A few remarks on the Microsoft hardware briefing

by Volker Weber

ZZ20021414

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.

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.

Amy Blumenfield, 2015-10-06

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 😌

Hubert Stettner, 2015-10-06

Thanks, Amy. Once we got past MB, things started to get confusing.

Hubert, you have to know when to let go.

Volker Weber, 2015-10-06

Please tell me they will release the Surface Book with LTE :-)

Gerhard Poul, 2015-10-06

I know, Volker. Lets give it another hooray, though.

Hubert Stettner, 2015-10-06

A hooray, yes. But money? Not sure about that.

Volker Weber, 2015-10-06

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 😉

Hubert Stettner, 2015-10-07

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 Stettner, 2015-10-07

@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 ;-)

Gerhard Poul, 2015-10-07

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.

Manfred Wiktorin, 2015-10-07

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.

Kai Nehm, 2015-10-07

Old vowe.net archive pages

I explain difficult concepts in simple ways. For free, and for money. Clue procurement and bullshit detection.

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