriting recognition. I've tried both XP and 7 on tablets and that was the only feature I found useful. Win 8 seems to me that you can only really use it on a tablet, but I just don't like the idea of endlessly scrolling tiles to find what you want. Alas the story of M$ and tablets seems to be - right ideas, wrong execution. Still too late now Apple and Google have that and the phone markets tied up. It's going to take more than Win 8 for a third player to successfully break in to those markets.
SYNACK Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 To be fair the one thing MS have, and the others are still missing, is handwriting recognition. I've tried both XP and 7 on tablets and that was the only feature I found useful. Win 8 seems to me that you can only really use it on a tablet, but I just don't like the idea of endlessly scrolling tiles to find what you want. Alas the story of M$ and tablets seems to be - right ideas, wrong execution. Still too late now Apple and Google have that and the phone markets tied up. It's going to take more than Win 8 for a third player to successfully break in to those markets. The WP7 phones are compelling in their no BS way of handling information. They can take huge amounts of data and make it manageable while still keeping a quick simple and clean UI. Sadly they have diluted this a bit in 8 but I'll still be getting one. For a pc the UI is a tad malformed as it was really for tablets/phones. The optimisations are good though, ram, cpu, file system, diagnostics etc. We did Vista and SP1 onwards was way better for us than XP with self fixing of most of the problems we had automagicly. Personally the UI of 8 does still bug me on a desktop but from my deployments with staff they love it. Has not hit the problem maker users yet which would have a 'problem' if the colours changed but those screaches are expected.
Arthur Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Windows 8 Perspectives - The power user and the teenager The Teenager Perspective A few months ago at Tech Ed, Microsoft provided everyone at a press/analyst gathering with a slate pre-loaded with Windows 8, so I came away with Samsung device and various accessories to play with. When I got this home, my teenage daughter (14 years old) asked to have a look, and about 15 minutes later she declared "This is SOOO much better than my iPad". I haven't seen much of the device since because she has been practically living on it, while the iPad has sat there with a flat battery gathering dust. So what's the appeal to a socially-oriented teenager who, like all her friends, is an obsessive multi-tasking online communicator? My daughter calls out a few things about the Samsung that she really likes. Firstly, there's the versatility. The Samsung came with a docking station into which can be plugged a monitor, network cable, keyboard, mouse, and any USB storage device or other peripheral you want. Windows 8 is then very slick in the way it handles docking and undocking - you simply drop the slate into the dock or remove it at will, and within a few seconds the machine sorts itself out. Great if you are doing homework at your desk one minute, then rushing out of the door to a sleepover the next. Mentioning homework, the other thing my daughter likes is that the machine runs Microsoft Office, so she can do all of her writing and creative stuff as usual. From a leisure perspective, while she likes the Windows Store and some of the early Windows 8 apps, she has not surprisingly highlighted the relative lack of software available compared to the iPad. However, this seems to be more than made up for by the fact that she can access all the websites that she and her friends visit habitually and "they all work as they are supposed to", which is an indirect reference to the constraints of Mobile Safari on iOS. Thoughts on the Learning Curve The interesting thing in all of this is that never once has my daughter commented on the Windows 8 user interface. Looking over her shoulder, she happily flits between desktop and touch mode, and just gets on with it. This further confirms to me that UI related concerns commonly expressed by reviewers are more to do with lack of familiarity (perhaps sometimes accompanied by an unwillingness to make the effort) rather than inherent usability issues. Having said this, familiarity among existing users is obviously an important consideration in a business context. Hitting a mixed ability workforce with replacement tools that are new and unfamiliar can lead to friction, productivity issues and a spike in calls to the help desk if users are not prepared for the change. Given the usual lag between consumer and enterprise adoption of new Windows releases, the good news is that there are likely to be at least some members of the average workforce familiar with Windows 8 by the time it is rolled out, and the availability of co-worker support is not to be underestimated. There's then always the option of end user training, even though this is something that often gets overlooked.
mattx Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Windows 8 Perspectives - The power user and the teenager That whole article is very good however once again, and not a single article I have read has mentioned this - Microsoft don't even offer you a choice of how you would like the desktop to look and feel. Everything is forced upon you. Just like the tabs in Office. As an OS it's very good, quick, smooth and fantastic and I like it BUT, I want it to look and feel like my previous versions of windows without having to download some third party tool.
zag Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Never underestimate the power of giving free devices to members of the press!
