R.I.P Surface...

[Bernie]

Microsoft Finally Reveals That No One Wanted The Surface RT.

Windows RT is a dog. We’ve been saying that from the beginning. We weren’t alone. It’s very hard to find a positive review of Windows RT, and more specifically, the nine-month-old Microsoft Surface with RT. And now Microsoft, in its latest earnings report, finally revealed that we were right.

The company took a massive $900M writedown last quarter because of unsold Surface RT’s. Even more telling is that Microsoft actually revealed this loss. It’s that big. The company had to tell investors why it didn’t meet Wall Street’s expectations.

Sadly, the Surface RT hardware is not at fault here. The tablet itself is actually a beautiful machine: sleek, solid and downright stunning. It’s hard to pick one up and not be impressed. The Surface RT’s designers and engineers should be proud of their creation. It’s not their fault.....

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[rrh]

Extremetech ponders on the possibility of Microsoft killing the desktop:

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...osoft-could-successfully-kill-off-the-desktop


whilst these guys believe that Windows 8 is about to be rewritten from scratch:

http://www.unwiredview.com/2013/07/...nk-of-metro-ui-one-os-for-phones-and-tablets/

 

[Wyzak]

The surface tablet was stillborn.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

The whatace whatty?

 

[Compton_effect]

Heh. I smell a HP tablet event. When they drop the price there will be a surge in sales.
Seems they still haven't figured out what consumers really want.

But I hope someone figures out how to port it to Android or Ubuntu.

 

[ponder]

Maybe they will now let them go for dirt cheap and you can then load Android or Linux on them

 

[Diesal]

Seems like Microsoft are still pushing the Surface: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/...os1_02#T1=microsoft-surface-rt&t1=dell-xps-10

Look how the Surface RT beats the IPad most things.

 

[Paul Hjul]

Extremetech ponders on the possibility of Microsoft killing the desktop:

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...osoft-could-successfully-kill-off-the-desktop

I think the guy has the wrong end of Microsoft's aim with the RT policy. There have been other discussions on this forum about ARM and Intel and my view remains this: The idea of ARMv8 getting to overtake 86x64 is in my view ludicrous but there is a certain continuous not-there-yet-ness about Intel's competing with ARM for low power, low heat, effective, special purpose computers

WindowsRT provides a Microsoft backed platform which runs on both 86x64 and ARM. The value of 86x64 as a 64 bit general purpose computing monster still exists but applications can be written which readily port, moreover the ability to design systems to support processor handover arises.

Also if ARM based server farms start getting built Microsoft can quite easily bring out a WindowsRTServer range to avoid loosing too much ground to Ubuntu - who are backing the idea.