Whee, managed to order from the website (@$199)! Added to cart from the link on the front page...(http://holiday.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/buy/productID.289455200)
$300 8" tablets: Thin+light, fast web browsing w/Flash, 8-10 hours...and Steam
- Thread starter dLMN8R
- Start date
acheron_xl
Member
This is driving me nuts. I get the 'add to cart', then a 'review and checkout' then 'Your shopping cart is currently empty.'.
Fucking hell.
Fucking hell.
acheron_xl
Member
Ok. Finally bought. Jesus. That was a Herculean effort just to waste $200 on something I don't need.
Did it just end? I was able to get one in my cart a few minutes ago.
Microcenter still has it for pickup for $229 if it helps anyone
http://www.microcenter.com/product/422081/Venue_8_Pro_Tablet
but yeah that website just buckled under the pressure as expected.
http://www.microcenter.com/product/422081/Venue_8_Pro_Tablet
but yeah that website just buckled under the pressure as expected.
Azure Dream
Member
The best part about that terrible site is that if it kicks you into the high load "lobby", when it can actually complete your request, instead of going to the page you wanted, it just kicks you to the front page of the store. I remember the same thing happening during the MS point sale a while back.
Almighty_Chocobo
Member
Was at the site hitting refresh from 8:45 onwards and never even managed to get the damn thing in my cart. What a horrible website...
Winterfang
Banned
No idea, I'm in Puerto Rico. They had 50 instead of 20, and everyone that made it to the door line will get a voucher that guarantees the tablet at least tomorrow.
Auto brightness. Turn it off.
Might save some battery, but apparently makes the screen look a lot worse.
In terms of overall usefulness, it destroys any 7-8" android tablet I can think of (yes even considering the lower res screen).
I bought one at full price ($349/64gb) when they first shipped, and I still think it was worth every penny.
Shogmaster
Member
Those who missed out on the deal and feeling down (including myself), here's something to keep the regular price in context:
antiquegamer
Member
Yes, this is not Windows 8 on Android tablet. The screen is actually really good (do what Milchjon suggested). Dell really mess up that setting, to try to get battery life up. It's running Intel chip, with full Windows 8.1 not some crappy mobile Android OS. I can put full Steam, Battle Net, iTunes or pretty much anything that can run on windows 8 and make it work. Full features Spotify not some shitty App like the on Android.
I got the 64gb one for $329.99 and it's worth every penny.
None of those apps are really that fun or easy to use on a tablet though. This has been probably my biggest letdown about the product. Yes it's "full Windows", but using full Windows is pretty damned cumbersome on a touchscreen.
The Big Rig
Member
I think we can now just call this the Dell Venue 8 Pro thread. That being said, I will be ordering mine soon.
Went to the local Microsoft store to get one this morning.
I think right now I am with border on this one. It seems a lot harder to use than an Android tablet and I'm not feeling this additional usefulness. I'm a Swype user on Android and I am hating this keyboard for starters. I'm already missing NeoGAF mobile, too.
I feel like I skipped a tutorial on how to use the touch UI, did I miss something on first boot?
That is true, however I keep a small Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo in my backpack for this reason.
Most of the time I use tablet mode and Metro stuff. For the times I need Desktop functionality, I pull out the keyboard and mouse.
The whole setup still weighs less than a laptop and gets tablet-like battery life.
There is a Help+Tips app. You should run through that.
You can always get GAF-mobile back. Its x86, so you can set you user agent string to whatever you want.
To do it in IE, just use the desktop IE, hit developer tools, go to the emulation tab, and pick mobile.
Swipe in from the four sides.
Left to switch between applications or snap.
Right to show charms (search, share, home, devices, & settings).
Bottom for additional app specific options.
Top to close applications (have to drag from top edge to bottom).
In other news, Civ 5 is up and running. Haven't played a full game, but okay so far. Touch mode works well.