Theblacksheep Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Some of you are as bad as teachers clinging on to office 2003 because you want it to look the same!
tobiasclarity Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Windows 8 and Its Incredibly Cool New Touch Interface Am I the only one who thinks this'll be horrible in a work/school environment..... Sorry thought i would reply to this and add my input although i can see it has twisted and turned since it was last posted. IMHO i dont see this ever being practical for an educational / business enviroment it doesnt seem to be designed to be used for this and like XP was when Vista came out so will Windows 7 to Windows 8 as being the base system everyone trusts and knows works. With support dropping for Windows XP Windows 7 will move into its shoes. There are so many things with Windows 8 can see certainly alot of the users on our network struggling with. I have installed the Windows 8 RC versions and followed it through to the RTM and all of which i have not liked at all. I must say however from a tablet angle it will probably be great, desktop no lol Still things might change and i am sure there are already plenty of fans out there that will beat me down on my comments, and infact my opinion may change when it has been out a while but as it stands...
Arthur Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 IE 10 preview coming to Windows 7 in November « Neowin As we approach general availability of Windows 8, we want to provide an update on IE10 for Windows 7. We will release a preview of IE10 on Windows 7 in mid-November, with final availability to follow as we collect developer and customer feedback. IE10 on Windows 7 has the same standards based platform for developers to target as IE10 on Windows 8. We built an entirely new browser with Windows 8, with more performance and developer capabilities. IE10 brings improved real-world site performance and additional standards support to Windows 7 that Web developers have been asking for. We look forward to getting your feedback on IE10 on Windows 7, and will provide another update when the preview is available.
Arthur Posted October 21, 2012 Posted October 21, 2012 Look what the "digital natives" can do. Windows 8: So simple a three year old can use it « Neowin http://youtu.be/dlZgcAacIxU
CyberNerd Posted October 21, 2012 Posted October 21, 2012 It should be fine for staff then. Infact it's not too different from from the asus linux netbooks of 2007. In 6 months time it won't just be the shills on this forum extolling the virtues of window 8, if your a MS shop then you have to go this way- like it or not.
zag Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 It should be fine for staff then. Infact it's not too different from from the asus linux netbooks of 2007. In 6 months time it won't just be the shills on this forum extolling the virtues of window 8, if your a MS shop then you have to go this way- like it or not. I would imagine Windows 9 will change it again but in a good way so its actually usable and increases the workflow efficiency. This iteration of windows is simply a stop gap until they get things right One to avoid just like we did vista.
zag Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 (edited) This Reg article sums it up perfectly. The Microsoft Surface is supposed to be the ultimate Windows 8 device. Only a select few tech journalists - those good at staying on message - have been invited to demo the device. I am not among them. When the reviews do hit the streets, I have serious questions about who among those privileged tech journalists I can trust to be running workloads remotely comparable to my own. I just LOVE Server 2012, but count me out on Windows 8 for now ? The Register Edited October 22, 2012 by zag
Arthur Posted October 23, 2012 Posted October 23, 2012 This Reg article sums it up perfectly. Why is Trevor Pott basing his opinion of Windows 8 by installing the OS on an Asus RF1 - an ancient (almost six year old) laptop that was designed for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition! Can't The Register give him something better? I thought the following quote of his was funny considering he has a paragraph titled "Living in the past" higher up the page. As a power user I live on the edge of the curve, not in the middle.
localzuk Posted October 23, 2012 Posted October 23, 2012 Look what the "digital natives" can do. Windows 8: So simple a three year old can use it « Neowin http://youtu.be/dlZgcAacIxU Great stuff... Now we just need businesses and schools managed by 3 year olds. 1
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