[SmokingJoe]

The 5 reasons(more details at link)
1) Hardware
2) Keyboard
3) Stylus pen with hand block
4) Ports: USB 2.0, HDMI, MicroSD
5) Full functioning OS

"One thing is for sure, though: the Surface has the opportunity to be relevant in the hospital space, and my fellow doctors can stop being scared now. Personally, I can't wait to try one out."

[FatherofFive]

I design powerful business solutions using Excel and VBA.

This is going to good for business. Finally having Excel on a tablet!

[cuban leaf]

Tablets keep bringing Star Trek TOS to mind. I think of Kirk and the notepad the yoeman would hand him.

With the exception of “hard” technologies like Warp drive and transporter beams, we’ve far surpassed the tech of Star Trek TOS in every way, and there is no end in sight. We’ve even come up with tech that they didn’t have.

[SeekAndFind]

Microsoft has indeed built its own tablet. So, she is now in the hardware business.

Make that two tablets. One Windows RT tablet runs an NVIDIA Tegra 3 ARM processor, and the other Windows 8 Pro tablet runs Intel's Ivy Bridge Core i5 chips. One thing that looks really cool are new magnetic covers that are quite reminiscent of Apple's "Smart Cover" for the iPad. But they're a lot smarter—Microsoft's covers actually include a multitouch trackpad and a keyboard. There are two, as we explain in this story: a Touch Cover with virtual keys and a Type Cover with a tactile keyboard and touchpad.

Typing on the cover is twice as efficient as typing on glass, according to Microsoft. There's also a stylus.

10.6-inch devices running Windows 8, the "Surface" tablets borrow their name from Microsoft's table-sized computer that has been an impressive yet niche product for the past few years. (The original Surface has been renamed to PixelSense in a possible attempt to avoid confusion.) In announcing the new tablets, CEO Steve Ballmer stressed that Microsoft has been a hardware company for decades, producing mice, keyboards, webcams, and of course the Xbox, among other products.

While Microsoft typically lets hardware partners build Windows-powered PCs and tablets, Surface hardware is built by Microsoft. "Things work better when hardware and software are considered together," Ballmer said. In what is perhaps a nod toward Apple's so-called "Retina Display" marketing term for high-definition screens, Microsoft said the displays are so good that your eye won't be able to distinguish individual pixels. The exact resolution is unconfirmed, but we do know the tablets feature Gorilla Glass.

[MrEdd]

Physicians have been using tablets running all sorts of operating systems for sometime.

For example, the Dell “Streak” line of phones and tablets three years ago was originally designed for hospital use and saw good market penetration there (general consumer use, not so much.)

In other news, a new line of trucks from Toyota may soon have farmers using Pickups to haul hay out to cattle. What an advance that will be.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I think the future of medical computing may well be VMWARE virtual machines being accessed by BYOD which could be ipad, android, surface or what have you. This is already being done and is a much better solution for all sorts of reasons.

[Swordmaker]

Article on how hospitals and MDs are going to love the Microsoft Surface instead of the iPad, from a MS advocate—PING!

Personally, I doubt it strongly... I can't see a doctor toting around a Surface with its keypad cover, always looking for a flat surface to put it down on to type... merely to get "Desk top functionality".

Apple Ping!

Please, No Flame Wars!
Discuss technical issues, software, and hardware.
Don't attack people!
Don't respond to the Anti-Apple Thread Trolls!
PLEASE IGNORE THEM!!!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[BereanBrain]

What sort of person would *finally* buy a tablet as a “first tablet” purchase?

Laggards who are dummies.

So, the target market is -— people who are technical laggards.....kinda like the Zune market. Who, after 5 years of MP3 players did not have one? And if they did have one, why would they want to go higher price/lower functionality? Because the on Microsoft stock?

it’s gonna be a tough, tough road when you follow the other guy after he’s introduced his 3rd gen product, and the samsungs of the world have ultracheap tablets at basically < 200$.

Microsoft should stop pretending, and quit playing in personal devices. They SHOULD go after the BUISNESS MARKET and improve their whole business offerings, making them easier to use and more sticky. They could take on for example web servers where they have < 5% of the market.

They have “jealous guy” management. Monkey boy so much wants to be cool, he will drive the company off the cliff building products that change the direction of the company while ignoring their base.

[hecht]

as a physician,we are already happily using the ipad.

[dangerdoc]

I’m a physician and we use touch pads at work. The first thing I did was plug in a mouse, keyboard, 23 inch monitor and headphone. Touch input is not productive hospitital work in my experience.

I’ve spent months making Dragon shortcuts to fill in the Touch to Type forms. I dread moving to something like this that would take away my ability to integrate local Dragon voice recognition.

I do use a Transformer at home and a touch screen that can keep itself standing and key board is a great combination. I keep reaching out to touch my laptop screen.

[jimtorr]

I’ve been dealing with a bunch of doctors, nurses, aides, receptionists and physical therapists lately, all using a bunch of hardware. Desktop PC, laptops and small mobile devices.

The one thing they all agree on is that the software they are forced to use is awful. From small two doctor practices to large multi-state corporations, they all agree that the IT people are clueless about what the medical practices actually need.

My primary care physician office staff in a large medical group actually carry around full-size laptops. On the other hand, I showed my endocrinologist how he could do all of his Rx work from his iPhone or iPad while he is with a patient.

[BunnySlippers]

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