Microsoft now offers the perfect thing to run software you don't really own on; you can run your rented OS and applications on a rented Surface Book, Surface Pro 4 or Surface 3. As per the usual industry practice they don't refer to it as renting, but rather Hardware as a Service. The plans are available as 18, 24 or 30 month memberships, with a "Complete for Business Extended Service Plan with Accidental Damage Protection" which sounds rather impressive as it claims to cover high velocity impacts and coffee disasters. The Register has more information on the deal here.
The default Surface Book will run you $109/month @ 18 months or $80/month if you sign up for 30, or $1500 to buy it outright. Interesting idea, fad or a money grab that will make Adobe green with jealousy?
"First Microsoft turned Office into software-as-a-service. It's currently transforming Windows into Windows-as-a-service. And now it's decided that its Surface Pro typoslab should become Surface-as-a-service, to help businesses buy more of the hybrid machines."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- ntel Genuino 101 @ Kitguru
- Microsoft has bought LinkedIn for $26.2bn @ The Inquirer
- Apple to dump Qualcomm in favour of Intel LTE chips for some iPhone 7 models @ The Inquirer
- Microsoft Announces the Xbox One S, Its Smallest Xbox Yet @ Slashdot
- Typeeto – Using Your Mac As A Bluetooth Keyboard @ Tech ARP
- Building A Massive L-Shaped Desk For A Better Workflow, More Monitors & Space @ Phoronix
Microsoft should just call it
Microsoft should just call it all “spyware as a service”.
This is what M$ really wants,
This is what M$ really wants, control of the entire software stack SAAS/OSAAS/Cloud and the hardware leased as a service. So M$ does not care what windows 10 does to its consumer users with the spying, and the forced updates, and the Loss of third party OEM PC/Laptop hardware sales. M$ wants that Apple style ecosystem with its straw slurping of any information of value to sale to others for a big M$ continuous revenue stream and total app store revenues of 30% on all of the software/services action.
You third party PC/laptop OEMs better wake up and read the tea leaves! Better pool your collective OEM resources and get a Linux distro that all of you third party PC/Laptop OEMs can collectively maintain, and the same goes for some of the PC/Laptop OEM’s that may also be Tablet/Phone OEMs, for a full Linux Open based ecosystem, as Google is looking to do the same with Android. It’s better to go full on Linux and let the application ecosystem be really open and free, because Windows 10/10’s EULA, and Android Future versions are going to be blob based and only available with M$’s/Google’s hands in the Pie.
Steam OS for gaming, and some Open Source distro, with the NON Kernel parts under the GPL, the same as the GPL for the Linux Kernel so no one can lock the OS down to only their approved Blob. Google could easily go with a BSD type more restricted Kernel and lock things down Apple style. All the devices markets are shrinking so now the real fighting begins among the behemoths for their market share of the SAAS/Cloud revenues streams. The garden gates are closing and it’s time to bolt from the stock yard that you thought was just some good “FREE” grazing pasture, before you are sliced up into some prime fillets as the intended product.
Hey, Microsoft!
I’ve got a
Hey, Microsoft!
I’ve got a great business idea for you. Make the terms of service state that you own all works created/stored with your OS and take documents which your algorithms conclude are important away from users, charging for the privilege of getting them back.
I’ve just applied for a patent on the concept. It’s called… brandsonware. Cause it’s software that puts your brand on everything so that it’s you who owns it.
An AsS surface is always a
An AsS surface is always a service for men… 😀
Wow! So M$ wants:
To
Wow! So M$ wants:
To constantly spy on me? And update stuff without my consent? And bloc other stuff, like 3rd party apps, because they say so? And hike the price without warning? And then lock me out of the device so I can’t access my data the instant I don’t pay or for any other reason they deem appropriate?
So, you ask me if I want to be hostage of M$ Orwellian rented closed garden? No thanks…
and you probably use an
and you probably use an ADroid phone and all those crapware “”””Free”””” software garbage it puts out giving that ad company every bit of personal information it can squeeze out of you without hesitation. bunch of hypocrites.
Huh, the usual comment
Huh, the usual comment nutters are out in full force today!
As someone who supports enterprise gear, hardware rental actually seems like a pretty good idea. Avoids the hassle of disposing of OOW gear, the support headache of repairing/replacing OOW gear on-the-fly, and the big financial wallop of purchasing new gear in an upgrade cycle (beancounters are happier with X,000 a month rather than X00,000,000 for 3 years) so you avoid being stuck with OOW gear in the first place.
If you’re running 5 year old gear and repairing everything in-house, then you’re probably not the target market for this and will likely not save any money renting hardware.
So, do I get access to the
So, do I get access to the new Surface Book model when it is released? Because I am having a hard time picturing how spending $2500 ($80×30) for a $1500 item is a good idea. Even if I was to take a loan out, I would be spending less on interest than that.
You and I both … in theory
You and I both … in theory you should be able to trade up but I did not see that spelled out.