Asus Windows 8 tablet pricing LEAKED & comes in SKY high

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by shalym

Hmmm...I had no problems installing Firefox or Thunderbird, two apps which are in direct competition with MS. I use both daily. Maybe those limitations are only on the RT version?

Shari

More specifically, the limitation is with Metro apps. So yes, RT, since that version is all Metro, all the time, and the Metro portion of Win 8. And non-metro-app shortcuts can be put in Metro that will open on the desktop.

Chrome now can be installed to use with Metro. I do love that. If it's the default browser, the Metro interface will open. If not, it opens on the desktop.

There is apparently a legitimate way to sideload Metro apps for Enterprise and Server versions, but I haven't really looked into it. As long as I can install what I want/need to the desktop, I don't care much. And so far, I've been able to with the Win 8 preview. (The only exception was a Media Center add on, apparently due to a .NET change, but that's a different issue. Compatibility, not restriction.)

I would LOVE a Surface Pro. It's the tablet PC I always hoped would come to be. I don't have much use for an iOS, Android or even RT tablet, but a full Win 8 tablet? Yes, please. Can't afford one right now, but someday... In the meantime, my Duo will be getting the $40 Win 8 upgrade on release day, definitely.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I'll check it out. Wikipedia says it's a forked version of OpenOffice.

OpenOffice is so 2010

Originally Posted by teh603

Trust me, the only office software that's going to be allowed on it, is MS Office.

On laptops? On desktops?

There is no way they could stop OpenOffice and LibreOffice without also eliminating their Visual Studio product line and stopping the custom applications central to operation of the world's medium size and larger businesses and governments. Most organizations would have to stick with Windows 7 (assuming they are there yet) until, maybe a decade from now, they had rewritten their entire non-mainframe, non-web software inventory to run on something like Linux.

Also, Steve Ballmer would have to take back this.

[OtterBooks]

RT aside, I'm guessing tabs that run a full edition of Windows on x86 architecture are going to allow third party software in the same manner as any other Windows machine. Actually there's no guessing involved.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by carld

If I never have a reason to use a real PC? I don't understand what you mean by that.

I haven't read the whole thread, but where do you see $399? The cheapest in the OP is $599.

What I meant is: if you can do everything you need to do with a tablet now and you don't own a PC or Mac now, then this (an Intel processor based tablet running a full version of Windows) is not for you.

The second part has already been answered by Sil_lis. The $399.- I gave was for Microsoft branded "Surface" tablets (that is the model name) running Windows RT. Apparently the screens are 11.6".

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by david_e

That scenario sounds absolutely horrid, though it describes the only possible market I could see for these devices, the worker bees.

This.
My initial reaction was to write a reply based on "nightmare", never being off the clock. But there were already two more pages to go through.
"Sorry, no connection" is the best strategy for procrastination. Once you can't get away with that, you'll be working 24/7/52.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by david_e

That scenario sounds absolutely horrid, though it describes the only possible market I could see for these devices, the worker bees.

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

This.
My initial reaction was to write a reply based on "nightmare", never being off the clock. But there were already two more pages to go through.
"Sorry, no connection" is the best strategy for procrastination. Once you can't get away with that, you'll be working 24/7/52.

But it also works for non-work related use. Imagine that it's not your work tablet that you are talking about, but your personal one, and when you go to a different country that has different sockets you don't have to worry about buying a new charger adapter because you can just use the hotel's docking station. And you can also charge your phone, ereader, etc via USB from the same docking station.

The nightmare situation that you mention is already here, with work provided smartphones.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

The nightmare situation that you mention is already here, with work provided smartphones.

Work provided Smartphones are turned off when work is finished. I've had a few altercations with my bosses about this, but I'm adament that when I'm not on the corporate dime, I'll do whatever pleases me.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

The nightmare situation that you mention is already here, with work provided smartphones.

I consider my cell phone a device of last resort. All it has going for it is relentless connectivity. The screen, user interface, and apps are awful. Great opportunity for improvement in this arena.

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

But it also works for non-work related use. Imagine that it's not your work tablet that you are talking about, but your personal one...The nightmare situation that you mention is already here, with work provided smartphones.

This. I don't give a damn about what devices work gives me; I have very little control over it, and, being a government employee, it's always guaranteed to be the best device the lowest bidder could supply (case in point; my agency just bought about 8,000 new desktops for our enterprise network this past summer - all 32 bit). But I want my personal stuff to be flexible and powerful. I love all of my iThingies for what they are: consumption devices. But they have shortcomings and too many restriction.

And whether I am "off the clock" or not, sometimes people need to reach me immediately for work stuff. Stuff that can't be put off. Not being available isn't an option, regardless of the time. So this appeals to me.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Work provided Smartphones are turned off when work is finished. I've had a few altercations with my bosses about this, but I'm adament that when I'm not on the corporate dime, I'll do whatever pleases me.

It's fine if you can do this, but not everybody can, or wants to do this. At universities for example, I don't think that people would have a problem taking their work home with them.

Originally Posted by wizwor

I consider my cell phone a device of last resort. All it has going for it is relentless connectivity. The screen, user interface, and apps are awful. Great opportunity for improvement in this arena.

I don't get from your post if you think that a tablet would be better or worse in this case.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

It's fine if you can do this, but not everybody can, or wants to do this. At universities for example, I don't think that people would have a problem taking their work home with them.

What I'm saying is that a lot of employers think you should be available 24/7 becasue they provide you with the communication devices to do so. To me they are tools to do my job, hence they are only connected when I work. I have often got asked about not being able to be reached or not responding to an e-mail sent after hours and my standard reply is that I wasn't working at that hour.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

What I'm saying is that a lot of employers think you should be available 24/7 becasue they provide you with the communication devices to do so. To me they are tools to do my job, hence they are only connected when I work. I have often got asked about not being able to be reached or not responding to an e-mail sent after hours and my standard reply is that I wasn't working at that hour.

The tablet is more than just being connected. It's working on a presentation at home on the tablet, and taking it to work to give it, and then using the same device for work.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

RT aside, I'm guessing tabs that run a full edition of Windows on x86 architecture are going to allow third party software in the same manner as any other Windows machine. Actually there's no guessing involved.

Except that MS won that one on the appeal just by not getting broken apart. It also has approval to lock any ARM-based Surfaces into Win8, so it wouldn't be a far stretch to extend monopolistic behavior to other parts of the OS as well.

The outcome of the election might determine how things really go, because each political party has a differing stance on how far government should go to regulate business, and whether or not Economic Darwinism is an inherently good thing.

[carld]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I'm sure that win8 tablets with lower specs are going to come out. Cheaper tablets (regardless of the OS) are the ones with lower specs.


You didn't read his post carefully. He said "$399.- for the small MS Surface". He's not talking about the ASUS tablets, but the Microsoft ones, named Surface.

I read it perfectly well. I asked where he saw that in the original post that I was replying to.

[carld]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

What I meant is: if you can do everything you need to do with a tablet now and you don't own a PC or Mac now, then this (an Intel processor based tablet running a full version of Windows) is not for you.

The second part has already been answered by Sil_lis. The $399.- I gave was for Microsoft branded "Surface" tablets (that is the model name) running Windows RT. Apparently the screens are 11.6".

I still don't understand what you're getting at, maybe I'm dim. What does owning a Mac or PC have to do with buying this tablet.

You probably should have included a bit more information. I had no idea what you were talking about, as a $399 tablet isn't mentioned in the post I was replying to.