MS is kicking Google where it hurts

troylytle

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I think it is, you can get a full blown 8.1 tablet for less then an RT, the only reason rt sells what it does is because of free office and even then I believe the Lenovo x86 comes with office. I like my surface 2 but I don't think we're gonna see an rt3

You haven't been reading headlines for the last month. There are projected 100-200 USD ranges for RT now. Even in the case of the Surface it is less than the Surface Pro.
 

rodan01

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I think it is, you can get a full blown 8.1 tablet for less then an RT, the only reason rt sells what it does is because of free office and even then I believe the Lenovo x86 comes with office. I like my surface 2 but I don't think we're gonna see an rt3



The current rt is just Windows compiled for arm. So there aren't many differences in terms of usability, performance and battery life compared with x86 Windows.



The next version is based on Windows phone. That could make possible laptops with cheap hardware, amazing battery life measured on days, and a simple UI optimized for content consumption. A secure, locked down machine that the user can't break, and without performance degradation for usage.
 

Michael Alan Goff

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But google hasn't abandoned chrome like Microsoft is doing with RT, yes it still gets updates but the lack of a surface 3 from Microsoft or any other company offering an RT tablet should be the writing on the wall that rt is dead.

RT is being molded with WP in early 2015.

Also, the fact that they brought out a SP3 a mere 6 months after the SP2 was a sign that they had a huge change to bring to it. The lack of a Surface 3 right now only means they're not going to change it up much. It doesn't mean they're abandoning ARM. In fact, MJF spoke to Panos Panay who say they were still on board with RT and ARM on a "variety of sizes and form factors".
 

Witness

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I don't use a Chromebook, but my wife does. I can tell you what I see.

She has a 17" HP laptop with Windows 8.1...

There's the problem right there. It's a desktop computer sitting on her lap. Replace that 17" HP behemoth for something like the Asus Transformer T100 which sells within the neighborhood of the Chromebook, and see how she does her computing. She could do her Quicken, then pull the tablet off the keyboard and couch surf all she wants all on the same device.
 

tgp

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There's the problem right there. It's a desktop computer sitting on her lap. Replace that 17" HP behemoth for something like the Asus Transformer T100 which sells within the neighborhood of the Chromebook, and see how she does her computing. She could do her Quicken, then pull the tablet off the keyboard and couch surf all she wants all on the same device.

That could be the problem. There's also the possibility that she prefers using ChromeOS over Windows.
 

ohgood

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For being a failure, Windows RT has surprisingly high market share amongst Windows tablets.

Latest AdDuplex data shows Microsoft as the leading Windows 8 tablet manufacturer | Windows Phone Central

View attachment 70923


that piece of the pie looks impressive,





until you look at the actual sales of ALL tablets, by os...


Table 1: Worldwide Tablet Sales to End Users by Operating System, 2013 (Units)
Operating System
2013 Sales
2013 Market Share (%)
2012 Sales
2012 Market Share (%)
Android
120,961,445​
61.9​
53,341,250​
45.8​
iOS
70,400,159​
36.0​
61,465,632​
52.8​
Microsoft
4,031,802​
2.1​
1,162,435​
1.0​
Others
41,598​
<0.1​
379,000​
0.3​
Total
195,435,004
100.0
116,348,317
100.0
Source: Gartner (February 2014)





... and realize that the 14% your pie showed was really so much less of the actual market.
 

portalfocus

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I don't use a Chromebook, but my wife does. I can tell you what I see.

She has a 17" HP laptop with Windows 8.1. I bought the Chromebook last fall because I wanted to try one out. It was a Black Friday special. I wasn't terribly impressed. But, I'm a power user. I work in IT and I have several Microsoft certifications. A lot of what I do could not be done on a Chromebook.

My wife would be more the average computer user. Now, since we have the Chromebook, I see her using her PC when she's using Quicken for our personal finances. That's about it. Otherwise, she uses the Chromebook. Ha, I've already seen her using the Chromebook while it was sitting on top of the closed laptop! She knows her way around Windows 8.1 better than most users, but the Chromebook is faster and simpler to use for what she does most: Facebook, browsing, reading blogs, Hulu, etc.

