Ex-Windows boss reveals his new desktop PC is an iPad Pro

[midian182]

What just happened? Apple has spent years calling the iPad a computer, a claim most people, including Microsoft, like to mock. But the arrival of the powerful iPad Pros saw Cupertino double down on its position. Now, the tablets have been given the seal of approval from none other than a former Windows chief: Steven Sinofsky, the man behind Windows 8.

Having joined Microsoft back in 1989 as a software design engineer, Sinofsky worked his way up to President of the Windows division by 2009, finally departing the company at the end of 2012.

In a tweet posted earlier today, Sinofsky posted a photo of an iPad Pro along with the message: “New desktop PC.”

New desktop PC. pic.twitter.com/b2OcaEgLEK

— Steven Sinofsky (@stevesi) May 25, 2020

The ex-Microsoft boss included a breakdown of all his kit, including the prices. In addition to the 12.9-inch 256GB iPad Pro (Wi-Fi only), which costs $1,099, he uses a $70 Heckler Design iPad Stand, $99 Magic Keyboard, $149 Trackpad 2, $129 Pencil, $5 right angle cable, and $10 7 in 1 dongle.

All in all, the setup costs $1,500, which would get you a pretty good PC, monitor, and peripherals.

Sinofsky was in charge of producing Windows 8 during his time at Microsoft and used to write about the process in a blog called Building Windows 8. The successor to Windows 7 was designed with touch-screen tablets in mind, though it wasn't very successful.

Sinofsky did add a slight caveat, noting that the iPad won't be his main computer. He said the “use case I am looking forward to is as a second screen for video meetings.”

The iPad Pro’s credentials as a ‘real computer’ improved with the release of iPad OS, adding the likes of native USB, mouse, and trackpad support. There was also the Magic Keyboard and the powerful new A12X and A12Z (both are virtually identical) SoCs helping its case.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/85365-ex-windows-boss-reveals-new-desktop-pc-ipad.html

 

[m4a4]

So, if I hook my phone up like that, can I also call it a desktop PC?

Rhetorical question. It's just dumb to imply it is a "desktop" PC with all the context that goes with that term, just because a computer is put on a desk...

 

[AnilD]

The guy that wanted to turn Windows into an iPad (unsuccessfully) has now realized his vision.

 

[Shadowboxer]

As soon as I can start travelling again I will be ditching my Ryzen 5 ultrabook for an iPad Pro. It’s not even a replacement, the iPad Pro is a big improvement at battery life, video editing, screen quality, the fact that it performs the same whether plugged in or not, size, weight, integration with my phone, camera & GoPro and input.

Literally only thing I do on my Windows 10 ultra book that I can’t do on an iPad is play minecraft as we play the original java edition. But I don’t do much of that on my laptop anyway.

 

[Angga B]

Samsung with dex, or any other android arm based phone using certain dongle could achieve the similar level of desktop computing too.

He is just revealing the reason why micro$oft lost him, or he lost them, whichever is true.

 

[Getgone]

When your job is to tweet, yes, iPad is good thing.

 

[Ludak021]

To learn that a boss of disaster called windows 8 is ex-boss is a good news in every area. Let's just hope no one hires him to oversee, or god forbid design, any OS, ever.

 

[Irata]

Had an iPad pro for work at my last job. That was before iPad OS and mouse support but basically it came down to my kid liking it very well as a Youtube and gaming machine.

Anything work related on that thing....just no.

 

[Dr Aggressive]

It seems his quasi-sexual obsession with small rectangles led us to the catastrophe called "Windows 8."

Good to know he's finally happy;

 

[Fearghast]

I owned iPad Pro since the first gen. and I think it's a good tablet, but if I would have to use it for work, I would rather used Atom CPU like N5000 but with full OS. iOS is just severly in-efficient when it comes to almost any workflow.
+ Not having 1080p+ Youtube is a major letdown ... Apple was not even able to fix it on "4K" Apple TV.

 

[Tams80]

Looks a bit **** to me. Like a great portable computing solution being used beyond what it's really good at.

