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Do we have any?
I’m currently waffling between the RT and the Pro versions. My old Netbook is pretty well tired out and I need a replacement. The Suface looks like it would be a pretty good option. I’d like to have Outlook and basic functionality of other Office programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint but don’t really need any of the more advanced features of Office.
The USB port and HDMI out are definitely plusses. An actual “clicking” keyboard like the Type cover is a must-have.
From what I’ve read, the RT is lighter, has longer battery life and runs cooler.
What say the members of EDCF?
The RT limits you to the software which is available in the Microsoft App Store. I’ve been considering a Surface Pro to replace my Fujitsu Stylistic ST-4121, but can’t bring myself to give up a daylight viewable display.
The surface rt is fantastic if you’re just looking for a tablet with the occasional need for office etc. (way better than the iPad).
If you need a device more closely related to a laptop, then the pro is the one to get, as stated above, the rt can only run apps that are purchased on the windows App Store, the pro can run most any windows program.
My wife switched from ipad2 to the surface rt a year ago and hasn’t looked back.
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For what you’re describing, it doesn’t sound like you need Surface at all. Android or Apple tablets, even phones, have enough compatible apps for MS Office you should be fine for your level of work. As to the keyboard, a bluetooth keyboard is cheaper, better to use. You’ll save plenty of money and aggravation compared with the Surface.
If Outlook is your critical app, then a Surface can make sense. But I think I’d look very hard at my business and personal use if that were the case as Outlook is not that great of a tool. And the tech environment going forward is not looking good for Microsoft in general in mobile especially.
Last point first. I think the MS tech environment looks pretty good for MS going forward. They are laying the ground work to consolidate to one basic platform shared on the PC, tablet, phone and Xbox. When that comes, and everything works together no other company will have that kind of control and integration. Write one program, with minor tweaks for UI and input you have it out on 4 platforms. If they put it together right you’ll see a big change in market share for tablets and phones.
Their current portfolio isn’t there quite yet. I picked up a windows phone the Nokia 920 for a change and its pretty nice if you are not an app junkie. They did a horrible job marketing the RT and really haven’t done a good job telling people what they need it for.
For rt/pro. If you want a web browser and office applications go with the rt. If you want to be able to run full programs other than office you’ll need the pro. I can’t quite justify the cost personally since I already have a Note tablet (original) a netbook and a laptop. But that doesn’t mean I’m not tempted. I’d love to get one and be able to use it for work, Outlook, Visual Studio, Team Foundation Server Integration, Office Communicator…. That would be a nice tablet. Unfortunately can’t use a personal device.
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I had the same dilemma. I wanted something small and light to carry for meetings and collaboration. I needed something that would handle actual applications, but was small enough to use in a cramped IDF closet for terminal sessions. I was set to go with the Surface Pro and after some serious hands on comparison, I bought a Dell XPS 12, which is the small convertible tablet/laptop. Here is why:
1. S.Pro – $999 (128GB); XPS $1099 (256GB) – both solid state drives
2. S.Pro – $129 for a keyboard cover; XPS regular laptop keyboard included
3. S.Pro – 10.6″ screen (super wide and short); XPS 12.5 and more proportionate.
4. S.Pro – 1 USB port; XPS 2 USB portsWhile these aren’t huge differences, I felt like I got more for the same money with the touchscreen XPS 12 and the ultrabook size makes it very portable. The case and frame of mine is a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. Anyway, it was not my intention to dissuade anyone from the Surface. I had been through the same dilemma and thought I’d offer my perspective.
I will say that had I not needed true application ability and was just looking for a web browsing and e-mail solution, I probably would have purchased the Surface RT.
Yes, i see where MS is going. I don’t think they’ll be that successful at it. They’re late to the party; FOSS is a major threat on the backend; MS pricing and licensing hurts them; they’re closing their garden to be more apple-like losing the openess that drove Windows in the market.
MS is going in all the wrong directions to keep and grow mind/marketshare. At least that’s my prognostication.
Thanks for all the feedback! Outlook isn’t absolutely critical, but it’s definitely nice to have. If there’s a better all-around e-mail, calendar, contact and task management application on the market, I haven’t found it … and I’ve tried a few. Some of that may just be my familiarity with the Outlook interface. I’ve been using it since the late 90’s so it’s pretty much second nature to me.
My current Netbook runs a stripped down version of Windows leading me to believe the RT OS will be just fine for my needs. I’m running Open Office on my Netbook and don’t have heavy Office needs when running a portable device.
This discussion has made me think in another direction …. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab. I could get a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, but the absence of a video output (to a projector, for instance)is a problem.
Hmmm.
Some Samsung tablets have a dongle that is sold separately that supports video output. It may just be HDMI and I believes varies by model. Something to look into at least.
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MHL via the mircoUSB connector is the video out for Samsung and some other devices. You need to match up the pin count depending on the age of the device. And it usually requires a powered USB port as well to power the adaptor. But most TVs will have one of those available.
It’s not letting me link the amazon item I use,
“6.5 Feet MHL Micro USB to Hdmi 1080p Hdtv Adapter Cable for Samsung Galaxy S3 S4 Note 2 and Mhl-enabled Phones ”
by Afunta.Scroll along the “Customers who bought this also bought” and you’ll see some of the pin count adapters. A little googling will help you figure out the right cable/adapter if needed.
I’ve seen the dongles … and quite a few comments that they don’t work with the Galaxy Tab 2 (just the original version).
Picked up a Surface RT 64GB yesterday. So far, for the most part, I like it. The RT version of Office seems to do pretty much everything I need. It’s light, seems very durable, runs cool and has good battery life. My USB/Bluetooth mouse/pointer works just fine with the Surface. I haven’t tried the HDMI output yet.
Two “dislikes”:
1. No Outlook. The RT Mail program does not support POP e-mail and doesn’t seem to like the IMAP settings for my e-mail.Anyone have suggestions for an app from the Windows marketplace to manage multiple mail accounts? As it stands right now, I’m thinking about pulling all of my mail into Gmail.
2. The “Touch” keyboard is being replaced with a “Type” (mechanical) keyboard.
It’s not a Surface, but I’m expecting a Dell Venue 8 Pro any day now. It’s small, lightweight, and it runs full Windows (and since it uses one of the new Bay Trail Atom chips, it comes with Office installed). Features some new digitizer tech from Synaptics (who make the touchpads in pretty much every laptop), so it has stylus support, but the early word is kind of iffy. Still for less than $400 I got the tablet, stylus, and a 3-year accident protection warranty. I wish it would get here already because I need to get cranking on my last grad-school term paper already…
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