- By Richi Jennings, this is OTOH: curated, fluff-free news and commentary, for people too busy to sift the gold from the sludge
We already knew about Asus, but now Microsoft has blogged about three more manufacturers of branded Windows RT PCs. It revealed that the PCs won't all be clones of its own Surface RT 'reference' design, but that each vendor is making several different design choices.
On the one hand, why would business users be interested in WinRT, which doesn't run the legacy Windows desktop.
On The Other Hand, RT PCs are going to be thinner, lighter, quicker to resume, and cost less—so perhaps there's a worthwhile tradeoff here.
One of 'Aunty' Beeb's anonymous writers writes that we now know the identities of three more hardware partners, after Asus:
Samsung,
...Dell and Lenovo [will] sell PCs powered by the software. ... Windows RT is designed to work on chips based on British firm ARM's designs.
Windows RT devices will become available on 26 October. ...Acer has said it intended to release Windows RT devices next year. ...Toshiba said it wanted to "monitor market conditions" [first], while [HP] said it wanted to focus on x86...for the time being.
...
They are likely to be marketed as offering extended battery life and...turn on in less than a second from standby.
As Simon Sharwood says, one size doesn't fit all:
Microsoft is calling [them] “RT PCs”...the companies mentioned will pack ARM silicon, a keyboard and touch screen. ...the Windows RT menagerie will contain all sorts of different creatures, as specs for the devices range widely.
Microsoft's Mike Angiulo opens the kimono a bit wider:
Windows RT begins a new era of ARM-based PCs...[using] one Windows binary for...SoC platforms from NVIDIA,
Qualcomm , and Texas Instruments...providing opportunities for PC makers to bring to life a new generation of PCs with new capabilities.
...
PC manufacturers will be unveiling their products as we approach the...launch. [But] the spectrum of form factors...being developed to meet [different] computing needs is unique in the industry. ... We are looking forward to the exciting announcements ahead.
But RT PCs aren't as flexible as 'full' Windows PCs; nevertheless, Tim Anderson wants one:
Windows [RT] is a different thing to Windows 8 on Intel. ... [On] the ARM version only Windows Runtime apps...will run.
...
On the face of it, the Intel version is a better deal. ... However, there are times when less is more. ... Windows RT...promises a better tablet experience, with...longer battery life and a lighter...device. You cannot install desktop apps, but...the Windows 8 ecosystem [should] come up with WinRT apps to cover the essential computing activities.
...
There is also Microsoft Office of course...it makes the difference between having to have a laptop with you as well...and being able to get all your work done on the tablet alone.
And Kevin C. Tofel says we shouldn't forget Microsoft's own Surface tablet:
The other new factor here is that Microsoft is competing against its own licensees. ... My first impressions are fairly positive here: [it's] a compelling choice...and the product has some of the [iPad's] sexiness. ... The cover with integrated keyboard in particular looks...useful.
...
Surface looks to sizzle. ... Perhaps Microsoft will be the biggest surprise here and end up leading the pack.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Anthony looks for those pesky known unknowns:
There’s still absolutely no info regarding the price of Windows RT devices. ... For the most part, we are probably looking at...around the iPad’s $400 price point — but even that might prove difficult...given Apple’s supply chain dominance.
Update: Tim Stevens has a deeply-throated "inside source":
...a session was held at Microsoft's recent TechReady15 conference in which [it was said] the Surface for Windows RT tablet will be launching October 26th...at a compelling price of $199. That...would line it up against the Nexus 7 and even the Kindle Fire. It would put Windows 8 on the map in a big way.
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Richi Jennings is an independent analyst, writer and editor. You can Google-Plus him at +richij, follow him as @richi on Twitter, pretend to be his friend at Facebook.com/richij or just use boring old email: fs@richij.com
