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The Microsoft Surface is one of the best attempts at a hybrid tablet/laptop we’ve seen in the last few years. It’s thin, powerful, portable, and has a keyboard that doesn’t add any bulk. The only problem for some people is that it runs Windows. Three ex-Google engineers have solved that problem.
They call it the Remix tablet, but it may as well just be called Microsoft Surface for Android. It has the same flip-out kickstand on the back and a super thin magnetically attachable keyboard. It runs a special version of Android called Remix OS, which looks a lot like someone combined Chrome OS, Android Lollipop, and “Metro.” It can even run side-by-side apps.
How does it compare with specs? The Remix tablet has a 11.6-inch 1920×1080 display, 2GB of RAM, and a Nvidia Tegra 4+1 processor. They plan to release the Remix tablet later this year in the US for $350. Unless, of course, Microsoft has something to say about that. Would you buy a Microsoft Surface with Android?
Sign me up.
Looks like it could be a fun toy… I would buy one…
Take My Money!!!!!!!
Up the specs and take all the monies
old tegra?? it better be highly optimized software to run smoothly
The tegra isn’t a bad chip. Its about as powerful as a Snapdragon 800 which is still pretty good and handles all games very well. There is one of the newer versions of the z1s in my home and it still performs ridiculously well. Heck, I’m still using my nexus 7 2013 which also functions very well despite its age.
I agree the Nexus 7, even the original, were the sweet spot for Android tablets. This thing here is too big for its britches, and can’t sensibly compete with Windows low end tablets like the Asus T100 and others in the same price point.
very interesting! Can’t beat windows 8,1 / 10 on surface pro though
Not in a million years.
Wouldn’t waste a dime on a google product.
ok go buy apple – and stay behind the curve
I’ll buy Microsoft thank you very much.
I don’t intend on ever joining the iFlock
Lol, why are you here? I don’t care what OS it runs as long as it isn’t restrictive like IOS. I’d use bbos 10 and open webOS. I’ve used Chrome OS in the past but I felt it wasn’t there yet even though I did like it and would try it again. I currently use Android Lollipop, Windows 8.1, Windows phone 8, and a super light weight version of Ubuntu. I happen to like all these operating systems and always find something interesting on each OS that I think the others should implement. With your current mindset you won’t learn anything and your knowledge will become stale and jaded.
I’m also a Windows and Android user. I use Windows for desktop/laptop and phone, and Android for light tablet duties. Being a Microsoft fan doesn’t negate being an Android fan. Android is not a primary device platform. That would be the space for Windows and OSX. Android, iOS, and Windows Phone are companion device platforms, and I think Android’s forte was tablets until Windows landed with its cheap tablet offerings. I think Android tablet manufacturers haven’t figured out that they can’t make much headway making tablets in the $300 space. They need to be thinking $65-$265 tops for tablets. Any higher, and they enter the desktop/laptop/Windows tablet space, a fight they don’t easily win.
I wouldn’t say that Android tablet makers couldn’t win. Sure windows is more powerful but does the average Joe care? The moment I saw students purchasing Samsung tablets and iPads for school work I immediately started thinking about this. Despite the fact that neither Android nor IOS yet have an Office suite that can rival Microsoft Office, not even in the slightest, there they were before my eyes in class or being used to complete assignments all while lacking many features which are severely needed to properly create a word document. IOS can’t even load the flash enabled Pearson sites but students bought these mobile OS equipped tablets in droves. Why do the students use these things despite their limitations? Simple, Windows’ reputation and brand loyalty. Samsung is incredibly popular and sells millions of smartphones and tablets while Apple might be even more popular here in the USA. Sony even quit the laptop scene and is focusing heavily on its Android offerings which includes tablets. I wouldn’t say that Android couldn’t win. Considering what Android is currently capable of it probably shouldn’t be winning yet in the markets that it currently dominates, forcing Microsoft to develop tablets of their own which competes in the $65-$265 price range while Samsung tablets and iPads cost far more even though these devices deliver less in terms of functionality. Look at the market. Microsoft, the same company that stopped bundling their Office suite with laptops felt the need to put it back on to some of the tablets that shipped with their OS in order to entice consumers at no additional cost. Why would they do that? They wouldn’t do this because they aren’t afraid of Android and IOS tablets gobbling up their market share. Microsoft is also now selling tablets for under a hundred dollars! This is less than the cost of the operating system that these tablets run! Microsoft is wisely taking the offensive because they realize the situation that they are in. If Android tablet makers are targeting the laptop space, which i do believe that they are to some extent, they know that it probably won’t be easy but this does not seem to be stopping them at all.
Samsung and iPad tablets sold well because the same products running Windows used to be exorbitantly priced. Now they aren’t. Today, enterprises are buying Windows tablets again, and at a far lower price than the prices of iPads and Samsung tablets. Most of the new tablets today are running Windows, not Android. All of the new Android tabs are from ODMs and brand pushers, and they’re rarely well supported or as functional as the new stuff running Windows.
