Anyone watching the MS-BN announcement?

[CyGuy]

Originally Posted by stonetools

...Well, CyGuy and people who think like that will go for that - because for them, removeable storage is # 1...

For me removable storage is not close to #1, but it is required of course. It would be like purchasing a brand new car with no heater. Having a heater is not the #1 thing I look for in a new car but I certainly won't buy one if that is missing. It is not optional, it simply has to have it or it's not even on the list for consideration. "Just wear a jacket" does not make up for a missing heater, not even close. "Just use the cloud" does not make up for a missing card slot, not even close...

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by CyGuy

For me removable storage is not close to #1, but it is required of course. It would like purchasing a brand new car with no heater. Having a heater is not the #1 thing I look for in a new car but I certainly won't buy one if that is missing. It is not optional, it simply has to have it or it's not even on the list for consideration. "Just wear a jacket" does not make up for a missing heater, not even close. "Just use the cloud" does not make up for a missing card slot, not even close...

Love that analogy - perfect.

[tomsem]

Maybe the USB port will support USB OTG, e.g. external storage.

[6charlong]

Over the course of my life running out of memory has frequently been the issue that forced a computer upgrade. I frankly do not trust a computer with only 32, 64 or even 128 GB of memory to be useful throughout its service life without the ability to easily and cheaply upgrade the memory.

In my view an SD card slot is a necessity in something like the MS Surface.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Over the course of my life running out of memory has frequently been the issue that forced a computer upgrade. I frankly do not trust a computer with only 32, 64 or even 128 GB of memory to be useful throughout its service life without the ability to easily and cheaply upgrade the memory.

In my view an SD card slot is a necessity in something like the MS Surface.

I remember 100 MB of hard drive storage taking up three cabinets the size of washing machines, and now 128 THOUSAND Megabytes is not enough!

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by wodin

I remember 100 MB of hard drive storage taking up three cabinets the size of washing machines, and now 128 THOUSAND Megabytes is not enough!

What do you do with a tablet when you have no internet access? A single movie can take up up to 7 GB, a single magazine 50 MB, a newspaper 25 MB. Music files. Hundreds of work documents at an average of 5-20 MB. Even 128 GB fill up very quickly and you are always shifting things in and out. Consumers shouldn't have to accept that companies are short changing us in order to tie us into their "eco systems" for content.

Even if you personally don't need it, why would you NOT want the possibility to add extra storage space for the same price, without cables or dongles? And as others have pointed out, you could save money by buying a system with less fixed memory.

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Consumers shouldn't have to accept that companies are short changing us in order to tie us into their "eco systems" for content.

Exactly. I have a tendency to use devices for unintended purposes. These are things that the device vendor doesn't want to support because they can't make any money off of it.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Over the course of my life running out of memory has frequently been the issue that forced a computer upgrade. I frankly do not trust a computer with only 32, 64 or even 128 GB of memory to be useful throughout its service life without the ability to easily and cheaply upgrade the memory.

In my view an SD card slot is a necessity in something like the MS Surface.

When you say "memory" do you mean "disk space"? "Memory" is generally used to refer to RAM.

Originally Posted by HarryT

When you say "memory" do you mean "disk space"? "Memory" is generally used to refer to RAM.

Volatile memory. Non-volatile memory. What's the difference?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Volatile memory. Non-volatile memory. What's the difference?

They are used for different purposes, and it's confusing to use the word "memory" to refer to both. If I say "my computer has 8GB of memory", I don't mean that the capacity of its disk drive is 8GB; I mean that it has 8GB RAM.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by CyGuy

For me removable storage is not close to #1, but it is required of course. It would like purchasing a brand new car with no heater. Having a heater is not the #1 thing I look for in a new car but I certainly won't buy one if that is missing. It is not optional, it simply has to have it or it's not even on the list for consideration. "Just wear a jacket" does not make up for a missing heater, not even close. "Just use the cloud" does not make up for a missing card slot, not even close...

The car anologies are amusing, bur let's face it, an SD card slot isn't really like a car heater-it's maybe more like a detachable car trunk. Regardless, you haven't really addressed the issue of business model. Businesses don't manufacture devices according to what is technically feasible or even desireable; they manufacture devices according to what's PROFITABLE. Apple and Amazon have made a business decision about removeable storage options on mobile devices , and consumers have clearly gone along with that decision.

You might dislike it, but there it is. Its interesting that Microsoft hasn't announced pricing on the Surface yet. The reason is because the pricing decision is key. According to rumor

Late yesterday rumors surfaced that the Surface for Windows RT tablet would be priced at ‘above $599′ and that the beefier Intel-based version would be ‘at least’ $799. The information we’ve received solidifies the $599 mark for the RT model but puts the Ivy Bridge Pro model into the thousand dollar range.

These prices would seem to match up roughly with the statements made by Microsoft Surface general manager Panos Panay at the introduction event earlier this week. Panay said that the Windows RT model would have “comparable” pricing to other ARM tablets with 32GB and 64GB of storage. We’re assuming, but are not sure, that the $599 price refers to the 32GB model.

As a report earlier today from Bloomberg tips the initial models to be WiFi-only, the pricing would be initially comparable with the 32GB WiFi iPad. The specifications of the Surface, however, especially the 1366×768 screen, wouldn’t make it as attractive an option at that price when compared to a the Retina-display-packing iPad. It would also price it above the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and other comparable ARM tablets, which run in the $399 range.

LINK

Pricing makes the choices a little more clear than abstract discussions of what "should" be the features on devices. Is it worth it to you to pay 599 for SD card and USB options on a wi-fi enabled tablet with a 32 GB drive, but that is an untested device with an undeveloped ecosystem? If so, then put your money down.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by HarryT

They are used for different purposes, and it's confusing to use the word "memory" to refer to both. If I say "my computer has 8GB of memory", I don't mean that the capacity of its disk drive is 8GB; I mean that it has 8GB RAM.

I did mean RAM. I always thought of the low level ROM as untouchable. It didn't used to be part of the OS but rather the hardware's exclusive little playground. Then the hardware makers started extending the graphics card memory into RAM and Windows started using RAM for its swap file, even extending the feature to use an SD card if it found one, I gave up distinguishing the two types entirely.

You're right. I used sloppy language.

[CyGuy]

Originally Posted by stonetools

Is it worth it to you to pay 599 for SD card and USB options on a wi-fi enabled tablet with a 32 GB drive, but that is an untested device with an undeveloped ecosystem? If so, then put your money down.

If the device is missing a built-in card reader it is off the table no matter what the price may be.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by CyGuy

If the device is missing a built-in card reader it is off the table no matter what the price may be.

Same here; I don't like the idea of being stuck using someone's cloud to back up my files, especially when I've got a piece completed and need to compile it for the Meatgrinder.

Originally Posted by CyGuy

For me removable storage is not close to #1, but it is required of course. It would be like purchasing a brand new car with no heater. Having a heater is not the #1 thing I look for in a new car but I certainly won't buy one if that is missing. It is not optional, it simply has to have it or it's not even on the list for consideration. "Just wear a jacket" does not make up for a missing heater, not even close. "Just use the cloud" does not make up for a missing card slot, not even close...

The car analogy fails, at least around me, because the heater is one of the first things I tend to check when considering a car. If there's no heater, I'm not likely to buy the car. Too many years driving to school in dad's un-heated VW Thing, and freezing my butt off thanks to stupid school uniform regulations.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by teh603

Same here; I don't like the idea of being stuck using someone's cloud to back up my files

Build your own.

https://pogoplug.com/