On the Microsoft October 2015 event
I have to say I wasnât expecting this. The fact that Microsoft decided to introduce a premium laptop was interesting. The 13.5âłÂ Microsoft Surface Book.
My first thought was that the hinge looks pretty ugly.
And why doesnât it close all the way? What a weird design for a laptop.
Oh, did I mention itâs a 2-in-1?
My mind was kind of blown at this point. Now that's a whole different story.
I love the concept of 2-in-1s. I think it's the way of the future. I see no reason why any tablet shouldn't be able to become a laptop with the right accessory, whether that's a type cover, a keyboard dock or even just a wireless keyboard and mouse. Especially with touch just really being more pleasant to use for certain type of activities.
Of course, the OS and apps have to handle the different types of inputs, and do it well, but thatâs a story for another day.
I do like what theyâre doing with the Windowsâ I mean Microsoft logo. Did I mention I find it stupid that the company and its largest product have similar, nigh identical logos? They should've just stuck with one logo, which is this simpler âMicrosoftâ logo.
Whatâs interesting is that the keyboard base contains not only a battery, but also a dedicated GPU (at least in some models).
Microsoft seemed to be on point with its hardware today. Or at least its claims were. While the general opinion of Microsoft hardware is pretty high, it remains to be seen if itâs worth $1499 for the base model.
One outrageous claim was that the device uses zero power when itâs closed, which is not the case at all with Windows devices in standby. In my experience, they lose charge by themselves within 2, 3 days tops, which is just frankly awful. I also believe this is inherent to the OS, and wonât change unless they vastly overhaul how Win32 and native API behaves, thus putting backwards compatibility at risk. But frankly, Microsoft should just cut off backwards compatibility and let businesses keep their old OSs. I want a good experience, everything else is secondary.
Theyâve also announced the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
Not much has changed here. Itâs more powerful, slightly thinner. The display is now closer to the glass than ever, is slightly larger (while keeping the same overall tablet size), with pixel density (267 ppi) on par with the iPad (264 ppi).
Iâm still not a big fan of the kickstand. It seems inherently âunlappableâ, which is pretty crucial for a tablet thatâs supposed to replace your lap-top.
This also raises the question of why there are two separate devices. Couldnât the Surface Pro 4 have been designed so that it could be plugged into a keyboard base with a dedicated GPU? Wouldnât that be more versatile? Is 12.3âł and 13.5âł really that big of a difference?
I also wish Microsoft would make a 15âł Surface. I really just think big tablets are awesome. Big 2-in-1s even more so.
But $899 for the base model Surface Pro 4? Honestly, Iâd be more interested in the non-Pro Surface 4, which was absent. Iâve never had issues with lack of performance on a tablet, and even my MacBook Pro has trouble with games, so I donât think performance is the way to go with portables.
Thereâs a new Type Cover. The key layout and dimensions are now seemingly identical with the 12âł MacBook. The touchpad is larger, yet it still seems too small to me. Interestingly, some models include a separate fingerprint reader to allow Windows Hello to function on the older Surface Pro 3. I have to wonder if integrating it within the touchpad wasnât an option. Windows Hello itself is a nice reaction to Appleâs Touch ID, but it remains to be seen how reliable and convenient it is.
Thereâs also a new Surface Pen available in different colours. It newly has an eraser, and 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, although what difference that does make I do not know. It also claims reduced latency. There will also be new replacement tips of different shapes. Iâm not too impressed, since one thing Iâve always disliked about digitiser pens is that the tip gives way when you press on it, which seems to be the case here as well. What Iâm more concerned with is that the pen seems to lack buttons. The pen also promises a yearâs worth of battery life. I hope the implication here isnât that itâs disposable, that would be pretty bad.
Oh, and the pen can be magnetically attached to the Surface Pro 4 and Book. It looked cute, but Iâd probably be worried of it detaching and getting lost.
Thereâs also a new Surface Dock. I feel like this should be an obvious accessory, but apparently it isn't. I'm glad that at least Microsoft is doing this, since Apple is severely lacking in this regard.
Thereâs the new Microsoft Band 2, but it doesnât look like something Iâd want to wear at all times. Itâs not fashionable, it looks bulky and uncomfortable to type with, and its functions seem dedicated almost solely to fitness. Iâd prefer a smart watch.
There was also a Hololens demo, which was super cheesy, in classical Microsoft fashion. You will also apparently be able to buy a dev kit for a âmereâ $3000. I sure hope the consumer version is far cheaper than that.
Finally, new flagship phones. The 5.2âłÂ Microsoft Lumia 950.
The looks leave a lot to be desired.
The 5.7âłÂ Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is even worse. Gone are the vibrant colours. Plastic, metal and glass is combined without rhyme or reason. Itâs tasteless, and smells of design by committee. This is something I was afraid would happen since the acquisition of Nokiaâs mobile division by Microsoft.
The specs are nice, sure, but itâs nothing game changing. The phones boast a 20 megapixel Zeiss optics camera, but that by itself means very little. I find that software determines photo quality far more than camera specs do.
Oh, and Windows Phones now have the Windows âHeroâ image as the lock screen. Great. It's only been a couple of months and I already hate the godawful picture with a passion.
There was a lot of emphasis on Continuum with the newly introduced Display Dock, which allows you to connect a monitor and accessories via USB-C and use your phone like a PC. While this isnât news, it is an interesting idea. Iâm just not sure how useful it will be. Itâs no good for travelling, and if you have a bigger screen, it might as well be a tablet with its own more powerful processor. This leaves people who donât have a second device, but how will the price of the Display Dock and a monitor, keyboard and mouse compare to a laptop or tablet?
Also, can I just say how glad I am the Display Dock is just a little box with sensibly arranged ports? Going by the current USB hub designs, youâd think this was a stroke of genius. Sheesh.
The newly announced 4.7âłÂ Microsoft Lumia 550 budget phone is a bit more interesting, if only because it does 4G LTE for only $139. Of course, itâs hard to judge a phone only by specs, but really, a metal logo on a plastic back? Come on, Microsoft, surely you know better. Otherwise, the display and everything else seems pretty nice. Only the 5 megapixel camera and lack of a USB-C port are a bit disappointing.
Now if only Windows 10 wasnât shit.