The resolution I give you, but being widescreen is for one of the most crucial and differentiating features Win8/RT has that is to snap an app to the side of the screen
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Surface |OT|
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The resolution I give you, but being widescreen is for one of the most crucial and differentiating features Win8/RT has that is to snap an app to the side of the screen
Like f0lken said, in Windows 8/RT it's mostly for snapped apps.
Well, you could still do that on 4:3 stuff >.< just as long as the resolution was abit higher.
I mean, all metro apps are at a minimum 1024x768.
Also my stupid tablet cant do snap in cause its 1280 x 800! Even though its pretty much got the same ppi.
Also I think its stupid to design a tablet around one feature >_> surely readability and what nots are more important? Also, make it 'snap' to the bottom in portrait or something.
I mean, all metro apps are at a minimum 1024x768.
Also my stupid tablet cant do snap in cause its 1280 x 800! Even though its pretty much got the same ppi.
Also I think its stupid to design a tablet around one feature >_> surely readability and what nots are more important? Also, make it 'snap' to the bottom in portrait or something.
StudioTan
Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
The widescreen is facilitate multitasking with apps side by side. If you had skype, a twitter app or a media player running in 1/3 mode the remaining space would be too cramped on an ipad type aspect ratio.
More like designing a tablet to take advantage of all the possibilities the software offers
But by essentially making portrait mode pointless?
Looks like Surface clearly can't compete with any of the recent Android tablets, such as the Kindle Fire HD (7 inch) (also reviewed by Joshua Topolsky) or the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity (different reviewer).
I know which one I'd choose.
I think some reviewers do the device a disservice by comparing it to both tablets and notebooks. It's not really surprising that a Surface doesn't make for a great notebook.
People often talk about "post-pc" devices and how most people don't need a PC, but can be perfectly happy with an iPad. Surface is not a lesser notebook as much as it is a better "post-pc" device. For these "post-pc"-people I think the Surface is just enough of a PC to really make it work, because at time even they might want to write something, print something, plug in their camera, plug in a usb stick...
I know which one I'd choose.
I think some reviewers do the device a disservice by comparing it to both tablets and notebooks. It's not really surprising that a Surface doesn't make for a great notebook.
People often talk about "post-pc" devices and how most people don't need a PC, but can be perfectly happy with an iPad. Surface is not a lesser notebook as much as it is a better "post-pc" device. For these "post-pc"-people I think the Surface is just enough of a PC to really make it work, because at time even they might want to write something, print something, plug in their camera, plug in a usb stick...
Apps.
The only app you will ever need: http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/en-US/app/steve-ballmer/e1cd420c-8d42-4cc0-aa54-3254b41b7ed5
Robobandit
Member
brotkasten
Member
You can always make a cardboard cutout. It will have just as many apps as the real thing.
The cardboard cutout is actually better because you won't actually feel bad after you stop using it.
The cardboard cut out will have "inking support", though it might not erase as well as the Surface Pro demo.
345triangle
Member
well, neither platform really has them at this point.
i'm not sure where everyone thinks all these AAA windows 8 apps are going to come from. windows right now has vastly greater marketshare than OS X, but macs generally have much better quality apps than PCs because of the dedicated dev community and receptive audience ready to pay. if apps alone are what's going to win this, the ipad has already won.
i think the surface hardware looks awesome and i'd like to own one, but i just can't see what i'd do with it right now.
Find a forwarding service company.
I never considered that. Is that reliable and do you have any recommendation?
I don't know how good are they for other regions, but I'm pretty satisfied with the one I'm using for US retailers in terms of ease and speed. Look for comgateway/hopshopgo. They're both the same. Not sure if they do business with Austria.
Thanks for the info, I might consider that if MS keeps ignoring Austria with any kind of information.
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
(Their site is really beautiful <3)
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
(disclaimer: I am a Microsoft employee)
After testing a Surface for a while, I agree with some of the reviews, but haven't had nearly as bad an experience with the software. The hardware is awesome, the app store is lacking (but should get built out pretty quickly, especially on Friday at the actual launch), and some things are slow like launching applications and a few games.
However, I've become exceedingly impressed with general performance of just using it. Internet Explorer loads pages faster than any other tablet I've ever used, including the iPad 3. And it effortlessly can load many tabs in the background simultaneously without slowing down the main tab you're looking at. Basically my main workflow is loading up a bunch of tabs from Google Reader or message board threads and reading them later. This works incredibly well on Surface.
The thing is, that performance keeps up even if I'm playing a video in the 1/3 view. I had a 720p video playing in the 1/3 view, streaming over the network from my homegroup, and web browsing was still speedy as can be.
Flash performance too has improved dramatically over the last couple weeks. Whether it's an embed on another site or right on YouTube, I never encountered the major hitches shown in some of the video reviews. It isn't always perfectly smooth though, unfortunately.
I think one of my favorite experiences using Surface was over the weekend. I wanted to put a couple TV show episodes on it to watch while I was away for the weekend. I actually hesitated for a minute - "oh no, how do I get videos on this?"
Quickly, of course, I realized the obvious - it's fucking Windows! I don't need to use USB, or SD, or even use strange video formats (though those are options). All I had to do was load up File Explorer in the Desktop, click HomeGroup, and tap and drag. Actually, I just used the "copy to" section of the Ribbon (which is also a great addition making the Desktop slightly better with touch), and I was done.
It was such a stark, welcome departure from what I was used to with my Kindle Fire or iPod Touch.
Touch Cover works well, even on my lap. Though on my lap I need to tap keys harder to get them to register. I haven't tried Type Cover.
