So I’ve mentioned before that I’m intrigued by the Surface lineup of laptops, tablets, and the like from Microsoft. Today I took a look at the new Microsoft Surface Pro, which is the version following the Surface Pro 4. Microsoft is trying to be like Apple with their confusing naming conventions, apparently. It’s what we do in the world of 21st century marketing.
The look and feel of the Microsoft Surface Pro is awesome. I’m impressed with feel, the fit and finish, and the overall hardware experience. I’m not as impressed with Windows 10, though I think it is getting where it needs to be. Honestly, I’m not overly enthused with the latest version of Apple’s Mac OS either, so it should be no surprise that I’m looking at alternatives from the offerings from Apple.
Then I saw this marketing video from Microsoft of their next version of the Surface Hub, a collaboration device aimed at conference rooms near and far.
WOW!
I have always been a fan of the “vision” Microsoft had hoped to achieve by 2020, as documented by some videos from the beginning of this decade, before Windows 8 came out, failed, and Microsoft got a little weird with things until they got back on track. The typography in the version of Windows on this new Surface Hub 2 is amazing. The collaborative capabilities, the tie in to Microsoft Office (especially OneNote) and the integration of Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams is compelling. I would LOVE to be able to sit in on a design meeting with my team at work using tools as demonstrated in this video. I think Microsoft is leading the pack if this product lives up to the marketing video.
I hope to have an opportunity to see one of these setups in person with real time work going on. I’m ready for the future.
