It was with interest that I watched the presentation about Windows surface and what struck me as unusual about the presentation was the manner of the presenters, their choice of clothing, message, etc.
In some respects it seems that the only way to look cool and hip is to wear faded out jeans, shirt untucked, and to have the look of someone who just got out of bed or only has three items of clothing in the closet. It is almost as though the Surface presentation was a parody of Apple's geek look. I guess the only people who use tablets and like devices have to appear hip -- if hip means looking like something that emerged twenty years before. No such thing as coming out in a Zegna suit and looking cool in Italian fashion or striking a pose like a model out of Vanity Fair and looking like a million bucks would do. If it means that I have to appear like Steve Jobs or a geek geeks to appreciate the novelty and uniqueness of the device then one has to wonder how unique I'll feel using the surface.
That aside, the moment of fear that crossed the face of the Windows RT presenter was priceless as he tried to initiate the Internet Explorer; it was clearly evident that the device froze; he had to excuse himself and pick up another tablet to continue the presentation. Imagine what might have been going through the minds of Microsoft management at that time -- the message that they have the coolest and best device would have evaporated if the other tablets also locked-up at critical moments.
The other message that came across loudly and which indicated that there was some concern was the matter of the Surface's weight. The repeated references to it feeling like a book suggests that Microsoft was trying to minimize any negative reference to its weight; similarly, the repeated references to its thickness, 22 degrees bevel along the perimeter of the case, gorilla glass, etc. were attempts to mitigate such concerns.
In any event the device seems quite useable and I especially like the pen/writing feature. I would buy Surface just for that feature alone.
Hip in Vancouver B.C. and definitely not wearing faded jeans. so 90s.