The negatives - Mail app is fucking slow. I'm glad they added threaded messaging finally, but it's just so slow on Surface. It even has some strange formatting errors when typing, where things will temporarily screw up visually, or keyboard entry will get unnaturally slow. Apps also do take longer than I'd like to open, though switching is instant once that happens. And 15+ apps can be suspended for instant resume later.
Some of the games perform great, even more complex 3D games, but others are obviously shoddy ports. Jetpack Joyride is one such example. It's so obviously a scaled-up version of the iPhone game instead of iPad, with pixelated graphics, and even then it barely maintains 20-30fps. Really guys? 20-30FPS on what's mostly a simple 2D game that runs at a perfectly smooth 60FPS on much slower hardware? Sheesh.
Luckily, as some sites have pointed out, software can be updated over time. And with the Store, that's easy to do. The hardware is awesome, and it doesn't need to be fixed
And, of course, the app store. It's pretty empty right now. But the thing is, Apple pointed out something notable at their keynote this morning - they find that people use the web browser more than anything else. This definitely holds true with my use of Surface, and not because of the lack of apps. To me it's simply because the browser is awesome, and it fits my usage style. I like using the Google Reader and Twitter web sites, and they work perfectly in IE on the Surface. Hopefully better apps come soon that improve it further, but I basically replicate on Surface what I do on my Desktop PC, and I don't feel limited at all.
Remote desktop client works, but it can't act as a host. There's even a touch version of Remote Desktop in the Store, and it supports RemoteApp so you can actually appear to run full Desktop applications on Surface as long as you're on a corporate network with those apps hosted
USB connectivity is great for the most part. Anything with an in-box generic driver works (some printers, most mobile broadband, mice, keyboards, expandable storage, Xbox 360 controllers, and more)
One other thing that none of the reviews mention that I think could be huge for many families is native, robust multi-user support. It works elegantly and easily, setting up kids accounts, having different apps on each account, restricting access to accounts, etc. Every app downloaded from the store is available to every account on that machine, so you don't need to re-buy apps or games for multiple accounts. Switching is instant on Surface, things don't get bogged down.
This is why you're an invaluable asset to these forums. You cut through the bullshit from both ends and (I'm guessing knowing you'd have to answer to fellow members if you're caught slipping,) I've never read you being dishonest with anything you post. Thanks for this. It's generally in line with the sites (the majority of reviews) that don't seem to have an agenda. It sucks that the negative and sloppy reviews seem to get the most play but I'm getting a better image of the device and it's a bright one
One thing you shouldn't overlook if you get a surface (or really any Windows 8/RT tablet) - in PC Settings, there's the option When I swipe in from the left edge, switch directly to my most recent app:
DISABLE IT!!
It brings up the task switcher immediately on swipe-in instead of needing to do a weird swipe in/out gesture.
Once you load an app for the first time, it is indeed "fast and fluid" to switch between them. And thanks to the robust process manager, you can have pretty much an unlimited number of apps "open" to switch between instantly.
The only problem with this is that it's an extra action (a tap, god forbid) to get back to your most recent app. Pain in the ass when an app opens something in another app and you need to get back to it.
ThisWreckage
Banned
It's too expensive. I was either going to get this or the iPad. Well, Apple has increased hardware performance in the iPad, the resolution is better, and it will end up being cheaper for me. My choice is very easy after reading these reviews.
Surprisingly, Mossberg has one of the more positive write-ups: http://allthingsd.com/20121023/hardworking-tablet-with-pc-chops/
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
Portrait mode is pointless to you because you decided it was. Period.
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
I typically just don't agree with the man on most things
Are you sure?
ClearType in Metro apps (including IE) is a lot sharper than whatever Apple uses on the iPad 2/Mini but he's kidding himself if he thinks it stacks up to the density of the retina display.
LukasTaves
Member
I don't read that as a direct comparison of text sharpness... He is saying he prefers to look at the surface screen at longer periods of time, and that the text is sharp enough so the other areas where the surface screen is better dwarf the resolution advantage ipad has... His comparison is made from quite farther than i usually use my ipad, though, so for normal usage that wouldn't probably reflect the experience i would have...
Weird, it kicked me back before the transaction but it seems to work now. However, only black and white touch covers for Germany :/
So it's no longer a "well-intentioned #FAIL" but is now just "meh". Great work, giz.
Thought so. Germany is where everyone in Scandinavia are ordering their Surface from.
Redemption!
Success!
plagiarize
Banned
thanks for posting this. this is the big one i've been waiting for. also, from the review...
this sums up my feelings on Surface when trying to understand why it appeals to me where other tablets don't at all. Surface isn't just another tablet. it is something different. better? worse? depends on what you are looking for, but if you were looking for something like this, it didn't really exist before (looking at the combination of OS, hardware, and Office).
Gareth Bale
Member
Has anyone had it ship yet?
Pro is already obsolete, haswell intel chips are already announced with better devices coming in 1st half of next year.
the multitasking seems like a real plus for the RT
It's not half as slow as Haswell and it curb stomps anything running ARM.
The new iPad is twice as fast (CPU and GPU) as the one they announced seven months ago.
These exponential jumps lead to rapid obsolescence, not the slight improvements on the x86 side.
I would be less hesitant to buy the Surface if it included say, the S4 Pro. I'm not concerned about value-for-money, but rather the longetivity of the hardware.
Value for money is directly related to the longevity of the hardware in my opinion.
I agree that the S4 Pro with an Adreno 320 would be better than the Tegra 3, but how long will even that SoC hold up? Seems like best case scenario for ARM devices is two years.
Two years for +$500 is unacceptable to me.