Hey man, I like my Windows desktop and whatnot as much as the next guy.
But at the same time, touch-screen browsing outside of “Metro IE” is just crap on Windows. Touch compatible ebook readers or manga readers or whatever are also all pretty much terrible on Windows.
So, if I want to do one of those things… Android is where it is at. People developing for Windows need to step it up a notch in those areas.
I wouldn’t waste a dime on a Google product either… because it wouldn’t be a waste (unless we’re talking Nexus Q or Google TV, those were definitely a waste).
I’d buy it
Too expensive for a tegra 4
Indeed. Needs a K1 or X1 at that price.
This is actually what I’ve been looking for. I like the hardware with the surface. Software wise, I can do Windows, I can do Android. The only thing I could never get behind was the price tag. $350 is much better. The processor might be iffy, but overall it’s nice. Hopefully it releases.
You can’t pay $350 wisely for an Android tablet when much better specced Windows tablets can be had for $75-250 today. If it were a premium built device with massive specs, it still would have a hard time finding a place except with the very wealthy people that buy tabs in that price point.
Honestly. Name one better speced windows tablet under $300. There isn’t one. The best windows tablet start at over $400 since windows is too bloated to not need a real CPU.(aka not atom) This tablet will run circles around windows for everyday task. Not everyone needs a work machine. Those who do won’t be happy with budget window machines so why pretend MS can compete at this price point or that a window machine is equal to android. Remember most people buy tablets for fun. Windows won’t win the tablet race until they get more Dev support and debloat .
I see you don’t get it, at all. You can take a Dell Venue 8 Pro with 32GB of storage, for about $190, and do more than you can do with this device at any price. The other issue is this is more of an ultrabook/notebook competitor, and we all know you can buy pretty low cost $300-400 notebooks running Windows that can run higher end software. If you don’t think MSFT can compete at this price point, you might want to do a bit more research, because many of us do. I use Android and Windows8.1/10, and I find myself preferring the Windows tablets to the Android ones at the same price points.
Android is a companion device OS. Windows is a primary device OS. More features, more software (Yes, Windows has four times more applications than Android…), and more functionality. Tablets sell because of portability and touch support, not just fun.
I have zero limitations with any Windows tab with about 2GB or RAM. No matter how well specced this Google tab is, its behind the curve against a desktop OS, no matter how hard it tries to pretend its not.
Not everyone needs a race car, either. So I expect when I buy my car, I’m not spending BMW M3 money for a golf cart.
too similar in design as the surface line, and adding that row of icons on the bottom is a very bad move if you don’t want to get sued by Microsoft.
and I wouldn’t buy this device.
I’m way too happy with my surface pro which can run Windows RT, Windows desktop, and Android software.
They are not likely to be sued by Microsoft for the row of icons. That is very similar to what Chrome OS looks like if you’ve ever seen it?
Chrome OS has been out for years now, and has had devices that run it with this same user interface.
not that row of icons alone.
but the row of icons, the shape of the casing, the magnetic thin keyboard, and the shape of the kickstand all together make it almost indistinguishable from a surface-series device to the uninformed customers.
The kickstand does make it look pretty damn similar, but there’s still a while before official announcement and release. Never know, it might have curvy enough corners to get by!
I do hope you don’t actually run that disasterOS otherwise known as Windows RT, that ARM-based POS is worse than Windows ME and Vista combined.
you missed 2 key pieces of information in my comment.
I have a surface PRO, which runs Windows DESKTOP software.
the surface pro runs on Windows 8(.1) Windows RT can’t run desktop software, and there are no RT compatible android emulators.
The RT experiment has been long over. If you didn’t know, RT is now part of the mobile stack, and they’ve reengineered it around the new Universal App model, where one app can run on both mobile and desktop with Win10.
“And I wouldn’t buy this device.
I’m way too happy with my surface pro which can run Windows RT, Windows desktop, and Android software.” Ummm nope, maybe that’s what you meant to say, but I didn’t miss anything in the wording or your original comment.
The only people who can ever say any other version of Windows is worse than Windows ME clearly never actually used Windows ME.
Windows RT functioned. It did what it was supposed to do. It did not go the way Microsoft intended in popularity, but it functioned.
Windows ME… did not function. It did not do what it was supposed to do.
I would!
Yes
I’m going to be honest, I HATE things like this. Carbon copies of someone else’s product with Android thrown on top do little except tarnish the reputation of Android. Seriously, is the best 3 ex-Googlers can do is slap Android onto an aped Microsoft Surface? Maybe they’re ex-Googlers for a reason. Being inspired by another product is one thing, but blatantly ripping off someone’s design is wrong.
Agree with you 100%.
This product will not see the light of day.
What a rip-off!
Uh gee! where would ex googlers learn a tactic like this. Hmmm? Maybe the same guys that ripped off apples mobile technology after being trusted with keys to the kingdom? Or is that just android lore now?
Android is actually a reimagination of Symbian. ijs
Kind of the pot calling the kettle black, there.
