Microsoft Surface Tablet Has Potential to be Embraced by Physicians

MedPageToday ^ | June 20, 2012 | Iltifat Husain

[SmokingJoe]

It should not be a surprise that physcians are not fans of Microsoft products -- namely Windows and Internet Explorer. Much of this hatred is due to hospital enterprise solutions still using outdated versions of Internet Explorer. Ask a physician friend to fill you in if you need a better idea. On a personal note, I had been dreading the forthcoming Microsoft tablet because I know Microsoft products make hospital health IT departments salivate.

We commented last year how many hospital IT departments cite physicians using the iPad at work as their biggest headache. I knew as soon as Microsoft launched a tablet, hospitals would gravitate towards the product, no matter if it was good or not -- because of "legendary" Microsoft enterprise solutions.

I was set to start the countdown to purgatory -- when I would be forced to use a Microsoft tablet in the hospital wards.

But after reading about the event, and looking at videos and pictures of the Surface, I felt an odd emotion -- excitement. Microsoft has actually laid the framework to a compelling device.

In an odd turn of events, their lack of hardware expertise has actually benefited them in the post-PC era. Whereas Apple has to make sure it differentiates its hardware product lines, Microsoft does not. Apple has to make sure users purchase a tablet and a laptop, doing this by limiting the scope and functionality of iOS, along with hardware limitations; Microsoft doesn't care. The company is more than willing to include a robust OS (Windows 8) with included HDMI and USB ports.

All these features have enabled Microsoft to bring a unique device to the market, one that truly defines the post-PC era.

There are five reasons why doctors might actually embrace the Microsoft tablet

[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.

[SeekAndFind]

The Intel tablet weighs 903 grams and is 13.5mm thick, while the NVIDIA/Windows RT model weighs 676 grams and is 9.3mm thick. They each have a 10.6-inch display. Office Home & Student 2013 RT is listed for the Windows RT tablet, as well as microSD, USB 2.0, and Micro HD Video. Office isn't listed on the Intel tablet, but x86 Windows 8 devices will run all standard Windows applications. Ports on the Intel tablet include microSDXC, USB 3.0, and Mini DisplayPort.

Even with the cover, the tablets are quite thin, as you can see here:



And here:



The newly unveiled Surface site doesn't say which model is shown in those pictures. In fact, Microsoft's site says these "images are design renderings and not photographs," even though Microsoft did show off actual hardware prototypes at its announcement. In any case, the Windows RT version will be available in 32GB and 64GB flavors, and the Windows 8 Pro device will be available with 64GB or 128GB of storage. Each have front- and rear-facing cameras, and 2x2 MIMO WiFi antennas.

Microsoft claims it's a tablet that is as great as a PC and a PC that is as great as a tablet. As for availability, the Windows 8 RT tablet will be ready around the time of Windows 8 general availability, a few months from now. The Windows 8 Pro unit will ship a few months after the Windows RT version. They'll be sold in US-based Microsoft retail stores and online. Microsoft said suggested retail pricing will be competitive to a "comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC," but we don't know the exact prices yet.

So far, we're not seeing any indication of integrated 3G or 4G cellular connectivity.

[SeekAndFind]

Those who want to look at pictures and detailed spec of the Microsoft Surface Tablet can click on this site

[q_an_a]

This is a very detailed post and it should stop a few folks that think the Surface is not threat to iPad. The gizmodo people think the pricing is going to be 599 and 699 which would make a lot of product fly of the shelf at Christmas.

One "theory" is that the release date is fall, so partners like Dell and HP can build one too. Hard to say if Ballmer is delaying price points in order to allow partners to get a product, either made by and sold through or their own versions.

[q_an_a]

This is a very detailed post and it should stop a few folks that think the Surface is not threat to iPad. The gizmodo people think the pricing is going to be 599 and 699 which would make a lot of product fly of the shelf at Christmas.

One "theory" is that the release date is fall, so partners like Dell and HP can build one too. Hard to say if Ballmer is delaying price points in order to allow partners to get a product, either made by and sold through or their own versions.

[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.

[Mr. Blonde]

Although I haven’t seen one way or another, I can’t imagine that the Surface doesn’t have a virtual keyboard when necessary. I don’t think think they will have to have a flat surface whenever they want to use the tablet, but when they need to type out something longer they can find a place to do that.

The cues from the Asus Transformer series seems pretty clear here. It isn’t trying to make you do things one way, but give you as much of an all in one experience as possible. I can see how a Doctor would take to that.

[roadcat]

Video Offers Side-by-Side Look at Microsoft & Steve Jobs Keynotes

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/video_offers_side-by-side_look_at_microsoft_steve_jobs_keynotes/

Big fail on copying Steve Jobs style...

[hecht]

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

[BereanBrain]

its not about keynotes, it’s about proper product at the RIGHT time, not 3 or 5 years late. It’s about playing to where the ball will be, not where it’s at today.
Given that it takes 2-3 years to develop a product, if you are reacting to the market, that puts you 5 years behind.

As a result, the graph below shows what happens to you

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ta?s=AAPL&t=2y&l=on&z=l&q=l&p=&a=&c=msft

[roadcat]

its not about keynotes, it’s about proper product at the RIGHT time, not 3 or 5 years late.

Yes. Jobs released the iPad in 2010, although he developed it years before the iPhone. He was smart about timing. So MS is perhaps 7 years late in their thinking. Reminds me of a boss I had in the mid-80s. I showed him the original Mac when it came out in 1984. He was extremely smart. I needed cheat cards to decipher command mnemonics in core dumps of IBM mainframe memory. He would simply look at raw hex or binary digits and recode on the fly - no mnemonic clues.

Anyway, he said "Mark my words, you will never ever see a mouse or gui on a real PC, I bet my career on it". That is where Apple is ahead, thinking of where the ball will be, not where it has been. MS is slow to learn.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Hard to say if Ballmer is delaying price points in order to allow partners to get a product,

All I can say is I have seen Ballmer present Microsoft’s latest products more than once. I have also seen Bill Gates before him in action.

No contest, Ballmer is the more flashy showman/salesman (or BS artist is you are a cynic).

[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.