Every tool has strengths and weaknesses. I wouldn't use them to replace a workstation, but these tablets are ideal for people working with control systems in the field.
android is pretty open by default, and it's even feasible (not easy or fun) to write programs directly on the phone.
Actually, with SL4A it IS sort of fun, especially if you add Amarino into the mix
"Scripting Layer for Android (SL4A) brings scripting languages to Android by allowing you to edit and execute scripts and interactive interpreters directly on the Android device. These scripts have access to many of the APIs available to full-fledged Android applications, but with a greatly simplified interface that makes it easy to get things done."
$80 Google Android handset sells big in Africa – Huawei Ideos
Chinese phone manufacturers Huawei who specialise in budget white label handsets seem to have hit the correct market in Africa as its Huawei Ideos budget smartphone has taken off in Kenya bringing a huge jump in Android sales to the country.
Be a competent, capable engineer who isn't precious about using non-traditional tools. I have more than twenty of them using Android tablets to configure industrial control and engine management systems.
On the other hand, "moving to the cloud" is basically a software-and-IT-support way of saying "outsourcing,"
And here's me thinking it was just a way for Microsoft to move their lockin from Office to Sharepoint, now the idea of open formats has started to gain traction...
This one may flop, but it won't take long for someone to make one work. The cost of building these tablets is falling fast, while the capability of the hardware is ramping up with similar velocity. Screen size won't be a problem for long - I already hook up my Asus tablet to an external keyboard, mouse and HDMI out (to a full size monitor) when I'm doing office work on it. It feels light and responsive as it is, so the new quad core versions should fly.
There's plenty of good looking games in Tegra Zone too, and I have no doubt that's just scratching the surface of what'll be available soon enough.
It's a great thing that the computing world is finally routing around the damage that is Microsoft's desktop computing monopoly. It's well past time we had some real innovation in the field.
This rejigging of desktop Windows is pretty good evidence that MS didn't see the trap they were setting themselves with WP7, which won't scale to tablets.
Not to mention that, while "Windows 7 is a niceer operating system" than previous versions of Windows, it's still not a very interesting or innovative platform, and is only selling well because it's the default OEM install. It's certainly not growing the market, which groundbreaking products tend to do.
If you look around the current OS scene, there's a lot more innovation and excitement than there has been for decades - you have the phones, with fast new text input methods like Swype, tablets with tilt and touch interfaces, UIs like Android, Meego and iOS that are instantly responsive on their dual core ARM devices, even new laptop/netbook form factors based on online data storage (ChromeOS). It's all an indication that the computing world is finally routing around the damage that is Microsoft's desktop computing monopoly.
In that context, Win7 looks pretty lifeless. It may be faster than Vista, but even on good modern hardware it still feels like the UI is mired in honey. And under the hood, sure, there were improvements, but nothing that changed the way users worked. Microsoft is rushing W8 to the market because they have to get SOMETHING out there to still seem relevant.
Slashdot Mirror
I am so glad I dumped Microsoft Office years ago.
Metro is basically the ribbon brought to the OS shell.
Where will you turn now?
Stupid as fuck MSFT, just stupid as fuck.
In my original comment I wrote "But if we are to believe this" for a reason.
Microsoft are many bad things, but they are NOT stupid as fuck.
Losing one for a hundred sounds good
Maybe.
But if we are to believe this. then MS will have:
None of which will run each other's apps, and only one of which is even close to compatible with existing Windows software.
And they're planning to let this loose on the general population?
I'm getting some popcorn. This should be fun to watch.
Serious question... are you trolling?
Not at all.
Every tool has strengths and weaknesses. I wouldn't use them to replace a workstation, but these tablets are ideal for people working with control systems in the field.
android is pretty open by default, and it's even feasible (not easy or fun) to write programs directly on the phone.
Actually, with SL4A it IS sort of fun, especially if you add Amarino into the mix
"Scripting Layer for Android (SL4A) brings scripting languages to Android by allowing you to edit and execute scripts and interactive interpreters directly on the Android device. These scripts have access to many of the APIs available to full-fledged Android applications, but with a greatly simplified interface that makes it easy to get things done."
http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/
http://blog.gadgethelpline.com/80-google-android-handset-sells-big-africa-huawei-ideos/
$80 Google Android handset sells big in Africa – Huawei Ideos
Chinese phone manufacturers Huawei who specialise in budget white label handsets seem to have hit the correct market in Africa as its Huawei Ideos budget smartphone has taken off in Kenya bringing a huge jump in Android sales to the country.
Perhaps someone will make a killing with a low cost docking station.
