So, I think I won a Surface2 w/ Music kit

[revaaron]

yeah! I got home and it was sitting there. I got to do a radio show so I can't play much.

 

[revaaron]

aaad... the first thing I did was install that USB to Spdif connector and it worked like a champ. This is me driving sound through a digital board from that usb spidif connector! The blue USB cable and the eq on the board.

 

[revaaron]

aaaannnddd... done. It stopped working today. Good thing I work right next to the ms store since it's like 50 miles away from my home.

 

[revaaron]

hm... then magically comes back

 

[Ed Boland]

Yeah, I'm really glad they're opening a MS store here in Jacksonville this month... For situations just like that. I'm assuming that we get the same warranty and support that one would get if he/she bought a Surface.

Aaaand on a side note, I still haven't recieved my shipping/tracking info email, though I see some winners have already got their Surface2 w/MusicKit. Even saw one that has it listed for sale on Ebay already!

When I email ePrize about my prize, all I get back is basically a canned response; "you are a confirmed winner. Your prize will ship in 8-10 weeks after the promotion ends"

The wait continues....

 

[revaaron]

I think you are AOK. I got my notice on the first day, filled it out on my first day and got it yesterday with no emails or anything. A Great surprise. My review so far (since I have a surface pro 2) is that I wish the surface pro 2 was the same size as the surface2. This hardware and battery seem awesome. Everything in IE just seems to work. IDK about flash, but I was watching southpark and the daily show on it while working. I think that the main issue is no APPS! I keep looking for RPG games for it and see nothing... BTW: last night, my bed no had my phone, surface pro 2, my ipad 3, and my surface2... oh and my kindle paper white. glad I sleep alone for once.

 

[Ed Boland]

I think you are AOK.

I hope so... I've been checking my inbox every couple of hours and still nothing.. I'll report here once I have my shipping/tracking confimation.

I think the Surface 2 has everything that I need already on it. Any apps that I might find would just be a bonus.

Also, anyone recommend a particular brand of micro SD card? I'll definitely be buying a 64GB card for it.

 

[revaaron]

I put a 32GB miscroSSD into my surface pro 2 and I have yet to use it. Well, I used it in another machine and I think that there is something wrong with it cause I copy things to it and those things just disappear. Anyhow...

So you say apps are just a bonus? I don't think so. This is more of a closed system with the arm processor. I'm completely amazed and impressed that almost everything I've plugged into it has just worked. mice, kb, that usb sound device, etc... but again, when I sit down to it and think "what can I do now!", you have few options.
1) use ie to surf
2) use office products
3) watch some videos that are in a supported format by the windows video player
4) search the windows store for things and find nothing
5) turn it off and open the surface pro 2 or iPad

I'm hoping that this changes, but right now I just don't find it useful yet. I'm going to look into compiling my own binaries for the arm processor so I can write my own software for it (my 9-5 job is writing network automation software). I have all this image processing software that I wrote and I've been thinking of making a windows version and ditch the java version I use now for speeds sake with 16MP-100MP images. It seems that java has all sorts of issues with images over 12MP.

 

[revaaron]

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...&sa=X&ei=JcqMUr6lPNKxsASMnoGoAQ&ved=0CKMBELkk

 

[Ed Boland]

So you say apps are just a bonus? I don't think so. This is more of a closed system with the arm processor. I'm completely amazed and impressed that almost everything I've plugged into it has just worked. mice, kb, that usb sound device, etc... but again, when I sit down to it and think "what can I do now!", you have few options.
1) use ie to surf
2) use office products
3) watch some videos that are in a supported format by the windows video player
4) search the windows store for things and find nothing
5) turn it off and open the surface pro 2 or iPad.

Yes, I understand about it being a closed garden. And, if you missed it I Won this Surface2... I didn't go out and buy it, expecting it to be something that it isn't. I know all about WinRT's limitations.

I'll be using this to surf the web (I'm a member of several forum sites, including this one), read and send emails, Skype, Xbox Smartglass (When I get my XBone!), watch all my HD movies (I have no problems and plenty of experience converting any files that need be), listen to music, Create/remix music (with the music kit), manage my calendar and of course use Office.

And like I said, any apps that I may find useful or fun will just be a bonus! (definitely getting freshpaint - I have it on my 1020 and my win8.1 laptop and love it for drawing and artwork.... And also HaloSA for my gaming fix)

All in all, this is one awesome tablet for what I'll use it for. And for free?? Gotta love it!!!

