More Thoughts on Microsoft Surface

Microsoft Surface is one of the coolest concepts in the Tablet arena, and many questions have been raised, some legitimate, because Microsoft failed to mention any details about it.  So, we don't know the exact cost, the exact specifications, the battery life, or...much of anything. 

One thing that has some worried is that Microsoft is entering into the hardware business, in what should be direct competition with their partners.  Personally, I have a bit of faith in Microsoft.  After the successes of the XBox, Windows Phone 7, and Windows 7.  Some will point out that Windows Phone 7 has not been a huge sales success, but anyone who has used it knows that the OS is a success.  It is the best smartphone OS now, even including iOS 6, and only lacks the app ecosystem.  It is not the same sales success, but it is still better. 

The problem for Windows 8/RT should be obvious when you look at the available Windows 7 and Android tablets.  From the standpoint of hardware, they just don't measure up to the iPad.  The Transformer Prime is probably the best example of the lot, and it comes fairly close to the iPad, and it is priced accordingly.  Most just don't really come close to the iPad, but they do offer the advantage of price. 

Of course, Windows tablets do not offer the advantage of price.  Most of them cost hundreds more than an iPad.  Of course, you are getting a true computer, a PC and not just an iPod Touch with a larger screen.  Which leads to a quick (hopefully) aside. 

iPad fans will say that the iPad is much more than an iPod Touch with a larger screen.  They are wrong.  The internals of the iPad are the same as the iPhone, same processor, same graphics, same everything except the screen.  Now, I do not want to understate the importance of that larger screen.  Apps that are unusable on a 3.5" screen are wonderful on a 9" screen, but that really is the only difference. 

The true difference between the iPad is the variety of apps.  As I said, apps that would be unusable on an iPhone are wonderful on an iPad, but that has nothing to do with Apple.  Apple didn't create a better device, they just attached a bigger screen.  It is the developers who deserve the credit for making the iPad into something more than an iPod Touch with a larger screen.  Well, not really, because that is still what it is. 

Now, close the aside and back to Surface. 

Windows tablets today are PCs without keyboards.  Full PC processors, full I/O support and all the rest.  But, no matter what we look at, we see that the Windows tablets available today are trying very hard to compete against the iPad, and they fail, because they have less battery life,greater size and weight, overly long boot times, and an interface that is not designed for Touch.  Yes, Windows 7 is touch ready, it supports two finger gestures and most of the other cool touch features, but the parts of the UI are so small you cannot use them with your fingers in many cases.  But, the real point is that to stay close to the iPad in price, they have had to skimp on the hardware, and it shows. 

The takeaway from all this, is that Microsoft cannot rely on the OEMs to produce a top of the line tablet.  Even the best Android tablet on the market has admitted that it cannot go head to head against the iPad at the same price.  This is important, because Windows RT tablets are going to be Android tablets with a different OS.  You should be able to take the Asus Transformer Prime and flash it with Windows RT. 

That's for ARM tablets, but if we look at the Windows 7 tablets, it is the same story.  Too many compromises to stay close to the iPad in price.  Just recently, we have see a few Windows 7 tablets that have attempted to do it right, the Asus EeeSlate, Samsung Slate, and the Dell Latitude ST.  Overall, these look quite good, and they are priced well above the iPad, but they still don't quite measure up. 

What Microsoft needed was a flagship.  The Windows equivalent of the Google Nexus.  Something that shows just exactly what you can do with Windows 8/RT, and I believe that Microsoft did not have enough faith in any of its OEM partners to leave that job up to them. 

When I remember that there were rumors over a year ago that Microsoft was thinking of crossing over into hardware for tablets, it makes me wonder if Microsoft didn't pull aside one or more of their partners to ask them to produce a flagship tablet.  If Microsoft didn't point out to Dell or HP for example that they needed a flagship tablet.  I am also wondering if Dell and HP didn't turn them down.   

HP already has the Windows Slate disaster standing against them.  Steve Ballmer must have felt like an idiot, when HP dropped the Slate after acquiring Palm.  Steve Ballmer made the HP Slate a centerpiece of his presentation, and then HP dropped it.  That must have seemed like a real stab in the back.  Dell has never done a Windows tablet until now, and if the Latitude St is the best Dell could do, then I can understand Microsoft leaving them behind. 

