Discussion on:

Which is the superior mobile OS: iOS, Android, or Windows 8?

I have to agree with all that you say, but the advantage of iOS I believe that its in the dedicated hardware that they run. Its much easier to adjust a piece of software in a specific device that build software to work on almost any kind of device, screen, etc. Android has to satisfy everyone??? with no background, and this is the problem of W8, they have a background too big to forget and they have to innovate at same time. A much more difficult task to achieve.

The tight hardware ecosystem of Apple gives them a huge advantage in stability, in app design that is more consistent and pleasant to work with. I often say that Apple is a coloring book that forces everyone involved to color within the lines. Consumers who want content consumption seem to really respond to the hassle free experience this brings. But content creation in an environment that has strict lines that can't be avoided can be frustrating. It is a double edged sword.

Hands down.
You'll see soon.

Not to burst your bubble, but reviews and reports so far really don't support your enthusiasm though at the same time I haven't heard any real criticism of the upgrade, either. Then again, just because a platform is the most popular doesn't necessarily mean it's the best--nor does being the least popular make it the worst. We'll just have to wait and see, though I've made my own projections below.

... you haven't been looking.
Bloggers and "analysts" were universally dismissive of Blackberry's chances for over a year, until some details of the OS came out, and reporting of BB's huge global introduction effort started, and have been pretty universally positive since.
I have both Android and Playbook devices, and like both, but the BB OS is (imho) already smoother and easier to operate.
And don't fret, I don't have a bubble.

And the last discussion I had about Blackberry was when Jason Perlow of ZDNet and I discussed an appropriate term for what direction they were headed in and I suggested that we say that Blackberry is getting "Palmed".

Other than that, I haven't heard much positive buzz on any leading industry outlets, and I tend to follow them.

Most of them prior to December are predicting the imminent death of the company. Most of them post 2012-11 are positive.
Given the number of "experts" counting RIM out during the year past, I can certainly understand your lack of interest compared to the "big 2 1/2", but most self-proclaimed analysts seem to gloss over the 80 million subscriber base and the $2 billion + cash position.
I suspect that anybody with a bit of intelligence and a little research could probably out-analyse the self-proclaimed analysts and out-expert the self-proclaimed experts.

It is kind of like National Enquirer analysis. I don't want anyone to remember my prediction about iPad market share. I want EVERYONE to remember my prediction about the inevitability of Android tablet market share during the period when it was floundering.

I threw out one saying Webtop 3.0 could turn Motorola around a couple days before Google/Motorola announced it had been discontinued, but it didn't publish until a couple of days AFTER. That was embarrassing. But - I stand by the position that Webtop 3.0 showed that the concept had promise and I think we'll see a lot of the engineering work its way into Android multi-format devices. It just won't be called Motorola Webtop. Either way, though... you can't win 'em all.

As for Rim... they're in a bad place. Here is hoping they can turn it around.

I'm going to agree that RIM did continue to see sales growth all the way up to roughly June '11--to a maximum reportedly of 78 million according to a Dow Jones article I just read. However, that report also stated that RIM's growth "flatlined" while its market share plummeted--meaning that they were seeing almost no new sales while everybody else (no specific mention of Microsoft) were riding the exploding market.

Now, obviously this means that RIM's Blackberry has managed to retain its established customers. The bad side of this is that RIM hasn't been able to impress any new customers. This also means that it's very likely the Blackberry OS 10 is a serious make-or-break issue for them and that they need to not only encourage upgrades from their established base but also generate new sales from previous non-owners. Worse, because of Blackberry's already abysmal reputation on usability, they're going to be fighting that reputation in their effort to generate those sales. It's not going to be enough that they can say they're "better", they've got to demonstrate it in a spectacular manner that visibly blows away any competition. I hate to say this but there is enough skepticism out there that any claims will be doubted and tested to the point of destruction. Blackberry may manage to retain its current base, but it is doubtful--at least for now--that the release of 10 will create any massive shift in market presence.

I understood that a HUGE segment of their market is in the Middle East - the UAE states in particular. People in strict theocratic nations seem to LOVE their Blackberries, for some reason. Maybe it has to do with the level of enterprise security? I recall there was a specific reason, I just don't remember what it was.

That was awhile ago, so this may have changed.

But stranger things are possible. If they bring it, they can get back in the game. Every other time they've tried since the original iPhone, they've come up far too short.

The Stock Market is thinking the same thing. RIM's Share Price has jumped with the expectoration that Blackberry 10 is going to be the answer to all.

Col

- based on QNX - specifically designed as a low-resource real-time OS, unlike the competition
- huge opening app store
- successful wooing of developers, great API's
- smooth & superior UI
- real multitasking
- new workflow paradigm
- huge effort to maintain/grow user base, esp. business

Of course, it could be designed by God and still fail in the fickle marketplace (in which case the company is toast), but all things being equal, they should make a huge difference in the market.
They are not trying to offer a simple alternative to existing platforms, they are trying to be the next step in portable device evolution.
I hope they are successful. We'll see.
btw - I have no stock, but admit I would like to see a Canadian company succeed, despite the last year of denigration by the financial and IT press, which often kills off companies prematurely.

And it would be nice to be able to not count an additional competitor out yet.

Truth is, Intel and Microsoft are suffering from a lack of positive press, too - so Rim isn't alone in facing the potential fate you claim - they're just arguably in the worst shape of the 3 examples here.

http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/1/21/3899052/rim-may-sell-hardware-division-after-blackberry-10-launch

Why start comparing the best mobile OS when another is just coming out? If Apple was set to release a new OS shortly, you can be sure that this topic would have been held back until the release.

Are you suggesting that it was premature to compare iOS, Android and Windows 8 because the Blackberry 10 is about to be released, and saying that we wouldn't have done a compare like this if iOS was just about to release a new version of their platform?

The difference there is that one would be Apple releasing an iOS upgrade, and the other is RIM releasing a Blackberry-OS upgrade.

Isn't quite the same thing. One has significant anticipation and high expectations across a huge segment of the population. The other does not.

On someone else to cover it:

http://www.techvibes.com/blog/what-makes-blackberry-distinct-from-ios-and-android-2012-11-22

Here is what I get from the article.

RIM is going in a totally different direction than Android and iOS with Blackberry 10. They're copying Microsoft Windows Phone 8, instead and trying to get away from the "app-centric" approach to mobile devices.

I'm not sure how that can go much better for RIM than it has gone for Microsoft.

Berry 10 is the talk of the town here, I suppose that doesn't matter in the US though. Everyone around here is holding out on new phones until 10 is released now, which is a VERY highly anticipated OS.

As there are still more Berry's in Canada than iPhones (especially for enterprise use where iPhone falls flat on its face), it is a completely fair question.

I imagine like Nokia in Finland, RIM may enjoy a higher degree of interest in Canada than it does in most other places.

I have acknowledged a couple of times that there are a few regions in the world where Blackberry remains unusually popular. My focus was on a global average reader, though - not specific geographic regions.

What type of vehicle is best on vacation? Sports car, SUV or Motorcycle? In the long run, you have to use what works for you. It is important that we have access to information (such as this) to make our decisions. Thanks.

Not perfect - but if we're looking at it this way, SUVs are so remarkably popular because they can do so much. They're decent daily commuters (even if they're not the most efficient), they're good family haulers, they're good for outdoor activities, they're good for towing and for utility jobs, they're good in all kinds of weathers. They can be a pain to drive because they're not the most maneuverable or easy to park, and they're expensive.