Gee, I wonder where Apple got essentially every feature idea for the last 5 years… oh, I know, Android, Windows Phone and WebOS.
You hate things like Chinese ingenuity…
Not only that, but the genius of Surface is Surface Pro—it’s a full, no-corners-cut run-all-your-big-hairy-apps Photoshop?-Sonar?-Maya?-run-them-all! Windows laptop. I already have TWO chrome tablets: a Nexus 7 and my SO’s Samsung 10.1. The allure of Surface Pro isn’t the form factor, it’s the “apps” (which are actual PROGRAMS). If Google REALLY wants in on the Surface Pro action, it needs to foster more professional, full-featured software development. A Photoshop-killer would be a great start…
@brianthedell:disqus, you hit it on the head. Android users should stop trying to pretend they can replace Windows, and realize it is a companion device platform. The idea is fine, but at this price, its competing with Asus T100 series and other similar models.
Android tablets being companion devices means they should live in the $65-$265 price range, to complement the laptops and desktops they supplement. At $300+, this device is pushing it. I will say this is pushing closer to what a Chrome OS device should have been years ago but never was or now will be.
If all Android needs to replace Windows were apps then that day might come soon. All that might be standing in the way now is how people think mobile OS equipped tablets should exist in the world of technology. People believe that the apps on these platforms should be cheaper and simpler. No one would think about spending $100 on a mobile app. Developers then have to follow take these thoughts into consideration when they make an app. Think about it. Why is it that none of the Office suites on Android can be compared to Microsoft Office 2003 even though the Android tablets of today are far more powerful than laptops of only a couple years ago? The problem isn’t storage, neither is it processing power. Whats the problem? Android definitely has the potential to become far more than companion devices. For certain lighter tasks many people might have no need for an OS as powerful as Windows. When I say lighter tasks I mean things like browsing the internet, watching videos, listening to music, checking email and creating or editing documents depending on the screen size. Maybe some would be fine with doing the whole thing on a 7 inch tablet. You even said it yourself, “I will say this is pushing closer to what a Chrome OS device should have been years ago…”, that I do agree with. For certain tasks, Google does think that Chrome OS should replace Windows. Since Android is currently more capable than Chrome OS then why can’t Android fill in this spot?
But apps isn’t all it needs. There is also horsepower, more feature complete web browsers, more robust runtime support, better networking support, better multitasking support…
This is the mindset that really confuses me. Do you really believe Android will ever be on par with Windows? Do you realize how powerful Windows is?? Do you ever think you’ll see professional recording studios using Android for their digital audio workstations, or a native version of Photoshop or Lightroom will be hosted on Android? There’s more going on under the hood of Windows…
Did you not see what I said? Do you notice how I started my reply? Do you notice that I also went on to say, “for certain lighter tasks…”? I even went on to list some of the lighter tasks that I believe android would be well suited for. I’m well aware of what Android is and I’m also aware of what Windows is. I also said ” if apps were all Android needed”. Comprehension, man.
Did I see your comment? Of course I did. I just don’t think that a low powered device that removes most of the powers and features will be seen as a good value as long as they cost as much as the primary device. Less functionality should equal less cost. This is just too similar in the price structure.
OK, so for the same price or a little higher I can get a transformer book t100. If I’m going to think like Mr. Average Joe this is what I’m going to think, “I want to send email and watch YouTube and browse the web” I see an android tablet next to the t100 and go, the screen in the android tablet looks better, the android tablet is lighter, and I don’t like viruses. That’s why Microsoft is getting hammered. Windows, for the purposes I listed, is not needed. You and I know windows is more powerful but who cares? We do…the rest of the 90 something percent of the market doesn’t. And this device when compared to the t100 is not low powered. It’s about as fast with the same amount of RAM but with a better screen. I know, I picked out the t100 for my sister instead of an Android tablet so she can do school work. If she wanted something for entertainment purposes an Android tablet would’ve been the better choice. I’d love to see the price lowered but I feel that the t100 would then be considered overpriced as well. I’m certainly not going to do CAD work on it, I’m not going to dare edit videos on it either. For the most part, you and I agree. I have a core I5 Surface pro but I also have a nexus 7 2013. When I want to do light browsing and watch videos on the internet or read I pick up the nexus 7. Anything more demanding and I turn to the Surface. I believe 350 to be a fair price when you think about the materials used, how long it lasts, and how much more efficient the Android OS is when it comes to touch. A fair amount of engineering goes into making these devices as thin and portable as they are and this should also be factored into the price. Should the price be lower, maybe…but I’d say the same for Microsoft’s less touch optimized, heavier, lower resolution offerings in this price range.
You chose to compare components of particular devices. Does Windows or Android make the screens better? How can you know the screen is better?
I’ll say that in the lower end Android tablets, the screens are much more horrible than what you see in the Dell Venue 8, the Toshiba Encore Mini, or HP Stream.
I’ll also say that most of that stuff you assume the average Joe does on a tablet, the average Joe is used to doing in the web browser or using apps, and both devices have them. Netflix, YouTube, Facebook.. Yep, no differences there.