Microsoft needs a flagship tablet for Windows 8/RT, and no other partner was big enough to make it.  Especially for the Windows 8 tablet, they needed a big PC OEM and that really means either HP or Dell.  With them out of the running, Microsoft has only one choice, make it themselves.  And so, we have Surface. 

Microsoft said that Surface will have a price comparable to other tablets, and Surface Pro comparable to ultrabooks.  Let's rephrase that.  Surface will have a price that matches the iPad.  Surface Pro will have a price that comparable to the low to middle range of the ultrabooks, maybe even higher. 

This is the flagship.  The is the pinnacle.  Surface is a match for the iPad, at least in my opinion.  Give a choice between an iPad and Surface, I would not hesitate in choosing Surface.  Surface will be a premium tablet, both RT and Pro.  Every OEM will be able to produce a tablet and sell if for less than Surface, and that is the idea.  Microsoft will take the high road, up where the iPad is, where the real risk is.  No other tablet has succeeded in that price range.  OEMs will be able to produce lesser tablets and sell them at a lower price. 

I think that these lower priced tablets will be critical to the success of Windows 8/RT.  I am not sure that Windows RT can beat the iPad if Surface is the only player.  Microsoft needs a lower priced entry point for Windows RT.  Surface Pro and Windows 8 should be a different story.  Yes, they will be competing with the iPad, but they are clearly going to cost more, but when you compare the full computing power of Windows 8, I think you will have a compelling alternative to iPad, Android and even Windows RT. 

So, I hope that I have given a few extra points to consider.  Unlike some, I don't think that Microsoft threw its OEM partners under the bus.  I doubt that this was a big surprise to them.  I think they knew this was coming, and they will be scrambling to fill in underneath Surface, and to provide other innovative solutions, like the ones we saw at Computex recently.  I think that HP and Dell might have been given a chance to produce something like Surface and been refused.  Though I also think it is possible that Steve Ballmer did not make the offer to HP after the Slate embarassment. 

One final aside.  There is a rumor that Windows RT is going to cost $85 a copy.  So far as I know, this was a single rumor, unconfirmed that has been repeated so often by the Tech Media that they all believe it now.  I don't buy it.  What I see if a bunch of anti-MS tech writers (which is most of them) trotting out tired reasons why Microsoft will fail without making any attempt to verify the rumor.  They want Microsoft to fail, and so they repeat any rumor that makes it look like Microsoft is full of idiots. 

A price tag that high would cripple sales of Windows RT tablets.  Windows RT tablets will be competing directly against Android tablets and they do not do enough more to justify paying nearly $100 more for Windows RT.  Remember, the hardware is the same, therefore the cost is the same.  With the already tiny margins in the tablet field (outside of iPad), you cannot expect OEMs to take $85 less on each sale, and if you price them $85 more than an identically specced Android tablet, then they simply won't sell. 

I don't believe that Surface is Microsoft's attempt to push the OEMs out of the way and take over completely whatever market there may be for Windows tablets.  I believe that Microsoft wanted a no compromise flagship tablet that would stand up to direct comparison to the iPad, and I believe that Microsoft decided that the only way to get it was to make it themselves. 

Below is the chart of the prices of iPad and all the top Android tablets that I could find.  Where ever possible, I pulled prices from the manufacturers website.  I was not looking to find the lowest available price, but the manufacturer's suggested retail price. 

	8GB	16GB	32GB	64GB
iPad		$499	$599	$699
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1		$499	$599
Galaxy Tab 2		$399
Acer Iconia A200	$329	$349
Acer Iconia A500		$349
Acer Iconia A700			$449
Asus EeePad Transformer TF101		$377	$599
Asus EeePad Transformer TF300			$384
Asus Transformer Prime		$379	$499	$599
Sony		$399	$499
Toshiba Thrive	$379	$399	$479
Toshiba Excite		$449	$529	$649
Toshiba Excite LE		$529	$599
Motorola Xoom		$499
Motorola Xyboard		$499
Lenovo IdeaPad S	$399	$449	$499
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet		$499	$569	$669

Microsoft Surface

I was wrong about yesterday's announcement, which was all about hardware and not about software.   