Those who missed out on the deal and feeling down (including myself), here's something to keep the regular price in context:
Was thinking about something similar lol
Those who missed out on the deal and feeling down (including myself), here's something to keep the regular price in context:
Small portable computers in general were quite expensive until about few years ago and had awful battery life too.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Picked up the T100 (32GB) yesterday. I'm a little baffled at how to properly Windows 8.1, so I'll have to spend some time on it. It didn't help that it didn't come charged at all (?)
The Dell looks great at $99 or $199, but I couldn't really see any benefit over the T100 at $299. I mean, I guess its smaller, but I wanted to be able to do some light, portable work use (e.g. typing up legal affidavits on the spot), so the keyboard and extra visual real estate seems nice.
The Dell looks great at $99 or $199, but I couldn't really see any benefit over the T100 at $299. I mean, I guess its smaller, but I wanted to be able to do some light, portable work use (e.g. typing up legal affidavits on the spot), so the keyboard and extra visual real estate seems nice.
Winterfang
Banned
Man Windows 8 is so foreign to me. Even if I used to have a Windows Phone a long time ago. It's so weird watching the People Tile come alive again, still with the pictures my Friends had 2 years ago.
Also amazing time for the Store to be down. I want to download some apps, and I can't from the site because my internet sucks ass.
Also amazing time for the Store to be down. I want to download some apps, and I can't from the site because my internet sucks ass.
But I can't get GAF mobile on the Metro IE? Lame, that's when I would want the mobile site.
Thanks for your help, both of you. Are there any other games that have a touch UI on Steam? Steam has been useless as I haven't tried to get a mouse, keyboard, or gameplay working with this.
I have another one coming in the mail, was thinking of gifting it to family when it gets here, but this thing is just horrible as a tablet. Is there any way to switch the search provider away from bing? Chrome is borderline unusable on a touchscreen and I rely on that for a lot of stuff. Why does the keyboard randomly switch to the number layout while I am typing?
Unless you plan to carry a stand, a keyboard, and a mouse, there's no way I can recommend this to the average person.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
It doesn't work like iPad, no. It doesnt seem that hard to learn, though. Chrome does kind of suck on it in tablet mode, but I don't think at this point most people can even really explain what they hate about IE.
I hate not being able to search with Google on IE. Otherwise I'm ok with using it as Chrome doesn't support pinch to zoom and links are nearly impossible to click with a touchscreen. Not being able to switch the user agent on the Metro side is kinda crappy on an 8" tablet.
This seems to happen more often in desktop mode but I haven't figured out exactly when it doesn't work the way I expect - don't like having to summon and dismiss the keyboard manually, it's just an added annoyance from every other tablet OS that brings up the keyboard as it is needed.
I'm not a total Win 8 hater - have 8.1 installed on a desktop machine and I don't have any major issues with it, I'd be thrilled if the things that annoy me are just part of the learning curve but they seem like platform limitations to me right now. I don't really have an issue with swiping from the sides, etc. I just think it's unpolished and janky enough that it would be a poor tablet for a non-technical user. I think it's great for people who can appreciate that it is "full Windows" and are willing to carry a keyboard/mouse/stand to make the thing usable 100% of the time, and I do plan on keeping mine (probably more development device than daily driver, I'd rather use my Nexus 7 honestly) - I just think it will be a lousy gift for the average Joe.
Honestly at this point I think I would recommend the T100 over this since you're going to want the keyboard, etc. with you anyway (plus larger screen - non mobile websites + small low resolution screen is eyestrain city
) and it'll be easier to carry the dock than a bunch of loose stuff in your bag.You wouldn't think it, but apparently Sonic All Stars Racing transformed has full touch support and steering with the accelerometer. I don't know if it works specifically with the Venue though. Hearthstone also works, and DS emulators are a perfect fit with the stylus and portrait mode
Oh and you can change your search provider in IE
I'm totally trying this.
