Tech bloggers and other reviewers praised Microsoft Corp’s new Surface RT tablet for beautiful design but said a shortage of applications and a slow operating system meant the result was heartbreak for users.
Microsoft begins selling the Surface on Friday, joining the fight in a tablet market dominated by Apple Inc.’s iPads and devices using Google Inc.’s Android system.
Reviewers given the product early to play with it said its first version paled in comparison with the iPad.
Matt Burns of TechCrunch said the tablet was great and the Windows RT operating system showed promise, but he still was not keen.
“There are simply more mature options available right now,” he wrote. (http://r.reuters.com/tes53t)
Similarly, Sam Biddle of Gizmodo, a technology website, said Surface had fantastic potential but he was sharply critical of the operating system, Windows RT, saying it was underpowered, lacked functionality.
“While potential is worth your attention, it’s not worth your paycheck. Surface RT gets so many things right, and pulls so many good things together into one package. But it is undercooked,” he wrote. (http://r.reuters.com/xes53t)
Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system, also available on tablets, had the full range of Windows apps but Windows RT does not, and lacks compatibility with older software, Vincent Nguyen at Slashgear said. (http://r.reuters.com/pus53t)
“Microsoft hasn’t done the best job explaining the differences, and many consumers are likely to buy RT only to find out they don’t have the full functionality of Windows 8,” added CNET’s Shara Tibken. (http://r.reuters.com/nus53t)
Microsoft has said it expects to have 100,000 apps in place for the tablet by January, whereas Apple has 275,000 iPad apps available now and its tablet also runs many more iPhone apps.
“Microsoft says there will be thousands of apps at launch, with a constant stream of more coming, but its apps offerings pale next to the number Apple has made available for the iPad,” Edward Baig at USA Today wrote. (http://r.reuters.com/kus53t)
Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg praised the availability of Microsoft Office apps and optional keyboards.
“If you can live with its tiny number of third-party apps, and somewhat disappointing battery life, it may give you the productivity some miss in other tablets,” he said. (http://r.reuters.com/jus53t)
But Wired reviewer Mathew Honan warned that the tablet would not turn heads.
“Nobody asked me about my Surface. I tried flashing it all over the place. But despite my best efforts, no one seemed curious,” Honan wrote. (http://r.reuters.com/ses53t)
“The only person to comment on it was a TSA agent at the Seattle airport, who told me I didn’t need to take my iPad out of my bag.”
Beautiful Microsoft tablet let down by software gaps — reviewers
Beautiful Microsoft tablet let down by software gaps — reviewers
Apple to update EU browser options, make more apps deletable
- iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7
- Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options
STOCKHOLM: Apple will change how users choose browser options in the European Union, add a dedicated section for changing default apps, and make more apps deletable, the company said on Thursday.
The iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7, forcing big tech companies to offer mobile users the ability to select from a list of available web browsers on a “choice screen.”
The new rules require mobile software makers to show the choice screen where users can select a browser, search engine and virtual assistant as they set up their phones, which earlier came with preferred options from Apple and Google.
In an update later this year, Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options.
A randomly ordered list of 12 browsers per EU country will be shown to the user with short descriptions, and the chosen one will be automatically downloaded, Apple said. The choice screen will also be available on iPads through an update later this year.
Apple released a previous update in response to the new rules in March, but browser companies criticized the design of its choice screen, and the Commission opened an investigation on March 25 saying it suspected that the measures fell short of effective compliance.
The company said it has been in dialogue with the European Commission and believes the new changes will address regulators’ concerns.
It also plans to introduce a dedicated area for default apps where a user will be able to set defaults for messaging, phone calls, spam filters, password managers and keyboards.
Users will also be able to delete certain Apple-made apps such as App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos and Safari. Only Settings and Phone apps would not be deletable.
