A few remarks on the Microsoft hardware briefing
by Volker Weber
I expected three things to hear from Microsoft today. Surface Pro 4 without a fan. A final date when Windows 10 Mobile launches (for existing devices). A credible plan to close the app gap for Lumia. I did not hear any of these things, but a few others.
Here are my remarks, in no particular order.
- Apple builds a Surface, Microsoft builds a MacBook. They call it Surface Book. Highend PC notebook, new hinge that can release the top as a Surface, GPU in the base. Currently priced from $1499 to $2699, it's towards the high end of the PC market. The most interesting convertible I have seen so far.
- Surface Pro 4 is the new top of the line Surface. Thinner, but still houses USB 3.0 ports. That's what actually makes the height of the device. Like the Surface 3 Pro it needs fans to cool the sixth generation of Intel Core processors. Up to a 1 TB of storage and 16 GB of main memory.
- New Surface Pen with eraser head, new keyboard with larger trackpad and wider spaced keys. Pen attaches manetically to the side of the Surface body - or the top, depending on how you hold it.
- That fingerprint reader on the new Surface keyboard? Only available in the US.
- Lumia 950, 950 XL and a cheap Lumia 550. Exactly as rumored. The 950s can attach to a dock and become a PC experience. If you have screens, keyboard and mouse hanging around on your desk. Which I haven't. You need universal apps that can scale up, and you don't lose your phone, while you tether it as a PC. Remember, it's not a PC. It's a phone that pretends to be a PC. Does not run standard Windows apps, much like RT didn't. In any case, it solves a problem that I don't have.
- Hololens is getting serious first quarter with a dev kit for $3000 a pop. This is a moonshot. We will see if that is going to matter at all.
- New Microsoft Band. Looks nicer and more comfortable. Scratch resistant display, barometer.
- Some Xbox stuff I did not pay attention to.
Panos Panay is the greatest presenter I know. Think Steve Jobs, but with a lot more compassion.
If you watch the event, I'd dive right in 30 minutes and skip all the Xbox, Hololens, Band reading from the teleprompter.
Comments
Volker - you've got a typo on the SP4 specs - it's up to 1TB in storage not 1GB.
Panos Panay indeed showed a lot of compassion. He several times hinted at the developer opportunity. You could read about the app gap between the lines here, but only so much.
I got the feeling that they did not dare give a date about Windows 10 Mobile. Also the Lumia presentation felt incomplete, the release date 'November' speaks volumes. They spent way more time on the surface and then even more on the Book. Things can also be read out of this, if wanted. I would rather prefer not to 😌
Thanks, Amy. Once we got past MB, things started to get confusing.
Hubert, you have to know when to let go.
Please tell me they will release the Surface Book with LTE :-)
I know, Volker. Lets give it another hooray, though.
A hooray, yes. But money? Not sure about that.
You bet. All saved up neatly, as there was no Lumias to buy since my 1,5 year old 1520. Last one I had this long was the 8110 ;) So it is a black beauty 950xl for me and a white 950 for the better half.
Seriously, I would not know where to go. Probably iphone, as Android is too hot for me 😉
P.S.: Of course there is more to it for me. I love Windows 10, on desktop and even more on mobile. Just in case it would not be anymore on mobile, I would not know where to go.
@Hubert I just bought a Microsoft Nokia 105 Dual-SIM (the new mid-2015 one) for when I'm travelling and feel the urge of using paper maps again. There are always options ;-)
Die Windows Phone App ist aus dem Mac App Store verschwunden. Und das nachdem sie schon seit April 2014 nicht mehr aktualisiert wurde. Das ist ein ganz schlechtes Zeichen.
Ein Lumia, das ich nicht per USB-Kabel mit meinem Mac synchronisieren kann, ist wertlos für mich. Dabei wäre das Lumia 950 ein schöner Ersatz für mein 920 gewesen.
Das Event habe ich mir live angesehen. Dummerweise in deutsch (auch nachdem ich dann auf die englische Seite gewechselt bin, bekam ich den Live-Stream wieder mit deutscher Übersetzung...). Die Deutsch-Dolmetscherin war eine Katastrophe. Wäre wohl besser gewesen, wenn man die vorher gebrieft hätte.
Das Surface Book war ein schönes "One More Thing". Die Idee mit GPU und zusätzlichem Akku in der Basis finde ich klasse. Aber Microsoft lässt sich das Teil auch fürstlich bezahlen.
The Xbox stuff is another brick in Nadella's strategy and I hope it pays off.
Xbox one started with a focus on casual gamers and entertainment, PS4 had a clear focus on gamers and won the race so far.
With the update, Xbox gets tight integration with other win10 devices and some more entertaining functions. However, marketing is taking care of hardcore gamers with exclusives and the elite controller.
Ballmer fixed the 360, Phil Spencer is fixing Xbox one now.