The Windows RT advantage everybody seems to forget
Browsing tech blogs and forums these days you find a lot of discussion about Windows RT. You find a lot of posts in the vein of "Why Win RT will fail" and threads wondering why anyone would or should choose RT over an iPad. Most of those discussions (aside from being fanboy flamewars) seem to come down to one point: arguments for possibly added productivity through RT desktop mode by supporters and arguments against the RT desktop due to lack of desktop programs capable of running on ARM by critics.
But aside from all fuss about the RT desktop mode, if you consider only the touch enabled Metro experience and compare it to competing tablet systems - foremost the iPad - there is one big advantage for Windows RT that in my opinion puts it head and shoulders above the competition and seems to be continously ignored or missed by media and forum discussions:
device class drivers and the USB port
Simply put: the connectivity options for Windows RT tablets are miles ahead of everything else on the market. You can pretty much attach any digital camera released in the last few years, lots of video cameras, install USB and network printers, connect external storage, heck even attach a Bluray drive and watch movies,DVDs and files from optical media. And of course gamepads, mice and keyboards, card readers,... the list goes on and on. This feature alone adds so much flexibilty and utility to an RT tablet compared to the competiton that I'd have a hard time, given decent hardware choices, to recommend another tablet to somebody shopping around (purely based on features and assuming the app ecosystem of Windows RT will catch up over time). I can take my tablet to friends and share pictures and home videos. I can take my tablet to my parents' place, attach their printer and make hardcopies of pictures of their grandchild (yeah, there are still old school people out there). I can take my tablet to the company conference room and print documents I forgot to bring. I can decently control my car in the latest racing game with an XBox Controller. You get the idea.
I don't want to discredit or bash the iPad or similar tablets, but I think this is such an obvious, in your face advantage that I'm absolutely puzzled everybody seems to overlook it. What are your thoughts?
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