Why so much hate for RT?

[zcientizt]

I agree with a lot of what has been said here. The RT platform is an iPad-type tablet with improved productivity options. Although the price drop is a big thing, there are a few other things I think MS needs to do to make RT more successful:

I think if MS would take even a couple of these points seriously, they would make better inroads with the RT product line.

Perfectly said. Being a fan is one thing, but if RT is to become popular, MSFT and its fans need to realise where the weaknesses are. It?s a great platform, but people want something else and to them, that "something else" is even better. That is what really counts.

Yes, you can use Office on the RT tablets, but that is not what all / most people do on their tablets. IN fact that is one of the lesser concerns of people on tablets. iOS is filled with many main stream entertainment focused apps, a very decent ecosystem (iTunes, other well integrated devices etc.,), a considerable amount of productivity apps (usually specialised for varying industries and professions) that make the iPad a perfect choice for most. Office doesn?t cut it. Being able to browse the internet doesn't cut it. Being able to stick a USB key in it, is not enough to make it a worthwhile option.

In my opinion, the Surface tablets, (more so the Pro than the RT) have the potential to be best thing since slice bread, but MSFT needs to widen their vision, they need to wake up and home in on what people need the devices for. They need to start with their app selection.

 

[thecaringkind]

All very good points! Keep in mind that the apps will eventually get up to par as they are on WP8. In the meantime the browser is powerful and is quite capable to make up for the loss if a handful of apps.

Also keep in mind the new price point & what it was designed to do. Look at the surface PRO. No matter how many legacy programs it can run, its bulky, runs hot & is expensive as hell. As far as value for the money the RT is actually the better choice between the two right now.

There are more than a few things that can be and will continue to be improved with RT. The current chipset, while nit the most powerful strikes a pretty good balance between performance & battery life efficiency. RT will only get better and even if the hardware gets a little dated I think its up to the task of implementing the planned improvements.

The fit feel and finish of the device are excellent and with 8.1 loaded my surface runs very smoothly. It simply does what I ask it to do & does it well.

It doesn't have to be what so many naysayers insist that it should. It doesn't have to try to be something its not. Just run with what its been given & for me that is plenty enough.

 

[Pete]

I believe that the technology blogs are mainly to blame for the hate. They should have the expertise to acknowledge RT for what it is (a tablet OS), but instead chose to pitch it as a crippled version of Windows with various features not working or sub-standard. Lazy journalism wants to compare any tablets to iPad, Android, or touch-enabled Windows ultrabooks.

And because the source of many tech site's articles are other tech sites, the misinformation spreads.

 

[DuncanF62]

I looked at the RT when it came out but price point, and the lack of Outlook in the bundled Office suite, turned me away. I'd seen and used the native W8 mail app! But with the price drop and the inclusion on Outlook in the 8.1 preview I, like a few others on here it seems, took the plunge last week.

I think MS did mis-sell what RT was. Think of it as iPad + (limited) desktop and you''ll be fine. And for me that limited desktop with Office was what held my interest. I think we will ultimately see a Metro version of Office, but given the long history of Office on the desktop I cannot see MS abandoning that. The use cases for Office currently are far too complicated to be easily replicated in a tiled environment, certainly for me.

Apps don't really worry me. I find 100% of the apps I really need/actually use and around 75% of the others. When I drew up a iPad->Surface app spreadsheet last week to identify replacements, I found a myriad of apps I'd downloaded but never used/could not recall what they were for. I do understand that apps are key for some though, but for me it's: Outlook, IE, occasional key apps, and Office in that order.

The remote desktop works well with my W8 desktop and SVR2012 NAS. And I've added a tile to do a remote WOL to the former when I'm out and about. So although the RT lacks grunt, I have access to a dual Xeon quad-core/16GB machine back home if I need some other desktops apps and, as someone mentioned earlier, transfer the results via SkyDrive. The remote app works really well with W8/SVR2012 gestures.

So ... so far so good. My only gripe, and it is minor ... I bought the RT sight unseen, and I hadn't realised just how tiny the fonts on the desktop were! They can be a stretch for my eyes.

 

[jlzimmerman]

When comparing this first generation of RT's to the first generation of iPads, RT > iPad. The newest iPad is better than the RT but people forget that Apple has had a 4 year head start on this. My largest complaint with the RT is the screen resolution. Nothing compares to my iPad 4th gen retina display. Sorry, but it's true. I will however, be pulling the trigger on the Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 this Christmas, depending on their prices. Can't wait.

