The Surface Laptop - Microsoft makes a MacBook Air killer

Hardware and technical stuff
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It actually can run Chrome, if Google releases it in the Windows Store. Using MS’ desktop bridge you can very easily package any win32 application for the Windows Store that doesn’t require administrative privileges.

Now, I would be very surprised if Google packages Chrome for the Windows Store, because that would mean Windows S found traction in the marketplace and that is not going to happen. But it’s technically possible.

However, note that you can’t change the default browser from Edge, and the search engine inside Edge cannot be changed from Bing. So unless your students live exclusively inside Chrome, every time they click a link in a PDF or whatever it will open Edge.

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You are correct. The nice thing about Window 10 S is that in theory, it can run almost anything that windows 10 can, provided it is packaged as a Centennial App (or other bridge/UWP) and sold in the Windows Store, so in theory it could mean Chrome, Itunes, even Steam available to the machine in time. It just seems unlike.

Still, since this version is focused on the Windows Store instead of UWP Apps, Microsoft is porting over a full version of Office for people with an Office 365 Education Subscription (in the fall it will be more widely available), and those X-Box One games that are on the Store can be played with Windows 10 S. Other apps should be easier to move as well.

It seems, that in addition to making a streamlined version of Windows for schools and offices, the goal is to once again make the Windows Store something useful, and by not limiting it to UWP apps, maybe it will work (although as non UWP Apps, Windows Mobile is still screwed, but I think most people have accepted that).

Personally, I’m curious to see whether we get mid range Windows 10 S labtops.

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Yes, I actually use one (1) win32 program from the windows store, Crystaldiskmark. It’s convenient, it auto-upgrades, and it works perfectly fine.

The Office 365 thing uses the desktop bridge, right? They aren’t true UWP apps yet.

I would be very surprised to see mid-range Win10 S devices. Unlike Win8.1 with Bing, which sounded stupid and castrated but was actually perfectly fine, Win10 S is really substantially crippled. Just like Win8.1/Bing, it will be positioned on the cheapest laptops in the market.

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Just spent some time in a Microsoft Store checking out the Surface Laptop.

The craftsmanship and build quality is really impressive, even if you’re familiar with Apple products. It literally feels like it’s carved from a single piece of aluminum. Now, we’ve been saying that about a bunch of devices for a while, but this thing is seamless. The fabric also feels a bit softer than the Surface Pro type keyboards, even though it’s the same material. I think it’s because they added just a tad bit more; almost like a very nice felt.

Had fun talking with one of the employees about it. They’re really excited by it.

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Whoops, I guess Chrome won’t be in the windows store after all!

Nice one, MS.

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And… dead.

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How do I install Firefox on my Chromebook?

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There’s a difference between a device designed to be strictly limited with tons of inherent advantages like a Chromebook, and one that slimy suits castrated to fit an imaginary market segment, like those running Windows S.

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Please explain the “inherent advantages” of a Chromebook which Windows 10 S does not also meet or exceed.

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  • The OS is read-only and all data lives in the cloud, so you can pass out Chromebooks to students every day without requiring they get the same one. Windows is well, windows. It doesn’t do this.
  • This also means ChromeOS is completely immune to viruses and malware. Windows isn’t.
  • ChromeOS autoupdates and doesn’t force the user to reboot. Windows forces reboots. A lot.
  • ChromeOS is extremely lightweight, taking up very little space. Windows has improved in this regard but is nowhere near ChromeOS.
  • ChromeOS has bulletproof very mature management software for classrooms. Windows S supposedly has something new like this but I haven’t seen any reviews comparing them yet.
  • ChromeOS can run hundreds of thousands of android apps. Windows S has the windows app store, which is rotting garbage.
  • ChromeOS runs pretty well in 2GB RAM. Windows doesn’t.
  • ChromeOS has the Chrome browser, which is the gold standard, period. Windows forces you to use Edge.
  • Oh, and your question about running Firefox on ChromeOS? Works fine.

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That was beautiful

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Con:

Windows 10S: Can’t install Chrome or Firefox.

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Making lists is easy, but making those lists accurate and internally consistent is more difficult.

First, you claim that the OS is “read only”, and “immune to malware”, yet you’re also claiming that you can install completely arbitrary executables like Firefox on it?