Sounds a *lot* like Windows 8 to me. A lot of compromise in a jack-of-all trades, master of none scenario.

Android would be a passenger car, and iOS a fancy exotic marquee with only a few different models that are all sexy, sleek, a kick-in-the-pants to operate, expensive, and very limited.

SUV's are becoming a dinosaur these days. CAR manufacturers are introducing Crossovers now, not SUV's, though many people still refer to them as SUV's.

SUV's are generally designed as body on frame vehicles, such as an OLDER Ford Explorer where the SUV body was stuck onto a Ford Ranger Pick up frame. It handles like a truck, not a car and guzzles gas as it weighs more. BUT...it truly stands up to the test of time like a pick up would, such as rumbling down pot hole filled logging roads.

A crossover is generally a unibody style vehicle. Just like modern cars, there is no separate frame, like the newer Ford Explorers. It's a unibody build where panels are joined together to build a rigid vehicle without a conventional frame under it. It will have independent, soft riding suspension, just like a car, focused to be a pavement princess and not for off roading, though they add these stupid dials inside to control differential action as if it was an off-road/4WD vehicle, which they are not.

Crossovers are not as solid as SUV's, they are NOT designed to be rumbled through pol hole filled logging roads. They are built of lightweight car components, not truck components ,usually have low profile tires and wimpy but flashy looking rims.

Crossovers are daily commuters, SUV's are daily commuters too, IF you don't mind driving a light truck for daily commutes. I have a daily commuter SUV and it rides like a truck but handles like a car, which was the aim of the SUV to begin with.

I see IOS as a crossover, it LOOKS like a robust business device but really it's just a toy for consumers who want to look like they have a full featured smart phone. It handles like a crossover too, designed to appeal to consumers, not business users (4X4 aficionados).

Everyone who supports iPone talks about the ease of social networking, smooth scrolling through music files (crappy versions of music files anyway), smooth web surfing, huge app store where you can download 100 versions of solitaire or 50 really low quality CRM apps etc. etc.

Blackberry users, for example, will boast the tactile keyboard, security, multitasking etc. BB owners will focus on the business tools, smaller yet more useful app store and enterprise features, which Apple has never been keen to address with their strictly consumer driven market.

9 out of 10 SUV buyers really prefer the "crossover" because they don't drive down bumpy log-filled roads or tow 8500 pound trailers or do other extreme jobs with their SUV 99 times out of 100 they're in it.

So the Crossover is relevant - the SUV becomes a specialty use niche vehicle.

You've kind of inadvertently just made a case against the odds of Blackberry really catching enough of the market to be a viable contender. Most users, including professionals in enterprise environments, have a heavy-duty truck... their desktop or corporate PC. Their peripheral device is a light-duty multi-purpose vehicle. A crossover. Which explains the popularity of Android, maybe.

Ever driven past the end of your street?

You are clearly speaking of the US smartphone industry alone.
Blackberry catching enough of the market to be a viable contender? It's the market leader in Canada, has been forever, despite Apples predictions. Sure they lost market share but they still sit on top for having units in the most Canadian hands.

Well said with the light duty comment, that's why iPhone don't fit in Enterprise applications that require actual carpet to concrete performance. Enterprise devices here as not trend driven but driven on performance, security, network integration, multitasking etc. All the features that Berry boasts and iToys fall miserably short of. I've even seen more Win Mobile devices used by Enterprises here than iOS.

However, certain aspects of this analysis are somewhat misleading; just because some platforms are considered "content consumers" doesn't mean they aren't regularly used as "content creators." The reverse can also be true.

iOS is popularly considered by most commenters on these tech boards as a content-consumption-only platform, yet professional artists, photographers and writers use their iPads in the field and often nearly exclusively under highly mobile circumstances. This is as much due to the fact of the high number of professional applications available--including Photoshop for iPad--as it is due to the iPad's ready synchronization to OS X applications that don't require manual triggering.

Android is to a larger extent going the exact opposite direction as the single largest selling Android tablet on the market appears to be the Amazon Kindle Fire, which is almost exclusively a content consumption device despite the content creation abilities of other tablets like the ASUS Transformer series. When you add to this the new Transformer introduced by ASUS at CES that mates the tablet screen to a Windows-loaded keyboard unit and you have to somewhat wonder if ASUS isn't going to turn that tablet portion into an RT tablet before it reaches the consumer.

That brings us to the Windows8 devices. The author is completely correct that the full Win8 version will be the best for most enterprise users where the full Windows capability may be necessary. However, history has already proven that a full Windows platform tablet is a market failure as these have been available on the open market for over a decade now. A hybrid system similar to Asus' with an RT tablet head mating to a full Windows8 base would give the lightweight, easily-used mobile display capabilities that the iPad currently provides to enterprises while keeping a very close and convenient integration to the rest of the office Windows environment while docked.

In fact, the ONLY advantage Android has over the other two platforms is its close tie to the smartphone market, which will probably shift more towards the WP8/9 platform as it proves itself to the user and developers.

My projections? (Here we are, DColbert) It will take the WinRT/WP8 about 18 months to see any significant growth, but should then rise to at least 40% of the overall market. Android will subsequently fall to a similar number or lower--most likely becoming the favorite OS for embedded systems rather than a standalone device OS. iOS will probably settle in comfortably at about 25%-30% of the overall market as a standalone device--assuming it doesn't re-merge back into OS X itself probably with the release of 10.10 (or maybe it will be called OS XI (11).

It is rare that we agree... so I've found something to disagree with you about - a little bit...

"iOS is popularly considered by most commenters on these tech boards as a content-consumption-only platform, yet professional artists, photographers and writers use their iPads in the field and often nearly exclusively under highly mobile circumstances. This is as much due to the fact of the high number of professional applications available--including Photoshop for iPad--as it is due to the iPad's ready synchronization to OS X applications that don't require manual triggering."

I'd say that iOS is constantly promoted as a content creation and delivery device by a lot of Technology Bloggers. I roll my eyes and bite my tongue every time Bill Detwiler pulls out his iPad at the TR-Live event to give a power-point presentation, and ZDNet's James Kendrick drives me NUTS with his constant blogs about how he can't settle for anything less than his iPad for his remote mobile content-creation goals. I can name a handful of other bloggers who are incredibly bullish about iOS as well, but I'll keep that card up my sleeve for now. Too many bloggers wear rose-tinted glassed with their iOS device opinions and it misleads consumers into thinking that the device will satisfy them in ways it probably won't. No offense to either of the writers I'm calling out here - the device does work well for them I am certain. But there are *better* choices for anyone (especially typical users) with a focus on those particular tasks. They just don't have an Apple logo on them.

As for your examples, I acknowledged that there are some niches where Apple does have a lead in productivity goals at the moment. They're the same kind of leads where Mac originally had a lead on Microsoft. Eventually, the open-platform alternatives (and I'm including Microsoft here because Microsoft has always supported the open-hardware platform) caught up and matched or exceeded Macintosh in most cases, as well as offering all the other superiority that they had all along. This was almost the end of Apple last time. We'll see how well they weather it when it happens with this generation of personal computing. I didn't list every example where iOS has carved out a strong niche - but if you happen to be in one of those fields where iOS has the lead currently, you probably already know it, and I don't begrudge anyone who decides to go with iOS based on those criteria. But they're all *niches*. Overall, iOS is a consumer content consumption device. The fact that the Kindle Fire is the most successful Android tablet just shows the huge consumer demand for exactly THAT kind of device (and that a powerful but less expensive alternative to Apple has a lot of market share to claim). Other Android tablets with a more productivity oriented focus have enjoyed a halo effect from the Kindle and the Nexus 7, the ASUS TF line in particular - and many of those are more powerful and more flexible devices with a goal of delivering a productivity/consumption hybrid.