Microsoft announced Surface, a new 10.6 inch tablet with a really innovative keyboard/cover.  The tablet looks like it will be really good, but Microsoft revealed almost nothing about it.  No specs, other than the size.  Downloading the spec sheet doesn't help much, other than to give you the rating for the battery, but that is in Watt hours, not in usage hours, so it is pretty worthless.  They announced two models, one with an ARM processor running Windows RT and one with an Intel processor running Windows 8. 

Unfortunately, not being one of those invited to the announcement, I have to rely on others to tell me about how it feels, but the reports so far are good.  It looks like it will be a solid unit, with a good balanced feel in your hands.  It has a Gorilla Glass screen, which means it should hold up well to daily use.   

It has a couple of features that some members of the tech press are suggesting are unnecessary or unwanted, but I disagree with them.  Putting a kickstand on a tablet seems like an obvious thing.  There are plenty of times when you will want to prop up your tablet, and if it does not compromise the weight or the sturdiness of the case, then I say bring it on.  Phones, at least some of them, have had kickstands for a long time and it is about time that a tablet got one. 

The other feature is a stylus.  Now, your Applefanboys will dismiss the idea of a stylus, because the iPad does not have one, and so obviously you don't need one.  If Steve Jobs didn't think it was necessary, then it isn't.  You'll have to imagine the this-is-utter-BS tone of my voice.  I can hear it in my own head, but it doesn't come out well onto the page. 

While, having to use a stylus is not the best user experience...and yes, I am familiar with that experience, I have a Samsung Q1U, a stylus has some distinct advantages, especially when combined with handwriting recognition.  I read lots about people taking notes on their iPads, but personally, I think they are kidding themselves when they say it is easy.  First, I don't like talking notes on a keyboard anyway, and second, an onscreen keyboard is just a pain to use on top of that.  My guess is they don't take many notes. 

A stylus, combined with handwriting recognition, allows you to take notes as fast as you can scribble, and I can scribble pretty damn fast.  And, did I mention that the handwriting recognition in Windows 7 is excellent?  If Microsoft has kept that same capability in Windows 8 and RT, then we are in for a treat.  Touch when we want it, and stylus when that makes more sense than fingers. 

But, the biggest part of the announcement...in my opinion...is the new keyboard/cover that will come with, or at least be available for, the new Microsoft Surface Tablet.  This cover seems to be about the same thickness as the Apple Smartcover, but this is a lot smarter, since it actually adds functionality to your tablet.  You see, it's a keyboard, with a touchpad.  Now, with a cover that's a keyboard, and a stand that is built in, your tablet converts to a laptop anytime you open it.  You can fold the cover onto the back of your Surface and it is smart enough to recognize that it should not take input.  So, you have a tablet with no hassles.  Then, you pop out the stand and unfold the cover so that it sits out in front of the tablet and there is your keyboard and touchpad, instant portable. 

It looks incredibly cool, and if it works like they say it does, then it blows Apple right out of the water.  It's widescreen, as tablets should be.  It is thin and light, as tablets should be, and without buying or carrying an extra piece of hardware, your tablet turns from the standard consumption device into a productivity device.  And, if you buy the Windows 8 version, it runs all your legacy apps. 

Now, there are still a lot of questions about the Surface.  What is the actual battery life?  How well does the keyboard/cover work (they were not available for the media to test yesterday)?  How much will it cost? 

Any of these could put a roadblock in the way of the success of the Surface, but for today, Microsoft has taken a bold step and I cannot wait to get my hands on one. 

Microsoft Monday

Today is Friday and on Monday Microsoft is announcing something.  No one knows for sure, but lots of people have guesses.  My guess is a bit different from others, and this is where you will read my prediction.  If I am right, then everyone else is wrong and I'm a genius.  If I'm wrong, then oh well. 

My prediction is based on this picture.

