[blackjack93117]

My question is how much will it cost? I'd rather see Open Office. Who wants to get hooked up to Microsoft on a tablet? Been there done that.....

[SharpieFiend]

MS is already ignoring iOS and Android. The "App Store" is 3 years old, and the iPad has been on sale for 15 months. The Android Market is also years old. If you believe that MS is all of a sudden going to support these other platforms, you have to explain why they would do that at this time, knowing that they'd be bolstering their competitors right before releasing their own tablets. The "maintaining monopolies" argument simply doesn't fit the facts.

Tablets are getting big enough now that Microsoft, nor anyone else can ignore them. The traditional PC market is getting chipped away by tablets, with laptops being the first casualty. Microsoft can no longer count on Microsoft + Intel running the world's computers, and if they want to keep growing and making money then they are simply going to have to adjust to the market.

There is one thing that Microsoft tablets will have that the others won't - Active Directory support. I can see the day coming soon where you're given a tablet computer on your first day of the job, and each desk has a docking station where you just plug it in. PCs are no longer required for most employees, and you don't need to assign laptops either.

[_StephenBB81]

Tablets are getting big enough now that Microsoft, nor anyone else can ignore them. The traditional PC market is getting chipped away by tablets, with laptops being the first casualty. Microsoft can no longer count on Microsoft + Intel running the world's computers, and if they want to keep growing and making money then they are simply going to have to adjust to the market.

There is one thing that Microsoft tablets will have that the others won't - Active Directory support. I can see the day coming soon where you're given a tablet computer on your first day of the job, and each desk has a docking station where you just plug it in. PCs are no longer required for most employees, and you don't need to assign laptops either.

I actually see that day except that you are given a mobile phone, the desks will have screen, and keyboards, you move from work station to work station always with your phone, it acts as an ID card, it acts as a time sheet, it allows you to be easily mobile and links into the PBX, you always travel with your extension, and your email.

I actually really feel that RIM need to jump on this idea, they have the PBX integration with BES/MVS, they are advancing NFC and smartcard readers, really apart from having a quality contact manager, and office suite they have the components required for the work environment.

[thpsrulr]

I have never been a fan of outlook. But if excel is offered I would jump on it.

Outlook isnt without it's problems but have you ever tried to use lotus notes or another enterprise email client? I use lotus notes at work and on a daily basis wish for outlook because of the limitations and oddities of lotus and domino.

Outlook express on the other hand is pretty useless, but ok for the avg home user I suppose. Just wish it had calender built in.

I think using Outlook with Exchange and RPC over HTTPS would be great on the PlayBook as a native email client.

[s219]

Tablets are getting big enough now that Microsoft, nor anyone else can ignore them. The traditional PC market is getting chipped away by tablets, with laptops being the first casualty. Microsoft can no longer count on Microsoft + Intel running the world's computers, and if they want to keep growing and making money then they are simply going to have to adjust to the market.

Microsoft continues to state, even as recently as last week, that tablets are really PCs and that their Windows 8 tablets will be part of their Windows/PC ecosystem. I really don't know if this will work (witness all their past failed tablet efforts). If the current batch of tablets prove anything, is that people do not want PC tablets -- they want something simpler.

[SharpieFiend]

I actually see that day except that you are given a mobile phone, the desks will have screen, and keyboards, you move from work station to work station always with your phone, it acts as an ID card, it acts as a time sheet, it allows you to be easily mobile and links into the PBX, you always travel with your extension, and your email.

I actually really feel that RIM need to jump on this idea, they have the PBX integration with BES/MVS, they are advancing NFC and smartcard readers, really apart from having a quality contact manager, and office suite they have the components required for the work environment.

RIM is already showing people how you can use NFC for this very purpose, something tells me they are going to be launching products in the near future to enable it.

[SharpieFiend]

Microsoft continues to state, even as recently as last week, that tablets are really PCs and that their Windows 8 tablets will be part of their Windows/PC ecosystem. I really don't know if this will work (witness all their past failed tablet efforts). If the current batch of tablets prove anything, is that people do not want PC tablets -- they want something simpler.

I think it could work, and very well. You get a tablet UI on the tablet itself, but when docked the attached monitor has a desktop UI.

[Xterra2]

That's a false Rumour
No waay Microsoft is letting that happen

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[market58]

The majority of my work involves some MS Office document, so the thought of having Office on my PB is awesome! The Docs to Go is a little unstable, and there have been many Excel files I receive that I can't view the data on and can't figure out how to edit the document properly. A full blown tablet version may be just the ticket. Although how large would the program be and the cost for a full tablet version would probably be in the neighborhood of $50-$60 dollars (MS ain't given it away). If Outlook would be the Natvie email client....just saying......is this a free download or will I have to purchase that as well. It would seem unfair to have to buy something that should have been installed from day one. Although as a daily user of Outlook Web Access, the thought of using the Outlook on my PB and having it synch with OWA along with my Tasks, Calendar, and contacts would be off the hook...so to speak. I have been looking for a solution to the Netbook, laptop, phone and tablet problem for forever......I have a large market of stores to cover and I am always on the go in my car. This would be (possibly) the greatest thing since the tablet itself. Let's just hope it's not 2 freaking years away!

[flyersfan76]

Didn't you hear? Microsoft (with Windows 8) is a tablet company now.

Um. Windows has been in Tablets since XP and possibly sooner.

[SharpieFiend]

Um. Windows has been in Tablets since XP and possibly sooner.

Yeah, that was Bill Gates hot thing ages ago. People weren't ready for them then - but they are now - hence all the noise about tablets now.

It wasn't very long ago that the investment analists wanted Ballmer's head on a platter because he didn't have a 'tablet strategy.'

[SharpieFiend]

That's a false Rumour
No waay Microsoft is letting that happen

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Why? Microsoft can no longer be certain of their OS running everything, no matter what they do. So, they port their core products to other platforms to grow market share and make money. It actually makes a lot of sense...