But those are all trivial little differences of opinion influenced one way or the other by our personal biases. I agree with your overall assessment, and I think the fact that I am *very* interested in Windows 8 *and* RT devices right now points to the threat that Android faces at the moment. Microsoft is more of a threat to Google than to Apple as things sit today, and as we see them build momentum, understanding and enthusiasm, your projections may be spot on.

In either case, +1 to you, sir.

In fact, considering devices like the ASUS Transformer, Android is currently the better fit for bloggers because of its ready supply of usually snap-on keyboards. The types of content professionals I'm more concerned with are in the visual arts more than the textual ones. Of course, that said I'm a writer who uses the iPad any time I'm not home at my desktop and I simply carry a Bluetooth keyboard in my bag for text entry beyond a few lines. Since I write almost exclusively in Pages for Mac and iOS, the synchronization between the two is automatic, letting me worry less about which version of the file is more recent and concentrate more on maintaining story flow.

I guess my point here is that people who really make money at their craft (and honestly I don't so it becomes more a hobby) don't blog much about their experiences UNLESS they're paid to blog about it. When they do blog, it's more about their works than about the tools they use. It's kind of like the joke about the photographer at a dinner party. The hostess comes up to him and says, "You take such lovely pictures. You must have a really great camera." To which he replies, "Thank you. You've made a delicious dinner; you must have a really expensive stove."

Ok, it's not really funny, but it makes my point.

Amateur, semi-pro, pro.

Amateurs maintain a blog on wordpress or blogger.com and a few friends and family might visit their blog, but we're talking under 1000 hits a year at the outside.

Semi pro might get paid by some outlets, and might have a blog that generates a decent amount of hits per month - but they've got a day job and they don't do it for a living.

Pros are doing this as a full time career.

Fair definitions?

The pros are absolutely "content professionals".

With that said, I have a bias and preference to the ASUS Transformer and it is for the reasons you outline. But... you've described the circular nature of my blogging pretty well, "I want devices that allow me to write about what devices are best suited to allowing me to write about how easy they make it for me to write." It is a key driver for me in a mobile device.

It isn't just writing, but a lot of it centers around the various things involved with that. I need powerful social media tools, it is nice if it can do a passable job at image and video manipulation and publication. A BIG thing that disappoints me with iOS and Android is the ability to easily cut a hyperlink URL and post it as a link in a document. Placing images and formating can also be a hassle in mobile OS platforms. Sophisticated document creation is one of the tasks where I'll write the document mobile and then modify it and polish it on a desktop later - which *is* a pain.

And I think that the old parable of the cook and their tools assumes that a great chef can make a great meal as long as they have a fire, a pan, and ingredients. That is probably true. I imagine a great blogger could write a masterpiece on their phone. But they probably *prefer* professional grade tools, just like a chef.

But there is bound to be disagreement among different cooks over which tools are the best for their trade.

... and publishers recommend I write comic books. Ah well. I enjoy what I do and have my fans in that area, so I'm happy. Meanwhile, I try to be a voice of reason on blog forums.

Are you intentionally covering up the fact that there are two versions of Windows 8? Pro and RT have very little in common. Pro indeed can do everything a PC should do, provided you do not need top processing power, and top graphics acceleration, and lots of disk space. External drives solve the disk space problem nicely. I wonder if Microsoft releases docking stations that will allow to add processing and graphics power, or even built in "SETI in Home" features into the OS.

Windows RT can do only the most basic tasks and run a few desktop apps of Microsoft's choosing. Currently I do not see any nontrivial apps in the App Store and I do not see how such apps can be created. Thus, apps wise Windows RT will always lag behind Android and iOS, it is not only younger, it is the hardest platform to go beyond "Hello, World".

Actually, the differences between RT and Pro are overblown right now.

For another article I am writing, I buzzed down to Best Buy and played with a Surface Pro 64GB for about half an hour. My first exposure to an RT Surface tablet was that the TR Live event in October, and I really didn't know how to navigate the OS or get the most from the platform, and I was underwhelemed.

But after several months playing with Windows 8 Pro, suddenly I can get around RT like a champ.

In this case, I wanted to confirm first hand a few things.

Mostly that, like Pro, RT can have two Modern-UI apps running split screen on the Start Screen while having multiple Classic apps open in the destkop.

Of course, it can. I was able to load PowerPoint, Excel and Word, plus the destkop Windows RT IE 10 and Windows Explorer, plus the Moder-UI weather app *and* Modern-UI IE 10 all at once. It was easy to flip back and forth between all of them.

All of the gestures and shortcuts I already knew worked faithfully in RT.

I've got news for Android and iOS users - this is MORE powerful multitasking than *either* of those platforms offer - multi-tasking far more like what you would experience on a full blown desktop OS. Corporate power users would be much better served by Wndows RT than by iOS or Android, once they got the hang of operating the new platform. Cutting and pasting from one app to another in Android is a chore. It is a simple process in Win 8, Pro or RT. That is just *one* example.

Now, don't misunderstand me - I'm not denying that RT is crippled compared to a full Windows 8 Pro system. IE 10 Classic can't load flash or any other plug-ins that I am aware of, you can't run real Windows IA apps. It is a low power, low heat, long battery life, instant on, solid state ARM device. If you're a professional in a Windows environment and you've got Windows on your desktop and you connect to Windows back-office systems and Windows front-end apps and you want a portable ARM device for the benefits that ARM brings, the RT is a no-brainer. The decision then comes down to if you want your ARM device to be primarily an extension of your professional life, or a personal BYOD device mostly for leisure and content-consumption that can do a LITTLE work here and there.

Depending on your answers, you've got 3 choices. If you're strongly focused on a Windows professional experience, then RT is your best bet. If you're strongly focused on a consumer experience, then iOS might work out better for you. If you're on the fence, right in the middle, you should give Android a look. They've all got their strengths and weaknesses, as I illustrate above.

But here is the thing, your argument above cherry-picks the argument. Windows RT can only do the most basic tasks and run a few desktop apps of Microsoft's chosing in comparison to Windows 8 Pro. Compared to Android and iOS, Windows RT is miles beyond what they're capable of if you're looking for these features. You literally compared Windows RT to Windows Pro and based on the fact that Windows RT is more limtied than Pro, concluded that it will "always lag behind Android and iOS".

"Because the BMW 1 series is just a repackaged Mini, and not an M3, it will always be inferior to the VW Bug and the Fiat 500."

See how that doesn't work? Maybe a crippled 1 series bimmer is still superior to a VW or Fiat. (This isn't necessarily the case, of course - just an example).

I think releasing RT first was a strategic mistake that confused consumers. I think they should have held off until Windows 8 Pro got a foot-hold and then released Windows RT as a device that compliments a Win8Pro Intel machine.

RT is now the victim of a lot of FUD, a lot of misinformation, a lot of misunderstanding - and may suffer a "Vista effect" due to bad press and word-of-mouth.

That would be too bad, because for the right kind of user, RT is clearly superior to Android and iOS.

