Dear Surface...

[Coreldan]

...it is times like these that make me appreciate you. I'm sitting in the train on my way home. A few seats away there is this woman who has an iPad. She has this flimsy aftermarket cover to get a kickstand and a seperate keyboard that looks to be some kind of BT keyboard. I always feel sorry for these people when I see them. Sometimes these poor bastards have to hold their iPads in their hands the whole 2 hour train trip, sometimes they are using whatever they can find to get some angle to the device when on the table or just use aftermarket covers like this case here.

Even then with the 2 seperate aftermarket things she has, she still can't do half the producitivity I can do with you. I don't have to mess around with clumsy and ugly covers or seperate BT keyboards when I need to get something done. And when I am done, your keyboard and kickstand just get out of the way as if they were never there and you work as a normal tablet!

Sometimes I wish people gave you more credit. You have some shortcomings when it comes to apps, but don't worry, it doesn't bother me! My needs are better met with your full size USB port as well as fully flash capable browser. I just hope that years from here, when our ways seperate that your kin will follow your footsteps with the amazing hardware formfactor, I can't imagine having to live without something as flexible and handy as you are!

Best regards,
your owner Coreldan

 

[holzlondon]

Similar experience here. Most people who see it, even iPad users are blown away with the productivity. I personally can live with the minus points of apps, screen resolution and browsing speed. I've got a real productivity machine in tablet form. I think it's a revolution.

 

[martinmc78]

Think your sentiment can be expressed by almost every Surface RT user from a productivity stand point. Spread the love.

 

[Coreldan]

I use the Surface as much for entertainment as I use for productivity. From entertainment PoV I guess it can be seen lacking due to not so many games, but I don't play mobile games anyways. Even on the entertainment standpoint I don't really have any complaints personally. Sure, more processing power never hurts, but that really hasn't been an issue for me so far either.

 

[jaimeastin]

The surface rt is a really nice device. I can throw anything at it within reason. It handles it like the champ it is. That is why I sold my iPad after getting it... The iPad just is not designed for raw productivity. Yeah, it has apps to help or whatever, but is is not in its core.

Most people are really intrigued by my surface... I've only had one instance were a couple of linux/appe guys we contract with try to bash Microsoft... Yet all do is ask me questions. I don't have to fight for the surface or windows 8... The proof is in the pudding... Just watch me in action.

The surface is easily more intuitive than the iPad. After my surface rt was stolen few weeks back, I was bummed. My mother offered her touchpad and my girlfriend offered on of old iPad with my old zagg keyboards... Needless to say I too either offer... All they could have really did was let me browse the web. I just used my xps13 for the next couple of weeks until I replaced my surface rt with the same, just a 32bit model.

I am extremely happy to have it back. IPad and Android as well as other laptop users for the most ask me questions and want one. Shoot, I ended up selling one at best buy, I was just there to browse around!

 

[jaimeastin]

...it is times like these that make me appreciate you. I'm sitting in the train on my way home. A few seats away there is this woman who has an iPad. She has this flimsy aftermarket cover to get a kickstand and a seperate keyboard that looks to be some kind of BT keyboard. I always feel sorry for these people when I see them. Sometimes these poor bastards have to hold their iPads in their hands the whole 2 hour train trip, sometimes they are using whatever they can find to get some angle to the device when on the table or just use aftermarket covers like this case here.

Even then with the 2 seperate aftermarket things she has, she still can't do half the producitivity I can do with you. I don't have to mess around with clumsy and ugly covers or seperate BT keyboards when I need to get something done. And when I am done, your keyboard and kickstand just get out of the way as if they were never there and you work as a normal tablet!

Sometimes I wish people gave you more credit. You have some shortcomings when it comes to apps, but don't worry, it doesn't bother me! My needs are better met with your full size USB port as well as fully flash capable browser. I just hope that years from here, when our ways seperate that your kin will follow your footsteps with the amazing hardware formfactor, I can't imagine having to live without something as flexible and handy as you are!

Best regards,
your owner Coreldan

Its moments like these that bring a smile on my face .

