Ideas to Save Windows RT

[FinancialP]

Those aren't even good examples. The Lumia 900 did get an update (7.8), the HTC Touch was released in 2007, and the HD2 was released in 2009. The last two were underpowered devices. I don't know anything about the smartwatch.

Even if those were valid, past mistakes don't mean you should make ones now. I once put my hand on a stove, does that mean I should do it again?

Problem is, I've had Microsoft mobile products since 2001. All of them have been abandoned. Read again, all of them.

My ppc 6600 didn't get WM6, and none my other products received updates. Lumia received 7.8, but my Nexus S received jelly bean, and my 2.5 year old iPhone will receive iOS 7. I'm not complaining. I just know Microsoft abandoning products isn't new or out of the ordinary. RT being killed wouldn't be out of the ordinary, just business as usual.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Problem is, I've had Microsoft mobile products since 2001. All of them have been abandoned. Read again, all of them.

My ppc 6600 didn't get WM6, and none my other products received updates. Lumia received 7.8, but my Nexus S received jelly bean, and my 2.5 year old iPhone will receive iOS 7. I'm not complaining. I just know Microsoft abandoning products isn't new or out of the ordinary. RT being killed wouldn't be out of the ordinary, just business as usual.

And what I'm saying is that it still doesn't make it right.

Continuing to make a bad name for themselves isn't something that Microsoft can afford.

 

[FinancialP]

And what I'm saying is that it still doesn't make it right.

Continuing to make a bad name for themselves isn't something that Microsoft can afford.

They just posted a 4 billion dollar profit doing this. They can afford to do whatever.

 

[smoledman]

They just posted a 4 billion dollar profit doing this. They can afford to do whatever.

$4.9 billion.

 

[a5cent]

IMHO both of you (FinancialP and Michael) are arguing a moot point. Killing WRT is inconsequential. Everything it does can still be done with Windows, where the modern UI will continue to evolve. Microsoft will at some point just stop selling Surface RT devices. All you'll get are Surface Pro devices. Does that mean MS would be dropping support a for anything? Absolutely not! Everything you did with WRT can still be done in exactly the same way with a Surface Pro device. Nothing is lost.

 

[pbankey]

#1 - Give it a new name. Windows Tablet OS.
#2 - Ditch the desktop. Nobody buys a tablet for performing work. This will reduce the overall footprint of the OS significantly and bring it closer in life with iOS/Android. Metro Office is coming soon enough for anyone who wants to do that. Sort of like iWork for the iPad.
#3 - More sensible form factor. 4x3 like the iPad. hardware orientation lock. A really good SoC, and of course a retina display. No kickstand.
#4 - Make sure TellMe has been upgraded to be a true Siri competitor.
#5 - Get the content store(XBox) ducks in a row. People need to be able to buy music, movies, rent TV shows the same way they currently do in iTunes.

Once Microsoft does all these things, a Surface Tablet will be a true iPad competitor. If it's just another rehash of the current thing, it will fail even harder.

...You need to just buy an iPad.

 

[poddie]

...You need to just buy an iPad.

Agreed. Smoldeman wants them to remove all the differentiating factors and turn it onto an iPad clone with less apps. That's a definite recipe for disaster.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

IMHO both of you (FinancialP and Michael) are arguing a moot point. Killing WRT is inconsequential. Everything it does can still be done with Windows, where the modern UI will continue to evolve. Microsoft will at some point just stop selling Surface RT devices. All you'll get are Surface Pro devices. Does that mean MS would be dropping support a for anything? Absolutely not! Everything you did with WRT can still be done in exactly the same way with a Surface Pro device. Nothing is lost.

Nothing lost ... unless you want or already have a Windows RT device. Then their discontinued support does lose you something.

 

[a5cent]

Nothing lost ... unless you want or already have a Windows RT device. Then their discontinued support does lose you something.

Why would you assume that no longer releasing WRT devices would coincide with a loss of support?

WRT can accurately be described as Windows with a few "added restrictions". Both operating systems are assembled/compiled from the exact same code base. You can't technically evolve Windows without simultaneously evolving WRT along with it. No. WRT devices will get supported just fine. Not the least of reasons being, that we will still see another new WRT device or two, before WRT looses its purpose in "life".

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Why would you assume that no longer releasing WRT devices would coincide with a loss of support?

WRT can accurately be described as Windows with a few "added restrictions". Both operating systems are assembled/compiled from the exact same code base. You can't technically evolve Windows without simultaneously evolving WRT along with it. No. WRT devices will get supported just fine. Not the least of reasons being, that we will still see another new WRT device or two, before WRT looses its purpose in "life".

Why would they continue working on Windows for ARM when they aren't making ARM devices anymore? Security fixes maybe, but nothing more than that.

 

[a5cent]

Why would they continue working on Windows for ARM when they aren't making ARM devices anymore? Security fixes maybe, but nothing more than that.

