Office Newswire: Microsoft Surface – reviews, observations and predictions – 6.20.2012

The world has indeed changed. Hardware and design matter as much as software… even Microsoft admits it now and has done something about it.

After reading almost everything there is to read on the subject of Microsoft Surface, I have a few observations and predictions:

• I’m surprised and happy.
• If Microsoft delivers, Surface changes the tablet game.
• Windows 8 suddenly makes sense to me.
• I don’t think MSFT has been this cool since 1995.
• Steve Ballmer is no Steve Jobs… nor should he be.
• Office 16 is going to be drastically different and will leave its desktop roots behind.
• I hope we don’t have to wait 3 years after the release of Office 15 to see it.
• Microsoft held this event to capture momentum and let us know we should save our money for the cool stuff headed our way.

I’ll admit it straight-up. I want one. Windows 8 frustrates me but I have a feeling I’ll learn to love it if I have a Microsoft Surface.

Microsoft Surface!

• Surface announcement event video :: Watch it all and pretend you were there along with all the cool kids. There is a gallery of additional videos too. Ballmer starts it off. Sinofsky arrives in the 11:30 minute mark. The demo begins at the 18:40 mark. Panos Fanay (sp?), the Surface team lead appears at 28:40. Sinofsky back at 43:00 to tell us pricing info is not available. Ballmer closes the show at 44:44.
• Microsoft’s new Surface tablets make a solid first impression :: I’m placing this item from Ed Bott at the top. Ed is a critic’s critic and is not easy to please. He’s seen it all and written it about it for years. The fact that he has a positive review is a very good sign for Surface. Ed’s a great journalist and he finds all the gaping holes in Microsoft’s announcement.
• Microsoft Surface just made the MacBook Air and the iPad look obsolete :: According to Gizmodo, MSFT has the potential to steal the future from Apple. This article ends by describing the coming battles of this decades-old war.
• Did Microsoft Surface just make the MacBook Air and iPad Obsolete? Don’t be an idiot. :: Not so fast Gizmodo. We don’t have the price, specs, release date, and more. As CultofMac states, no one saw the magnetic keyboard demoed anywhere. They say Surface is nothing more than vaporware at the moment. Key phrase here is "at the moment".
• Surface: Microsoft, what the hell is wrong with you? :: Here comes the "oh my gosh… what are you doing… you haven’t thought this through… the sky is falling" article. I believe the author is Chicken Little he used his pen name, Jason Perlow.
• Microsoft Surface is all about Apple :: You think? This article wins the prize for most obvious headline for 2012. I don’t care that we still have a 50% of the year left. No article in the next 6 months will have a more obvious title. There are lots of comments though. Mr. Wilcox is good writer. I blame this headline on his editor.
• Hands on with Microsoft Surface tablet for Windows RT :: I didn’t read this one. I’m including because it has screen shots not seen elsewhere.
• Will you buy the Microsoft Surface tablet? :: A Wall Street Journal poll… vote and see the results.
• Here’s why Microsoft’s Surface tablet is guaranteed to have small sales :: It’s because they will sell it through the Microsoft retail stores only. There is one in Austin. I’ll need to call in a favor from my sister-in-law.
• Microsoft.Kicks.Ass :: Wow. Included for the headline alone. Can a single device make this big of a difference? Microsoft is all-of-a-sudden cool again with people that matter most… mac-fan-boy-journalist-types!
• With the Surface, Microsoft just started writing its next chapter :: Microsoft’s younger generation is a big reason MSFT is regaining their MOJO.
• Microsoft Surface tablets: Reading the fine print :: Mary Jo Foley has a laundry list of questions.

Office tips, tricks & tools

• A quick Excel keyboard trick for selecting large ranges :: use the SHIFT key!
• Use a Word macro to apply formatting to outlook email :: This is a great tip in that it is clever.
• Get the Microsoft Office Ribbon exactly how you want it :: Office doesn’t advertise it but you can customize the Ribbon.

Office developer items of note

• SharePoint 2010 copy list items across sites :: I found this item while trying researching a couple of ideas I have.
• Building SharePoint Farms using Windows Azure Virtual Machine (IAAS) :: I’ve been waiting for serious support of VM’s in Azure. This Azure stuff just might catch-on.

Cutting room floor

• The all-time best protest sign
• Rare blue lobster found near Ocean City
• NASA Voyager 1 spacecraft nears interstellar space :: I wonder what color lobsters will be found where it’s headed.