I OWN A W8 PRO 64 BIT PC (UPGRADED ALIENWARE ALX AUROURA AREA 51 AND ADDED TOUCH SCREEN) , WP8 , AND A DELL LATITUDE 10 WITH W8 PRO 32 BIT...YES YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL, AND IT ALL WORKS SEAMLESSLY AND FLAWLESS....YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ....JUST ABOUT WHAT I WANT AS FAR AS WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION TO PUT IN THEM...IT IS NICE TO HAVE 3 DEVICES THAT SYNC WITHOUT CONCERNS AND THE UI IS INTUITIVE...LOVE IT...SWITCHED FROM ANDROID DEVICES AND NEVER HAVE LOOKED BACK...BEST DECISION

Turn off your caps lock and type like everyone else.

You do support my contention that the integration between WP8/RT and Windows 8 is why Android is in trouble, though.

well, its a habit when filling drop cards out ....found it is easier for EU to read and easier for using acronyms instead of having to hit caps lock or shift all the time. I leave the caps lock on; saves time filling drop cards and badges out after systems are fixed...sorry...but I do stand by the W8 ecosystem..seamless integration and flawless function once you learn the ends and outs of W8 and W8(RT)

The best decision you ever made was to switch from Android to Windows8?

I'd keep that clear of an employers eyes, unless choosing an OS is the focus of your job.

You should try finding a keyboard that allows you to turn off caps lock too, they are pretty cheap these days and allow you to type without shouting like a kiddie defending his favorite wrestler.

insults , and innuendo's is much more mature than typing in caps lock....;)
THANKS FOR THE TIPS...

I have found every IT consultant, tech...etc...etc... are not aware of the Dell latitude 10 and when I show up to work on their systems they are intrigued and I am asked to demonstrate...their first question is : is that an Ipad, or android tablet?.... of course the masses are mindless sheep and have been brainwashed to think nothing else exists outside of Apple devices and Android . when I show them how smooth and quick the Latitude 10 runs W8 pro 32 bit, they seem to understand their Ipad and android tablets are limited devices in comparison...most often they immediately go to their PC and pull up the dell specs....granted the Latitude 10 can be proved upon but still out performs Ipad and android.

I am not promoting the device...but it is a solid product...The point behind the Latitude 10 is, most people are not aware of the potential of this ecosystem W8, WP8 , and W8 (RT)....I read article after article about how some are just down right dishonest and prejudice against Microsoft. They seem to disparage them by saying how W8 killed my machine, or the ever so popular lack of apps, or W8 is useless for PC users ....etc...etc. Here are my thoughts on where Microsoft is going with this ecosystem and it wasn't a half hearted effort to gain market share in the Mobile world...I actually think the PC side is an attempt to tie all things W8 together. meaning You own a WP8 , then what device would you buy if you were read for a PC upgrade...You as a consumer are already familiar with the Metro UI... and by logic would purchase W8 PRO PC... use the same analogy with a Surface Tablet W8 (RT) or if you have a W8 Pro PC .... I think Microsoft learned the hard way with Windows Phone 6 and 6.5..(terrible OS) and with WP7 (7.5).....They realize the only way to overcome their lack of clout in the mobile world was to push the EU both business and residential into having no choice. Meaning: you have a 3 tiered ecosystem which is spread out over a broad spectrum appealing to those who already own 1 type of device. Microsoft knowing when you purchase a new PC you will be offered/pushed into the newest and latest OS.....reaching people who may not be to familiar with WP8, or W8 (RT). Over time you as the consumer will eventually use it because gradually al other OS's will be phased out. Microsoft basically burned their bridges and went all in, and I think others have gotten a rude awakening...realizing Microsoft is not pulling any punches and have a major advantage which is most businesses and residential run some sort of Microsoft based system......In my opinion it is inevitable Microsoft will gain in all three, Tablet, Phone and PC...Who else has the ability to reach so many EU's ...no one....Plus take into account Mtro UI is substantially different from IOS and Android.....they had their chance but decided to stay with what they were comfortable with "STATIC UI.......

What so many people are complaining about with Windows 8 is the changes. They're so set in their old-Windows ways that they don't want to accept any changes--especially if it makes the OS more Mac-like. However, with Windows 8 Microsoft has leapfrogged Apple in a very real way; not just by making touch dominant, but by bringing even closer integration between the mobile and desktop OSes with an eye towards merging them once mobile devices have the power and endurance to finish replacing the laptop for portable computing. But don't expect them to sacrifice the new UI when they do, but that's part of what makes Windows easier to use when mobile.

So while you have done well with your Dell, it's not the only one. Check out HP, Toshiba and some of the others; you might find one of them that's closer to "perfect" for your needs.

I'm not anti-Tablet and I'm not necessarily an Apple fanatic, though I admit I've found Apple to offer the best product for my overall needs with software and reliability. My complaints with other OSes and hardware brands has been mostly due to the poor quality on average of those "less expensive" brands that require regular maintenance. I can't tell you how upsetting it is when you lose an entire work day to cleaning up the OS after 6 to 9 months of everyday use or having a power supply die for no apparent reason every 12 months or so (I've never had one survive longer than about 18 months and I always bought more power supply than the machine needed according to specs. Apple just holds up better for my work habits. Windows' greatest problems have been due to poor hardware, though that doesn't absolve it of its own weaknesses and vulnerabilities over the years. Android, on the other hand, suffered from poor code and poor hardware. Worse, Samsung even now is producing Android products that use 2.3 (think Galaxy Player) which only hurts their overall quality for the product name as people will expect the same OS as their Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note. Other brands are still shipping with older versions of Android as well, which is one reason why the Android environment as a whole is so fragmented.

I went with Dell for 2 reasons their warranty, accidental coverage, and the fact the latitude 10 was offered with two removable batteries 2-30/4-60 whr.

I went with android phones over IPhone for one major reason, more choice in types of phones....I think I'OS is smoother but really didn't care for either Android, Blackberry, or I'OS....I wanted and have been waiting for someone to bring to the table something which could tie all things mobile, business, social networking, gaming, music, and video. I knew if I was to get what I am looking for, it would have to come from Microsoft. Two reasons why I put all my eggs in one basket concerning the perfect Mobile OS. How long has android and I'OS been around (?) ....and yet neither one has done anything close to one platform . one is to restrictive (proprietary) = I'OS....the other is to liberal (to open, unstructured, cumbersome)= android....I as an IT (geek) field engineer like the concept of Android, which is open to more of the individuals interpretation. That is great if you are a teenager but for a business IT... you know, good and well, it could mean and will mean, a lot of corrupted Data...and an IT nightmare come true. ***(keep in mind this is all under the umbrella of tying all devices together under one OS [ecosystem]...PC...Phone....Tablets) *** The second reason none of the 3 Mobile OS'S Blackberry, I'OS, Android cannot do what Microsoft can: They do not have the will, and or the resources, to take on such an ambitious endeavor. Personally, ( in my opinion) ..I think it is why Mac PC OS x is the way it is ....a lazy mans OS....yes I said it, Apple did not want the headaches which come with making their OS more open as Microsoft has...(Think about it) I find Mac a cumbersome limited lazy OS compared to Microsoft....yes Microsoft has more problems , more issues, but only because they dare to actually make their OS more versatile and useful in the practical use of everyday life. Simply put: Blackberry, Apple, and Android do not have the ability to do, and or, create a one size fits all ecosystem and they do not have the ambition or drive to even try.... In my opinion they do just enough to stay viable and that is it.....Where Microsoft has tackled what the others have seen as to much of a headache and it is no surprise they are the dominant (Preferred) Ecosystem both in business and in home users.