How? I didn't see it in any of the IE menus or the OS-level menus. I searched for it and I got a page from Google telling me to download Chrome and the Google search app
Edit: I figured this out, one annoyance down...glad it switched it for both desktop and Metro IE.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I hate not being able to search with Google on IE. Otherwise I'm ok with using it as Chrome doesn't support pinch to zoom and links are nearly impossible to click with a touchscreen. Not being able to switch the user agent on the Metro side is kinda crappy on an 8" tablet.
This seems to happen more often in desktop mode but I haven't figured out exactly when it doesn't work the way I expect - don't like having to summon and dismiss the keyboard manually, it's just an added annoyance from every other tablet OS that brings up the keyboard as it is needed.
I'm not a total Win 8 hater - have 8.1 installed on a desktop machine and I don't have any major issues with it, I'd be thrilled if the things that annoy me are just part of the learning curve but they seem like platform limitations to me right now. I don't really have an issue with swiping from the sides, etc. I just think it's unpolished and janky enough that it would be a poor tablet for a non-technical user. I think it's great for people who can appreciate that it is "full Windows" and are willing to carry a keyboard/mouse/stand to make the thing usable 100% of the time, and I do plan on keeping mine (probably more development device than daily driver, I'd rather use my Nexus 7 honestly) - I just think it will be a lousy gift for the average Joe.
Honestly at this point I think I would recommend the T100 over this since you're going to want the keyboard, etc. with you anyway (plus larger screen - non mobile websites + small low resolution screen is eyestrain city
I get what you are saying. I wouldn't use one these devices for straight up traditional tablet functions, either. You have to want legacy x86 application support for it to be even a remotely good idea.
It really does have the same functions that most other tablets have, they're just all unintuitively placed per some weird MS fiat.
I believe civ 5 has. Defense Grid does as well. Only 2 that I know off-hand but there are others, I'm sure.
Keep in mind there is TWO settings to change. You want to disable the adaptive brightness because the firmware for it is haywire.
But the real problem causer is under Graphics Properties in the Intel settings, just right click on desktop.
1. Power tile
2. Display Power Saving Technology to OFF
You could not even do this on last gen Atom chips and it was also 10x stronger effect. Made them all unusable.
Those who missed out on the deal and feeling down (including myself), here's something to keep the regular price in context:
I remember waiting one of those back then (and balking at the price), and here we are a few years later, in a world where we can buy and carry around a full, usable Windows PC in our pockets (or near enough) for less than $300 (or less than $200 on a good day).
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I think the problem is that W8 in tablet mode presents a learning curve since both iPad and Android tablet interfaces work in a very similar fashion. It's not anywhere near unusable, but it does somewhat depend on your ability to sacrifice app functionality for having Windows on a cheap device.
As long as I can read manga, browse GAF, watch Netflix/YouTube, it does what I need from a tablet perspective.
As long as I can read manga, browse GAF, watch Netflix/YouTube, it does what I need from a tablet perspective.
Sonic Racing crashes immediately on launch for me. Is this happening to anyone else?
Edit: Crashes immediately in fullscreen. Windowed modes hang on the legal screen.
It's just a weird letdown, I think. "I got a Windows tablet and since it's an x86 PC it doesn't matter that the App Store is completely desolate and barren!"
**2 hours later**
"Okay, so using desktop apps is annoying as shit. Too bad the App Store is so desolate and barren."
I do like that I can trick websites into thinking I'm running a desktop PC, since a great many sites are now trying to restrict mobile users (YouTube, Spotify). The flip side is that a lot of sites look and behave better in their mobile version, and I occaisionally would prefer to use the mobile version. I am ralso eally missing the clean formatting of the "Reader" mode in iOS Safari.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
That's why I got the T100. The 8" is a shade too small to be comfortable with full version of every website.
campfireweekend
Member
There's a reader mode in metro IE, iirc.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I guess I just don't understand what "apps" people want to use on these 8.1 tablets that they can't access through the web browser or by installing normally. "I want apps," generically speaking, doesn't really tell me anything.
The Touch version of IE seems to work and format webpages pretty decently for me.
The Touch version of IE seems to work and format webpages pretty decently for me.