Because at this point nobody at MS is specifically working on WOA. WOA is not a product. WOA was a project, which has since been completed. The product was and still is Windows. Any change to Windows requires but a recompilation to run on either x86 or ARM CPUs. A few compiler switches, which deactivate a few features here and there, is what turns the recompiled Windows into WRT.

So, freezing a WRT branch of Windows and backporting security fixes or WinRT modernizations from the main Windows branch would be more expensive than keeping both branches in sync.

That is the long answer, though I'm not sure if that makes sense to non-developers.

Short answer: economics.

 

[nasellok]

#1 - Give it a new name. Windows Tablet OS.
#2 - Ditch the desktop. Nobody buys a tablet for performing work. This will reduce the overall footprint of the OS significantly and bring it closer in life with iOS/Android. Metro Office is coming soon enough for anyone who wants to do that. Sort of like iWork for the iPad.
#3 - More sensible form factor. 4x3 like the iPad. hardware orientation lock. A really good SoC, and of course a retina display. No kickstand.
#4 - Make sure TellMe has been upgraded to be a true Siri competitor.
#5 - Get the content store(XBox) ducks in a row. People need to be able to buy music, movies, rent TV shows the same way they currently do in iTunes.

Once Microsoft does all these things, a Surface Tablet will be a true iPad competitor. If it's just another rehash of the current thing, it will fail even harder.

If you want an Ipad, just buy one.....I have a Surface RT, and I love everything that differentiates it from Ipad - the expandable storage, the USB port, the Keyboard cover with trackpad, the kickstand, Microsoft Office - ON DESKTOP, DESKTOP FILE EXPLORER, CMD, REGEDIT, ETC. DO NOT GET RID OF DESKTOP! All that needs to be done with Windows RT, is for MS to make the desktop portion more open, so that people can install any open source software they want at their own risk of course.

Actually, I use my tablet for work all of the time - I use Remote Desktop, connect to workgroup, let my PC do all of the heavy lifting while my RT controls it.

What they need to do, is make the Surface RT2 with Snapdragon 800, LTE support, higher resolution screen, make a docking station for both the pro and the RT for external display connection, fix the damn wifi bug that will not allow me to connect to my tethered android phone, and give me some damn EA sports and Gameloft games.

I never used iTunes for music, or any media with my ipad, and I do not use the Windows store for it either. I typically borrow music from friends, or use streaming. I have never rented or purchased a movie from these either. If im buying a movie, ill buy the blueray version that comes with a digital copy.

 

[etphoto]

I've read in several different threads the Windows RT name is confusing. I think if you are confused by the name of a device then maybe you shouldn't own one. I mean, spend 2 minutes reading on what the device is should hopefully clear things up for the confused ones out there shopping for a device.

 

[pbankey]

I've read in several different threads the Windows RT name is confusing. I think if you are confused by the name of a device then maybe you shouldn't own one. I mean, spend 2 minutes reading on what the device is should hopefully clear things up for the confused ones out there shopping for a device.

Um.. Isn't that part of the whole problem? Obviously it isn't selling well and saying people shouldn't own one if they are confused about the device doesn't exactly provide any form of resolution. Hence, 900 million in inventory was posted.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I've read in several different threads the Windows RT name is confusing. I think if you are confused by the name of a device then maybe you shouldn't own one. I mean, spend 2 minutes reading on what the device is should hopefully clear things up for the confused ones out there shopping for a device.

I blame Microsoft for that. It's their job to market products. Part of marketing is explaining to potential consumers what exactly a product does and why the consumers would want it.

 

[bilzkh]

Killing Windows RT is a bad idea. Microsoft needs a full computing OS for ARM and it is thanks (in part) to Windows RT that Intel started getting its act together. The reason why RT failed, above all, was because it was priced too high and it subpar messaging from Microsoft (i.e. the Glee ads). Of course, the underpowered hardware and dearth of apps in the Store (in October, especially) didn't help either. Anyways, Windows RT is a necessity, it'll evolve to become the OS today's infants will use when they're in grade school provided that Microsoft stays on track in its development and actually works to bring out good hardware as well as software/apps.

My suggestions.

Short-term:

• Better optimize Windows RT and make it use the strongest ARM hardware available.
• Sell entry-level RT tablets at $299 with Touch/Type Covers, and a premium active-digitizer with LTE version for $499
• Open up the desktop to key companies, e.g. Adobe, StataCorp, etc.
• Enter into an agreement with Adobe to bring key Creative Cloud apps, e.g. Photoshop, to Windows RT.
• Enter into an agreement with developers/firms involved in providing software for education, bring those apps to Windows RT
• Bring key consumer apps to Windows RT
• Get Gameloft to port their Windows Phone titles (e.g. NOVA 3, Modern Combat, Asphalt 7, etc) to Windows RT
• Market Windows RT as the productivity compliment to someone's existing Android/iPad
• Create special syncing software for iPhone and Android, to work w/Windows RT, advertise that