I have an i7 desktop PC with Win7 and a dual core AMD laptop with Win8.1 for all my legacy needs. The Surface2 will fill the spot nicely between these and my Windows 8 phones (Nokia 1020 yellow and 920 white)

 

[Ed Boland]

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...&sa=X&ei=JcqMUr6lPNKxsASMnoGoAQ&ved=0CKMBELkk

Thank you for the link!

 

[JuryDuty]

So just an update...

I received mine on Monday and have spent quite a few hours with it. Here are my thoughts:

PROS
- This is one slick tablet (is it a tablet?). The screen is beautiful and everything works nicely.
- This FINALLY makes Windows 8 make sense. I have Win8 on my desktop and pretty much don't use ANY of the newer UI features. But here--that's all I want to use.
- Wow--this has completely replaced my laptop. I just need Word, a browser, some of the most popular apps (social media, Bible, etc) and I'm good--and I get all those here. Seamless, simple and non-distracting.
- Multiple user accounts! Nice!
- Plug into a second display! Super nice--it just became a full desktop!
- Got a type keyboard. Wow--soooo slick.

CONS
- I love the apps, but I hate it when it takes me out of the app experience. Why in the world does it throw me to a desktop when I start Word? I don't even want to see the desktop.
- I like SkyDrive a lot, but I find SugarSync to be better when it comes to sharing my family's files between machines--especially the Surface. It won't just put shared folders together under SkyDrive unfortunately.
- There's just not enough apps. And those available still feel first generation because they are. A lot of my iPad apps don't have alternatives here, so I can't replace my iPad just yet.
- I want to love the cool music kit I got, but geez, could there be less documentation? LOL

Anyway, the long and short of it is that it replaces my laptop easy--and is better than my laptop was for what I used it for. But it doesn't replace my iPad yet. If developers would create better/more apps and if Microsoft would streamline the experience to completely lock the desktop out on the RT units, it would be perfect.

 

[Ed Boland]

Nice! Glad to hear you like it! I really wish mine would get here... Still haven't received my shipping/tracking info email yet..

Maybe there's some documentation within the music kit app? I'm sure there's a pdf or user's guide online somewhere.

 

[JuryDuty]

Maybe there's some documentation within the music kit app? I'm sure there's a pdf or user's guide online somewhere.

I haven't been able to find documentation. There's some brief pop-up guidance when you start the app, but as someone who hasn't even used Garageband before, I'm a bit lost. That said, I have a feeling if I find a good Garageband tutorial online, it would teach me basically the same thing. I'll try that route.

Here's hoping yours comes soon!

 

[revaaron]

- This FINALLY makes Windows 8 make sense. I have Win8 on my desktop and pretty much don't use ANY of the newer UI features. But here--that's all I want to use.

agreed... now if only I could stop myself from touching the screens on my laptop/desktop.

- Multiple user accounts! Nice!

Got into work the other day, logged into the network and within 1hr, people came to find me to borrow it. They needed to run some authentication tests. Created an account for them and handed it off. They used it all day and gave it back to me with 79% battery left.

- I love the apps, but I hate it when it takes me out of the app experience. Why in the world does it throw me to a desktop when I start Word? I don't even want to see the desktop.

I thought the same thing UNTIL I found you could run the desktop along side a metro app. check that out.

- I like SkyDrive a lot, but I find SugarSync to be better when it comes to sharing my family's files between machines--especially the Surface. It won't just put shared folders together under SkyDrive unfortunately.

Ditto, but for me dropbox... though I like when all my docs/etc.. from all my machines with skydrive sync up.

- There's just not enough apps. And those available still feel first generation because they are. A lot of my iPad apps don't have alternatives here, so I can't replace my iPad just yet.

I now carry my iPad, Surface2, Surface pro 2 and cellphone whereever I go... hm...

- I want to love the cool music kit I got, but geez, could there be less documentation? LOL.

I would rather have better music. The selection of 4 songs to remix is awful. I hate hate hate linkin park so much. numetal sucks.

 

[chezm]

I would rather have better music. The selection of 4 songs to remix is awful. I hate hate hate linkin park so much. numetal sucks.

Can it be used for more things other than using the sample songs they provided? Does it come with software where you could upload your own tracks and remix things?

 

[Ed Boland]

Can it be used for more things other than using the sample songs they provided? Does it come with software where you could upload your own tracks and remix things?

Yes. It does! From what I've read anyway...

 

[revaaron]

I haven't had time to try anything yet with it and whenever I come into work, people take it to borrow it for network testing.

 

[revaaron]

Amazon.com: Transcend 64GB MicroSDXC Class10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter 45 MB/s (TS64GUSDU1E): Computers & Accessories

 

[matthoms]

I got my surface 2 and music kit today. Pretty awesome stuff. It'll replace my old surface RT