ms pad might be fun if they can get everyone to make good apps for them. I read that one issue is that for wphone they don't let devs use the same coding language as used on iPhone (its one of the reasons SI aren't making football manager for windows phone - hits)
All three use slightly differing languages, porting isn't a problem, it just depends whether it's worth their time and current WP user numbers suggest it isn't.
Things like Unreal and Unity aren't supported yet either, and developer access to native code is also restricted.
The WP app situation is likely to change dramatically once Win8 apps start rolling out.
Anyhoo, I notice there's a bevy of "inside sources" coming out in support of an MS tablet now. Where were they before MS sent out the invitation?
I reckon Windows tablets are doomed. Android and iOS have too much of a lead now. I just don't see why you'd bother.
Plus presumably adding MS into the mix would add, what, at least £50 to the cost - so you won't get any of the bargain basement Android tablets, and it would cost more than the direct Android equivalent.
MS will have to take the lead, I don't see Dell, Asus or anyone rushing out Windows tablets.
When was the last decent bit of software MS released?
Windows 7 is okay, but hardly ground breaking, it basically was a serviceable, stable OS. Office is back to a bloated mess.
IE is now fine, but really it's still catching up.
Windows 8 tablets have the advantage of not being tablets.
They're PCs in the tablet form factor so you can use them for anything you want. Creation as well as consumption. Work as well as play.
Windows RT is slightly different, and yes more similar to iPad or Android in structure. But have you used Windows 8? It makes iOS and Android look like something from the last century.
I'd have thought that MS had a chance because so many people and businesses use Windows as a default. They're beginning to look very far behind though and if they are launching a tablet of their own, it suggests they know it.
If it's true, I think perhaps yes they're recognising how far they are behind and have decided the best way to tackle this is to grab the bull by the horns and not wait for 3rd party efforts.
Sort of similar to the Nokia partnership on phones, but if they stick their own name on the tablet they're not showing favouritism to one PC vendor.
No, i haven't used W8. The one thing I am now used to as a consumer is free OS upgrades. Ubuntu, Â iOS 4 to 5, or the ICS rollout for Android. Â This gives constant new features and keeps things up to date. All MS seem to do is endless fucking security fixes. Have they changed their approach with W8?
They don't really add features to the OS once it's released. That might change with Win8 (esp RT) but I don't know.
It's a different environment to a phone operating system though. Windows is very mature, there's not a great deal in the way of features that could be added, extra functionality comes via applications which unlike phones can change the way the OS works without having to be run separately/constantly.
Plus obviously business users are a core market and they don't want new versions every 6 months.
This doesn't look like a very business focused OS. What's it like under the hood so to speak? Is it lighter than W7? I love Ubuntu cos I can chuck it on so many ancient devices and let the web take the rest of the strain.
In my experience it's lighter than Win7. I've got it running on a P3 and it's quick and snappy.
If you don't have a touch screen to use it on then there's little compelling reason to buy it. Although I am getting more used to using the Metro front end using a mouse and it works well once you figure it out.
Had. When was the last decent bit of software MS released?
Have.
There's really no comparison between what you can do with an Android tablet and what you can do with a Windows desktop environment. If its done right, it'll become the default business tablet, which could feed into the demand for phones. But it does rely on devs (Adobe, other big boys) using the Metro stuff. Which they will if people are buying the tablets, which they will if the software is there. It's a sort of virtuous circle thing that needs a kickstart to get it going.Â
Consumers are a different issue. Apple's lead may be unassailable there. Google are vulnerable though. They're number one in the phone market not because people love Android, just because its the default OS for handset renewals.
It's interesting because (I assume) Apple have no desire to beef up the iPad's business/work credentials, and no desire to make the MacBooks more consumer/mass market friendly.
MS -or strictly speaking their OEMs- can offer one tablet that can (in theory) satisfy both markets at the same time.
Linux is an open source operating system that's provided for free and proved briefly popular in the late 2000's running low cost "netbook" machines until everyone realised it wasn't Windows and stopped buying them.
MS branded Win8 tablet.
MS branded WinRT tablet.
Barnes and Noble/Nook branded tablet (with Win8 interface)
MS and B&N/Nook branded tablet (with Win8 interface)
Barnes and Noble/Nook branded tablet (with 'Nook' interface)
MS and B&N/Nook branded tablet (with 'Nook' interface)
I'm leaning towards "Barnes and Noble/Nook branded tablet (with Win8 (RT) interface)"
Help me understand phone someone. I've been using my sister's handmedown iphone 2 for a couple of years now and it's broken to buggery (internet doesn't work among other things) and I only use it to text on pay-as-you-go. So i'm in the market for a new phone, probably on contract and an expensive model.
I don't know anything about phone OS's so I know nout of what Androids can do that other OS's can't and vice-versa. Which phones are best for gaming, which for apps and which models/manufacturers to avoid generally.
I've had my eye on the physically appealing Samsung Galaxy's that i've spied in the shops.
I love my Galaxy S3. S2s are cheap. Notes are an acquired taste but great for surfing and media.
I think ios is currently best for gaming, but android matches it for most other apps. Don't forget Flash support. Surfing on an Apple device can be frustrating as hell because there's no Flash support.