Windows 8 is getting heavily critiqued lately. This is largely because it has a new interface that is drastically different from what people think of when they picture a Windows desktop.

There are surveys quoting as many as 90% of users of Windows 8 hate it. The problem Microsoft faces with Windows is a classic damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t scenario. People are leaving behind their classic desktop PC operating systems for tablets with touch-based operating systems. If Microsoft doesn’t innovate and keep up, they will be seen as “old” and stale.

If they update to be more touch centric, they alienate their oldest, most comfortable users. These are people who aren’t really “tech savvy”, but are just used to Windows. They know how it works from years of buying PCs.

The irony is that with a move to the “Metro/Modern UI” style in Windows 8, they may push these users to other Operating Systems like OSX or even Linux with windows-style skins because they actually look more like old XP style Windows than Windows 8 does.

Microsoft launched the Microsoft Surface today. It marks a big milestone for the company. It is the hero device for Windows 8, and it truly marks the beginning of the convergence device that combines a tablet with a computer. The question is whether it is possible to make such a device – that can fulfill the needs of both use cases without feeling like it’s lacking or handicapped due to that. Microsoft’s slogan for Windows 8 is “no compromises”, as in you can have it all. How well does Microsoft fulfill this promise?

Hardware

Until recently, I was a heavy Windows user. I like Microsoft’s ecosystem, where I can easily find software that works with my hardware, and cheap replacement parts. I ran Windows 7, had an xbox, I even had a Windows Phone for a short bit. However, I tried the consumer preview of Windows 8 on my laptop, and was quickly scared at my glimpse of the future. I quickly ran to the comforting arms of Apple. Got a mac and breathed a sign of relief I wouldn’t have to be exposed to that terrible interface. I’ve realized that the problem for me was not change – I consider myself a bleeding edge tech user – but that the interface is not made for easy use with traditional laptops. It’s hard to access the off-screen menus using a traditional mouse.

However, on this surface touch screen device, the gestures make sense and are really useful. After a quick 5 minute learning curve, getting around is a breeze. A friend of mine pointed out that he felt Microsoft was trying to be ahead of the curve for once – and I think he’s right. They want to get ahead of the touchscreen on all PCs curve, dragging traditional desktop users into the tablet world of touchscreens. The question is whether all users, especially corporate users who are Microsoft’s bread and butter, want to work in that environment.

So, taking a closer look at the hardware. The Surface is a tablet type device with a neat innovative keyboard cover. The idea is that you get the best of both worlds. If you want to just use it as a true tablet- like the iPad- you can. The touchscreen was beautiful and responsive. But you can also choose to unfold the cover in front of the device, unclick the kickstand, and use it as an almost laptop. Really nice solution for those who say “You can’t be productive on an iPad”. I am among one of those people. While this doesn’t solve all my critiques, it does solve a big one. You can really use this as your all-in-one device.

Further, because this is more than a simple tablet, you get some nice touches. There is a USB port! You can plug in a mouse, or a printer, or anything else that has a USB cord. There is an SD card slot! This means you aren’t stuck with the memory size you purchase like on Apple’s tablets (and many Android ones as well). Microsoft told me they offer a 64GB card! So memory concerns that limit many from using a tablet as their sole device are eased.

Again, for me personally. I was originally looking for an all-in-one device. I find it very appealing to have one device I could always drag around and always have access to all my apps and files. I ended up realizing I couldn’t do that. An iPad is not powerful enough to replace a true computer. And a laptop was still too much to drag around casually like I do with my tablet. I can actually see myself using a Surface as an all in one device. Its thin and light enough to take with you without too much thought, while still allowing real work to be done. At least on the hardware side.

Software

I feel largely about Windows 8 as I did about Windows Phone. I really like the Operating System designed. Its intuitive and different and nice to use. It encourages you to touch it, and gives you nice information in the live tiles. Where it breaks down is becoming almost a cliché now. The lack of apps in the Windows Universe. To many people who haven’t used a Microsoft mobile product and think of Windows as their desktop, they probably just left this page. Windows has the most software available, duh.

However, the current version of the Surface runs Windows 8 RT. The RT is a special version of Windows that only runs in the metro/modern color block touch mode. It lacks backwards compatibility with legacy “real” Windows apps. You can’t run iTunes, or Twitter, or Spotify, or any of the other typical Windows applications. This is a huge limitation.

Now Windows does have a “Windows App Store” where you can download apps made for the new Windows RT OS. However, right now there is a shortage of anything great. No Facebook, no Twitter, no Spotify, no iTunes, no Chrome. This severely limits the use of this device. (I should note, a free version of Microsoft Office IS built into every Surface, which is nice.)

With that said, undoubtably, as time goes on and more people purchase new PCs with Windows 8, developers will see a big market potential (Windows is estimated to be something like 90% of the PC market), and will release apps for it.