 

[welsbloke]

I love my RT it has done sterling service over the last 9 or 10 months since I have had it. Personally the hate generates from confusion, either in understanding what it can do or misunderstanding what it cannot.

Many of the complaints levelled at the RT are just plain stupid and even when people are reviewing they review it against an iPad. What I mean by that to clarify as this is not a bad thing but when you complain about the screen orientation because you have gotten used to the iPad screen then yes that annoys me. I remember when all monitors where 4:3 now they are all 16:10 or equivalent yet in a tablet this is somehow bad. I could go on but it is this sort of nonsensical complaining that generates the hate.

Over the last 9 months of so the OS has got progressively better and the new 8.1 release is another example and long may it continue. I am sat here now pondering whether too return 4 Surface Pro tablets sent in error and get the 4 RT tablets I ordered, that fact I am considering it speaks volumes for the RT when used in the right environment.

 

[xandros9]

When I first heard about RT, I knew it was trouble. I felt the confusion already.

People are bashing it for not having full Windows apps, never mind the iPad's lack of OSX compatibility. But its not as much of a problem for Apple because they got a massive app library.

on an unrelated note for Surface RT users, how's the performance?

 

[Funky Cricket]

2 reason's I think. Confusion, RT is not windows.. and they never should have called it windows 8, they should have called it windows tablet or something. confused non-IT people are about as scary as a hoard of zombies.
second, is price, apple can charge a crazy premium, cause they have developed this mythos. Microsoft can't if they would have come out at 399 to start, they would have sold a lot better, people would be oh, well, I know i'm not getting apple, but i'm saving 100 bucks. I think the first thing would have led right to the second in the comsumer's mind, if they think they are getting windows 8, they'll pay up to 600 bucks with cover, when they are really getting, windows start menu and office... oh, and not a ton of apps.. then 600 bucks is a lot to ask, and it creates the paradox where the cosumer didn't feel it was a good deal. Apple can charge 600 bucks, cause every time you whip out our shiny ego.. I mean ipad, everyone thinks your cool, when you whip out your way more functional surface, people are like "what is that'... oh, it's NOT an ipad...

you just can charge the same when the public has that perception.

 

[thecaringkind]

I have had an iPad mini, a rooted nook HD, a nexus 7, you name it. Performance wise with the 8.1 preview update my Surface RT runs very smoothly. Nary a stutter. I'm downloading torrents, playing games, cruising the web, multitasking, listening to music you name it. I'm using the RT the way most consumers use their android tablets. The same way iPad users often use theirs. I also have Microsoft office for productivity if I need it.

It really is astounding the animus of so many tech writers and business reporters when it comes to Surface. There were some missteps sure. Doesn't mean the platform isn't viable and can't get better. That fact that the RT is Microsoft's FIRST attempt at production of a solid tablet built from the ground up says alot. Apple has produced some true dogs in its day. The Surface RT in any kind of comparison is not one.

 

[inteller]

2 reason's I think. Confusion, RT is not windows.. and they never should have called it windows 8, they should have called it windows tablet or something. confused non-IT people are about as scary as a hoard of zombies.
second, is price, apple can charge a crazy premium, cause they have developed this mythos. Microsoft can't if they would have come out at 399 to start, they would have sold a lot better, people would be oh, well, I know i'm not getting apple, but i'm saving 100 bucks. I think the first thing would have led right to the second in the comsumer's mind, if they think they are getting windows 8, they'll pay up to 600 bucks with cover, when they are really getting, windows start menu and office... oh, and not a ton of apps.. then 600 bucks is a lot to ask, and it creates the paradox where the cosumer didn't feel it was a good deal. Apple can charge 600 bucks, cause every time you whip out our shiny ego.. I mean ipad, everyone thinks your cool, when you whip out your way more functional surface, people are like "what is that'... oh, it's NOT an ipad...

you just can charge the same when the public has that perception.

just stop it. the "its not windows" crowd need to go float. It is Windows minus desktop. Just like before it Windows N was windows without media player. Desktop is just a feature.

 

[Laura Knotek]

just stop it. the "its not windows" crowd need to go float. It is Windows minus desktop. Just like before it Windows N was windows without media player. Desktop is just a feature.

The thing is most people have software that they would want to run. They hear the name "Windows" and think that software will run on RT.

Apple didn't confuse consumers, since OS X and iOS are clearly differentiated.

The lack of differentiation is a failure on the part of Microsoft's marketing.

 

[inteller]

it says what it can and can't do clearly on the box. If consumers are unwilling to read or ask, I have ZERO pity for them.