I wonder just how much viruses are a fear of users. I haven’t had one in nearly a decade, and really people don’t know or care about OS. They care about function. People that borrow my laptop or tablet or phone seem able to use them all without instruction or fear of infection. Not saying its not a point, just that it doesn’t matter like you may believe.
Microsoft is NOT getting hammered. They’re growing in tablets, with new OEMs announcing new ones everyday. I don’t see any great Android tablet announcements, but tons of Windows 8.1/10 tablet announcements. The tables have shifted.
Don’t convince yourself that your Android powered tab can compare to any Windows tablet, regardless of specs. Those specs won’t allow you to run more powerful software than the Windows tab. It won’t support the same class of software at any level. I had a Gen 1 Nexus 7. Great device. But the Dell Venue 8 is the new Nexus 7. The last gen model sells for a similar price, and just does so much more. No reason to discount funtionality without considerable savings on price. Some may be like you, but plenty more will choose the more useful, powerful system. Its happening now, and that’s just a fact.
You just don’t get it. I have a windows tablet, I know of its limitations in certain functions. 1. I compared components of particular devices because that’s what consumers face when buying a tablet. They see the devices and compare right there.
2. Why are you mentioning lower end tablets? I’m comparing Android tablets within the price range of certain windows tablets.
3. The screen will look better because people can see the difference between full HD and 720p at a screen size of greater than 6 inches. The only exception might be the stream 7. I have an android tablet that I got for $100 with a 1080p screen. Guess what? It looks better than the stream 7s display
4. Dell venue 8, I had that tablet. I bought it for over $200 a while ago and it’s screen isn’t as good as my nexus 7 2013.
5.people care a lot about the OS. they might not know what an OS is exactly but I’ve seen many people reject windows phone simply because its not Android or iPhone. Brand loyalty is real. I Just took a whole business course on it. I’ve seen a windows tablet out in the wild twice. Really, that’s the honest truth.
6. The specs I mentioned make it just as fast for the tasks I mentioned. I didn’t say anyone would be doing cad work or coding. In other words for these simpler tasks windows’ power is not needed. Get powerful software out of your head. Most people don’t buy a tablet for that kind of work. Stop talking about it. They buy a laptop or higher. Why do you think Microsoft bothered to try and create rt? They were trying to create a lighter OS.
7. I have both. What are you talking about? I use a surface and a nexus 7. I had the venue 8 pro. It wasn’t as good for reading as my nexus. It was heavier with a lower res screen. Gaming on the windows tablet wasn’t as good simply because of a lack of games designed for windows tablets. Its simple reasons like that as to why people aren’t choosing windows on a large scale.
8. Windows on a tablet so far has proven to be inefficient in certain tasks. Ex. My surface pro and my sister’s t100 had this bug where WiFi would stop working at random points (its not present on my surface anymore) so I would need to go into device manager to fix that problem very frequently. That was frustrating. Do you see how poorly optimized it is around there? All the text is tiny. And it also is a confused OS. One minute it’s in the tile interface then I’m forced to deal with regular desktop interface which isn’t optimized for touch whenever there is a problem. A more powerful OS like windows needs more maintenance.
9. As you said, Android is currently a companion OS. Guess what isn’t…windows. Its completely out of place on the tablet. Its clunky. It might be powerful but it isn’t needed for certain tasks.
Lol, some may be like me. Ha! The majority of the market is.
I don’t think YOU get it. I’m not saying no one will buy this. People buy lots of things. If you like it and it works for you, that’s fine. The point I’m making, which is being proven in the marketplace, is that MOST people will choose Windows over Android for tablets with all prices being near equal.
Most of the new tablet talk we hear is from Microsoft powered devices. All of the big money enterprise buys have been with Microsoft tablets the last two quarters. Android has missed the productivity boat, so the last of the sitdown computing war will be over gaming, TV/video, and social media. Microsoft has more gaming experience, a better relationship with big gaming publishers, and the XBox. They also have Windows Media Center and capabilities to control TV tuners and edit high quality video. Too far ahead for Android to encroach so quickly.
So the point is going forward, most tablets we see will soon be Windows8.x/10. Android’s share of the space will stagnate, then shrink, while Windows’ will grow.
Now you may look at specs, but most people buying a tablet just want to know if they can do “x, y, and z” on it. For most tablets, this is true. But one thing any electronics salesperson will tell you is Android is Android, but Windows 8.1 tablets are “a full PC you can carry around, just like your laptop”. People know an Android tablet is beneath a Windows tab in power, functionality, and features, something Android can not easily erase. So there will be an expectation of value savings, but it won’t be possible to exploit, so Android’s main selling point over Windows, price and battery life, have been whittled down to the point they no longer exist, leaving the argument to go on technical merits now, something that is in Microsoft’s favor.
If you are comparing Windows tablets to Android tablets in a similar price point, you are missing the point. Android can never win that battle! They must cost less because of their lack of features in order to compete in the marketplace.