I just don't gloat, I try to teach and show the sheep the light. I really have nothing against the iPad, it is a really, really nice device. I just think that people need to know what they want and need out of a tablet/computer and not buy what is popular. So many people buy ipads and tons of accessories to make it like a laptop... Then they purchase app for get a file system or desktop access... What? It still does not work, lol.

 

[Coreldan]

I also get queries every now and then from people asking about it and I try to present the things as they are. If someone comes asking me if they should buy Surface for iPad and when I ask what are they gonna do with it and they answer "play games, watch movies, facebook", I usually recommend that they might be better off with an iPad. I even had my university professor come talk to me during a small break in the lecture to ask "Is that the new Surface RT?" and then I explained him what it can and can not do and seemed like it could work fine for him cos he needs productivity on the move to work and back and at work too, but wouldn't mind also having a tablet for entertainment purposes.

 

[prlundberg]

You're not going to win an argument about intuitiveness here, even though most people see it like you. I mentioned that before and was bombarded with "different doesn't mean less intuitive" claims. Now to some extent Windows is less intuitive because it is more powerful. But they definately didn't fully think some stuff out. I've never spent so much time on Google and forums trying to figure out basic stuff on any computing device than I did with my Surface.

That said, for my use, the Surface is definately more productive. That's why I bought it, and that's why I hang out in the Surface forum. Not sure what you are expecting people to talk about here.

 

[ag1986]

Honest question: I find all tablets pointless for productivity (I do have a Nexus 7 for commuting, and even that isn't strictly worth the $200 I paid for it). So how do people find it justifiable to spend ~1000 on a Surface?

I understand that the Pro is a full W8 device, however I can't be arsed to use it without a keyboard. The Touch cover is terrible for me - I spent ~20 minutes at a Best Buy trying to use it and hated it. With the Type Cover, the experience is way better but the Surface + Type Cover is just as bulky as my 15" Retina Mac or my Samsung ultrabook, which are far more powerful and easy to use than a Surface + cover combo. Now what incentive do I have to think of using a tablet for productivity? I'm looking for significant advantages over an ultrabook, basically.

 

[GameOver69]

i chose to go with the VivoTab Rt w/ keyboard dock... to me its much sexier than the surface, and i love the dock w/ hours of extra battery life. But to go with the convo... windows 8 rt is a nice OS. i have had a few android tablets, and outside of games, it really does a nice job. and i got my vivotab w/ dock both brand new for 350... cant beat that IMO.

 

[freestaterocker]

Honest question: I find all tablets pointless for productivity (I do have a Nexus 7 for commuting, and even that isn't strictly worth the $200 I paid for it). So how do people find it justifiable to spend ~1000 on a Surface?

I understand that the Pro is a full W8 device, however I can't be arsed to use it without a keyboard. The Touch cover is terrible for me - I spent ~20 minutes at a Best Buy trying to use it and hated it. With the Type Cover, the experience is way better but the Surface + Type Cover is just as bulky as my 15" Retina Mac or my Samsung ultrabook, which are far more powerful and easy to use than a Surface + cover combo. Now what incentive do I have to think of using a tablet for productivity? I'm looking for significant advantages over an ultrabook, basically.

Well, with an atom-powered device like the Acer Iconia 510 (the one I've got my eye on) you get significantly longer battery life and much lower cost, as well as greater portability. You probably don't want to edit HD video on it, though... And honestly, if you've already got an ultrabook AND a 15" MacBook air, not only am I insanely jealous of you , but you have absolutely no need for a W8 tablet, surface or otherwise, imo.

 

[ag1986]

Well, with an atom-powered device like the Acer Iconia 510 (the one I've got my eye on) you get significantly longer battery life and much lower cost, as well as greater portability. You probably don't want to edit HD video on it, though... And honestly, if you've already got an ultrabook AND a 15" MacBook air, not only am I insanely jealous of you , but you have absolutely no need for a W8 tablet, surface or otherwise, imo.

hehe yeah, the Mac (Pro, not air) is a work machine and the ultrabook is mine. Yeah, I see the battery life argument, though I'm not often far away from a charger. Thing is, I'm used to a reasonable amount of computing power and every atom device I've used has advantages in weight and battery life, but they're slow and this causes me much rage. (yes, I'm impatient

 

[slickxsparkie]

Honest question: I find all tablets pointless for productivity (I do have a Nexus 7 for commuting, and even that isn't strictly worth the $200 I paid for it). So how do people find it justifiable to spend ~1000 on a Surface?