 

[ctitanic]

Reading the news about Surface RT makes me seek. We have a bunch of people writing about what they do not know and that's damaging this device. In another hand we have Tech geeks that do not understand what is the purpose of having a Tablet and want to replace their home pc with a cheap Surface RT. And if all this was not enough, you have Microsoft calling the Surface PRO a Tablet when it's by all means a TabletPC. That created even more confusion.

Microsoft had to differentiate both platforms from day one:
1- Surface RT is a Tablet and uses Windows Lite - do not call it Windows RT, it's too confuse.
2- Surface PRO is a TabletPC and uses a full version of Windows.
With these just two lines I'm avoiding all the confusion that we got with these devices.

 

[NaNoo123]

it says what it can and can't do clearly on the box. If consumers are unwilling to read or ask, I have ZERO pity for them.

you mean zero pity for MS, as it's them that is being hurt.
Those consumers probably just took it back and picked up something else.

 

[chrsdrshm]

I can't agree more with most of you here... I do believe the marketing of RT vs 8 and differences, would have helped a lot. Over all its a great product!! I got rid of my Nexus 10 ("android ******")for this and it was well worth it.... I really wanted the Pro, mainly for the Performance, but for me I didn't want a TabTop or Lapblet haha......I have plenty of access to x86 hardware.... I think someone here mentioned before about RT not running legacy or x86 apps... but no one got mad at the Ipad for not running Mac apps... anyways... I won't say much more, it just gets me fired up about all the hate, I just don't understand... ok that was just a bunch of random thoughts.. However, I will state again.. I love the Surface RT!!!

 

[Chregu]

I think someone here mentioned before about RT not running legacy or x86 apps... but no one got mad at the Ipad for not running Mac apps...

The iPad runs iOS, not OS X, that's a difference most people already knew from the iPhone. Everybody knew that the iPad was just a blown up iPhone. This is much easier to explain to people than a Windows exactly looking like every Windows 8, but only running a very, very limited app selection.

At least I would never buy (or recommend) a Windows RT tablet, I'd rather wait for the new Atom generation.

 

[thecaringkind]

Then there is the day in day out operation of the device. Provided that you have a fully functioning unit the performance is very good. Is it blazingly fast? No. Is it as as painfully slow at daily tasks as just about every tech & business blog/article makes it out to be? NO.

I think we can all agree that initial marketing was HORRIBLE causing much confusion and breeding a huge group of tech enthusiasts who cut off their noses to spite their faces.

The RT is a tablet. Its thin, lightweight for its size & construction. It has peripheral capabilities built in that other tablets do not offer. It rests fine on my lap or when I'm reclined in a comfy chair. The speakers are surprisingly good with good range and volume. The multitasking is very nice and fluid. There are plenty if apps to keep you engaged with more to come.

Bottom line? So many people spend so much time griping about its limitations, they totally overlook the good things it brings to the table as a tablet on its own.

I'm glad there are many of us who appreciate the device & can cut through the white noise of the techno blog-osphere. Cheers!

 

[chrsdrshm]

Bottom line? So many people spend so much time griping about its limitations, they totally overlook the good things it brings to the table as a tablet on its own.

I'm glad there are many of us who appreciate the device & can cut through the white noise of the techno blog-osphere. Cheers!

+1

 

[tgp]

The iPad runs iOS, not OS X, that's a difference most people already knew from the iPhone. Everybody knew that the iPad was just a blown up iPhone. This is much easier to explain to people than a Windows exactly looking like every Windows 8, but only running a very, very limited app selection.

At least I would never buy (or recommend) a Windows RT tablet, I'd rather wait for the new Atom generation.

I agree with you here. Users know that the iPad is a mobile device and don't expect it to run legacy apps. However, it has a massive amount of apps available that make it very capable. The RT can't run legacy apps, and the apps available to it are quite limited. Maybe users expect it to run anything because "Windows" is in the description? I don't know.

 

[chrsdrshm]

The iPad runs iOS, not OS X, that's a difference most people already knew from the iPhone. Everybody knew that the iPad was just a blown up iPhone. This is much easier to explain to people than a Windows exactly looking like every Windows 8, but only running a very, very limited app selection.

At least I would never buy (or recommend) a Windows RT tablet, I'd rather wait for the new Atom generation.

Well, the limited app selection will grow with time, same thing happened with iOS and Android. I would be curious with all the apps out there (iOS and Android) what percentage is actually used. I have a ton of apps on my S3 and only use less then 12, but that's just me.

The windows phone looks like windows 8 but people aren't expecting it to run all x86 applications