How Microsoft Has Become the Surprise Innovator in PCs

New York Times ^ | 07/27/2017 | Farhad Manjoo

[SeekAndFind]

When Microsoft unveiled the first Surface tablet five years ago, it was a spectacular failure.

At the time, the Apple iPhone was well on its way to conquering the technology industry, and the iPad appeared set to lead an even more devastating invasion of Microsoft’s office-worker kingdom. Microsoft conceived of Surface, an innovative laptop-tablet hybrid, as a way to show off the versatility of its software. Windows machines, it argued, could work as phones, personal computers and tablets. And didn’t everyone love Windows?

Nope. Microsoft soon took a $900 million write-off for unsold Surfaces. Another effort to break into the hardware business, its acquisition of the limping phone-maker Nokia, dug a deeper river of red ink — a $7.6 billion write-off. By the summer of 2015, Microsoft’s hardware dreams looked crushed. Even today, the Xbox One, Microsoft’s latest gaming console, is losing to the Sony PlayStation 4.

Still, Microsoft persisted — and today, the company is making the most visionary computers in the industry, if not the best machines, period. In the last two years, while Apple has focused mainly on mobile devices, Microsoft has put out a series of computers that reimagine the future of PCs in thrilling ways.

Yes, Apple loyalists, that’s just my subjective view. And yes, Microsoft’s latest financial results aren’t exactly on my side here — the company announced last week that though its cloud software business is growing rapidly, revenue for its Surface division declined by 2 percent over the last year (because of changes it made in its launch schedule).

[Skywise]

And for the record I’m getting about 3 hours of battery life on the SP4 compared to about 7 on an iPad Air 1st gen. (With a balanced power profile)

[NorthMountain]

OK. I understand the assertion you are making.

I simply disagree with it. Strongly.

And “usability” is a very difficult thing to define. Most folks who today moan about “usability” would be utterly baffled by the first computer I used ... and accomplished real, useful work with.

[butlerweave]

Microsoft sees how much Apple makes with it’s produce , so they cloned it

[MarkL]

I want to know about the keyboard on the Surface...I’m looking for a laptop with a type “M”, or “IBM” type keyboard...I hate the rubbery, membrane keys on the others. I’m a trained, touch typist, and I need the spring back and the travel of a keyboard to be accurate. Until then, I refuse to buy a laptop.

I doubt you'll ever be really happy with a laptop keyboard, but the good news is that the buckling spring keyboards, like the Model M, are still available. IBM moved their production to Lexmark, and they stopped making them. However, Unicomp purchased the production equipment, and you can buy buckling spring keyboards directly from them. I've got one, and I love it.

Unicomp.

Mark

[MarkL]

That being said, the nicest keyboard I ever used was on an IBM Office System/6 word processor. Looked, sounded, and felt exactly like a Selectric.

In college I used a Selectric, and LOVED IT!!! My 2nd experience with computers was also in college, with an IBM key punch machine, and it felt exactly like a Selectric.

Later on, using a Model M keyboard was close, but there's nothing like a "real" Selectric keyboard.

Mark

[BBB333]

I use a Matias Mini Quiet Pro Keyboard for PC:

https://www.amazon.com/Matias-Mini-Quiet-Pro-Keyboard/dp/B00D3BTMRU/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1501247431&sr=8-12&keywords=matias+keyboard

Really excellent and it has the key feel you are looking for.

Warning: expensive.