Now, as we look at this lineup, we know most of what Microsoft will be doing in relation to each of these.  The TV will be handled by XBox, and when we move to the other end of the lineup, we know that the Desktop, Laptop, and Tablet will definitely be handled by Windows 8.  The Slate in the middle might be handled by Windows 8, or its sister, Windows RT.  We know that the Smartphone is handled by Windows Phone, now 7 and sometime soon Windows Phone 8. 

Now, the entire lineup is dealt with...all except one, the Reader.  Now, I find it important to note the orientation of the screens.  The Slate is in landscape orientation, which is the orientation of both Windows 8 and RT.  The Reader on the other hand is in portrait orientation.  The question of orientation is an important one, because Windows RT is landscape orientation, but Windows Phone is portrait orientation. 

And, that brings me to my prediction. 

I think that Microsoft will announce a new OS for smaller tablets, which they might refer to as Microsoft Reader 7 or more likely 8.  I think that Microsoft Reader will be based on the Windows Phone interface.  It makes a lot more sense than Windows RT. 

Well, that is my prediction, which goes against every other prediction out there.  That probably means I am wrong, but if not, then I am a genius. 

Windows 8 Success

First, some background.  Windows 8 is the next version of the world's most popular OS, and it is going to be rather different, with an interface called Metro, that looks like this. 

 There is also another big change, in that it is going to run on ARM processors, though under the name of Windows RT.  The biggest difference between 8 on x86/x64 processors and RT on ARM processors will be the support of legacy apps.  Windows 8, when installed on your desktop, portable, or even x86/x64 tablet is going to run every app that you already own.  Windows RT will only be available pre-installed on ARM tablets, and will only support new apps written specifically for the Metro UI, and delivered through the Microsoft Market. 

Now, obviously these Metro apps are going to be key to the success of Windows RT and the new Windows ARM tablets that we should see before the end of the year.  Unfortunately, there may be the same problem that we are seeing today with Windows Phone 7.  While there are more Windows Phone 7 apps everyday, there are still many great apps that you can get on iOS or Android, but not on Windows Phone 7.  Getting a good slate of apps for Windows RT is going to be very important. 

Strange to say, but I think that the long term success of Windows 8 will also depend on Metro apps, and yes, I mean the desktop version.  Tech writers have often complained of the jarring effects of going from the Metro Desktop to the old style desktop.  I believe that acceptance of Windows 8 and the Metro UI are going to hinge on keeping users in the Metro UI, and not on ensuring that all their old apps work. 

I am concerned that developers may ignore Metro.  Many of them may not care if their app won't run on Windows RT, and that means they will have little incentive to work on Metro versions of their apps.  I am not picking on Adobe, but I see two programs from their stable that are prime candidates, Photoshop and Acrobat, and I don't mean Reader, but the full Acrobat for creating and editing PDF files.   

Will Adobe really care if Photoshop and Acrobat won't run on Windows RT?  Remember that Windows RT means ARM tablets, with the same processing power as Android tablets, and the iPad.  Full Photoshop is not available for these operating systems.  What do you get through iTunes?  Photoshop Express.  The reviews are mostly saying that this is not even the best Photo Editing app available for iOS.  Will Windows RT see any better?  Probably not, since like the other ARM tablets, there really isn't enough processing power for full Photoshop. 

When Windows 8 is installed on desktop and portable systems, there will be plenty of processing power for Photoshop, but will their be a Metro app?  Since the present app will be able to run on Windows 8, without alteration, how much incentive will Adobe have to spend the time, and effort...which will equate to money...to convert the app to run in the Metro UI.  Acrobat may not require the processing power of an x86 processor, but it is primarily a business app. It isn't something that most home users need.  Again, Adobe might forgo the expense of converting since they know that the app will run on Windows 8 without doing anything.  And, Adobe certainly isn't the only one that might take this route. Heck, Microsoft has already stated that Office will not be running in Metro, though there will be a limited version of Office that comes as part of Windows RT.  Software vendors  can have their developers fix bugs and add functionality to their programs, or they can spend those same man hours on getting the apps converted to the Metro UI. 

Which are you willing to bet on? 