Those statements are incompatible, unless you deliberately modify Chrome OS in unintended ways to enable it to do things that it was never intended to do. Much like you’ll inevitably be able to do with Windows 10 S. And it’ll make you more vulnerable to malware along the way.

The fact that Windows 10 S is locked down to only apps from the store means that it too is “immune to malware” - at least to the same extent that Chrome OS is. Since you don’t even have the option to install arbitrary applications, you can’t (purposely or inadvertently) run malware.

There are still vectors to get malware - just like Chrome OS - through inevitable browser vulnerabilities, or rogue browser extensions or apps which get past Google’s or Microsoft’s approval processes.

Chrome OS also does not support Android apps quite yet. It was announced over a year ago, but Google hasn’t delivered on it yet:

Meanwhile, the Windows Store supports full desktop-class applications, nearly 1000 of which are currently in the Windows Store. These are all fully-vetted applications which Microsoft has verified to be free of malware.

For example, I’m currently using Slack and Evernote through the Windows Store and it’s a whole lot nicer to do so than using their custom installers and having yet another third-party updater service running and consuming resources in the background. Adobe Photoshop Elements is in the store too with the same benefits. The full version of Office will be there soon too.

It’s early days for Centennial, but with BUILD going on right now having a major focus on Centennial, and tons of developer interest, it shows that while the store might not be there right now, it’s certainly capable of providing a more robust desktop-class experience than a Chromebook without sacrificing performance, stability, or security.

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Technically, Firefox in that case would be running out of the Android VM, wouldn’t it? That severely limits the damage that malware can do.

I’ve been running Android apps for months on my Chromebook. Originally in deceit more, and now it’s in the stable build.

I think that is just limited to a subset of Chromebooks.

Here the real reason though why Chromebooks are better than this surface laptop… they cost a tenth of the price.

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I didn’t make myself clear, so I’ll say it now: I think it’s stupid that the Surface Laptop ships with Windows 10 S. It’s the wrong product for 10 S. So I’m glad it can be upgraded to Pro for the rest of this year.

I’m talking about actual intended devices for Windows 10 S: cheap devices schools will buy in the $200 range that will be directly competing with Chromebooks.

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This could indeed be a real thing. However, can windows 10s run on hardware that cheap? I’m skeptical that it can.

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There are cheapo Win10 tablets that run for less than $100. It runs, though not particularly fast. But for $200, you could probably get decent (non-SSD) performance. Especially if you limit it to UWP apps.

I ended up doing that on my old i3 Surface Pro 3. I just ran Edge and UWP apps, and it was snappy enough.

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Yes, you can install android apps on the user-modifiable portion of the storage. The OS is read-only.

Windows 10 S is absolutely not immune to malware. Most exploits that work against real Windows will work on it, because they run in superuser context. You’re correct that ChromeOS is technically vulnerable in the same way but there has never been a single piece of ChromeOS malware.

Android apps do run on ChromeOS. This is released for consumer use. That doesn’t mean it’s out of “beta”, but Gmail was in beta for like 6 years so I wouldn’t hold my breath there.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7021273?hl=en

“1000 fully vetted full desktop-class applications on the windows store”? C’mon, man. The windows store is full of unvetted garbage. It’s like the android market circa 2010.

fartapps.png1221×759 375 KB

Centennial is absolutely capable of providing better desktop-class apps than ChromeOS, in that it could run almost every win32 program. Err, other than browsers, eh? Amirite? Oh yeah, and Steam has an integrated webkit browser, so no Steam either.

But it doesn’t yet, and it certainly is not guaranteed to happen. In fact I would be downright astonished if developers embrace the windows store, given past experience.

And I’d be just as surprised if it succeeds at schools too.

@Timex: Yes, android apps are sandboxed. I didn’t bother to mention that as UWP and desktop bridged win32 apps are sandboxed too.

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So my father was really not liking his Dell XPS 13 to the point that he asked me about finding a replacement. I pointed him toward the Surface Laptop, as it’s the most Apple-like laptop in the PC universe. He bought one. i5/8GB/256GB for $1,099 ($200 off currently). First thing I did for him was upgrade it to Win 10 Pro (which is a free upgrade now), and I must admit it’s an extremely nice clamshell laptop. Build quality is superb. The screen is 13.5-inches of glory, and at 3:2 aspect ratio it unlike any other clamshell laptop on the market. And the alcantara gives it a unique look and feel, and is very nice on the wrists. At $1,100, it’s pretty much perfect.