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For $400 do you chose Win RT or 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2? Good luck selling Win RT at that price point.

For $400 do you chose Win RT or 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2? Good luck selling Win RT at that price point.

Aywa2, on 17 August 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

I know I personally would choose the Surface RT version over the iPad. Although I plan on a full windows 8 tablets over them both.

Aywa2, on 17 August 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

I'll take the 32GB Surface RT since you're asking. I really don't see 400 being a bad price at all. If that price hold, I'll get one for my wife also.

Given the less than impressive hardware specs of the Surface RT, including is mere 720p LCD, versus the resolution of the "New iPad", I doubt people considering such a decision will mind shelling out an additional $100 to get a 2048x1536 resolution LCD and access to much more robust applications choices with the iPad. Microsoft also blew it by going with a 16x9 aspect ratio on both its tablets, with is too narrow for use in portrait mode, especially tasks suchs reading PDF format eBooks which almost always have an aspect ratio more suited to the iPad.

Microsoft is going to be forced by the market to rethink some of the many poor hardware design decisions it has made with its Surface products, including those just described. Given the foregoing, I doubt the first generation of Surface tablets will make any sort of dent in the iPad's supremacy.

It is also my impression that the entrance of Windows 8 tablets into the market is going to apply pricing pressure to Android tablets, while at the same time improving sales of Android tablets at new lower price points. There will surely be deep discounts on Android tablets with less than 1920x1200 resolution LCDs as the market moves to that resolution and above so that they have any chance of competing with the iPad's LCD resolution.

I dunno...maybe he's talking about Lenovo's pricing strategy...not the whole of the tablet industry...?

I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft's WinRT tablet is around $200, while Lenovo's is around $400 - so long as it's features match that price point.

opiniator, on 17 August 2012 - 11:49 AM, said:

IMO, the 2048 x 1536 resolution is such a waste of pixels on applications that are stripped down. Yes there are some games that look really cool, but they look really cool on the iPad 2 or original as well. If the iPad ran OS X then yes, I would love such a resolution on a small device. Though 1920x1080 is more than sufficient.

For a tablet with such limited functions, I think 720 is more than sufficient. Of course of the device is going to be using a dualcore CPU, 1080 is better since this is the norm.

16x9 ratio vs another? Personal preference. When it comes to aspect ratio, there is nothing to say what is good or bad. What is good or bad depends on what you plan to do with the device. For typical Windows apps and games it is fine. It is perfect for widescreen movies. The iPad is horrible with movies. I prefer actually watching netflix on my SGS3 vs my iPad.

16x9 is said to be great with the following resolutions - 640x360, 854x480, 960x540, 1024×576, 1280×720, 1366×768, 1600×900, 1920×1080, 2048x1152, 2560×1440, 3840×2160 and 4096x2304 - The RT tablet like iPad is designed for media consumption. I think a limited tablet is such a waste if you just wanna read PDF's. iPad and RT is a mobile toy and I dont want to do anything related to business on them.

MS didn't make bad choice. They simply create a bar that other OEM need to meet or surpass.
I personally don't want the RT model as I see it as being equal to an iPad on capability. The Pro model however is a must as it will replace my last desktop PC. I will give my wife my laptop and I will use the Surface Pro.

So I guess they won't be $199? I think the Surface Pro and other Windows 8 Slates will be the real big sellers anyways. Tablet form factor with the power of desktop Windows. Perfect.

This post has been edited by Extremist: 17 August 2012 - 02:48 PM

jeuss, on 17 August 2012 - 09:56 AM, said:

There are still too many questions regarding hardware, particular screen and camera resolution to answer that for sure. But the Surface's SD card support is a big plus in my opinion. The lack of expandable memory has been one of the things that has kept me away from the iPhone and iPad.

I will be able to better answer once I read reviews of the Surface and know what the actual screen resolution is and how well the device actually performs.

So much speculation, upon so few facts.

QUADICON, on 17 August 2012 - 01:40 PM, said:

agreed!!

microsoft basically is doing what google has already done w/android. set the bar for hardware thats needed to run their os. the google nexus one imo was a stunning success. the day that one was unveiled, we finally started to see many more premium, highend spec'd android handsets become announced. the same is true w/the nexus 7 and 7" android tablets. set the bar high and consumers won't be disappointed.

the reason why mac owners love their mac computers? most of them have more power than most normal user would know what to do with and in turn things fly and the experience is great!

@quadicon, whats with the obsessive apple hate. You accuse others as apple fanboys but its you who are more obsessed with everything apple.....every single comment you make is only apple bashing.

I have never seen you talk about anything else.

So much hate indicates only one thing.......you have issues!!

@quad,this is regarding your comments on other apple related articles too.

MrHistamine, on 17 August 2012 - 01:00 PM, said:

You can't sell a tablet that costs $350 to produce for $200 unless it's heavily subsidized, in which case it isn't $200 any more.

Extremist, on 18 August 2012 - 06:22 AM, said:

You sound as if a subsidized mobile device is a new concept...

Subsidizing the tablet through various sources (including the wireless carriers), was implied in the $200 remark.

MrHistamine, on 18 August 2012 - 06:47 AM, said:

What wireless carriers? To the best of my knowledge the surface RT will be wifi-only, with no 3G/4G to give carriers a reason to subsidise.

crosswordbob, on 18 August 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

Remember the deals they had going when they were pushing netbooks? Those were WiFi only, but if you got an access point, or tethering plan, you got the subsidized price; my brother went this route, and got an HP netbook for $200 on VZW back in 2009. They still have the press release up on their website: VZW HP Netbooks. Wouldn't be totally shocking if they tried something like that again.

MrHistamine, on 18 August 2012 - 12:36 PM, said:

Fair enough—hadn't seen those, but am in UK, so maybe just not here.