In conclusion Microsoft is where my hopes and wants will be met for an all inclusive ecosystem which will make my life as efficient as it can possibly be when using a Phone, Tablet, and a PC......

did you try a pro tablet they are not out yet? not even to developer's

You know, part of the problem is knowing what to call things in Microsoft's brave new world. I'm having a lot of difficulty deciding what to call things myself.

Not sure if your question was aimed at Michael or aimed at me, so...

For my part, I use "Windows 8 Pro" from time to time not to refer to the device, but as shorthand for "An IA32/64 device running Windows 8 for Intel".

Which may be confusing, but I never said I wasn't a little confused on proper Windows 8 terminology at this point. Microsoft hasn't exactly made it easy to know what they want you to call things, so far.

mr.bloger.. realy .real easy windows 8 , windows 8 pro, windows rt, windows rt tablet ,and last but not least is the windows pro tablet. How hard is that

I think the issue might not be the terminology I used, though.

Yours Realy,
Mr. Blogger

and kepp up the good work. it just that it can become a little confusing. peace dude

The Surface is the name of the tablet; Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro are the names of the OSes on those specific tablets. So when speaking of a Surface RT, obviously you're speaking of the Atom-processor tablet with Windows RT on it (a mouthful when you're trying to stay within a word count) and the Surface Pro becomes obvious as (at least for now) an x86-processor tablet running Windows 8.

The Surface RT is an ARM based tablet with Windows RT, the Surface Pro is an Intel based processor with Windows 8 Pro on it... but there are Atom based tablets and they generally run Windows 8 PRO, actually. To be honest, I think all of the Atom based tablets are defacto NON-RT tablets, as RT *is* the Windows for ARM variant. Make sense?

It is ALL very confusing. That is a big part of the problem for Microsoft right now.

But yeah, for me, it was all a question of how much detail I wanted to go into explaining the various configurations of Windows 8 and hardware platforms. It would have been a whole article in itself and honestly, that has been done all over the place already.

that you got me strate on windows. the next time i turn my work in to microsoft developers meeting. Ha ha

My wife went to some Microsoft training last year down in North Carolina where she saw Windows used on a Toshiba tablet, so I do know that Windows 8 will run on ARM. The fact that a Surface RT tablet has been jailbroken and the full Windows 8 resides already on that tablet only with the desktop disabled clearly says Windows 8 can also run on Atom--albeit under the Surface RT's hardware specs it doesn't do all that well. In essence, Surface is Surface with two different grades of hardware designed for two different purposes. On the other hand, Windows RT is just the "Modern UI" interface portion of the full Windows 8 (not necessarily Windows 8 Pro) which doesn't need the same hardware capacity as the desktop.

ARM Architecture Vs x86 processor

W8 (RT)
1.ARM Architecture devices are slow compared to x86 architecture .
2.ARM Architecture are not capable of heavy graphics adapters .
3.64 Bit ARM Architecture are not developed yet .
4.Low cost chips .
5.Low power consumption .
6.More secure ARM Architecture than x86 architecture .


W8 Pro 32 bit 64 bit OS
x86 Architecture Advantages


1.x86 architecture are fast as compared to ARM Architecture .
2.x86 architecture are capable of heavy graphics handling .
3.both 32 as well as 64 bit are available.

Windows 8 exists in a Windows 8 and a Windows 8 Pro mode.

Windows 8 is like XP Home.

Windows 8 Pro is like XP Pro. Able to join domains, etc.

I've tended to refer to Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro when I meant either version of Windows 8 for Intel.

DELL LATTITUDE 10 was available for pre-order on the same day W8 and W8 RT were released. I ordered mine that same day, although Dell did not get it out to me until 01/09/2013. I ordered mine with docking station, all cables, both batteries 30 WHR and 60 WHR, Wacom pen, and portable ODD (opticle drive) and ordered a Kensington 10" carrying case w/Bluetooth keyboard on amazon......base price $649 everything ordered just under $1200, best investment I ever made....I spend in ink, and paper $easily $120 a month...for Dell badges and IBM, Sony, Lexmark..etc...etc..I use my tablet along with Microsoft office 2013 by turning all documents into digital and email them directly to the EU at completion of call... the Latitude 10 works flawless and will pay for itself within a few months because I no longer user paper or ink....everything is digitally signed and emailed out within Latitude 10 Tablet. combine the Tablet with W8 pro 64 bit PC and WP8 (RT) Nokia 920 and I have no issues or problems from one device to the next looking up docs, PDF, Excel, Word...etc...etc..no matter what device I use it is seamless networking at it's peak...try doing that with android or and apple product....W8, WP8(RT) W8(RT) all you do is log into your Windows, Microsoft , Live ID... and you are set and always linked..

.

2 cell 30whr after being all day working 12 hour day and not shutting it down and getting up next morning battery still shows over 50% charge ..4 cell 60 whr shows 65% to 70% charge switched over to 60 whr after first week of use .... 2 days without charge and being used to just close calls out, sending drop cards , badges over email...charge drops to 10% ...that's leaving it on for two days and system sleeps while not in use....so, I would say pretty good battery life ...I bought a 200 watt inverter which allows me to plug right in with the standard charger but I am finding out that was an unnecessary purchase...but might prove needed as the battery will degrade over time as they all do.

I apologize for my ignorance ...but after investigating why certain post were not showing up after refreshing I discovered to my surprise (ignorance) that, if you select all posts instead of a quantity your post magically appear but seem to be out of logical order.. still trying to get use to this format on here...again my apologies....

is frowned upon here, and it was removed: I'll just say ,I Have the Dell Pro Tablet and it has been available to order on line since 10/25/2012...but took Dell until 01/09/2013 to deliver it to my door step....let me say this....why anyone outside of price would settle for an android tablet or Ipad (W8 same cost if not cheaper than Ipad) is beyond logical reasoning...both android and Ipad are a compromise now that I know how well each W8 device works between each other...What ever type of tablet you decide to go with whether it be W8 (RT) limited function or W8 Pro Tablet 32 bit OS ... fully functional as a PC OS...it is definitely several steps up and beyond any android tablet or Ipad.....but again there will be those who will look at you and say : I don't like the Metro UI or the Start button is missing or it is eye candy no back bone to the OS..and you look at them with a smile and say you have a point...while under your breathe you are thinking : you either never tried it, or you hold some sort of prejudice against Microsoft and are full of it. think about these responses logically....: what is about a static UI and both really have not changed much over the years. The two (android and IOS ) are more alike each other than WP8 or W8 OS'S. Their excuses show a shallow thought process and doesn't even merit a response other than,"I see your point"...you can't argue with ignorance...

But if you place a URL in them the system itself very well may remove the post as it is considered as Spam.

The Nasty Spammers have been hitting the site quite hard over the past few days well harder than normal. Some Links get Black Listed and when the system finds then they get deleted.

To get around that you can Insert a space between the Domain Name and the .whatever which is what I do a lot of the time or you can delete the http header so instead of HTTP://www. whatever it just reads the www.whatever.

So an example is

http://www.techrepublic .com/forum/discussions/102-401053?tag=nl.rCOMBINED&s_cid=rCOMBINED
remember to remove the space from between techrepublic and the .com for a working link.

Or you could post it as

www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-401053?tag=nl.rCOMBINED&s_cid=rCOMBINED

Col

I *did* touch on the differences between RT and Pro and called RT *crippled* in the article. Where did you come up with the idea that I was intentionally *hiding* a fact a bluntly confronted? I didn't spend 500 words revisiting the differences that everyone should know by now - but I certianly didn't try to pass it off as if there were no difference between the two.

