Surface over iPad 2

[WillysJeepMan]

Let me be more clear with what I'm saying - if Windows 8 had greater adoption and/or was more positively received, then more developers would be creating apps for Windows 8 mobile mode/Windows RT. Likewise, if Windows RT offered some distinct advantages over Windows 8 in terms of speed, ease of use, and cost, then Windows RT would provide a more viable proposition alternative to Windows 8. IMO, based on using and owning Windows 8, Windows RT, and iOS tablet devices, it currently does not. (I include iOS because Windows RT is the most comparable OS for a "light" tablet OS device and iOS is almost definitely the most popular OS on higher end, higher cost tablets.)


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You were sufficiently clear the first time. I simply disagree. :smile:

 

[2tomtom]

Surface over iPad?

The answer is in the question....

 

[RTGent]

Minority position: I don't give a hoot about evermore apps. The RT is my laptop substitute and I don't have any apps on my Portege. I enjoy and value the 30-or-so post-purchase apps I have, and don't need thousands more. I'd be happy with Microsoft rewarding improvements in current apps. :smile:

 

[jayblazer]

Well so far I am liking the surface tablet. I did not receive my keyboard yet so I can't comment on that but I can say this is much more capable then my iPad was. But I do like the form of the iPad better. It is nice being able to look at videos and things posted on Facebook without having to launch the app version. It is not nearly as intuitive to use as an iPad. Luckily I'm pretty savvy at these things. Overall I'm happy with it.

 

[TrueMetalGeek]

There are less apps however you DO NOT NEED APPS for many of the things you do on the Surface.

I'm still using the first generation Surface RT and I don't even bother using some of the APPS like Hulu, even tho that app is good and all, because the stock web browser can open Hulu and play embedded videos just fine as you can on a PC or Laptop.

Android can't do that and I believe that the iPad can not either. They NEED the apps to use those services.

The RT is also laid out just like the PC, can do remote desktop to my home PC and other things that separate it from the Android and iPad's which are just glorified smart phones.

I'd like to see Microsoft work the RT platform into the phones then their phones would kick serious ****.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

There are less apps however you DO NOT NEED APPS for many of the things you do on the Surface.

I'm still using the first generation Surface RT and I don't even bother using some of the APPS like Hulu, even tho that app is good and all, because the stock web browser can open Hulu and play embedded videos just fine as you can on a PC or Laptop.

Android can't do that and I believe that the iPad can not either. They NEED the apps to use those services.

The RT is also laid out just like the PC, can do remote desktop to my home PC and other things that separate it from the Android and iPad's which are just glorified smart phones.

I'd like to see Microsoft work the RT platform into the phones then their phones would kick serious ****.

Using Hulu as an example is not really a good example because there is a Hulu app for RT.

And while technically you can use IE to visit a site directly, it doesn't always format the site well for touch navigation. IE favorites/bookmarks is a poor way to navigate between sites/services. If a site bookmark is saved as a live tile, that makes things a little bit better but because of the way that IE deals with those tiles, subsequent taps of that tile will open a new tab in the browser.

And lastly, "apps as mobile front-ends to websites" are only a small fraction of the apps available in iOS and Android markets.

I love the RT platform, in spite of the monthly frustration with botched Microsoft updates, and while there are sometimes workarounds for the lack of apps, why should we settle for that?

 

[prlundberg]

And while technically you can use IE to visit a site directly, it doesn't always format the site well for touch navigation.

This is important. The only good touch website I go to on a regular basis is MSN. I don't really like the content all that much, but it works so well with touch it's become my go-to news site.

Last year I figured we'd start to see a lot more sites like that. Now I'm starting to wonder if it will catch on, because I haven't come across any others.

 

[Greywolf1967]

Maybe not on your DV8P I guess, but IE11 certainly is a POS on my Surface RT. Possibly the worst browser I have ever used and easily the most frustrating. It's unstable and going "back" is an exercise in patience, when it works at all.

IE 11 on my Surface RT works a treat !!! I have never had it crash or freeze. If I were to say anything about it is on facebook you can not play Bejeweled Blitz, it runs awful slow.

Who knows maybe someday a version of chrome could come out.

If it wasn't so locked maybe Opera could be developed....that was one mobile browser that ran awesome on my Old HTC HD2.

 

[wrm1]

I have had my surface rt for about 6 months now and I love it. I've only found a few things that I miss from a regular machine...
1) Java. I don't know why Microsoft has no solution for this in the store. It really is rather essential when it comes
to the internet.
2) Lack of Microsoft apps. Microsoft released the Office Remote a while ago...and the piece on the computer side is
a downloadable .exe! Microsoft has a really bad habit of doing that actually. Why? I really don't know.

It would be great to be able to run a Virtual Machine on my surface rt for those few times that I need to run an exe or a website built with java. Overall though, I adore this thing. Battery life is amazing and the form factor is just about perfect.

 

[RajeevT]

Java is one of the worst browser plugins by far in terms of security and I'm glad I haven't needed to use any sites that require it for ages now. I don't think WinRT will ever support Java so you can forget about it. The closest you can get is if you have a jailbroken Windows RT 8.0 device and use IKVM, which is a Java VM implemented in .NET.