To stay on topic, use virtual CloneDrive.

Also, most programs are installed once and don't use disks after the fact. This isn't a gaming gig, it's a laptop alternative, and a fantastic one at that. Buy the disk, put in an external drive, install and you're done. Store the disk in your closet and Bob's your uncle.

Imho to have an idea think of it like a glorified netbook. If you have any experience with those it could help. For example, I was able to play diablo I on my netbook, so the RT model would definitely support that.

The pro model has an i5 and can display 1080p graphics, so it's a fair assumption that it has a decent graphics card that would have little issue playing games like Team Fortress 2.

Bravo Microsoft, I have been waiting for something like this for the longest time. You bring the best of the PC world and the Tablet world together in a complete and comprehensible package, with even digital ink. I'm am so impressed and my faith in humanity has been temporarily restored.

Oh, this looks so sex!

They are still going to factor in the cost of a license in the price of the tablet.

You wouldn't want this over any of its competitors, because you don't want either. You clearly don't want a tablet, let alone the one that is the most versatile by a landslide (the surface).

You wouldn't want it over a PSV, because you are a Core, and Mature gamer, you're above the need to use things like Microsoft Word on the go, Internet browsers with keyboard functionality, viewing PDF documents in full form.

You don't need much space, so you don't need a USB port to plug things like an EHD.

You wouldn't want a paltry  10.6-inch ClearType HD (1366x768) screen at an affordable price when you can have a vita at 32-bit color, 960 × 544 qHD @ 220 ppi^[11]

You don't need to use the most common computer hardware interface known to man, i.e. a mouse.

You have tons of space at home for a standalone monitor, a PC tower and other such furniture, so you don't need an incredibly thin portable PC and tablet hybrid alternative to both a tablet and a PC.

So, I hope all that explains why you don't need it and are fully met with the Vita.

  Cheers

 a

Hmmmm...this country is going to shit because of the corporations and their greed. If First sale doctrine erodes where will people leave their unwanted disc-based goods? Over one hundred years of rights thrown down the shitter. All the more reason to give a damn eh? I'd say so.

Euphoria14 said: No answers? I needs to know if this Pro model can run Steam and the games on Steam? What does it's GPU compare to? Can it run Minecraft and other Indie PC titles? Can it run my torrent programs and download movies/music/etc... just like I was able to do on my laptop? I REAAAAAAAALLY want one if this truly is a full functional PC. I have been waiting for this forever, which is why I never went out and got myself a tablet. Yeah, my girl has a Kindle, but no tablet compares to an actual PC.

Well the Pro model will have an ivy bridge i5 in it which means it will be running with the integrated Intel HD 4000 gpu. It's alright, but don't expect any miracles. Indie games should be alright. Graphics intensive games will probably not be able to run at the 1080p resolution of the screen.

It will also depend on how much RAM MS decides to include. I don't know the min. Requirements for Win8. Most other tablets use of 1GB RAM I believe, but iOS and Android are not as "heavy" as Windows and don't require as much RAM. MS will most likely go for the minimum they can get away with. More RAM = higher cost.

smbu2000 said: Euphoria14 said: No answers? I needs to know if this Pro model can run Steam and the games on Steam? What does it's GPU compare to? Can it run Minecraft and other Indie PC titles? Can it run my torrent programs and download movies/music/etc... just like I was able to do on my laptop? I REAAAAAAAALLY want one if this truly is a full functional PC. I have been waiting for this forever, which is why I never went out and got myself a tablet. Yeah, my girl has a Kindle, but no tablet compares to an actual PC. Well the Pro model will have an ivy bridge i5 in it which means it will be running with the integrated Intel HD 4000 gpu. It's alright, but don't expect any miracles. Indie games should be alright. Graphics intensive games will probably not be able to run at the 1080p resolution of the screen. It will also depend on how much RAM MS decides to include. I don't know the min. Requirements for Win8. Most other tablets use of 1GB RAM I believe, but iOS and Android are not as "heavy" as Windows and don't require as much RAM. MS will most likely go for the minimum they can get away with. More RAM = higher cost.

As long as it can run Indie games and some Minecraft I am happy as a pig in shit.

While I really like the direction MS is going, they still have a long road ahead of them... but I do think the road just got a little shorter.

My thoughts:

1. I hate Windows RT. I know they didn't have much of a choice but it's going to be difficult to convince developers to make software for an entirely different version of Windows alongside their current version.
2. It's too big. 10.6"? Portability is key here, Microsoft. Make it small-ish. The iPad is a great size, as are most 10" Android tablets.
3. It'd be really nice if that keyboard was flexible, like the iPad Smart Cover. That way you could roll it back behind the machine, just like the Smart Cover.
4. That kickstand is dumb. It should be way smaller. Make the device thinner and the kickstand smaller.
5. Apps, apps, apps. You need them before I'll buy this device.

With that out of the way, Microsoft impressed the hell out of me with this device. You know what I thought when I saw Surface? This feels like an Apple product from 3-5 years ago. It's fresh, well thought out, and very pretty. I'm a big fan of this new Microsoft. They're out-Appling Apple.

I'm sure I read somewhere that apps created for win 8 metro UI are either platform independent or that the dev kit can compile RT versions without any extra code. I'm probably wrong on both accounts though.

Give me my Civilisation V tablet now.

If it'll run Civ V and Steam - sign me up.

A beautiful piece of work.

Keep the price reasonable in Australia though.