Microsoft Might be Forced Into a Move that Could Kill the Surface Tablets

[kundas1]

good gawd it takes like 2 seconds to turn the hotspot on the phone....lol I couldn't imagine paying xtra for LTE on a tablet for 2 seconds time it takes to turn on hotspot...but that's just me

 

[Deihmos]

I doubt this would kill the Surface, but it doesn't help either. There are other benefits to the Surface other than "Office". It's Microsoft's fault for running TV ads with consistent messages on Office which (to me) isn't the biggest selling point of the Surface tablets.

Does it state anywhere that you have to purchase another Office license for use on the iPad, and if so how much? That's a drawback for an iPad if you had to, because it's included with the Surface (RT/2).

The ability to run Office is the biggest selling point imo and is the only reason I got one.

 

[Deihmos]

People always like to talk about how the ipad has more apps. Apps really aren't that important on a tablet, at least not to me. Apps are great for phones where you have a small screen, but with the Surface, you have a large screen that is great for web browsing meaning that you don't really need apps. The only app I even use on my Surface now is Pulse(which I could definitely use a web browser to accomplish the same thing), for everything else I use Office or Internet Explorer.

Apps are important on a tablet. It is a pain to navigate websites on a touch screen when the website isn't even designed for touch. Apps make it one tap to get what you want simplifying everything for the user.

 

[SEANT]

Microsoft's stock price responded favorably today to reports of the soon to be released iPad version of office. If nothing else, the investors are happy - momentarily, at least.

Another interesting bit of news was the rumor that Microsoft was buying, or heavily investing in Xamarin. Xamarin provides tools that allow Visual Studio the ability to have one code base create apps for all the mobile OSs. I think this could really bolster Windows 8+ position with the developers.

The new Microsoft is demonstrating an ability to play nice with the other kids in the playground.

Sources: Microsoft In Talks To Acquire Mobile App Development Startup Xamarin | CRN

 

[benjitek]

...Microsoft is demonstrating an ability to play nice with the other kids in the playground...

Hopefully they'll become a little more comfortable playing with themselves -- launching Office on the iOS platform prior to Modern Apps is going to land them at the wanna-be-popular school cafeteria table after recess is over ;-)