OSNews:

XBox? Surface?

donotreply@osnews.com (shinkou) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:13:00 GMT

While their naming is getting more confusing, I'm more concerned by the question whether there are any buttons on the device. Maybe I'm the only one, but I can't imagine how I'm going to play those fighting game titles on it without button.

I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (kragil) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:30:00 GMT

I will get a Nexus 4 and it beats nearly all 7 inch tablets hands down.

Why would anyone with a high resolution phone need a tablet?

I can have quad core, 2gigs of RAM and a 1280x768 screen with me all the time.

I will also get a wireless charger, I had a touchstone for my Pre and it was great. You always know where to put your phone, it is always fully charged and you never have to stick in stupid cables etc.
Devices you need to charge nearly every day should all be charged wirelessly.

So why would I need a tablet? (I have good eye sight and holding the device a little closer to my face is no problem, because it weighs only 1/3 of a 7-inch tablet)

Having 2 devices for the same purpose seems really dumb to me. I have friends with Ipads and they only play games on them .. they read news etc on their phone.

Comment by ansidotsys

donotreply@osnews.com (ansidotsys) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:38:00 GMT

So, incompatible with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Question. Why?

Because it doesn't have to be--it just have to be compatible with the Windows Store APIs (WinRT). The entire design behind WinRT is precisely for this kind of freedom in hardware. Even if this custom kernel is subset of the Windows 8 kernel, the applications can still be coded using a subset of WinRT APIs.

The end result of this is that this gaming tablet can't run all Windows Store apps, but the games coded for it can still be executed on a Windows x86 or ARM tablet because they support the full WinRT API. In other words, they can still improve the Windows Store ecosystem without compromising the gaming capabilities of this supposed gaming tablet.

Is this how Microsoft will actually do it? Who knows, it's still a rumor, but having a custom kernel isn't as bad as it may seem. Imagine having a tablet where you purchased your games, and you can then resume those same games on your desktop. Now imagine this pitch to developers that you code one game in WinRT and it reaches all devices.Edited 2012-11-07 00:39 UTC

RE: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (WereCatf) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 02:00:00 GMT

Why would anyone with a high resolution phone need a tablet?

Reading books and watching videos on a phone is a whole LOT inferior an experience compared to doing that on a tablet. Just try spending several hours reading a book on a phone and you'll see.

Devices you need to charge nearly every day should all be charged wirelessly.

I disagree. Wireless charging is a waste of electricity, you're trading a lot higher electricity use for convenience.

So why would I need a tablet? (I have good eye sight and holding the device a little closer to my face is no problem, because it weighs only 1/3 of a 7-inch tablet)

You asked why people use tablets and I gave you two good examples. I don't know why you specifically would need one.

Having 2 devices for the same purpose seems really dumb to me. I have friends with Ipads and they only play games on them .. they read news etc on their phone.

That's their prerogative.

RE: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (WorknMan) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 02:46:00 GMT

Why would anyone with a high resolution phone need a tablet?

Same reason why people buy 50" plasmas, when they could just buy a small TV and sit closer to it

I have a Galaxy Nexus and a Nexus 7, and the 3 or so inches size difference is pretty noticeable to me, even though it doesn't seem like it would be in theory. Besides, if you're not near a power source and want to read, play games, watch a movie, or whatever, you can do it on a tablet without draining that non-removable battery on the Nexus 4.Edited 2012-11-07 02:48 UTC

RE: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (galvanash) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Why would anyone with a high resolution phone need a tablet?

Because phones are too small for some things.

RE[2]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (lucas_maximus) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 06:58:00 GMT

Same reason why people buy 50" plasmas, when they could just buy a small TV and sit closer to it

Actually it is about the size of the room.

RE: Comment by ansidotsys

donotreply@osnews.com (moondevil) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:54:00 GMT

This is the same approach Sony is having with PlayStation Vita and the PlayStation Mobile SDK developer program.

They aren't having much success though.

