How Microsoft's Surface Failure Created Success

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This week marks the seventh anniversary of the launch of the Microsoft Surface (born Surface with Windows RT), one of Microsoft Unattractive hardware versions that ultimately helped to define Microsoft's approach to hardware and software for the second decade of the twenty-first century.

What is the problem with the surface, how did the design changeand why are these ideas still present in the success of the Surface Portfolio that Microsoft has now?

Surface RT – I'm going with the common name – was a simple proposition. A tablet-based Windows experience, optimized for portability, including a number of detachable keyboards and covers for different tasks.

Yet he never took off. Let's start with the Windows experience. Microsoft was in transition and plagued by Windows RT – a version of Windows 8.x designed to work on an ARM architecture. This made it theoretically suitable for a mobile device, but it was blocking almost all software written for Windows. The only choice for developers was to move to Universal Windows Apps and distribute the code through the Microsoft Store.

That was too much to ask, and very few applications made the jump. Surface RT may have been delivered with Officebut adding your favorite application or utility was almost always an impossible dream. The case of using Surface RT was simply aimed at reducing the costs associated with the deployment of a company, and the consumer demand for the limited experience was very low.

How about the design? The choices made for Surface RT have compromised its functionality. Using a 10.6-inch screen displaying a 16: 9 ratio did not work well for business functionality, Office applications do not use space to the best of their ability. The screen itself had anemic resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, relatively attenuated in terms of color reproduction. Although the touch screen is present, much of the RT still needed a near-perfect click to achieve some controls. Optimization for touch did not go much beyond Window Metro User Interface.

There were a few small touches, including the kickstand solution of using the tablet on a desk, but with a fixed position at the opening, the ergonomics were rarely correct, you could use it restfully on your knees, but the crutch had to go further behind the imprint. sit on your lap and create an uncomfortable posture in a small space, such as a press conference.

By holding the Surface RT, you realized how much the 16: 9 screen was disproportionate, but also to the physical size of the device. It's not ergonomic and its weight makes it difficult to hold on for a long time.

The specifications of the RT were also not something writing at home. It came with a Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset and options for 2GB or 3GB of RAM, backed up by 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. The main selling point was the use of the ARM architecture, which would never compete with the Intel-based Windows machines that people would compare to this tablet.

Microsoft's Surface RT examined the part until you used it, and then the flaws continued to appear. The project could have ended there, but we know different. Seven years later and in hindsight, I would say that the first Surface had a few steps in advance.

RT adopted the idea of ​​a tablet and made it professional. She focused on a keyboard and stylus for interaction and became (ultimately) the platform that Microsoft would use to demonstrate its transformative approach to software and services.

The Surface family is now running the full version of Windows 10 without any locked functions (Windows 10S mode devices are available but you can switch to full software mode to Windows 10), including backwards compatibility for legacy applications, and Windows XP. ;business. Surface material is considered a major trend in design. Features such as the kickstand include multiple positions on low-end models and an infinitely variable friction hinge on high specification models. Proportions are much more useful for working with larger displays of increasing resolutions. And with new materials and improved use of technology, Surface Pro machines – the closest visually to Surface RT – are lighter, more powerful and better connected.

The Surface family of Microsoft is considered a success … It failed only the failure of the vision.

Learn more about the latest updates to the Surface Book in 2019 …

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This week marks the seventh anniversary of the launch of Microsoft Surface (a surface with Windows RT), one of the clumsy hardware versions of Microsoft, but which ultimately helped to define Microsoft's approach to hardware and software for the second decade of the twenty-first century. .

What's wrong with Surface, how has the design changed and why are these ideas still present in Microsoft's successful Surface portfolio?

Surface RT – I'm going with the common name – was a simple proposition. A tablet-based Windows experience, optimized for portability, including a number of detachable keyboards and covers for different tasks.

Yet he never took off. Let's start with the Windows experience. Microsoft was in transition and under the influence of Windows RT – a version of Windows 8.x designed to work on an ARM architecture. This made it theoretically suitable for a mobile device, but it was blocking almost all software written for Windows. The only choice of developers was to upgrade to Universal Windows Apps and distribute the code through the Microsoft Store.

That was too much to ask, and very few applications made the jump. The Surface RT may have been bundled with Office, but adding your favorite application or utility was almost always an impossible dream. The case of using Surface RT was simply aimed at reducing the costs associated with the deployment of a company, and the consumer demand for the limited experience was very low.

How about the design? The choices made for Surface RT have compromised its functionality. Using a 10.6-inch screen displaying a 16: 9 ratio did not work well for business functionality, Office applications do not use space to the best of their ability. The screen itself had anemic resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, relatively attenuated in terms of color reproduction. Although the touch screen is present, much of the RT still needed a near-perfect click to achieve some controls. Touch optimization has not gone far beyond the Metro user interface.

There were a few small touches, including the kickstand solution of using the tablet on a desk, but with a fixed position at the opening, the ergonomics were rarely correct, you could use it restfully on your knees, but the crutch had to go further behind the imprint. sit on your lap and create an uncomfortable posture in a small space, such as a press conference.

By holding the Surface RT, you realized how much the 16: 9 screen was disproportionate, but also to the physical size of the device. It's not ergonomic and its weight makes it difficult to hold on for a long time.

The specifications of the RT were also not something writing at home. It came with a Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset and options for 2GB or 3GB of RAM, backed up by 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. The main selling point was the use of the ARM architecture, which would never compete with the Intel-based Windows machines that people would compare to this tablet.

Microsoft's Surface RT examined the part until you used it, and then the flaws continued to appear. The project could have ended there, but we know different. Seven years later and in hindsight, I would say that the first Surface had a few steps in advance.

RT adopted the idea of ​​a tablet and made it professional. She focused on a keyboard and stylus for interaction and became (ultimately) the platform that Microsoft would use to demonstrate its transformative approach to software and services.

The Surface family is now running the full version of Windows 10 without any locked functions (Windows 10S mode devices are available but you can switch to full software mode to Windows 10), including backwards compatibility for legacy applications, and Windows XP. ;business. Surface hardware is seen as a trend in design. Features such as the kickstand include multiple positions on low-end models and an infinitely variable friction hinge on top specification models. Proportions are much more useful for working with larger displays of increasing resolutions. And with new materials and improved use of technology, Surface Pro machines – the closest visually to Surface RT – are lighter, more powerful and better connected.

The Surface family of Microsoft is considered a success … It failed only the failure of the vision.

Learn more about the latest updates to the Surface Book in 2019 …