Conclusion

I think in the beginning, early adopters will be very frustrated. Over time however, this will become a non-issue. Unlike with the phones, many new PCs will sell and create a market for apps. My recommendation is to wait. These devices are great, really. But in the beginning, they will be frustrating to use. The Surface Pro will be released sometime early next year (the employees at the Microsoft Store said 90 days from this launch.) and the Pro version of Windows 8 does have backwards compatibility/desktop mode to run old traditional Windows apps. That version is going to be amazing.

The Surface is a great “one device” concept. As I said, the idea of having one device is very appealing. The Surface is great for this convergence. It doesn’t do either the laptop side perfectly, nor the tablet side perfectly. The keyboard isn’t useful enough and the screen slightly too small to be compared to a true desktop replacement. It is not quite light enough and lacks the applications to be a great tablet. However, as an all-in-one is does them all well enough that I could easily recommend it.

Today Microsoft announced a promotion where anyone who upgrades from Windows XP/Vista/7 to Windows 8 in the fall can pay a reduced price of $39 (typically Windows upgrades have cost $120 or so) if they do so before January 2013.

I have to think they are doing this for 2 reasons:

1) They need Windows 8 to be a success.

Memories of Vista are still fresh in Redmond. They want hardware and software makers to make things for Windows 8. The new Metro interface is pointless if everyone just develops for old school Windows and people just ignore the Metro start screen. How do you get software developers on board? Boast about how many users there are. And to get a ton of people to upgrade? Make it cheap.

2) Competition from Apple

Apple is charging $19 to upgrade to Mountain Lion later this month. For Microsoft to continue to charge around $120 in comparison would seem to negate the whole “Mac Tax”/Macs are more expensive argument. (Despite the Windows 8 upgrade being much more significant than Mountain Lion)

Up until the developments in the mobile sphere, computing platforms were largely stagnant and stable. Largely there was the Windows system, that was widely adopted and easy to create systems for. There was the more curated Apple platform with its restrictions, and the very customizable and open Linux world.

Now however, these players and one notable addition, are seeing the hardware change which requires new and different ways of interacting with the operating system. Not surprisingly, there are different approaches.

Apple

Arguably Apple changed the direction of the mobile universe, marking a shift from hardware buttons and text interfaces with their iPhone and iOS system. Sure there were Windows Mobile and Blackberries before iPhone, but they were very different from how they look today. (Well.. maybe not Blackberry so much…)

Apple has two distinct systems. If you are on a computer, you are using Mac OS. (recently changed to OS X) If you are on a mobile device, you use iOS. This requires app developers to make two versions of apps if they want to reach users on both computers and mobile device platforms. And the way you interact with each system is very different. Mac OS still has a lot of dependence on menus and clicks and using a pointer.

The issues cropping up is whether as our mobile devices become more powerful, can the simpler iOS interface really allow us to do everything we want to do while computing on the go, or do we need something with more tools, and their neccessary complexity?

Microsoft

Microsoft has learned that focusing solely on enterprise users isn’t going to keep they afloat. More and more corporations are adopting Apple devices, mainly because employees bring them in and expect them to just work. So Microsoft is seeing its wheelhouse being chipped away at. Further, they largely lost the consumer preference already to Apple with their shiny simple to use devices.

So, Microsoft is changing their focus. They have the attitude of an upstart. They revamped their mobile OS with Windows Phone. It was lauded by critics and users, so they are applying the aesthetic to their desktop in the upcoming Windows 8. Instead of having two distinct platforms, they have stated that 80% of the code will be shared, making app development easy. They even have put a distinct focus on bringing mobile finger based gestures to the desktop. This is a huge gamble, both in that Windows users hate change, and will not like seeing a very different desktop starting at them. But also because it goes against Apple’s belief that the mobile and desktop spaces are meant to be interacted with differently. It will be interesting to see if this pays off.

That’s because the software company isn’t planning to simply share features between distinct operating systems, as will Apple. Rather, Microsoft hopes to introduce nearly identical experiences (or as close as the hardware will allow) to each. – TechBlock

Microsoft is hoping that people will appreciate having the same interface on all devices. Simpler, less things to remember. But do we want to paw at our desktop screens like we do our phones?

Google

Google has what could be the safest play. They are platform agnostic. Sure, they have Android on phones and tablets, but largely they are web based. Google simply wants you to interact with their various products – no matter the device.

They put out Android, with its faults and more attractive attributes. But they also have released Chromebooks, Google TV and of course their Chrome browser on almost every platform available. And you can access their search, email, and maps from any platform. The downside of this strategy is that fickle users aren’t locked in like they are to an Operating System. It is much easier to change your default search engine than it is your computing platform.

And Google has admitted this is a potential issue.

Rubin said that the biggest problem for Android on tablets is “there’s no organized way for consumers to recognize it as a viable platform,” and that Google wants consumers to see its tablets as part of the broader Android ecosystem. “The educated consumer realizes it now that they’re either picking the Apple ecosystem or the Microsoft ecosystem or the Google ecosystem… we’re going to do a better job at making people understand what ecosystem they’re buying into.”

For Apple users, you get the nice cooperation of devices designed to work together smoothly. For Microsoft you get a large ecosystem of devices that can fit your specific needs. Google needs to find its selling point.