For what it is worth - I agree, the Modern-UI app market is more of a "trivial app" or "leisure app" market. But that isn't really any different than Android or iOS. Remember when the iOS/Android arguments were all about, "It is about the apps"? And, to a certain extent at that time, it was true. Android reached momentum, and now it isn't all about the apps. That realization gave birth to the rebuttal, "Android doesn't need 5000 fart apps" - which was *also* true.

The point is, the MS app store will grow and mature. Android will always lag behind iOS on apps. At some point, that doesn't matter as much. You know, once Twitter came to Android, I found out it didn't matter that it was iOS exclusive. They could have kept it - I would have been fine.

I'd point out that this is how Microsoft *came ouf of the corner*... swinging like Mike Tyson and beating the competition to the canvas in some important ways. Android came out of the gate eating paste and sniffing daisies, not getting serious until they teamed with Verizon and Motorola for the Droid 1.

Now it just depends on how many consumers *get* it with what Microsoft is doing, and how many people value that. I don't honestly KNOW those details - I don't think *anyone* does. But I think Microsoft has a strong position and opportunity. I think a lot is going to depend on Microsoft being able to communicate that to users, to price competitively.

I doubt it will make a tremendous difference in the next 18 months. I think the Haswell chips and dropping prices on IvyBridge along with natural upgrade cycles and OEM license bundles will begin to change the Win32 environment, and like every other Win release, slowly this new approach will gain steam. It might be 3 to 5 years out before we see a change, and maybe Microsoft will give up before they get that far - or maybe it will move to slow and they'll abandon it. There is no doubt going Microsoft at this point is a risk.

I am so in agreement with your points.

Android is getting multitasking and this alone puts it into different league. So far I have discovered exactly one (1) nice Modern UI app - Manga Reader. It is logical fullscreen, does not require lots of settings, and still does useful things like buffering and search. The other apps? The App Store app perfectly reveals some Modern UI problems - inconvenient navigation, hard to compare 2 similar apps, eirther shows empty space or takes refuge in the browser. The Weather app is useful, but why do I see min/max forecasts from several sources and only one hourly forecast? Next to Hello World, but ads are there. Nice move, Microsoft, you forgot I have already payed for the OS? Skype does not have enough settings to make the camera work...

Modern UI cannot scale, thus App Store cannot mature. Yearly upgrades may fix that in several years, maybe.

Let us call things by the names - RT tablet is a niche machine for Office nerds (alternatively, a grave of unused hardware power), iOS tablet is a MAC accessory, and Android tablet is an expansive toy on a quest of becoming a cheap computer. Pro is a modest computer that makes purchase of a tablet unnecessary.

Pro is Windows 7 SP2 plus RT. We know Windows 7 alone failed on slates dramatically. Is Pro doomed to be a success? I guess Microsoft is making yet another mistake positioning Pro as a tablet. Pro can take nearly all nettop, laptop, and ultrabook market and considerable part of desktop upgrades while preventing lots of tablet purchases, but to do this it should be distanced from RT and tablets in general as much as possible. Maybe not even discussed in one article with iOS and Android.

And while I won't argue that Windows' "Modern UI" currently lacks apps, I'm going to also point out that every other UI started with a relatively low number of apps. I know some are claiming that Blackberry 10 will "launch with the highest number of apps than any other OS", but BB-10 is not an "all-new" OS and that even its core QNX started somewhere with zero apps.

I personally believe your definitions of the different systems--RT, iOS, Android--are overly simplistic; overlooking some of their primary purposes for existing. WinRT and iOS are very similar to each other as they are extensions of their parent OS--meant for easy use in the hands where most people really don't need the power of the desktop OS. Android, due to its independence from any desktop OS (including Linux) is more of a netbook OS with tablet capability--demonstrated by the most popular Android "tablet" is the ASUS Transformer; little more than a netbook with a removable keyboard. I'm not saying it's bad, but its poor showing in the actual tablet market *except* as a media-consumption-only device like the Kindle Fire shows that it lacks that critical infrastructure that made the iPad such a success and could lose big time to WinRT for exactly that reason--over time.

Windows 8 is essentially, as you say, Windows 7 plus RT--though I am happy to see that Microsoft did eliminate a lot of old, legacy code that brought its overhead down almost 50% as well as its footprint on the hard drive. By everything I've seen in testing it myself and read online, Win8 is fully functional and notably faster on hardware even dating back to '07's "Vista Ready" machines. Now, without actually trying it, I wonder how well Win8 would run on those Netbooks that came out between '07 and '09--when the iPad shut them down?

QNX was developed for real-time embedded applications and as such, never had 'apps' and was not a consumer product. It is similar to using the Linux kernel for Android. BB10 was developed from the gro.und up.

had windows 8 running befor you ever heard of it .

n/t

I agree Apple makes great products for the general consumer but that is not me. I started out with punch cards on a IBM mainframe. My first computer was a Wang. I gave up on Windows mobile when I found I could get better Android apps to connect to my desktop and Sharepoint sites than with Windows moble apps. I just got a Samsung Note 2 and it is the best phone to date plus as a small tablet, it works great for connecting to Sharepoint, client networks, and cloud based databases. I see no compelling reason to use Window mobile at all and do not see it gaining much market share.

I have Windows 8 Pro but have not fully implemented it. We are in a test phase prior to full implementation and so far, we like it. My next laptop/tablet will probably be an ultra book from Lenovo, Samsung, or Asus.

I believe DColbert can attest that I've stated before that WindowsRT and Windows Phone have to battle the old WinMob's reputation. You've just stated that you won't use Windows RT and yet you're perfectly happy so far with Windows 8--which includes RT in the form of its "Modern" interface. Just because the apps you want or think you need aren't available yet doesn't mean they won't be. Wouldn't it be nice to leave that heavy laptop behind when you go to a meeting or a 'business lunch' and still have all your presentations and other talking points available? RT IS windows--proven by the fact that a jailbroken Surface RT has the full version of Windows underneath--capable even of running legacy apps, albeit not that well due to performance constraints. You're letting WinMob's reputation color your objective analysis of the tablet.

It is telling that you're an IT shop entering the testing phase of Windows 8 for deployment and you *like* it. That has been my experience with IT professionals, too, including my own engineers. The ones who are afraid of it haven't tried it yet or tried it during developer release and between early experiences and bad press, they're afraid of it now. The WinMo effect and the Win Vista effect have made IT pros highly skeptical of new Windows platforms and that is slowing adoption at this point. People like us who are trying it and like it show that this trend is likely to reverse eventually. In that sense, we're kind of the canaries in the coalmine and the evengelists for Windows 8. We're jumping in and yelling back to the cowards on the beach, "Jump in, the water is FINE..." and... it is.

I also agree that RT got off on a bad foot. Vupline is right about the reasons why eventually RT may make more sense to you than Android. In particular, even now, once you really get a command of Windows 8 Pro, you'll find it aggravating that your Android devices don't work the same way when they could (if not for patents, anyhow. ) You'll also realize that RT is not as powerful as Windows 8 Pro, but in many ways more powerful than Android. That is, you can have all the RT classic interface apps running and have all your modern-UI apps running too. Not LESS, but actually MORE, than the other mobile platforms can do. I don't want to display a bias toward RT... at this point, I'm hanging onto my TF300 and not positive I want to lock into Redmond's ecosystem across the board. But I *see* the strategy and the justification and reason *why* it would make sense. I see how I could benefit from having a single homogenous platform solution using Win 8 and RT.