You seem stuck on comparing individual items. So are you telling me that the only thing holding these tablets back from Android is screen resolution? Because that is a small cost and easy update to any tablet. Do you not see my point? A cheap small tablet running Windows can be made under $100!! That’s the point! So Android, which knows as a platform it can not compete with Windows, must compete on the price/value spectrum, which means it must cost LESS in order to see it grow share away from Windows, but instead the opposite is true, so it shows Microsoft will grow share at Android’s expense and the delight of the PC makers.
I agree Windows isn’t needed for all tasks, but if the lightweight choice isn’t far less expensive, no one will buy a lower cost device. If there is a V10 sports car, and the V8 is only marginally less expensive, people will go ahead and buy the V10 if they can afford to, because it doesn’t hurt them to buy the extra functionality. They’ll only give it up to save money or add battery or some other advantage. Windows tablets are everywhere, if you haven’t noticed.
People buy tablets over laptops for portability. They used to have to use Android, because there was no viable PC option. Windows 8.1/10 is now viable. No more need to compromise. People saved money because they didn’t need to spend for a full PC experience. Now that experience is the same price, so people won’t be so apt to keep compromising.
RT was made as a ground up rewrite of a runtime that can run on ARM and x86. It is being sucked into the Phone arm, since ARM will only really be used for phones now, since x86 is doing well on the tablet side.
There are tons of games for Windows tablets. Gamers use controllers and keyboards, too. Those games still work. And there are plenty newer games for the tablet form factor. Things move fast.
You don’t seriously think that a wifi issue on a couple devices is enough proof that Windows can’t work well on a tablet? Your device is just a simple laptop with a detachable keyboard. Wifi has worked on them for decades. I’m sure those “bugs” were fixed long ago. Months, even. That’s a driver issue, not a platform issue.
If text is tiny, there is a setting to increase it. Same for resolution. Many IT pros and amateurs alike get along fine with Windows. You can choose if you want to use Start Menu software and environment, or the desktop. No one forces you, its up to you. Sounds like maybe you are very adept at using the new ecosystem and environment. It gets easier over time. I’m using Windows 8.x/10 full time on two devices, and I love it. So your mileage may vary.
Just pay attention to where the manufacturers are headed via CES. How many Android tablets and announcements did you see? How many Windows tablets did you see? Just a point.
I do industry analysis, and am a longtime blogger and journalist in the mobile tech field. Followed it from its infancy. I have a knack for catching trends. You’ll see I was prophetic in a year or two.
I don’t get it. LOL!
I’ve practically grown in this business. I was one of the first mobile-only bloggers. Set plenty records, in fact. I think my analysis of the market is pretty spot on, based upon experience and following factors that may not be obvious to typical users. But don’t take my word for it, read the comments in this article about a pretty snazzy hot Android tablet, and see what the users are saying:
http://www.dailytech.com/Dell+Announces+Worlds+Thinnest+Tablet+The+Venue+8+7000+Series/article36538.htm
Users, if given the same device and specs, will prefer Windows to Android by a wide margin FOR TABLETS. Same for laptops and ultrabooks. In order for Android to compete, it has to be far cheaper, or it just won’t appeal anymore. Android tablets’ new price space just shrunk to $25-75, not $65 and up like in the past. Windows has revitalized the market.
I mention lower priced tablets because when priced similarly, the lowest priced tablets still outperform even the highest specced Android tablets at any price. The $100 Windows tablets run circles around Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Pro, the Nexus 9, and others. The platform just does more, better, at a longer life of ownership (Windows tabs aren’t so quickly obsolete), better upgrade policy (Windows tabs running 8.1 will all have an upgrade path to 10 without dependence upon the OEM), and even without the upgrade in software, there is little loss in functionality. Try that with a Honeycomb or ICS tablet.
Nothing stops better displays from running on Windows tablets, and in fact, hardware adaptability with Win8.1 is much easier than with Android. Not as much cost to optimize like Android.
You must not have used Windows 8.1 lately, but the OEMs all shifting from Android to Win8 is clear, someone thinks its good, and the options are growing. You can love Android, and I do, too. But I couldn’t buy a Nexus 7 at $225 today. Too many better functioning Windows devices at that price. Many, like those in the link I mentioned, agree.
