Microsoft overload
Late last week was the official unveiling of Windows 8. Monday was the official unveiling of Windows Phone 8 and today started //Build 2012. I've had some time to look at new Windows 8 hardware online and in stores and form some thoughts.
Windows Phone will take the least time to cover, so I'll start there. I have no clue why they held the SDK under wraps for so long. As near as I can tell, outside of what they already publicly announced earlier in the year the only new features were the Live Apps (including live lock screen) and Kids Corner. The Kids Corner thing leaked months ago, and while the Live Apps are cool they also leaked ahead of the release AND if you think on it a little, they are really just a natural evolution of the eco-system. So why lock out developers? I still don't know. Just seems like someone should be fired... by the way... this prompted me to cancel my membership. I'm a casual developer, and I like deploying to my cell phone when testing my hobby apps, but the real thing that enticed me to keep paying was the way treated developers with Mango. Early access for an enthusiast like me was well worth the money. Since I'm not serious about posting apps for the store it is just $100 a year down the drain.
Also, snce just about everything was either revealed or leaked before and the hardware was unveiled weeks ago not much has changed. Really, the only thing making me want to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 is the hardware (Lumia 920 or HTC 8X) and the new integration with Windows 8. Feature-wise in the OS, there is really no draw from the OS. The other reason I would want to upgrade is not a factor right now, but apps. At launch it will not really play into my decisions.
On Windows 8... it is almost the other way around. I find the OS is solid (even Windows RT [though not for me, more on that later]). Windows 8 offers a lot of improvements under the hood and a lot of interesting new consumer functionality. Here, while there is a lot of interesting hardware... most on the hardware side is real just applying old designs to a new OS. Yes, they resonate better here, but I had some hopes there that weren't really met.
Over the year I've been slowly off-loading hardware in anticipation of this OS and at the same time debating what to replace my existing hardware with. What I've ultimately decided is to finish off-loading all of my current machines and replace them with a tablet in the short term and add in a desktop later. Obvious problem with this plan is it means my tablet needs to be my "go-to" device. Secondary problem... none of the good non-WinRT hardware is available at the moment.
And so now on to Windows RT. I think this is a fabulous operating system. I think early adopters will get burnt for a while. But the Surface tablet and many of the other ARM based offerings actually look very nice. And the reason iPad's are so successfully is the same reason why Windows RT has a chance to be successful too... most people really don't need a full desktop OS. Windows RT coming with Word, Excel and Power Point actually addresses a few of the failings iPad has out of the box. For me however, I'm just on edge of being able to make that leap... no Visual Studio.
So, there isn't really much more to say on Windows 8 as an OS. There are tons of thoughts, reviews, details, etc... all over the web that would just repeat what I would say here. But on the hardware side I have more to say. As I mentioned above, I think that some existing form factors shine on this platform and will make really good offerings for people who need or simply want full Windows 8 machines.
- Convertibles (separable keyboard), they aren't new... they are new to Windows more or less, and with Windows 8 they have found their home. Android was a tablet OS first and while there are certainly scenarios where a proper keyboard is nice, most of the apps are designed with touch first in mind making the keyboard more of an after thought. On Windows 8 there is a wealth of mouse and keyboard designed apps and at least for the first year or more they will likely still be the norm, so here the keyboard part of the convertible is a much more valuable peripheral, but you could still leave it at home when you don't want to tote it around. I think this is only a viable point for full blown Windows however.
- Flip Laptops. In this category I would consider either things like the Dell XPS Duo or the Yoga, or even to some extent the Taichi. These are a bit of a trade off vs the convertibles but not to no end. The keyboard can't be removed so they will typically be heavier, but at the same time that permanent base means more room to pack in more power, so laptop first and tablet second.
Ideas that I think fail in the hardware department are the traditional laptops with touch screens. While it is nice to have touch aspect for the touch oriented apps, it will never feel right or be natural to use a touch first app on these machines. You are better not kidding yourself, saving the difference and getting a laptop without touch and live without the modern apps that are more touch heavy.
What I'm looking forward to see is the next couple waves of Windows 8 machines. I'm hoping for some interesting new thoughts around docks. If your tablet can be converted into something that better suits your needs when you're at a desk and don't need a tablet it would provide a serious value proposition for a lot of people I think.