So to answer your question, you probably shouldn't buy a Chromebook. A lot of PC users, however, don't do anything with their PCs that couldn't be done with a Chromebook. And the Chromebook does have its advantages. It's fast, it's cheap (in general, not all of them are), it's simple, it's secure, and it's maintenance free. If you need to replace it, get a new one and log in. I work with customers some, and they are afraid of their computers. They have no clue how they work, and they only know how to do what they use them for. If anything different comes up, they're lost. The Chromebook is ideal for someone like that.

i don't see what you're seeing as an ' Advantage '. W8.1 beats ChromeOS in every aspects. Faster and much more. Your wife likes chrome as a web browser no the hardware itself or what it can does. She can use chrome in W as well.
 

portalfocus

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I don't get how Chromebooks "are the future" but Windows RT 'ought to die and stay dead.' Half of the time Microsoft's woes have to do with people's weird attitudes towards its products and services. For goodness sake, WTF can you do on a Chromebook that you couldn't on Windows RT device, especially when said RT device includes Office for free. Seriously, did human beings shut down the logical portion of their brain, did I miss the memo?

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that half of the fault also lies with Microsoft, with its weird "let's impose Redmond on the world" ideology, but still, you can't tell me Windows RT is less functional or worthy than Chrome OS. As it stands, Windows RT is the superior platform without an iota of doubt.

For Threshold it'd be a good idea on Microsoft's part to continue pushing Windows RT through low-cost ARM-based hardware. If word about the new Start Menu replacing the Start Screen on non-touch devices is true, then it should be a good idea to push an RT variant on non-touch devices using ARM CPUs. In fact, this idea might serve to 'inflate' Windows purchases by pushing users to buy both touch and non-touch devices together, a laptop and tablet, a laptop and phone, etc. A strong rise in Universal Apps and the ability to run WP apps and games on Windows 8.x/RT would be a boon too.

Hell, pair RT with Azure based services (offering desktop on cloud or applications on cloud), and you'd have a solid mix to push against Google in the enterprise and higher education markets.

This.
 

lcw731

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This includes Google fanatics (I am not one). It's simply a failing OS in its current iteration and for many outside the US it has serious privacy implications, which is going to become a major issue in the future.
I find your post very spot on in any case.
It will ultimately fail in the use for those same privacy implications.
 

bilzkh

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Chromebook won't fail. How? Why? Too many "thought" leaders consider it a good device, and in turn, a lot of normal people will buy into Chrome OS. At the end of the day it is a cheap computer that will get the basics done, and given the mounting pressures on consumers in terms of employment and other issues (e.g. dependability on Google services), Chrome OS can succeed.

That said, Microsoft can still fight back. As I said earlier, Windows RT is unambiguously superior to Chrome OS in terms of function and, to be very honest, apps and games. In addition to a proper Office suite (2013 today and Gemini tomorrow), RT has a growing catalogue of apps and games, especially from Gameloft, Disney and Citrix.

Of course there are some optimizations needed: Windows RT needs to be adapted for use on non-touch hardware with less RAM and less powerful ARM CPUs. Microsoft cannot afford to see the OS lag, Windows RT needs to be a tier-one quality experience in comparison to the competition. Secondly, the desktop needs to be moulded into an environment that (1) does not lead people into thinking x86/win32 applications could run on RT and (2) allows initially touch-focused apps to work well with mouse and keyboard. Thirdly, RT-powered 'laptops' need to emulate the "thin, light and long-lasting" mantra, i.e. needs to look like a MacBook Air and take the MBA in terms of battery life.

The aforementioned RT 'reference design' for laptops could be a solid contender against Chrome OS. Microsoft can do itself and the OEMs a favour by putting out a core reference platform in terms of minimum hardware specs and general design parameters, and ask them to push RT laptops in the Chromebook price range.