Vulpine is right about app growth, too. As (if) things catch on and gain momentum, the apps will come. They did for Android, they are with Android tablets. The "lack of apps" argument only matters if no one shows up and the device dies (WebOS). The users come first, then the apps come. Now, there is no guarantee that RT *will* catch on. That is the card that hasn't been played yet. But I'm pretty sure it will get laid on the table before Microsoft folds.

when they choose to be. They were newcomers to the OS world. Apple and CP/M pre-dated DOS. Microsoft was a newcomer to the office productivity (word processing/spreadsheet) world. They were a newcomer to the browser world. Banyan and Novell owned the networking/server world.

I believe, having lived/worked in computers since the late 70's, that Microsoft will own a major portion of the smartphone and tablet world. I have a Windows Phone 8 Nokia phone, a Windows 8 Enterprise touchscreen tablet (Acer Iconia Tab W500), and am playing with Windows Server 2012. It's all about the ecosystem. Apple does not have anything for the enterprise. Google does not have anything for the enterprise. Microsoft is it. All my co-workers at my various client offices, both private enterprise and government, have Windows PC's at home. Microsoft is it. They will eventually own the market in smartphones and tablets. It will probably take them 3 - 5 years to get there.

Excellent article, Donovan.

Thanks - Mark in Ohio

when they do gain the intitiative you suggest it will be a sad day in my honest opinion.

I wonder why all bloggers refer to W8 as an SUV. To me, when you are driving a vehicle that looks, sounds and performs as the majority of vehicles on the road do, a more accurately portrayed analogy would be a minivan. Nothing exciting here. Move on.

People call anything bigger than a Honda Civic an SUV these days. There are actually fewer SUV's on the road today than there was 10 years ago, because they are all making CROSSOVERS now, despite everyone calling them SUV's still. They are cars made to LOOK like off road vehicles. They are essentially people movers, which are exactly what you say MINIVANS, not SUV's by a long shot!.

Jacked-up station wagons. At least one insurance company has already renamed the class to "Sport Utility Wagon" rather than "SUV".

You are bang on. A Ford Ranger is listed as a pickup. My Explorer, which is just a higher end body stuck on the IDENTICAL chassis, is called a wagon by ICBC (our insurance company). I had them classify it as a truck for me and registered it at over 5100lbs because I carry and tow. That way I don't have to do the annual AirCare tests either.

A POVs (personally operated vehicles) where I live have to have pollution checks until they can officially be classified as antiques--even pickup trucks. I have a 1990 F-150 that, with luck just passed its pollution check for the last time. Going to do my best to get an antique tag on it before it comes due for the next one in two years. Not that it risks failing (thing had remarkably low numbers for its age) but simply the fact that it's a true survivor.

Most Windows 8 RT/store apps still have a way to go to be as mature as their iOS counterparts. Having used it regularly on a tablet for 8+ months the mail and IE apps are not full-featured and often a source of frustration, even printing a pdf the way I wanted required a visit to the desktop app. They'll probably get there eventually but in the meantime at least I can flip to desktop mode to get those features I know and love.

I like the W8 whole charms context-sensitive thing and can see that being more popular once people get their heads round it. Tricky thing is I would still recommend iOS to the man in the street, but give W8 time.

As you say, these mobile OSes all do the essentials well enough, like hot drinks it just comes down to which you prefer (or are used to), coffee, tea or hot chocolate?

Thank you for a reasoned response to the question, "which is the superior mobile OS?" The only thing I would add is to ask the person, "what ecosystem are you currently in?" If a person is in the apple ecosystem already (iphone and mac) then he will most benefit from purchasing an ipad and the same, I think, goes for current Android users and Windows users. A person with a DROID razor may not enjoy an ipad as much because syncing data, apps and such will be cumbersome.

Anyway, good article

Weighting in at 10gigs, a third of the size of a 32gb tablet is used by the OS.
iOS and Android weight in at about 100megs. 0.1 gigs

So is Windows 8 100 times better? Because its a 100 times bigger...

In my visit to Best Buy, one of the things I checked out on the Samsung Atom based Win 8 Pro device, the Surface RT 64gb and 32GB was the free drive space on C:

For exactly this reason. The 32GB Surface RT had 2.5GB free on the sales floor.

And I've argued that it is silly to buy an iPad Mini 16gb at their entry price when you can get a Nexus 7 with 32gb of memory and an unlocked mobile radio for $300.

So subjective value is becoming a differentiator in this market on multiple different levels.

Is the iOS experience so premium it is worth paying more for less than the competition? Is it just a commodity value proposition, or is there something more tangible there? Do these same arguments apply to Windows 7 devices?

If the Windows device is more productive, efficient, and enjoyable to use, maybe it is WORTH paying a premium and having an OS that takes 100 times the space.

You can user the Pro device as your sole computing machine.

But I think I'd rather buy one of those 150 dollar net books that if I drop it or it gets stolen, I don't care.

In fact, that was one of the reasons for the old tablet failure of Windows--you had to have a huge hard drive in it just to hold the OS and a few programs.

I just checked my old XP machine. Its a fairly mature machine, it has been running and accumulating garbage since 2003. The windows folder is 7.8GB on disk, 7.1gb size total.
I check some of my XP VM's, a fresh install of XP seems to equal about 2.5gigs before updates.
Windows 2000 was about 2 gigs, 98 was about 500mb, win95 was 130mb. I don't know what winME was.
My matured win7 machine is 21.8gb.
Damn Microsoft, what the hell did you do?
My Win7 VM is 7 gigs, but that's pretty empty.

In short, I don't think any Windows OS has actually reached 20 gigs at install. But it looks like after all the frameworks and such are installed, it does exceed 20gb. That's extremely excessive. And 10 years ago, having 2 gigs of flash memory used by the OS would have been very expensive.

But a minor correction, the tablets of 10 years ago did not need 20gb for the OS. But your point that Windows has always been way to big is correct. MS will never learn from their mistakes. If they would just make Windows modular so that those needed backwards compatibility could have it, and those that don't can leave it off their system, windows would be much more successful on tablets.

What the author misses is the fact that a convergence of sorts is taking place between smartphones & tablets - "phablets" if you will. In that game, iOS is far superior to both Androids & Windows. Most Android users have different versions of the OS on their phones and tablets and the user experience across these platforms is in-consistent. Even more so if the hardware comes from two different manufacturers i.e. there is both hardware & OS fragmentation. And from the point of view of enterprise support, trying to cater to the needs of large numbers of users with different versions of Android and on varying form factors - phones & tablets - will be a cost driver and an upgrade hell. A nightmare in short.

According to Google's own statistics, 54% of users are still stuck on Gingerbread (Android 2,3, released in 2010) and only 2,7% are on the latest Android version 4.1 - a.k.a. JellyBean. To this complexity, one needs to add in the confusion that will result due to different firmware and operator skins that sit atop the OS. Few enterprise IT shops will be able to develop cost-effective support models for this chaotic situation. Google has now attempted to stem this fragmentation by changes to the legalese in the for using the SDK - but I doubt that will have any immediate impact. Other than driving heavyweights like Samsung to OSes like Tizen.

This situation is not the same as the DOS vs MacOs battles of the early 80s. Microsoft retained full control over the software releases and the APIs such that there was no "forking" of the OS. Hence, hardware variations had minimal to no impact for the end user or the IT support shop.

