Real world experience: Surface RT vs iPad

[AccentAE86]

I have a Surface Pro, but was unaware that it has Intel WiDi. In fact, since it does not have an Intel WiFi chip in it (likely part of the reason MS keeps having to address WiFi connectivity issues with firmware updates), I'm skeptical that it does have WiDi.

Have you actually run a Surface Pro to an external display through WiDi?

Like I said, I don't have a surface pro (yet) but I have been told it is Widi compatible. I haven't verified, so it could very well be wrong. Which would make me sad. Hmmm, I might have to hang on to my X220T longer.

 

[John Lukitsh]

Like I said, I don't have a surface pro (yet) but I have been told it is Widi compatible. I haven't verified, so it could very well be wrong. Which would make me sad. Hmmm, I might have to hang on to my X220T longer.

Unfortunately the Surface Pro does not feature WiDi

 

[dgr_874]

um because it is wonderful what they've done to music. Taking somebody's library and making it available on the cloud is awesome! What functionality did they take away? Cause the things he mentioned either belonged to the stupid "Social" aspect of Zune which was complete garbage or things Zune never even had to begin with!

You can turn off the song matching and cloud services if you so please to do and you're back to the basics which seems to be exactly what you want.

Wow, are you really that arrogant? Just because you find some aspect of a program "garbage" does not make it so for everyone. I quite enjoyed Zunes social aspect and was exposed to a lot of music that I would have never found otherwise thanks to it. Now, I have no way to share or have music shared with me. As for stuff that "never existed in Zune", I'm starting to doubt that you ever used it. Where are the play counts so you can make playlists based on them? Where are the song ratings so you can rate your music? How easy is it to make a playlist on the phone and then determine what order you want your songs in? (hint, you cant on Xbox music, but you sure could on Zune!). Stuff like this was important to me and many others. I liked making playlists based many different factors that gave me a unique playlist every time I synced. Oh ya, I could wirelessly sync those playlists too, can't do that anymore with Xbox music either.

I'm happy that Xbox music works for you. I really am. But, there are many, many, many more for who it does not work. I certainly don't want this to degrade into a bash session so ill have to just agree to disagree with you about Xbox music.

 

[berty6294]

Wow, are you really that arrogant? Just because you find some aspect of a program "garbage" does not make it so for everyone. I quite enjoyed Zunes social aspect and was exposed to a lot of music that I would have never found otherwise thanks to it. Now, I have no way to share or have music shared with me. As for stuff that "never existed in Zune", I'm starting to doubt that you ever used it. Where are the play counts so you can make playlists based on them? Where are the song ratings so you can rate your music? How easy is it to make a playlist on the phone and then determine what order you want your songs in? (hint, you cant on Xbox music, but you sure could on Zune!). Stuff like this was important to me and many others. I liked making playlists based many different factors that gave me a unique playlist every time I synced. Oh ya, I could wirelessly sync those playlists too, can't do that anymore with Xbox music either.

I'm happy that Xbox music works for you. I really am. But, there are many, many, many more for who it does not work. I certainly don't want this to degrade into a bash session so ill have to just agree to disagree with you about Xbox music.

Oh please, the social aspect of Zune was a disgrace. You're actually the first person I've heard of that actually used the social features. The only cool part, maybe, that I miss, is looking at my play count for each artist or song. And those are mostly the only things they left out of Xbox music (except wireless sync).

And yes, Xbox music allows you to create playlists on the device but not edit them. Just like Zune.

 

[dgr_874]

Oh please, the social aspect of Zune was a disgrace. You're actually the first person I've heard of that actually used the social features. The only cool part, maybe, that I miss, is looking at my play count for each artist or song. And those are mostly the only things they left out of Xbox music (except wireless sync).

And yes, Xbox music allows you to create playlists on the device but not edit them. Just like Zune.

