Microsoft CEO Ballmer Still Dancing Around Surface Pricing

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Ballmer's a piece of work. But if Surface RT debuts at $299 as he implies, it'll definitely be an attractive alternative to Google/iOS. I'll admit I'm more interested in the Pro version though.
 
October cannot get here fast enough. If I knew what the full feature set of WP8/RT were, and what the prices of the devices were, then I would be able to make a decision right now about if I will be moving to that ecosystem, or moving from windows to the linux/android ecosystem. I don't mind waiting for all the final win8/RT/WP8 hardware to be released if that is what I am going to move to, but if I am waiting for nothing I would much rather know now, and make my purchase.

At least I know what to expect with win8 for the desktop, and for a $40 upgrade fee to move from win7home to win8pro I am sold on that at least, but there are simply too many unanswered questions about the mobile platforms.
 
[citation][nom]igot1forya[/nom]The disturbing image of Steve Ballmer dancing around...[/citation]
Developers. Developers? Developers?! Developers!

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[citation][nom]igot1forya[/nom]Thanks Toms, your headline gave me the disturbing image of Steve Ballmer dancing around... now I must take a cold shower.[/citation]
Cold shower cos he gave you a boner? THAT'S disturbing...
 
"You know, Windows 95 was certainly the biggest thing in the last 20 years until now," he said.

Now that's funny, or very sad if he didn't mean it as a joke.

"I think Windows 8 certainly surpasses it. . . . "

I would hope so, but does it surpass Windows 7 Mr. Ballmer?
 
The whole Win 8 -thing will be quite popular in the long run, I believe. Basically, you'll be able to make applications for a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or tv(xbox), or any combination of these, in "one sitting". Of course, and you'd have to figure out the controls for each individual platform, but that's no biggie. The best applications could require only a single purchase between devices. Of course system optimized applications ( mainly games ), will likely still stay on one or two of these platforms.
 
[citation][nom]JacekRing[/nom]Yes cause I really need to flick through 200 pages of apps just to find the one I want. Because I hate to have an organized, functional, professional feeling start menu.Trust me, windows 8 will take off like a rocket on tablets, and sink like the Titanic on desktops. The only people who would like windows 8 on a desktop are the same people who like iOS on a desktop. And quit frankly they are all already on Apple so not much room left for windows 8 to succeed.I will bet you that within a year we will get a windows 8 CV version (CV = classic version) which will ditch metro and restore the start menu for the desktop versions of win8.[/citation]
I'll take that bet, not 'cause I want you to be wrong, but because I am nearly certain, sadly, that you are. There's no way they're gonna fold on this little investment that quickly.

And let's face it, desktops just aren't that relevant anymore for the average consumer. Relevant for me, 'cause I'm a geek; relevant for you, probably, 'cause you're a geek. Relevant for "Your MOM hurr hurr" (or my mom, for that matter)? Nah.
 
"Still, students can do their homework on 7-inch Android tablets like the Nexus 7. Hook up a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and you have a makeshift netbook. "

Sure, a makeshift netbook running an Android OS that is plagued with severe app (and even system) stability.

Having tried to use my TF101 (with the keyboard in fact) for "productivity" things, I found the constant freezing and crashing of apps to be entirely counter-productive. I would never recommend a tablet for such things--unless, of course, MS is making improvements in those options (which I hope they are).

But I take issue with his attack--a lot of people want a tablet just for the things he's poking fun at. Personally, I can't wait to get my 8.9" Fire HD because I use a lot of Amazon services, and I'm looking forward to good integration and good content. As such, tablets so far ARE media-consumption devices--so making fun of them for being so is like criticizing video game consoles for playing video games.

Now, don't get me wrong, I look forward to when tablets are productivity devices--maybe that will be with Windows 8 tablets--but if you still have to put up with app/system stability problems, then all of the work (and poking-fun) has been for nothing. I await their products. :)
 
It should be his last dance! Someone should replace him to save Microsoft.
 
I like Ballmer as much as the next guy (not at all, really), but does Tom have to use same 1-2 tired photos of him every time? I mean, the great journalists there can not even get a picture from these conferences?
 
With all of the tech announcements these past few weeks (Apple, Nokia, and the bigger conventions), I'm struggling to understand why Microsoft is waiting until the end of October to announce anything further about W8/RT, devices, etc.

Microsoft is in a market where huge changes can happen monthly, even weekly, and they're at the bottom of the pile in terms of market share. They don't understand that they need to force their way into this market, strong and fast, in order to make their platform successful.

Very few people disagree that the Surface + W8 will be a great combination, but the problem with holding out on pricing and final specs is that most people resort to their traditional impression of MSFT - laid back, behind the times, and ultimately slow to move. If MSFT really wants to hype people up, they can't just give us whiffs of a device, because the average person isn't as interested in chasing a company that has a record for not meeting expectations, when they could be catered to by Apple, Samsung, and HTC (to name a few).

MSFT - holding out on us only hurts you in the long (and short run). And right now, the short run is really important.
 
Even 10 years after the failure of Tablet PC, Microsoft still doesn't understand what tablets are about. Tablets are not PCs, they're not supposed to be PCs and customers don't want them to be PCs. Proof? Tablet PC and every other tablet/laptop hybrid has failed to catch on. The only tablets that sold are the iPad, Kindle Fire and Nexus 7. What do they have in common? They're simple devices for reading, communicating, web browsing and playing casual games. Instead of realizing this, Microsoft is trying to make desktop Windows users use their PCs as tablets/handheld devices instead, which will leave us with inferior software on an unsuitable form factor.

Still, if they sell the Surface RT for $300 and Surface Pro for $600, they just might get enough people for it to take off, but it'll be at the expense of those who use their computers for actual work.
 
[citation][nom]boiler1990[/nom]With all of the tech announcements these past few weeks (Apple, Nokia, and the bigger conventions), I'm struggling to understand why Microsoft is waiting until the end of October to announce anything further about W8/RT, devices, etc. ... MSFT - holding out on us only hurts you in the long (and short run). And right now, the short run is really important.[/citation]

If they said today that Surface RT will retail for $300 and Pro for $600, there would be plenty of people who would hold off buying a competing product. I'm guessing either the prices will be higher than is now expected, or they're trying to hold off pricing to the last minute because they're not sure what they can get away with.
 
Let me run Microsoft. I'll take a percentage of what Ballmer earns (let's say 99%), and I'll form the company a vision based on what the people want from the company, which will in turn move units, keep the stock healthy, keep stockholders happy, and keep my wallet fat.

With that said, they need to give us a price on Surface +/- $100, not take away things we love from Windows O.S., and do away with GFWL FFS.
 
[citation][nom]boiler1990[/nom]Very few people disagree that the Surface + W8 will be a great combination...[/citation]
Very few people know that Windows 8 is even coming (no doubt Microsoft is trying to avoid a run on Windows 7 devices) and of those that do, I'd say there's more than a "very few people" that think that Windows 8 (on a Surface or not) is frankly not that great at best, and pretty problematic at worst.
 
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