 

[Shadowboxer]

I owned iPad Pro since the first gen. and I think it's a good tablet, but if I would have to use it for work, I would rather used Atom CPU like N5000 but with full OS. iOS is just severly in-efficient when it comes to almost any workflow.
+ Not having 1080p+ Youtube is a major letdown ... Apple was not even able to fix it on "4K" Apple TV.

I believe that it’s google that refuses to use apples codec on that one. Apple cant fix it, they would need to change the way their devices all play video. It’s quite petty from google. Same way they don’t let iOS users read emails on their Apple watches using the gmail app. We are still google products are we not? Our data is still sold to the highest bidding corporation regardless of whether we use Android or iOS devices. It’s time all these companies grow up. They all do it too. Apple don’t allow full voice control on their devices for anything but Apple Music for example.

 

[Nobina]

Haha, I put my phone on a table now it's a desktop.

 

[hk2000]

Key word here is Ex! No wonder Windows 8 flopped, with this guy being in charge? I'm not surprised..

 

[Fearghast]

I believe that it’s google that refuses to use apples codec on that one. Apple cant fix it, they would need to change the way their devices all play video. It’s quite petty from google. Same way they don’t let iOS users read emails on their Apple watches using the gmail app. We are still google products are we not? Our data is still sold to the highest bidding corporation regardless of whether we use Android or iOS devices. It’s time all these companies grow up. They all do it too. Apple don’t allow full voice control on their devices for anything but Apple Music for example.

TBH I am not quite sure how a device that does not support a codec is a service provider fault. Seem kinda like a long stretch.
It's one of the reasons why I did not yet upgraded to newer model, it sure has a better screen, but 1080p on such a screen just looks hideous in comparison to my other tablets I use.
Every other device I use can display 1080+ Youtube ... it's such a shame, I use Youtube a lot ... and Gmail but I never knew it has limitations on AW. I do refuse to use AW, I love the concept, I hate the execution.

 

[Red999]

Apart from the start menu, windows 8.1 is great. I am still using it in my haswell laptop, which didn't work well with windows 10

 

[Fearghast]

Apart from the start menu, windows 8.1 is great. I am still using it in my haswell laptop, which didn't work well with windows 10

Well it's certainly not plagued with 99,9% of problems people have with Windows 10 ... broken updates

 

[bexwhitt]

Apart from the start menu, windows 8.1 is great. I am still using it in my haswell laptop, which didn't work well with windows 10

I installed startisback on many machines back when it was prevalent and it saved many a user frustration.

 

[Flobberknock]

$1,500 to be used as a second screen for video meetings? Alright for some...

 

[Ludak021]

Haha, I put my phone on a table now it's a desktop.

It's a second display on my desk, I call it S*itfinity multi display array. It's wireless mind you.

PS. People, please, PLEASE don't confuse windows 8 and 8.1. They are different beasts.

 

[JB3543]

I have a theory about the seemingly insane Windows 8...

No one, I mean no one in their right freaking mind would have seriously thought that Windows 8, with its Metro display, would have been anything other than a complete disaster.

So what might have been Win8's true purpose?

Maybe, just maybe Microsoft wanted to really turn out an OS that violated user privacy on a huge scale, but they knew that would be a problem. So they first put out the insane Win8. Everyone was horrified by it. Then, when its successor, Win10, came out, everyone would gladly adopt it.

I mean, come on... Windows 8? Are you freaking kidding me?

 

[3ogdy]

A former Windows chief: Steven Sinofsky, the man behind Windows 8.
Thankfully he's no longer in charge at Microsoft. Good riddance.
Nuff said about him. Not surprised he calls an iFad a "desktop PC"

 

[Gypsygib]

I would have gotten a Surface instead for that price and been able to use for remote work hassle free.

People on Macbooks are even having issues with our remote work software.

 

[lazer]

Meh! man behind crappy windows 8, no longer working for Micr$lorp, is using an Ipad. He sounds like a loser to me.......