Luckily for Android, not everyone has the same opinion, so there is still someone willing to blow money on that stuff
Wow, you’re really not paying attention. “Must have not used windows 8.1 in a while” I’m looking at it every day on my surface. If people prefer windows on tablets as you have said then why is it so absent? I haven’t seen anyone with one. All I see are iPads and android tablets. Microsoft has had years to get it together with tablets and have not really gotten anywhere. Didn’t they start this whole thing? You say it will grow but I’ve yet to see any reason for this. Windows just doesn’t belong here no matter how much you love it. And did you just show me a comment section of a tech website?! You really don’t get it then. You think they represent the average user? I actually thought that you would’ve shown me some numbers. But that’s what you showed me… They are us. They don’t represent the general populous. Lucky for android? Android’s dominating the market. You say that as if Microsoft is having a grand time in the tablet market. The tablet market is expected and has been slowing down as people make the same decision as I did and have not replaced their tablets because the life span of these devices has increased. That’s not good news for Microsoft in the tablet market. One, it means that people like their tablets 2. People might not be buying tablets in the near future. It is however, good news for the PC industry which is booming. Its hard to find some evidence on what’s really happening in the tablet space but here you go:
http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/31/how-android-beat-ios-in-2014-and-vice-versa/
Do you notice how Windows isn’t mentioned…it means something
You just can’t grasp the concept that I’m trying to show you and you know what? Its typical. Reminds me of the time when I was conducting user testing on a website. I talked to and evaluated some people who used the site. On a whole, they were frustrated. I then talked to a developer that was in charge of the site who went on to explain to me that if the users can’t use the site then they don’t belong there. The site simply didnt cater to the kind of users that might also access the site in addition to developers like himself. In other words, the site was only comprehensible to developers while omitting other users. Its the same thing with you and Microsoft. Microsoft made the same mistake that they are currently making before. Lets slap on a full desktop like interface on a mobile device. This was the idea behind windows mobile. Now, here they are again. This time, putting full windows on a 7 to 10 inch device without giving the interface a full on makeover. You don’t understand why people would buy an android or iOS enabled tablet because you don’t get how they think. I feel very fortunate to at least understand why millions of consumers have these two operating systems, Microsoft and Windows and why they enjoy using android or iOS and why they use windows mostly for work. The windows OS is more difficult to trouble shoot (I just touched on going into device manager to swap the drivers), Windows’ reputation, the kind of apps available for Android and IOS in vast numbers are not as widely available on the windows platform (different operating systems for different times, Microsoft is struggling to adapt while Android and IOS were built for this kind of interaction. Do you remember Symbian? Lovely operating system. Why did it fail? People didn’t like the interface despite the fact that it was more powerful than IOS and Android. Well, as you said, let’s wait and see if people will start buying Windows tablets in droves like you predicted despite you not understanding the actions of the people that you are forecasting.
I understand people will still buy Android tablets. Of course people will choose what they decide to choose. But statistics and users are saying that Windows, today, is finally viable in such a small device, and the Win10 UI conventions will just make it even better. There will be compelling pressure upon Android tablet users to switch to Windows, and many will be swayed.
I have done market studies before, and this one is easy to see if you know what metrics to watch for.
You just can’t grasp the concept that I’m trying to show you and you know what? Its typical. Reminds me of the time when I was conducting user testing on a website. I talked to and evaluated some people who used the site. On a whole, they were frustrated. I then talked to a developer that was in charge of the site who went on to explain to me that if the users can’t use the site then they don’t belong there. The site simply didnt cater to the kind of users that might also access the site in addition to developers like himself. In other words, the site was only comprehensible to developers while omitting other users. Its the same thing with you and Microsoft. Microsoft made the same mistake that they are currently making before. Lets slap on a full desktop like interface on a mobile device. This was the idea behind windows mobile. Now, here they are again. This time, putting full windows on a 7 to 10 inch device without giving the interface a full on makeover. You don’t understand why people would buy an android or iOS enabled tablet because you don’t get how they think. I feel very fortunate to at least understand why millions of consumers have these two operating systems, Microsoft Windows and Android or IOS and also why they enjoy using android or iOS and why they use windows mostly for work. i also get why Android, if it had better Office Suites might be the only operating system some people might need. The windows OS is more difficult to trouble shoot (I just touched on going into device manager to swap the drivers), Windows’ reputation, the kind of apps available for Android and IOS in vast numbers are not as widely available on the windows platform (different operating systems for different times, Microsoft is struggling to adapt while Android and IOS were built for this kind of interaction. Do you remember Symbian? Lovely operating system. Why did it fail? People didn’t like the interface despite the fact that it was more powerful than IOS and Android. Well, as you said, let’s wait and see if people will start buying Windows tablets in droves like you predicted despite you not understanding the actions of the people that you are forecasting.
so you buy this for $350. I’ll buy a Dell Venue Pro 8 with a folio Keyboard case, and still have $100 left to spend on software and an extra battery. My device outperforms yours, can even act as a DVR with TV Tuner support, and you still don’t get it… You think $350 is a good price for an Android tablet. The market is saying they can provide you the equivalent for 60% the cost running Windows 8.1. That’s a bigger value
I mostly agree with you but, to be fair, its $350.
“Would you buy a Microsoft Surface with Android?”
Kind of a loaded question on an Android fanboy site ;) But yes, I would buy one even though I’ve never considered getting a Microsoft Surface.
It sort of exposes the ignorance of spending more for your companion device than your primary. I think this thing is priced wrong, since you can find Windows PCs with better hardware at this price point. I think Android’s sweet spot is BELOW $265.
I think I’ve found my next tablet…
This, or the Nokia N1 with a keyboard portfolio?
Do you think we’d be able to root it?
How do I get that
What doesn’t work on it? Something must not function, right?