I understand that the Pro is a full W8 device, however I can't be arsed to use it without a keyboard. The Touch cover is terrible for me - I spent ~20 minutes at a Best Buy trying to use it and hated it. With the Type Cover, the experience is way better but the Surface + Type Cover is just as bulky as my 15" Retina Mac or my Samsung ultrabook, which are far more powerful and easy to use than a Surface + cover combo. Now what incentive do I have to think of using a tablet for productivity? I'm looking for significant advantages over an ultrabook, basically.

well I've replaced my lenovo laptop with my surface pro entirely. I have the type cover instead of the touch cover. I use the Pro in school or for studying almost everyday and love using the WACOM pen because I learn things better by writing it out. Its super portable and does EVERYTHING my laptop did (light gaming, downloading movies, school stuff) I just love the Microsoft ecosystem where everything I do on my Pro, I can access on my desktop, laptop, and WP8 to study from or make changes if necessary. The Pro is really for convenience and portability. I'm a nursing student and hold the Pro like a clipboard and write on it like a clipboard to take notes while I'm walking around doing labs. Classmates always comment about it saying its cool, its convenient, or they wished they had one. I'm completely satisfied with my purchase. The only shortcoming I find is that hinges don't lock like normal laptops. I like to sit cross-legged so if I set the Pro on my lap, the screen kinda falls over so I put a book underneath it. I think the battery is fine, windows 8 is great, ands pretty zippy.

 

[spaulagain]

Honest question: I find all tablets pointless for productivity (I do have a Nexus 7 for commuting, and even that isn't strictly worth the $200 I paid for it). So how do people find it justifiable to spend ~1000 on a Surface?

I understand that the Pro is a full W8 device, however I can't be arsed to use it without a keyboard. The Touch cover is terrible for me - I spent ~20 minutes at a Best Buy trying to use it and hated it. With the Type Cover, the experience is way better but the Surface + Type Cover is just as bulky as my 15" Retina Mac or my Samsung ultrabook, which are far more powerful and easy to use than a Surface + cover combo. Now what incentive do I have to think of using a tablet for productivity? I'm looking for significant advantages over an ultrabook, basically.

20 minutes at best buy with the touch cover is not enough time to get acquainted with it.

It is different, but you can get used to it pretty quick. I've had my Surface RT for a bout a month and I type all kinds of things up with the touch cover. I think it's a very impressive device.

It all depends on what you need. For me I wanted a tablet mostly, but I wanted the ability to do some productivity items. That's what the Surface is all about. A tablet you CAN actually do some work on.

 

[Coreldan]

I'm happy with the touch cover. Naturally I would prefer to have a real keyboard when typing, but it's more so the tradeoff. I really like it how it doubles as a screen cover without being awkward like the type cover most likely is at the same job.

Disclaimer: The original post was written on the touch cover, I have no problems with it. Just gotta be used to no feedback other than sound. I also write a lot of university assignments on it, as it's my device of choice when I'm on the move. I spend 3 hours a weekday sitting in the train so I have plenty of time to write my stuff there which I also do. I feel that due to no real feedback on your fingertips, it's quite sensitive on the writing position. If it's a bit tilted (if you are standing and SUrface on table or you are having Surface on the lap) you are more prone to make mistakes. But with a proper writing position with you sitting and Surface straight on the table, I typo very little and write just about as fast as I do on a regular keyboard.

Surface Pro isn't a realistic option for me. I rather take the twice longer battery life, no need for active cooling, lighter weight, no need for firewalls/antivirus that I would more or less force myself to install on Pro anyways. That said, the pen support would be cool, but tbh thats the only pro in the Pro for me. I don't need legacy apps outside Office really when I'm on the go. When I'm home I can just remote desktop my Windows 8 machine and not notice any difference..