Windows Phone will take the least time to cover, so I'll start there. I have no clue why they held the SDK under wraps for so long. As near as I can tell, outside of what they already publicly announced earlier in the year the only new features were the Live Apps (including live lock screen) and Kids Corner. The Kids Corner thing leaked months ago, and while the Live Apps are cool they also leaked ahead of the release AND if you think on it a little, they are really just a natural evolution of the eco-system. So why lock out developers? I still don't know. Just seems like someone should be fired... by the way... this prompted me to cancel my membership. I'm a casual developer, and I like deploying to my cell phone when testing my hobby apps, but the real thing that enticed me to keep paying was the way treated developers with Mango. Early access for an enthusiast like me was well worth the money. Since I'm not serious about posting apps for the store it is just $100 a year down the drain.
Also, snce just about everything was either revealed or leaked before and the hardware was unveiled weeks ago not much has changed. Really, the only thing making me want to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 is the hardware (Lumia 920 or HTC 8X) and the new integration with Windows 8. Feature-wise in the OS, there is really no draw from the OS. The other reason I would want to upgrade is not a factor right now, but apps. At launch it will not really play into my decisions.
On Windows 8... it is almost the other way around. I find the OS is solid (even Windows RT [though not for me, more on that later]). Windows 8 offers a lot of improvements under the hood and a lot of interesting new consumer functionality. Here, while there is a lot of interesting hardware... most on the hardware side is real just applying old designs to a new OS. Yes, they resonate better here, but I had some hopes there that weren't really met.
Over the year I've been slowly off-loading hardware in anticipation of this OS and at the same time debating what to replace my existing hardware with. What I've ultimately decided is to finish off-loading all of my current machines and replace them with a tablet in the short term and add in a desktop later. Obvious problem with this plan is it means my tablet needs to be my "go-to" device. Secondary problem... none of the good non-WinRT hardware is available at the moment.
And so now on to Windows RT. I think this is a fabulous operating system. I think early adopters will get burnt for a while. But the Surface tablet and many of the other ARM based offerings actually look very nice. And the reason iPad's are so successfully is the same reason why Windows RT has a chance to be successful too... most people really don't need a full desktop OS. Windows RT coming with Word, Excel and Power Point actually addresses a few of the failings iPad has out of the box. For me however, I'm just on edge of being able to make that leap... no Visual Studio.
So, there isn't really much more to say on Windows 8 as an OS. There are tons of thoughts, reviews, details, etc... all over the web that would just repeat what I would say here. But on the hardware side I have more to say. As I mentioned above, I think that some existing form factors shine on this platform and will make really good offerings for people who need or simply want full Windows 8 machines.
- Convertibles (separable keyboard), they aren't new... they are new to Windows more or less, and with Windows 8 they have found their home. Android was a tablet OS first and while there are certainly scenarios where a proper keyboard is nice, most of the apps are designed with touch first in mind making the keyboard more of an after thought. On Windows 8 there is a wealth of mouse and keyboard designed apps and at least for the first year or more they will likely still be the norm, so here the keyboard part of the convertible is a much more valuable peripheral, but you could still leave it at home when you don't want to tote it around. I think this is only a viable point for full blown Windows however.
- Flip Laptops. In this category I would consider either things like the Dell XPS Duo or the Yoga, or even to some extent the Taichi. These are a bit of a trade off vs the convertibles but not to no end. The keyboard can't be removed so they will typically be heavier, but at the same time that permanent base means more room to pack in more power, so laptop first and tablet second.
Ideas that I think fail in the hardware department are the traditional laptops with touch screens. While it is nice to have touch aspect for the touch oriented apps, it will never feel right or be natural to use a touch first app on these machines. You are better not kidding yourself, saving the difference and getting a laptop without touch and live without the modern apps that are more touch heavy.
What I'm looking forward to see is the next couple waves of Windows 8 machines. I'm hoping for some interesting new thoughts around docks. If your tablet can be converted into something that better suits your needs when you're at a desk and don't need a tablet it would provide a serious value proposition for a lot of people I think.
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