Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is. On iOS musical devices you can already plug them into music hardware - guitars, keyboards, mixers, etc. That's already happening.
I would actually argue that Surface Blades are not the best thing ever simply because for things like mixing you want 3 dimensional tactile feedback for subtle adjustments. Big buttons on a flat touch pad is probably better than a purely visual interface, but it seems like they are straddling the line between a non-optimal software interface for a middle ground that isn't the same as using a real mixing board, but it's maybe a bit better than using an on screen UI.
My guess is that musicians aren't going to flock to this unless they get some established producer to use it to mix some awesome beats and even then it's unclear that this is much better than a dedicated hardware device experience yet.
"Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is."
Why does it have to be the same way? How will copying be an innovations then? Also, i could not understand your second sentence.....you can plug ipad into guitar? Was that the implication?
Tactile feedback can be generated using vibrations ala Xbox controller. I think they have Linkin Park's DJ behind them.
Get Dr.Dre on board. Market it like Beats headphones. Generate a following in music at least.
Hmm. Linkin Park's DJ? How much more C-list can you get in terms of DJs to endorse your product. If Armin van Buuren plays a set in Ibiza with a Surface, I might possibly give it a bit more credit as a serious device. From a DJ and producer perspective, MacBook Pros and Mac Pros are still king. I don't know the specs on the surface, but I would bet running a full Ableton setup on the surface would be a bit stressful on that OS. Serato might run on it though, so the wedding DJ market might eat this up while the real producers and DJs will stick with their laptops, MIDI controllers and USB/FireWire mixers. I've never played in a booth that was so small that a Surface would be the only thing that fit. This Surface thing is going simply be a marketing pull like iLife is for Mac.
Hello I am a member of Microsoft's target market here. I've definitely heard of Linkin Park, and their music, but I've never once heard the name Armin van Buuren before. Does that make him D-list?
Electronic dance music (EDM) DJs are not well-known in the US. Only a tiny portion of the population listens to EDM. I'm 29 and have friends that are very interested in EDM and I've never heard of Armin van Buuren either, but have heard of Linkin Park (of course I was directly in the middle of their demographic when they broke out). I suspect this is a regional issue. In the US the marketing value of having <insert any known US band here>'s DJ is probably higher than having Armin van Buuren if you are trying to target a broad demographic out of the gate and not going for the hardcore early adopter strategy.
At least the Surface has a USB port which means I can plug almost any music peripheral into it, unlike the iPad where I have to spend extra for a 'camera connection kit' like there aren't any other devices in the world that employ USB.
I would actually argue that Surface Blades are not the best thing ever simply because for things like mixing you want 3 dimensional tactile feedback for subtle adjustments. Big buttons on a flat touch pad is probably better than a purely visual interface, but it seems like they are straddling the line between a non-optimal software interface for a middle ground that isn't the same as using a real mixing board, but it's maybe a bit better than using an on screen UI.
My guess is that musicians aren't going to flock to this unless they get some established producer to use it to mix some awesome beats and even then it's unclear that this is much better than a dedicated hardware device experience yet.