RE[3]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (quackalist) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 09:24:00 GMT

Odd, I wander around the neighbourhood and half the living rooms have 50" TV's yet the rooms, mostly, are tiny...pity the swinging cat. The other 50% are probably unemployed or maybe it's the other way around.Edited 2012-11-07 09:29 UTC

RE[2]: Comment by ansidotsys

donotreply@osnews.com (wonea) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:32:00 GMT

Exactly, create a static platform instead of constantly evolving with the hardware. Like the iPad 4 is underpowered!? Honestly I can't see Microsoft's logic.

Oh boy

donotreply@osnews.com (Drunkula) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:12:00 GMT

Remind me to stay away from such a device.

Rumors and Assumptions

donotreply@osnews.com (modmans2ndcoming) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:15:00 GMT

I am sure it will support all the windows store apps.

RE[2]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (modmans2ndcoming) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:24:00 GMT

the loss via inductive charging when in contact (like a charging pad) is not too bad < 5% so that is probably a good trade off for most people.

RE[3]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (Neolander) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:54:00 GMT

the loss via inductive charging when in contact (like a charging pad) is not too bad < 5% so that is probably a good trade off for most people.

I tried to imagine inductive charging without device contact seriously for a few seconds.

Then a picture of Nikola Tesla's gigantic antennas popped up in my head.Edited 2012-11-07 16:54 UTC

Comment by ilovebeer

donotreply@osnews.com (ilovebeer) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:04:00 GMT

Each device provides its own unique experience to the user. In my opinion, watching anything longer than a few minutes worth of video on any cell phone is lame. I certainly would not want to watch a full length movie on it because it simply isn't capable of providing me with the type of experience I want. Reading anything on a cellphone much beyond an article or short story at most is uncomfortable and bad for your eyes. The more you zoom in to lessen the strain, the more inconvenient it becomes.

All these devices can be describe using one simple word... tools. That's all they are. To some people a cellphone may provide all the features & experience the user needs/wants. Their beloved cellphone may actually be their electronic swiss army knife. But, that's no excuse for no seeing how or why that may not be true for others. I don't mind using different tools depending on the job & what I want out of it. Obviously a whole lot of people feel the same way.

RE: XBox? Surface?

donotreply@osnews.com (zima) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 01:28:00 GMT

A legitimate concern ...consider how, not a long time ago, joysticks were the preferred game input method - and in those times, probably quite a few people couldn't imagine their favourite games on, say, WASD+mouse.

There is always a possibility of another similar paradigm shift (because it of course impacts also the games themselves - for example FPP and RTS which rose to prominence together with mouse, built around the core mechanic of... pointing at things) - and those of us who want buttons in mobile ~console, might face the need to seek out some more niche products; just like joystick-wielders nowadays do.

RE[3]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (phreck) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:24:00 GMT

We have a large room, yet we decided to buy only a 30" TV.

Advantages:
* Less power consumption
* Less noise encumbered on neighbours and neighbour rooms
* Less weight (which is nice upon cleaning or relocation)
* Cheaper in price

Disadvantages:
* ???

It is not about the size of the room, but about field-of-view (i.e. size/distance), which accounts for both vision and builtin-stereo-sound-perception.Edited 2012-11-08 12:26 UTC

RE[4]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (lucas_maximus) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:38:00 GMT

I bought a 42inch telly because the Avengers looks f--king amazing on it.

But generally, a larger room requires a larger telly.Edited 2012-11-08 14:39 UTC

RE[4]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (modmans2ndcoming) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 03:46:00 GMT

There are companies that have built concept devices that do it...the loss is pretty large though.

RE[3]: I don't get tablets, enlighten me

donotreply@osnews.com (zima) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 22:48:00 GMT

the loss via inductive charging when in contact (like a charging pad) is not too bad < 5% so that is probably a good trade off for most people.

Now consider if it would become really popular ...on a global scale* that quickly starts getting into "how many more power plants will we need?" kind of questions.

*global is the scale here, with "most people" - among them, 5+ billion mobile subscribers already.

Anyway, inductive/pad charging can be seen as less convenient in some regards: its spot needs to remain relatively undisturbed (and recharging in a car is outright out basically - unless in a holder, which pretty much doesn't change the status quo), using the phone and recharging at the same time is harder. I even suspect it might also lead to some domestic disputes ;p (when somebody "bumps off" a recharging mobile from its pad)