Finally played with a Surface yesterday. . .

P

PCMusicGuy

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It was pretty fluid, fast, and internet explorer worked well. I don't own a tablet but I've demoed many at various stores. I still don't plan on buying one yet as I do not believe they would be useful for me. My quick thoughts follow.

The keyboard would take a bit of getting used to as you have to press the keys just right with just the right amount of pressure. On screen keyboards seem quicker for me, but with practice I'm sure the rubber keyboard would win out.

It was a typical tablet. The only real standout thing that I noticed was that the digitizer seemed very good. I mean, iPad good. The Surface is the only tablet other than the iPad I've handled that could pick up all 5 of my fingers trying to pinch zoom. All of the android devices I've experienced thus far do not. This is a big plus in my book.

The app store was devoid of anything truly great. The usual "Cut the Rope" type popular games and other popular apps were there but nothing stood out. I did not get a chance to play with the office apps.

Honestly, other than picking up the tablet to browse the web, I cannot see what I would use the tablet for especially having an ultrabook around the house. I suppose I could use it as an eBook reader but I prefer the real thing. What makes it worse is that the Surface is so limiting in the software it can run.

I will anxiously await the Surface Pro in the hopes that it can deliver something that I actually think could be useful for the way I do my computing. :)
 
Despite hating Win8, I am also looking forward to Surface Pro. I have no idea why Microsoft even released the RT with Pro coming just around the corner. It does make sense. When most people know a newer better version of your product is a few months away, they aren't going to plop down money on the older version.
 
Monkey God said:
Despite hating Win8, I am also looking forward to Surface Pro. I have no idea why Microsoft even released the RT with Pro coming just around the corner. It does make sense. When most people know a newer better version of your product is a few months away, they aren't going to plop down money on the older version.
Click to expand...

They are very different products. The pro is not a new version of the RT.
 
PCMusicGuy said:
It was a typical tablet. The only real standout thing that I noticed was that the digitizer seemed very good. I mean, iPad good. The Surface is the only tablet other than the iPad I've handled that could pick up all 5 of my fingers trying to pinch zoom. All of the android devices I've experienced thus far do not. This is a big plus in my book.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I never even realized that more than two fingers for zooming worked but I just tried this on my Samsung Ativ Smart PC and Series 7 from last year and I can use any number of fingers to zoom. I think the Windows 8 spec calls for a minimum of five touch point support and a maximum of ten.
 
@Monkey God
They are two different products. That's like comparing a bicycle to a motorcycle.
 
have played around with them as well. definitely fluid and fast from what I can tell. more interested in the surface pro also.
 
IE just isn't good enough compared to WebKit browsers. I've been using a Surface and it's already crashed or slowed down a number of times.
 
MrCrispy said:
IE just isn't good enough compared to WebKit browsers. I've been using a Surface and it's already crashed or slowed down a number of times.
Click to expand...

That sounds more like and issue with Surface RT or Windows RT to me. I've not had any issues like those running IE 10, Metro or desktop, on any of my devices but they are all x86. IE 10 is better in my experience with touch on Windows 8, even the desktop version, than Chrome or Firefox.
 
heatlesssun said:
That sounds more like and issue with Surface RT or Windows RT to me. I've not had any issues like those running IE 10, Metro or desktop, on any of my devices but they are all x86. IE 10 is better in my experience with touch on Windows 8, even the desktop version, than Chrome or Firefox.
Click to expand...

Could very well be. It just takes a really long time, even with just going back it will often reload the entire page.
 
You know what killed the Surface RT? The ridiculously shitty display technology. Seriously, most phones offer virtually the same amount of pixels. In a few days it's 2013, and they still try to sell stuff like that on a full-price tablet that is supposed to be a disrupting product.

Hope the Surface Pro is better, because as it stands now, Window RT is a failure (and yes, I have been running Windows 8 since way back in Developer Preview and got used to it quickly). It would have been an interesting perspective for us developers...
 
MrCrispy said:
IE just isn't good enough compared to WebKit browsers.
Click to expand...
I find IE10 to be adequate, both from the perspective of an ordinary user who has ordinary demands of his browser and as a web developer who has generally extraordinary demands for target browsers.

I can cut Microsoft a little slack in the performance and stability departments, as this is their first stab at an ARM-based product, but I'd be unwilling to cut them any slack for the second-generation ARM version. As is typical, first adopters are punished for their eagerness.
 
PCMusicGuy said:
The keyboard would take a bit of getting used to as you have to press the keys just right with just the right amount of pressure. On screen keyboards seem quicker for me, but with practice I'm sure the rubber keyboard would win out.
Click to expand...

Which keyboard did you use? When I tried it out at the Windows store, they had two different ones. The one with actual buttons that pop out was much much better for me.
 
Intel_Hydralisk said:
Which keyboard did you use? When I tried it out at the Windows store, they had two different ones. The one with actual buttons that pop out was much much better for me.
Click to expand...

I was using the soft keyboard. The one that you are describing sounds like it would be much better. I think if they would have made the keyboard standard for no extra cost it might have had a little better sales, but as it is now, it is just too expensive compared to others, especially for what you get. I'm still very hopeful about Surface Pro though.
 
PCMusicGuy said:
Honestly, other than picking up the tablet to browse the web, I cannot see what I would use the tablet for especially having an ultrabook around the house. I suppose I could use it as an eBook reader but I prefer the real thing. What makes it worse is that the Surface is so limiting in the software it can run.
Click to expand...
You've hit on what ARM based tablets basically are, and going from the tiny Live Marketplace to the bigger Android Market to the huge AppStore doesn't really change that. They're great and convenient and long-lasting for watching movies, shows and reading books and newspapers, but they have weak productivity tools and pretty mediocre web browsing and emailing tools. The portability trumps every other device, but they are still just consumption devices.

Our household has a slightly older iPad and a newer Android tablet and they both get used every day, but neither is indispensable and could be replaced by our phones at any time. The best use I get out of the Transformer Prime is simply running Splashtop to my desktop and using it exactly as an ultrabook.

I'm hoping a hybrid laptop/tablet will let me replace it entirely.
 
PCMusicGuy said:
I was using the soft keyboard. The one that you are describing sounds like it would be much better. I think if they would have made the keyboard standard for no extra cost it might have had a little better sales, but as it is now, it is just too expensive compared to others, especially for what you get. I'm still very hopeful about Surface Pro though.
Click to expand...
Part of the problem with the Soft Touch keyboard (aside from the major durability problems some people are reporting) is that you're going to tire your fingers out pressing into a flat surface. Even typing on a normal tablet isn't very comfortable after a while, for that reason.

I'm not thrilled with the Type Cover, but I believe anyone can develop accessories for that port so maybe we'll see a good battery/keyboard come along.
 
/rant/ said:
You know what killed the Surface RT? The ridiculously shitty display technology. Seriously, most phones offer virtually the same amount of pixels. In a few days it's 2013, and they still try to sell stuff like that on a full-price tablet that is supposed to be a disrupting product.

Hope the Surface Pro is better, because as it stands now, Window RT is a failure (and yes, I have been running Windows 8 since way back in Developer Preview and got used to it quickly). It would have been an interesting perspective for us developers...
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I would've bought one today if it weren't for that crap display.
If they had matched the iPad they could have really stood a chance to disrupt the tablet space.
 
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