Its a tegra so… there you go.
Where did all these MS fanboy losers come from?
We’ve been at the bank, depositing all the money we’ve saved using Windows 8 tablets instead of blowing it on more expensive Android companion devices.
Though I don’t necessarily agree with what you posted, that was funny as hell
In what world is the Surface Cheaper than an Android tablet?
Not sure he was necessarily referring to a surface pro.
I have a Toshiba encore 8 and paid $AUD 290 for it and it does so much more than my android tablet ever did.
Toshiba also makes Android Tablets and they are cheaper than their widows tablets.
Sure, but the android ones aren’t much cheaper these days and they are much less functional. The android tablets can’t dream of running the software and FULL windows tablet can.
Can any android tablet run photoshop, lightroom,full office 2013 (which came free!!) etc? My sub $AUD300 encore 8 can.
It’s not worth discussing.
I agree with almost everything you said, I think Windows tablets are great. My initial comment was in response to this: “We’ve been at the bank, depositing all the money we’ve saved using Windows 8 tablets instead of blowing it on more expensive Android companion devices.”
Oh ok. Yep, that claim was a bit of a stretch.
In what world is the Surface the only Windows tablet? Ever heard of Asus, Dell, Winbook, Toshiba? They all have full Windows tablets running Win8.1/10 for $75-200.
And everyone of those manufactures has an Android version that is cheaper than their windows tablet.
Proof?
Where’s the cheaper Toshiba tablet?
Where’s the cheaper Dell tablet?
Where’s the cheaper Asus tablet?
Where’s the cheaper Acer tablet?
That’s still not the point. The point is, tablets aren’t mobile devices, they’re sit down devices. So there’s no reason to use a mobile platform just for portability. The “cheaper” Android tablets aren’t cheap enough to warrant the lower functionality. Its akin to saying you can buy a bike for $200, or you can buy a car for $260, Sure, you save some money, but do you gain much value by what you give up for that savings? Its starting to be a resounding “no” now. Windows 8.1 has likely won the tablet war long term.
Real quickly, off your head, write down the cheapest Android tablets. Now write down the cheapest Windows tablets.
Now which have the best hardware/SOC? Which have the most peripheral support? Which support the most applications? Which are using the latest software? How much money are you saving by giving up those benefits?
The most expensive android tablet is half the cost of the surface pro. Do some research. Anyway this is DOA . MS will sue
The Surface Pro isn’t the only Windows tablet. The cheapest Windows tablet, like those from Winbook, Asus, and even Dell, can be had for $75-200, and all outperform anything Android has to offer. I use Android and Windows, and when it comes to it, Windows is the go to platform in the end. Android is being squeezed by the phones at the low end, and the cheap tablets at the upper end. If given the chance with similar sized devices, people are going to start choosing Windows. Android needs to refind its niche in the tablet space. THIS ain’t it.
My Nexus 7 was the best because it was cheap and portable, but I can do that with a Dell Venue 8 now. Its pushing the price point for good Android down, and the size as well.
Windows may be better, I’m not arguing that point. But to say Cheaper is 100% wrong. The Cheapest windows tablets are more NOT cheaper than the cheapest Android tablet. So you can’t be spending all that much time at the bank.
I’m saying the lowest cost Windows tablets with typical acceptable performance and up to date software are $65-200. The lowest cost functional, up to date Android tablets are typically around that same price. So that is the issue. I don’t see a large assortment of Android tablets in the $25-60 running Kit Kat or Lollipop. But ALL of the latest Windows tabs work flawlessly on the latest Windows 8.1, even Windows 10. The only caveat is the amount of multitasking you can pull off over the desktop. But still surpassing the functionality of Android.
Redmond.
I’ve got a Surface Pro and I love it. I would buy this if I needed a tablet. It would have been better with active stylus support though.
Literally throwing money at my screen but nothing is happening.
As someone who’s owned both an Android tablet and a windows 8 tablet, I can safely say that a windows one is 100X more functional.
I have a cheaper one, not even a surface pro and it can run any program I want, even android in bluestacks.
Android phones are awesome but the tablets are way too limited just like ipads and any other mobile OS running tablet plus a lot of them are expensive for what you get.
Please release OS too so I can put it on my RT
Sign me up still
Windoze just blows chunks pos
Android and iOs tablets are still too green for business users. Many business applications won’t work on Android. I got a. Winbook tablet 10″ with Pogo keyboard for 250 total and it has been the most functional tablet. I ever used, including iPad and several Android tablets. Even Windows 8.1 makes much more sense in a tablet
I don’t understand. What space is this trying to compete in?
An oversaturated android tablet market.
For phones android = king. But for tablets to do serious work Windows Surface pro wins all. And I say this because i can compare all 3. Surface pro 3 ipad air 1 and nexus 9. Android and iOS for Tablets is lounge-ware
And you know what? There is nothing wrong with that. I look forward to the day Android can do the same things on a tablet or laptop in a work environment, but it just isn’t right now.
Windows sucks!