Though to be honest I expect the OEMs to take it and stuff an Intel Baytrail CPU onto these platforms and push them as cheap full-powered PCs. In response Microsoft can be the sole driver of the RT model by putting out a "Lumiabook." This 'Lumiabook' can come in at competitive pricing, a variety and array of colours, some basic subscription starters (1 month Xbox Music, 1 month Skype, etc) and Office Gemini.

Think about it, Microsoft can directly approach 'next-gen' users, start-ups, budget conscious schools/companies with the "Lumiabook."

They can drive using messaging along the lines of, "we took what you knew about Docs and Chrome, and supercharged it with the features and power you need to thrive....enterprise apps, security, business class cloud integration and devices that speak to everyone's tastes and personalities. Lumia, your next step."

Pair the book with the Lumia series of phones, tablets and wearables, giving people a true family of devices across different form-factors but tightly integrated, in a true and profound way.

The Surface line can be developed into a series of devices for use by power-users, specialists and professionals in need of additional power and versatility. For example, the 'Surface Pro' could be raised into a device series to take on the MacBook Pro, and the 'Surface' into a line to take on the MacBook Air.
 
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Jorge Holguin

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Chromebook won't fail. How? Why? Too many "thought" leaders consider it a good device, and in turn, a lot of normal people will buy into Chrome OS. At the end of the day it is a cheap computer that will get the basics done, and given the mounting pressures on consumers in terms of employment and other issues (e.g. dependability on Google services), Chrome OS can succeed.
That said, Microsoft can still fight back. As I said earlier, Windows RT is unambiguously superior to Chrome OS in terms of function and, to be very honest, apps and games. In addition to a proper Office suite (2013 today and Gemini tomorrow), RT has a growing catalogue of apps and games, especially from Gameloft, Disney and Citrix.

Of course there are some optimizations needed: Windows RT needs to be adapted for use on non-touch hardware with less RAM and less powerful ARM CPUs. Microsoft cannot afford to see the OS lag, Windows RT needs to be a tier-one quality experience in comparison to the competition. Secondly, the desktop needs to be moulded into an environment that (1) does not lead people into thinking x86/win32 applications could run on RT and (2) allows initially touch-focused apps to work well with mouse and keyboard. Thirdly, RT-powered 'laptops' need to emulate the "thin, light and long-lasting" mantra, i.e. needs to look like a MacBook Air and take the MBA in terms of battery life.

The aforementioned RT 'reference design' for laptops could be a solid contender against Chrome OS. Microsoft can do itself and the OEMs a favour by putting out a core reference platform in terms of minimum hardware specs and general design parameters, and ask them to push RT laptops in the Chromebook price range.

Though to be honest I expect the OEMs to take it and stuff an Intel Baytrail CPU onto these platforms and push them as cheap full-powered PCs. In response Microsoft can be the sole driver of the RT model by putting out a "Lumiabook." This 'Lumiabook' can come in at competitive pricing, a variety and array of colours, some basic subscription starters (1 month Xbox Music, 1 month Skype, etc) and Office Gemini.

Think about it, Microsoft can directly approach 'next-gen' users, start-ups, budget conscious schools/companies with the "Lumiabook."

They can drive using messaging along the lines of, "we took what you knew about Docs and Chrome, and supercharged it with the features and power you need to thrive....enterprise apps, security, business class cloud integration and devices that speak to everyone's tastes and personalities. Lumia, your next step."

Pair the book with the Lumia series of phones, tablets and wearables, giving people a true family of devices across different form-factors but tightly integrated, in a true and profound way.

The Surface line can be developed into a series of devices for use by power-users, specialists and professionals in need of additional power and versatility. For example, the 'Surface Pro' could be raised into a device series to take on the MacBook Pro, and the 'Surface' into a line to take on the MacBook Air.

Totally agree with you. MS has all the advantage here and it shall be very smart not to kill the Chromebook but to keep it to its minimal. Competition is always good; it make this giants to innovate. Will the Chromebook sell? Yes, there are people that just dislike MS and will buy one just to "punish" MS other will find it great and easy to use. But I don't think it will get as big and Google wants and hopes.
 

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