PCWorld Forums: Windows 8 'arm' Tablets: A Disaster In The Making - PCWorld Forums

Post your comments for Windows 8 'ARM' Tablets: A Disaster in the Making here

This article is wrong. Windows Tablets on Intel are meant for enterprise while Windows Tablets on Arm are meant to be lower cost to go head to head with the iPad in the consumer market. It is not a challenge to know what chip the tablet comes on like the article is leading to.

Can't get past the first sentence...

"Tablets were clearly top of mind for the designers of Tablets were clearly top of mind for the designers of Windows 8."

Therefore, your article is worthless.

This writer needs to go back to school and learn how to write jeeze.

What is an Android Fire? I believe that's a Kindle Fire?

DanielBlois, on 07 May 2012 - 05:54 AM, said:

I have always thought that to. I guess the author needed to make a click bait quota.

MS hasn't released these products yet so they are definitely not going to make any software to manage them like the rest of there PCs, nahh never.
Glad to see some many other commentators called this BS for what it is.

this article is junk... however it came as no surprise when I noticed who authored it

Lousiest article that I've read in a long while!

Microsoft strategy for the consumer and the corporate is simple. Windows RT (several in the making) will be offered like the cell phones, pre-installed, with a contract. Yes, like an iPad consumer device. For the corporate, get your x86 tablet (30 tablets currently in the making), install your new Windows 8 and connect with your corporate network like any other PC.

The main issue is battery life and size and thinness. The size and thinness is not an issue now, since the new intel-based tablets coming out will be as thin and light as your current flavor iPad. That leaves battery life. The currently in production tablets to come out this year, will have a battery life of 8-10 hours. Next year that will change further with 10-20 hour tablets.

I hope PCWORLD or ComputerWorld isn't paying you to write; you're terrible.

This article has nothing new in it; it's basically a re-tread of 2-month-old seen both here and on other tech sites. What's really bad however, is that there are still some people who believe "Windows 8 will blow the iPad away" without even recognizing that there are multiple versions of Win8 coming.

C'est la vie.

DanielBlois, on 07 May 2012 - 05:54 AM, said:

You seem to be suffering from a very old malady--that of believing a desktop OS is ever going to work effectively on a tablet form factor device. Windows has failed on tablets for over 11 years now simply because there are no touch-centric apps on the open market for them; developers are simply stuck in the keyboard/mouse UI and haven't seen a real reason to change their ways. The only way such a changeover is going to work is if the developer has no choice but to develop for touch and as long as Microsoft insists on direct legacy compatibility with old applications then developers will continue to work that way as well.

Win8RT is not likely to have a significant impact on desktop Windows use and quite honestly I don't see it doing much better than Android currently experiences on the tablet platforms.

An OS is useless without software; Linux has effectively proven that for every purpose outside of servers. No touch software available, no touch devices will sell. It's just that simple.

SalmanS, on 07 May 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

I'm going to disagree with both paragraphs of your commentary here; the first I have already commented against (see above.)

The second is false for multiple reasons. Battery life and thinness are already touted for many clamshell "Ultrabooks" and as yet barely manage to do better than a similarly-sized netbook. True, 6 to 8 hours are definitely possible with an Intel chip--but at least for now, until the Atom chips become more efficient, pushing the 12-16 hour envelope requires some very touchy configuration tweaks which saps the functionality of the device. Any 'tablet' currently running an x86 processor at least for now is lucky if it can offer a reliable 8 hours of use per charge and most of them half of that.

Now, it's true that going full SSD can really improve battery life but even that can be counteracted by forcing the on-board graphics to work harder, such as displaying a movie or playing a game. But to tell you the truth, even if battery life, size and thickness were all sufficiently resolved, as long as it runs the desktop version of Windows it's still going to be an abject failure--simply because there is no software available to support it on the tablet/slate form-factor.

Very misleading article complaining and whining about getting something for nothing. Windows RT tablets are meant to give the retail consumer an economical W8 solution that competes with iPads. Windows 8 tablets are meant to give everyone a full blown client for enterrpsie and personal use. Nothing wrong with that decision given the extra cost to give Win 8 RT more client controls than a personal tablet needs. Win 8 tablets will have an advantage as they offer a price range that serves both consumers, enterprises and power users. That's a hell of a lot more than Apple or others are offering.

Vulpinemac, on 07 May 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

Salman, let think about this for what we know and not what some people hope will happen to Windows 8. First, have you try Windows 8? I have and I like it. It took me and my wife (not a tech person) to figure Windows 8 and take advantage of every thing. I use a old 17" laptop, old meaning more than 5 years old with an AMD chip and only 1 meg of memory. It ran faster than before. The use of mouse and keyboad was easy to use and all her old programs worked fine. Second, battery life on a ultra book goes around 8 hours. Think about this! On a tablet that maximum size will be 10" compare with ultra book that is from 11" to 14" most around 13" screen size. The screen is one of the item that draw power, not necessary the chip. So 8 to 10 hours of use will be a good guess of battery life, same as the current Ipad.

Third, the advantage of Windows 8 on Intel chip for enterprise is the base to make Windows 8 a succes story. Windows 8 and Windows 7 are practically the same except for the Metro interface and the touch screen. If you have use Windows 8 like I have you know the desktop is there. Some minor changes but easy to learn. I being using computer since DOS and thru all Windows version and each one there was something new to learn or get use to it. If you are using Window 7 or even XP you will notice some difference between both and even more if you go to Windows 2000, 98, and 95. You have to admit that the way they work is totally different now from the old one, but you adapted and learn and you would not go back to the old one. You like the new version of Windows compare to the old ones. The same will happen with Windows 8. As the enterprise start moving to Windows 8, the use of the tablet for some mobile people will be greatly appreciated. And you know what? When people start using it at work, they will using it at home. Will they need the same tablet as work with Intel inside. No. They can buy a lower price table with Windows RT and have some the familiarity they have at home. The won't need the extra power of Intle inside (but they can still buy one if they want one or need to) and still have Microsoft office and any other app that comes to market (mostly game like Angry Birds). It's like Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Home. Pretty much the same, except Windows Enterprise or Professional have some extra features that the majority of people do not need except the tech person.

Give some thought to this and you will arrive at the same conclusion I did. Just don' let your passion or emotion dictate your thinking. Be like a Vulcan, live long and prosper.

Isn't Windows RT a consumer play. If a business wants a Windows tablet then they will get a Windows 8 tablet running on Intel. A Windows 8 tablet is identical to a Windows 8 PC so I don't see why IT would be opposed to them at all.

Also please stop referring to Windows RT tablets as Windows 8 tablets because it is terribly confusing as to what you are talking about. Windows RT are ARM tablets. Windows 8 are Intel (x86) tablets.

DUDE. Read this sentence out loud three times: I am we todd did. Yes you are. And you shouldnt be allowed to use the computer.

And windows RT tablets will give andrid tablets a run for their money in the consumer market.Whether they will be able to unseat the ipad will be decided by time.

Vulpinemac, on 07 May 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

Have you actually USED Windows 8? If not, you have no place commenting here. METRO - the interface to be used primarily in Windows 8 - is a beautifully touch friendly interface. On top of that, it works extremely well with a mouse. Meaning an Intel tablet can focus on being a tablet (with the touch interface, and apps), while still maintaining things like Exchange, and Active Directory functionality. Then should you decide you feel the need, sync up a bluetooth keyboard, and mouse, and BAM! You have a PC!

For once, MS has done a hell of a job merging both worlds in a way even Apple couldn't have pulled off.