Live Chat: Windows 8 and Surface unboxed at last!

This Thursday Microsoft officially tried to become just a little bit more like Apple. For nearly three decades, support for a wide range of hardware and the freedom to install whatever software you want helped Windows to dominate on PCs. But, stung by Apple’s success with the iPhone and iPad, Microsoft has decided on a new …

[Spoonsinger]

"But, stung by Apple’s success with the iPhone and iPad, Microsoft has decided on a new approach."

Not sure Apple is their problem when Android type stuff has 43.4% of the market share in that particular market. (Mind Apple do seem to have 99.8357% of media writing types compliant with their ethos - which makes their market share quite sad considering all the free advertising is supposed to bring people into the 'club'.

(Ducks due to incoming).

(PS second statistic was totally made up).

[Anonymous Coward]

But

92.48% of made up statics turn out to be true (if they have enough digits after the decimal point) {}:>]]

[Anonymous Coward]

One word: What A Load Of ****

[Anonymous Coward]

Software is only as good as the hardware it's running on...

As with the normal M$ equation... Windows 8 will only be as good as the hardware it's install on. 90% devices will be rehashed cack from parts bins where vendors will scamble to forget that tablets are about the user experience and specs will be awful or 2/3 years old (HP/Acer) and will replicate 80s/90s design. The other 10% will be from companies that do care (Sony/Dell/Asus and smaller vendors) who will make really nice hardware. The impact will be down the fact that the market will be flooded and will be a fight to the death with Android.

Apple will continue going forward doing what they want to do, even if their hardware is 6 months behind (although this mid-term release for the new 10" iPad will give it a chance to catchup). I think M$'s introduction with a serious tablet alternative will distract them as I seriously think Windows have put too many eggs in one basket by combining desktop/tablet OSes. It'll either propel them ahead of Android or sink them terribly.

[Synonymous Howard]

Love the icon used on the headline

Apple OS X iCal for a piece on MSwin

[Jonjonz]

This is classic Microsoft how to take over a market in a few easy steps (if your a well funded multinational corporation.)

They are doing exactly what they did with the game console market.

1- Introduce a device that is superior and initially has a slightly higher than average price for the market.

2- Wait untill prime consumer mass buying frenzy times like Christmas season rolls around, offer a discount, proles gobble them up thinking they are getting a great deal.

3- Sit back and watch market share go from 0 to 50%+ in a short time.

Classic.

[jonfr]

Going to install *BSD

Next time I buy a new laptop and it is going to contain Windows 8. I am going to delete it and install PC-BSD. Then I am going to run Windows XP in VM for Compatibility reasons.

My BSD of chose. Since I am just beginner of BSD.

http://www.pcbsd.org/

[Van]

it seems ipads were only successful, because they became more toy-like compared to the unsuccessful windows tablets that were available years before.

MS need to rebrand, in the gap between PCs and Xbox. All they've done is make desktops look like Smart phones with Xbox live branding shoved in. I'm a fan of windows phone, but Surface and Windows 8 RT aren't toy-like enough to compete with the ipad IMO.