The experience of using Windows 8 is not going to be improved by constantly shifting back and forth from Metro to the Windows 7 style desktop, and users who find themselves mostly working in the old desktop mode are going to complain, asking why they cannot default to the mode where they do most of their work.  Also, why would you upgrade to Windows 8, when working in Windows 7 is more convenient for most of what you do? 

If Microsoft is really committed to Metro as the future of Windows, then they need to find a way to convince application developers that they should convert to the Metro UI, and I haven't seen much incentive given.  Of course, I am not a developer, so I might not have noticed.   

Keeping people out of the old desktop mode means more apps that run in Metro.  This is important for the long term strategy of Microsoft and Windows, because if Metro is the future, then either Windows 9 or 10 needs to leave off the old desktop and no longer support non-Metro apps.  If it is going to succeed, that process needs to start now.

Velocity Micro Cruz T301

I finally pulled the trigger on a cheap tablet.  Yes, that is it there.  It isn't the nice Samsung Tab that I looked at, but it doesn't carry the added cost of the Verizon contract.  I finally found one for only $60 on Woot.  

The Velocity Micro Cruz T301 is also an Ingenic T301, which is how it will appear on Google Play after you get it registered.  It's an 800x600 7 inch tablet and it runs Froyo, Android 2.2.  Now, when you buy it, it doesn't have the Android Appstore, nor Google Play, but if you will do a little quick research using the device name, you will find instructions on how to correct that.  It's terribly easy, because it basically comes rooted. 

Here's the instructions on slatedroid.com. 

This will make the tablet more useable, but unfortunately, it won't make it fast, and that is the biggest problem with the T301.  The website says that it is an 800mhz processor, but it feels more like 80.  Another site says it is 528mhz and that sounds closer to the truth.  Most of the apps work okay, only slowly.  The screen is capacitive and seems fairly responsive, except that it is hard to tell sometimes, because the OS responds so slowly.  

Now, just in case anyone thinks that I am just complaining about Android, you should know that I also have a Samsung Fascinate to play around with, and it works quickly, much nicer than the tablet, but the difference between a 4" screen, and a 7" screen is significant.   

I like it for reading.  The Kindle app works pretty well, and I can read my email and blogs.  It can be a bit finicky though.  It may kick you back to the desktop from a browser session, and it may display a connection error in email and fail to display the message.  Now, I know this is some weirdness in the software, because if I hit reply it shows the message as part of the reply.  Of course, this rarely happens, except when I am viewing my email newsletters that are heavy on html.  I think that sort of throws a monkeywrench into the works. 

The other big problem is that there are a lot of apps that won't install, most noteably, Netflix and Angry Birds, two apps that I really want to install.  Now, I have both Google Play and the Amazon Appstore installed, and there is an oddity in the Amazon Appstore.  Amazon does not seem to have a good grasp on the fact that these apps won't install.  In fact, the Amazon Appstore shows about a half dozen apps that it has attempted to download and install, and failed.  The problem is that they never go away.  They sit there in a list with a reinstall button as if the third or fourth try will be the lucky charm and they will install.  I have yet to find any way to remove them from the list.  It feels like Amazon is mocking me. 

On the other hand, apps that won't install simply don't come up in searches in Google Play.  And, if I go out to the Google Play website on my desktop, then it will actually tell me that the app is not compatible with the Ingenic T301.  This is a very nice feature. 

This app is compatible with some of your devices. 

What I wish one of them would tell me is why they won't install.  Is it the resolution, the processor speed, or the version of Android that is the problem. 

I've rambled a bit here, but I like having a tablet, I just wish it were a better one.  Another serious lack to the T301 is bluetooth.  No keyboards, which might make it a little more useful, if any of the keyboards work with 2.2.1.  Unfortunately, the T301 does not seem to have sold well enough for anyone to have made an updated ROM for it.  I have seen how well a device can work with Android 2.3 and I don't know if the T301 would do as well, but it would be nice to see.  What I really want to do is to move the innards from the Fascinate into the T301, but that isn't going to happen. 

I cannot really recommend the T301.  You get what you pay for.  I didn't pay much for the T301 and I didn't get much, but it was within my price range, and it works.