Asus are hoping you're right.
http://event.asus.com/mobile/padfone/
it's funny how the Flash Fanatics ignore that Flash itself is proprietary. Hypocrisy.
It's even funnier how Microsoft keeps getting first post. Mystery.
HTF do I get a job as simplistic as that?
Be a competent, capable engineer who isn't precious about using non-traditional tools. I have more than twenty of them using Android tablets to configure industrial control and engine management systems.
On the other hand, "moving to the cloud" is basically a software-and-IT-support way of saying "outsourcing,"
And here's me thinking it was just a way for Microsoft to move their lockin from Office to Sharepoint, now the idea of open formats has started to gain traction...
Ah, slashdot, giving a honest opinion about Microsoft's product
Don't blame us Slashdotters.
Your own marketing team is shooting you in the back because you didn't gratuitously say "Windows" often enough. Windows.
Well. as I sit here reading Slashdot on my free Samsung win8 tablet
Not win8. They're called W-Eights, and for very good reason...
If it has the usual Microsoft bloat, we'll be calling it W-Eight...
Just about everything else in the Australian outback is deadly to humans.
Don't worry, we have a soft spot for visiting Slashdotters.
It's a quicksand patch, just north of Round Hill Creek...
It rhymes with flop.
This one may flop, but it won't take long for someone to make one work. The cost of building these tablets is falling fast, while the capability of the hardware is ramping up with similar velocity. Screen size won't be a problem for long - I already hook up my Asus tablet to an external keyboard, mouse and HDMI out (to a full size monitor) when I'm doing office work on it. It feels light and responsive as it is, so the new quad core versions should fly.
There's plenty of good looking games in Tegra Zone too, and I have no doubt that's just scratching the surface of what'll be available soon enough.
It's a great thing that the computing world is finally routing around the damage that is Microsoft's desktop computing monopoly. It's well past time we had some real innovation in the field.
You can choose and I wish Gnome 3 and Trinity did this.
I'm guessing you mean Unity?
And of course you can choose. You can have dozens of UIs installed on a Linux distro.
UIs like Android, [Linux] Meego [Linux] and iOS [OSX] that are instantly responsive on their dual core ARM devices,
You're listing mobile operating systems, not UIs. What did you actually mean?
Pretty much what I said...
Android, which is basically an iOS "me-too!" UI, only tooled for nerds and customizers
It's not what you think. You should try it someday.
Too desktop oriented.
Sort of.
This rejigging of desktop Windows is pretty good evidence that MS didn't see the trap they were setting themselves with WP7, which won't scale to tablets.
Not to mention that, while "Windows 7 is a niceer operating system" than previous versions of Windows, it's still not a very interesting or innovative platform, and is only selling well because it's the default OEM install. It's certainly not growing the market, which groundbreaking products tend to do.
If you look around the current OS scene, there's a lot more innovation and excitement than there has been for decades - you have the phones, with fast new text input methods like Swype, tablets with tilt and touch interfaces, UIs like Android, Meego and iOS that are instantly responsive on their dual core ARM devices, even new laptop/netbook form factors based on online data storage (ChromeOS). It's all an indication that the computing world is finally routing around the damage that is Microsoft's desktop computing monopoly.
In that context, Win7 looks pretty lifeless. It may be faster than Vista, but even on good modern hardware it still feels like the UI is mired in honey. And under the hood, sure, there were improvements, but nothing that changed the way users worked. Microsoft is rushing W8 to the market because they have to get SOMETHING out there to still seem relevant.
What happens to a solar power station when it gets old?
Which is more dangerous, and what should the insurance cost?
Tell that to Dyno Nobel.
Eliza, is that you?
They're suing over patents using a proxy company today.
Google are helping an Android hardware vendor defend themselves from Apple's litigation.
Your blind hatred of Google is making you crazy.
I might question whether you are incapable of reading comprehension, but I don't know it.
You can question anything you like. There's still no doubt Microsoft knew what they were doing.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/12/russia-uses-microsoft-to-_n_713653.html
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/russia-uses-microsoft-to-suppress-dissent-51505
http://www.osnews.com/story/23797/NYT_Russia_Uses_Microsoft_to_Suppress_Dissent
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Russia-Anti-Piracy-Raids-Microsoft-Piracy-Putin,11270.html
http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2011/03/microsoft-sorry-for-bing-quake-tweet.html
http://techrights.org/2011/09/05/microsoft-mockery-of-the-chinese/
mostly because the Cosmos project has been dead for a year or so
Somebody should port it to another runtime/vm, then we could could call it an inverse ex-parrot.