So you admit that xbox music leaves out good things that zune had then? Geez, how hard was that? Look, i like the xbox music as a concept. Many people do. I can see the eventual value in it. But, right now its a complete fail if you have any of your own purchased music. Just do a google search and see all the threads everywhere about how bad it is. Random stuff gets uploaded and matched to just weird random songs. I see it on my own computer every night as i struggle to make it work properly. I even signed up for an xbox music pass for a month to get a feel for how it is when im completely in the ecosystem. If you only use the music pass, im sure everything downloads and works well. But, for those of us with an extensive music collection already, it it a fail of epic proportions.

 

[HeyCori]

I've been using a work iPad for a lot longer than I have my Surface. In fact, I just got out of an hour long meeting about what we're using our iPads for next. But when it comes to day-to-day functionality I would not want to give up my Surface. Just the other day I needed to transfer some files from my external hard drive to my Lumia 920. The Surface only has one USB, so I could transfer the files to the from the HDD first, name and reorganize everything, then plug in my phone.

Instead, I plugged them all in! I have a USB hub that provides four extra ports. So I plugged in the dongle for my wireless keyboard/mouse. I plugged in my 920 and the external HDD. Then I plugged in my 1080p monitor via HDMI and switched to desktop mode. Transferring and renaming all those files was easy. I could do everything I wanted to do with no restrictions. File management in desktop mode can't be beat on any tablet. Multitasking is amazing. The addition of my USB hub just completes the package. I could never do such a thing on the iPad or (as far as I know) on most Android tablets.

Sure, not everyone has or will buy a USB hub, HDMI cable, or wireless keyboard/mouse, but at least I have that option. An option I abuse on a regular basis. :grin:

 

[dgr_874]

I've been using a work iPad for a lot longer than I have my Surface. In fact, I just got out of an hour long meeting about what we're using our iPads for next. But when it comes to day-to-day functionality I would not want to give up my Surface. Just the other day I needed to transfer some files from my external hard drive to my Lumia 920. The Surface only has one USB, so I could transfer the files to the from the HDD first, name and reorganize everything, then plug in my phone.

Instead, I plugged them all in! I have a USB hub that provides four extra ports. So I plugged in the dongle for my wireless keyboard/mouse. I plugged in my 920 and the external HDD. Then I plugged in my 1080p monitor via HDMI and switched to desktop mode. Transferring and renaming all those files was easy. I could do everything I wanted to do with no restrictions. File management in desktop mode can't be beat on any tablet. Multitasking is amazing. The addition of my USB hub just completes the package. I could never do such a thing on the iPad or (as far as I know) on most Android tablets.

Sure, not everyone has or will buy a USB hub, HDMI cable, or wireless keyboard/mouse, but at least I have that option. An option I abuse on a regular basis. :grin:

Is this a surface pro or RT?

 

[HeyCori]

is this a surface pro or rt?

rt.

 

[dgr_874]

I know the thread has been dead for a while but I wanted to say that I went back and really tried to make Xbox music work. Surprisingly I did. I had to pretty much delete my entire collection and start over adding albums one at a time and making sure they were matched properly. Its a hassle for sure. But, it is working now, no question. It certainly would have been a lot easier to just ditch my personal collection and rely on the xbox music pass for everything. I did that for a few days and it worked brilliantly. Playlists are still hit or miss and need lots of work to sync properly. I can say that if your only interested in xbox music and don't mind deleting your personal collection, it could work well for you.

 

[Dratwister]

Woot, back from trip and the result: Not only she bride love it and want to buy it, but also her husband and their friends love it too =)) They all fall in love with my Surface.
The only thing hold her back right now is her iPhone and the lack of ability to type in TELEX of surface.

 

[ainkor]

I bought a Surface RT and loved the format and REAL Excel which I use and abuse for work. Right after I bought it a company that produces a key piece of software that I have to use for work announced they wouldn't support Windows RT after saying for 6 months they would. Returned my RT and got the pro and I am loving it.

I really just use my iPad as a 24 hour WiFi hotspot now

Bummed about my HTC 8x though. Stupid loud sound when you plug in a wired headset caused me to lose hearing in an ear for three days. Waiting to see if it gets fixed because the synchronicity of a WP8 phone and a W8 tablet/computer are too good a thing.