Spoiler Alert - Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Part 2 - Spoiler Alert

This is where the spoilers live, so either don't read it, or don't complain. 

So, this game is much like Oblivion and Skyrim in that it dumps you right into the story.  To be direct, you start off dead.  Two gnomes are pushing a cart with a body on it, and you are the body.  At the moment where they are about to whip back the sheet and record information about you, the game pauses so that you can choose your race, and create the appearance of your character. 

Here, the game diverges from standard fantasy RPG format, because you don't pick a class.  There are no classes in KOA:R.  Actually, that makes it similar to Skyrim.  There are three disciplines, called Abilities, Might, Sorcery and Finesse, which equate pretty neatly with Warrior, Mage and Rogue.  You get three points at each level to put where you want in these three disciplines.  Sorcery includes spells, staves, scepters (wands) and chakrams (flying disc weapons).  Might includes attacks with sword, greatsword, hammer, and other weapons.  Finesse includes dagger attacks, archery attacks, and something called faeblades, double ended daggers.  There are also poisons, and other things of that sort. 

After you set up your character, the dwarves reveal your newly created face, and then they dump you onto a pile of dead bodies...which is where you wake up.  Now, you begin to explore and then fight your way out of the vast complex where you were reborn after having died in your first life. 

So, that is enough spoilers for now.  You fight your way out, and you learn about Fate, and Fateweavers.  In the world of Amalur, all are ruled by Fate.  Each person has a path through the weave of Fate which cannot be altered, at least not in any major way...until you come along.  Shortly after escaping,  you are told that you have no fate, that you are the master of your destiny, in fact, throughout the game, you character is called the Fateless One. 

The problem is that the game belies that idea.  You are pushed along a narrow path, as if you have no decisions to make on your own.  You can delay the inevitable next step, but you cannot bypass it, nor can you choose how it will play out, at least not often.  The best way to effect the plot line is to dump all the points you can into Persuasion, because then you may not have to fight as often, however, even that did not work for me during the penultimate confrontation with Gadflow.  My persuasion attempt was successful, but I still had to fight him. 

It reminded me of two spots in Mass Effect, where you have the opportunity to either Charm or Intimidate Saren, but either way, the same scene plays out. 

Game designers need to work on more complicated scenarios, not only with multiple endings, but with TRUE multiple endings, and truly different paths to those endings.  A persuasive or intimidating character should have the opportunity to resolve ending conflicts without a fight, or at least not the fight he imagines. 

In the case of Gadflow, why not have the persuasion work, and Gadflow attempt to change, but then Tirnoch is too strong, and eats him anyway.  Even if Gadflow followed you into the final chamber as an ally, it could still lead to the final confrontation with Tirnoch.  He would still have served his purpose by getting you into the chamber where Tirnoch attempts to use you escape her prison. 

I know there is only so much you can do with multiple storylines in the context of a game, but I think they can do better, and after seeing this in KoA:R, and seeing the same thing in Skyrim, Morrowind, Oblivion, Mass Effect 1 & 2, and reading all of the negative comments about the end of Mass Effect 3, it seems to me that game designers need to get with the program and move on to truly interactive storylines, where the player can effect the story and the ending in a bigger way. 

There is one key part where the main quest line splits into two quest lines, but you either do both, or not and in either case, you end up in the same place, where they come back together. 

So, like so many other fantasy RPGs, you pursue the mainline quest, the faction quests, and side quests.  Some of the side quests are so paltry that they are called tasks.  One annoying problem is that some of the tasks never end.  You cannot complete the quest, which can be quite annoying. 

Fateweavers will allow you to remake your character for a fee.  You are set back to level 1, but you get back all the points you have invested in Abilities and Skills.  This means that you can try out other builds, and if you find that you are annoyed with some choice you made in the past, then you can undo it.  Level 40 is the maximum supported, and I reached that before I even got to the final portion of the game. 

The faction quest lines are not quite as much fun as the ones in Oblivion...about on a par with Skyrim, but Skyrim wasn't as good as Obilivion. 

I've run out of things to say, so I will stop here.