That is not the case now, the combination of hardware & software fragmentation for Android will result in difficult to support IT assets and poorer quality apps. A situation the tightly integrated iOS avoids.

Another aspect to the iOS vs Android vs Windows debate is the issue of assset depreciation. Writing again from an enterprise perspective, I wonder what the useful life of smartphones and tablets are - particularly when they can no more be upgraded or repaired. Seen from this perspective and the fact that even the oldest iPhones are capable of running the latest iOS, I would argue that an enterprise could at the very least expect an useful economic life of 2 years from an iOS device and say a salvage value of 0. For an Android device, the difficulties in upgrading would mean that it would have to be depreciated over 1 year and will have a salvage value of 0. Hence, over a 5 year period, emabrking on the Android platform will mean greater outlays than on the iOS.

On an iPhone 1?

I think your statement has gone off the tracks.

"the fact that even the oldest iPhones are capable of running the latest iOS,"

The oldest iPhone safely capable of running iOS 6 is the iPhone 3GS; the iPhone 3 pretty much capped out on 5 and I'm not sure even the original iPhone could handle 4 very well. That said, the iPhone 4 I use is having no trouble with iOS 6 and may do pretty well with 7. So I will agree with the intent of your argument--probably offering between 4 and 5 years of usable life with the iPhone vs a likely maximum of 3 years with even the current round of Android devices.

Is superficial. It isn't real accurate to compare the support or availability for iOS upgrades to Android. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is a tangible issue that is worth discussing in a review of the merits of the two different platforms - but it doesn't align very neatly.

With Apple you've got a single manufacturer with a very small number of devices, a single model at a time (sometimes with some overlap with the previous generation, at MOST), and tremendous clout across a number of different industries and a willingness to really stay in the fight, even if it is financially uncomfortable, to get things their way or have them not be at all.

With Android you've got more than half a dozen major manufacturers, multiple models per manufacturers, many of them overlapping, a huge range of device quality and price points and hardware capabilities, each making their own custom modifications to a base OS provided by a traditionally hands-off platform developer, and then delivered through carriers who are notorious for controlling and manipulating the market to their benefit and treating their customers and handset manufacturers like second class citizens if they can get away with it.

It is a problem, and it HAS been a worse problem in the past than it seems to be headed in the future. But the REALITY of the situation is the people who complain the LOUDEST about this issue are almost inevitably those who own the *competition's* product. Most Android users don't know and don't care on Froyo vs. ICS vs. JB. It is like the difference between a 1st generation Escalade, a 2nd generation and a current generation. Only a very small group of people who REALLY care can tell them apart. To everyone else, they look like giant Cadillac SUVs - all the same and basically capable of more or less the same tasks.

And I'll tell you what... most iOS users I've encountered, they're the same way. They don't care and won't upgrade their OS until something MAKES them upgrade. This issue only matters to us propeller heads... and the bigger propeller head, the more likely they're on machines that either offer quick manufacturer upgrades to the latest, or they've rolled their own ROMs anyhow.

It becomes a real non-issue. It matters to people who it matters to, and they're the people who can get around it, and it doesn't matter to people who can't, and they don't care.

This should be mandatory reading for other ZDNet and Techrepublic bloggers.

I largely agree with your analysis of these three platforms in that iOS is a great consumption device. It does have a stable OS and beautiful hardware, though I wouldn't say the hardware is cutting edge. Proprietary connectors, 4:3 screen ratios and STILL no mini HDMI out puts it behind the curve in terms of hardware. That may not be a deal breaker for the majority of users out there, but for public speaking of any kind, from the classroom to the board room, these are serious hold backs.

Android does everything iOS can do, and then some, though not with the same level of elegance. I agree with that, and that people can forgive a little less spit and polish when they get a similar product for half the price (or less) with generally available and usable ports. No beef with your Android analysis as long as you're talking Nexus-level devices. The readers based on Android are not the do-everything tablets you describe, but offer a true consumption niche that does quite well when compared with that purpose on an iOS device for a lot less. Will it do everything an iPad will? No. But if you just want content consumption they can offer better screens for reading at very reasonable prices.

Windows 8 Pro tablets are everything you say except complicated. I've been using Windows 8 Pro on a desktop for 3 months and do not miss Windows 7. It is so much easier than other versions of Windows once you learn how to get around. It may not be as intuitive as iOS, but its hardly a complicated monster.

I was confused at first because you mention Windows RT in the intro, but when you discuss Windows 8 its clearly the Pro version you describe. RT is a new OS, and yes it isn't as capable as Pro -- yet. It will eventually become the new Windows. It has distinct advantages such as no registry (like most other modern OSes) and a very light footprint. iOS and Android have a three-year head start on RT, so give RT a little more time and I believe it will offer so much more than the others.

But why mention Windows at all if you don't mention the other key new player in this space: Ubuntu. With an OS that scales nicely from consumer devices like phones and tablets to hard core corporate devices like desktops and servers -- on the same kernel -- it has every bit as much a chance of upsetting the dominance of Apple and Google as Windows does.

Or better yet, we're talking about NFL here, not Arena or Canadian League football.

The artist who plays at the cafe is a pro-level musician, so is Dave Matthews. It isn't fair to compare them.

In the election, the press focuses on Obama and Romney, not Gary Johnson.

And a lot of times it isn't the quality, skill, talent or capability. It is the amount of money BEHIND the player pushing the media blitzes that make the public aware. That is the case here, too. Ubuntu cannot compete with the advertising budgets of Google, Apple and Microsoft, so it would be amazing if they could get 5% of the market share. Gary Johnson couldn't swing that much mind-share, for example.

These 3 platforms are a present threat to one another. They're the clear contenders. Ubuntu is interesting, they're doing cool things, I like the platform - but it didn't fit in this conversation any more than WebOS or Blackberry. That may all change in the next year or two. I'd welcome that change, if it happens.

And I'm also not a regular Ubuntu user at this point - so I wouldn't do it justice, anyhow. I'll leave that to our resident Linux expert, Jack Wallen. He'll do a much better job of it than I ever could.

As for Windows vs. RT, yeah, that was a minefield and awkward to navigate clearly in the space I had. I had to address it, but that could be a stand-alone discussion itself if I removed Apple and Android from this piece.

As for the difficulty factor - I *love* Windows 8 - but I had to read up and learn about the gestures and mouse-alternatives. I didn't have to do this with Android or iOS. I sat down and played around and quickly figured out, "this is how I do THIS..."

But I also quickly found, "That is it, you can't do much more." Especially with iOS. Microsoft's approach is, "Man, I've seen this done, how do you do it?" and then once you figure it out you start going, "I wonder if I can do... *this*..." and you *can*! Higher learning curve, more reward.

That is my take, anyhow.

Android = complicated unstructured and at some point gets to be more hassle than it's worth.....
Iphone= easy to use smooth but very limited in what can be done and wil eventually be surpassed....;)
W8,WP8, RT = best of both : the ability to do so much more but with better structuring. Yes the learning curve is there but at the same time the reward of taking the time to overcome that learning curve is limitless and if given the proper time to mature will become (as long as MS doesn't get to far ahead of themselves) the product of choice which EU's both, residential and business has been waiting for...
explanation of comment ..to put into context: (as long as MS doesn't get to far ahead of themselves): Meaning: as long as they provide a slow controlled improvements and do not repeat what they did with VISTA...(we all know they jumped off the rails with VISTA ) they (MS) has a chance to do what we were all hoping someone would , and that is give us a one size fits all OS, no more patch work devices to haggle with..