 

[testement]

Coreldan sir, I salute you.
Great thread.

 

[jaimeastin]

Just for the sake of argument... Windows 8 clearly has a lot of intuitive gestures weather it is touch or with a mouse. Maybe you had to go somewhere and read about it or someone had to show you, but you learned the exact same way with the iPad or IOS...

Just because it is not the same as IOS seems to be an issue... Most people who think they just picked up IOS and new how to use it are blind. They learned from other people, commercial, and other ways not out of the box.

Fact is is that the majority of IOS users don't even know how to completely close their apps. They think the home button is enough... Most don't know the multiple finger swipe to the next app... Most don't know the shake to undo, and others things...

I always get knew and old clients that have questions or problems with their IOS device... Yeah it just works... They only know how to do the mist basic of function. They think something is really wrong with their device and it usually bogged down with little memory.

Windows 8 gestures allow you to simply slide your thumb from one side or the other for open apps or the charms... Slide up and you have app tasks... Slide down to close them. Shoot, just as fast whether touch or mouse.

No matter what keyboard you buy for IOS, it still was not really made for it... There are optional keyboards for the surface too. People the touch keyboards are not supposed to be the end all, it just made the cover more of an asset. Once you work with it, it gets better and better, but never perfect. That's ok... Better than the touch screen...

One cool thing about the surface size is that in portrait mode, the onscreen keyboard is a joy to use and you still have a ton of the app or webpage in view.

To end, we are an IOS and windows house... Shoot, we have and had android devices. WE have macs, ipads, iPhones, etc. I 100% agree with using the right tool for its purpose. That is why i buy what i want... My girlfriend and i both work in the it field. She enjoys her ipad and i my surface. she says all the how much of a workhorse the surface is. She just does not want to work on a tablet. she wanted a media device only... She reads, facebook, and other consuming tasks... That's it. It is perfect for her. I work constantly and I need a no compromise tablet when I ams mobile or stationed. The iPad is just a great media device that can do work and productive tasks.... Some tasks like creativity better than others. But face the facts. It is a windows and office world. The surface was designed to shine in this environment.

People need to know what they want, research, learn about it, and have no regrets.

 

[phonohead]

That was touching...

 

[oldpueblo]

I was agonizing over which Win8 tablet to get and I was set on getting a clovertrail one. Full x86 and had to stay cheap. After weeks of looking and researching however I ended up with the Surface RT for exactly the reasons mentioned in the OP. I wanted to be able to put the tablet upright and use a keyboard at the drop of a hat without carrying any extra baggage, and I realized x86 wasn't necessary for a supplemental device. Hopefully one of the next Surface designs includes a clovertrail or whatever new version Intel has come up with so that we can have this same chassis design in the lower cost segment. I also got mine barely used for $400 with keyboard so booyah.

 

[oldpueblo]

Honest question: I find all tablets pointless for productivity (I do have a Nexus 7 for commuting, and even that isn't strictly worth the $200 I paid for it). So how do people find it justifiable to spend ~1000 on a Surface?

I understand that the Pro is a full W8 device, however I can't be arsed to use it without a keyboard. The Touch cover is terrible for me - I spent ~20 minutes at a Best Buy trying to use it and hated it. With the Type Cover, the experience is way better but the Surface + Type Cover is just as bulky as my 15" Retina Mac or my Samsung ultrabook, which are far more powerful and easy to use than a Surface + cover combo. Now what incentive do I have to think of using a tablet for productivity? I'm looking for significant advantages over an ultrabook, basically.

Well that depends on what you do for a living.

My Transition to Surface Pro and Manga Studio - jonathancase.net

As for the Touch Cover honestly I think MS screwed up with that name because touching the keys doesn't really do it. You need to tap them. Once I realized it and started mentally calling it the Tap Cover my accuracy skyrocketed. You have to strike the keys, not just touch them. Since it's called the Touch Cover I can see a lot of people failing from the start because they are using the wrong amount of force and missing the proper tap threshold. I think that's why some people can rock at it almost right away and others just keep failing and hate it. Such a wide margin of error says to me people are doing it wrong.