IOS sucks!
Android and OSX for the win!!
Now you are an odd one aren’t you there. :D
Poor choice for an SoC…
I’d rather buy a tablet with windows on it, simply too expensive for me.
My Bay Trail quad core with Android 4.4 and Windows 8.1, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB for $125 is on its way as I type.
Wait wait … can you pls post a product link? You have me intrigued. Unless of course you’re joking…
Try Geek Buying, but I’ve seen them elsewhere, the thing that most attracted me was that it’s 64 bit, my Nexus 9 is 64 bit, but it was $600 AUD. Only HD screen, not FHD ! No 192 GPU cores either. Found it, Telcast X80H, 8 inch. Says it’s got Office 365, must mean 1 year subscription, 22 nm, better graphics than Nexus 5, 4K output via micro HDMI to HDMI cable.
Thanks a bunch for the info, will have a look! Cheers!
Honestly, I don’t see this having any more limitations than a Chromebook does. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Chromebook, I love my android, but unfortunately a lot of programs still require windows. I’d say that the chrome browser for android isn’t too far off from chrome on ChromeOS, so the difference wouldn’t be too noticeable. Plus, you have the entire app store, vs the limited Android for ChromeOS apps. Interested in seeing how this developes.
Quite honestly I think it is better with Windows than android. Love my n5 and n7 but to be truly productive especially at work I need windows.
Just asking for a lawsuit
Keyboard looks better than the one I’m forced to use on my new work Surface.
I much rather have my Chrome OS as it is quick, and worry free with updates and security. If it weren’t for Office, we wouldn’t even have a Win 7 desktop at home.
So many new faces here. All bashing android. LOL what is happening? Its like the mere fact of mentioning the surface brought them all here.
Give them a break. If you had to use a Microsoft product, wouldn’t you also be grumpy and defensive? The bashing is sour grapes. The defensive is sweet lemons.
Price aside why would you want to run android on a Surface as opposed to Windows 8 though? Serious question as that seems like a much higher degree of fanboyism.
Lets be actual here:
WIndows 8.1: true x86/x64 app support. I get an actual fully functional Office suite. I get League of Legends (yes it plays on the surface). I get a massive range of software that lets it work for my job and home equally well.
Android: Some office knockoffs that do 100th of the features of Office. New Office is due out this year that supposedly fixes that… so I guess I could wait. Candy Crush Saga and other micro-charge games. The herpes of the gaming world.
Windows 8.1: Microsoft has a proven track record of over 20 years of patch Tuesday releases, and every OS gets at least 7 years or regular patches … and 10 of critical vulnerability patching. Patches are direct from MS.
Android: 24 months of irregular patching of milestones only. 5.0.2 hasn’t even hit all of Google’s Nexus line yet. If it’s not Nexus, the patches are gated and approved by the hardware vendor (or carrier) who’s already made his money on the sale so doesn’t really care about staying on top of it. Yeah, the “F” word.
Seriously the only thing this has on the Surface is price. $350 is very cheap compared to the $1100 x86 from MS. But lets not kid ourselves: given the choice (aka the title of the article), no one in thier right mind would take the android OS over Microsoft. It’s just that much better.
Somebody’s never used Drive.
Hey skippy: Hate to tell you this, but Drive does 100% of what I want it to do. I didn’t even bother buying Office on my new laptop because it’s unnecessary.
Note: If you’re an accountant, this will probably not be your experience.
So you don’t have an office job and never actually had to use Drive in an attempt to produce anything more than a college term paper. Got it. Or if you do work at one of the few places that converted to Google Apps maybe you should ask your IT team when they plan to migrate off … because Google’s retention rate has been abysmal.
Seriously: it’s not a matter of “only accountants need the extra formulas in excel”. It’s across the whole suite. Word easily has 2-3x the features as well. The only thing on par is probably powerpoint and slides….but thats because both are very simple in concept (though I’ve not tried step-through animations in slides … how does it handle complex click-by-click page animations?)
You’re also sidestepping the point. Surface is running full blown windows 8.1 x64 on an Intel i5. If the company needs me to use Cisco VPN clients to connect to certain resources I don’t have a problem. If they need me to use “ancient fat client we haven’t bothered to migrate off of yet and can’t put on citrix because of the sea of DLL issues” I can do that (though I’d probably be bitter about it). Did they adopt App-V over Citrix/RDS so I can cache offline copies of applications? Cool … I can use that too.
But go on pretending you can match Office with Drive and therefore matching the larger statement of “work for my job and home equally well”.
I don’t think Android is 100% ready to run on this kind of products, it still lacks a better mouse+keyboard/trackpad UI and some quality apps. sincerely I’d rather have Chrome OS on this device.
I’ve dinked around with my mom’s transformer and dock. The mouse & KB work pretty well, even on that old thing.
You had me at “11.6“ tablet for $350”. I mean unless the N1 actually gets released in the US.
My ultimate dream is to have a laptop that could run a windows with the keyboard attached and without it, run Android but with GPE support from Google… #utopia