My non-techie sister is interested in the Surface

[Reflexx]

My sister?s laptop is her main computer. However, she lets her son use it for homework. They have some Office starter thing or something. It?s a pretty basic version of Office. Her son is just in Jr. High, so it?s good enough for now.

So I suggested Surface. It is pretty much everything she, the average consumer, needs.

She?d get something extremely secure so she doesn?t have to worry about viruses. She?d be able to do all her web browsing. She can still watch her videos, get Netflix, and look at pictures. She can post to her social networks.

Most of all, her son could still use it for school since it comes with Office. And she can let him use it without worrying about viruses.

I mentioned that it was $700, and she said, ?Really? That?s all?"

I think A LOT of people are in a similar situation.

She?s not comparing it to an iPad. She?s comparing it to her laptop because it does all the things that she does on her laptop.

 

[ljkelley]

I just don't understand how anyone can compare it to an iPad. Its not the same thing. For starter is has full Windows, so think Windows File Explorer. My friend has an iPad and his favourite artists released free tracks on their blog. He can't download into his iTunes library on the iPad. He needs his MacBook for that. With my Surface I can download things and put them straight into the respective library.

Then you have full Office with a keyboard and trackpad for accuracy. And its a cover that easily gets out of your way. No need to sync a BT keyboard or attach a physical one.

You also have paint, notepad, and a free games (such as Minesweeper and Solitaire).

The hardware is mostly better as well. USB & MicroSDXC. Awesome build quality. Actually drop tested. No Apple product can be dropped.

Unless you need legacy desktop apps, this is a 100% laptop replacement as you said.

I'm glad I preordered one today.

 

[rebornempowered]

My friend has an iPad and his favourite artists released free tracks on their blog. He can't download into his iTunes library on the iPad. He needs his MacBook for that.

Wow, seriously? I knew there were limitations but not that many. No wonder everyone says it is just a toy.

 

[Reflexx]

I should have clarified.

I suggested Surface RT to her, not Surface Pro.

 

[X0LARIUM]

I just don't understand how anyone can compare it to an iPad. Its not the same thing. For starter is has full Windows, so think Windows File Explorer.

Good point...iOS6 vs OSX Mountain Lion..


Sent from my RaZr S3.

 

[independentvolume]

I just don't understand how anyone can compare it to an iPad. Its not the same thing. For starter is has full Windows, so think Windows File Explorer. My friend has an iPad and his favourite artists released free tracks on their blog. He can't download into his iTunes library on the iPad. He needs his MacBook for that. With my Surface I can download things and put them straight into the respective library.

Then you have full Office with a keyboard and trackpad for accuracy. And its a cover that easily gets out of your way. No need to sync a BT keyboard or attach a physical one.

You also have paint, notepad, and a free games (such as Minesweeper and Solitaire).

The hardware is mostly better as well. USB & MicroSDXC. Awesome build quality. Actually drop tested. No Apple product can be dropped.

Unless you need legacy desktop apps, this is a 100% laptop replacement as you said.

I'm glad I preordered one today.

The RT is an iPad, with a smaller app market. I think your confusing the RT with the PRO. The RT is like a giant wp8.

 

[ljkelley]

The RT is an iPad, with a smaller app market. I think your confusing the RT with the PRO. The RT is like a giant wp8.

No the only difference between the RT and Pro is that the RT does not run legacy desktop apps.

RT does have Office, File Explorer, Notepad, Paint in desktop mode. But you can't install any more apps.

 

[BotanicalStig]

I just don't understand how anyone can compare it to an iPad. Its not the same thing. For starter is has full Windows, so think Windows File Explorer. My friend has an iPad and his favourite artists released free tracks on their blog. He can't download into his iTunes library on the iPad. He needs his MacBook for that. With my Surface I can download things and put them straight into the respective library.

Then you have full Office with a keyboard and trackpad for accuracy. And its a cover that easily gets out of your way. No need to sync a BT keyboard or attach a physical one.

You also have paint, notepad, and a free games (such as Minesweeper and Solitaire).

The hardware is mostly better as well. USB & MicroSDXC. Awesome build quality. Actually drop tested. No Apple product can be dropped.

Unless you need legacy desktop apps, this is a 100% laptop replacement as you said.

I'm glad I preordered one today.

How can you say, "It's full windows" and, "unless you need legacy apps, this is a 100% laptop replacement" referring to the same device?

Windows RT isn't full windows. It's a step between WP8 and W8... I'd call it WP8 with a faux W8 interface, it really only runs metro apps. Windows RT is Microsoft's version of iOS for the iPad, basically.

Surface pro, on the other hand, does run W8.

Tablets are a weird little niche market. To me, $600 is a big waste on an inconveniently large WP8 device with a faux W8 interface. However, there are plenty of people (like the OP's sister) who would call it a steal for a computer that does everything they need.

I wish the pro model was available for preorder, I would order one with a red keyboard today. With three months more to wait, I just might have enough time to realize that something like the Dell XPS 12 suits my needs just fine

 

[cj-m]

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but would it be possible to run Office365 on a Surface RT tablet?

 

[Reflexx]

The RT is an iPad, with a smaller app market. I think your confusing the RT with the PRO. The RT is like a giant wp8.

I think the main differentiator between the RT and the iPad is MS Office.

That's not a little thing. That's a HUGE thing.

 

[ljkelley]

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but would it be possible to run Office365 on a Surface RT tablet?

I don't see why you would want to since Office 2013 is preinstalled. But I assume Office365 is web based, so I don't see why not as it has both Metro and Desktop IE. Can't Office 2013 sync with Office365 anyhow?

 

[ljkelley]

How can you say, "It's full windows" and, "unless you need legacy apps, this is a 100% laptop replacement" referring to the same device?

Windows RT isn't full windows. It's a step between WP8 and W8... I'd call it WP8 with a faux W8 interface, it really only runs metro apps. Windows RT is Microsoft's version of iOS for the iPad, basically.

Surface pro, on the other hand, does run W8.

Tablets are a weird little niche market. To me, $600 is a big waste on an inconveniently large WP8 device with a faux W8 interface. However, there are plenty of people (like the OP's sister) who would call it a steal for a computer that does everything they need.

I wish the pro model was available for preorder, I would order one with a red keyboard today. With three months more to wait, I just might have enough time to realize that something like the Dell XPS 12 suits my needs just fine

Most people shockingly only use a browser and office on their laptops. So unless you need more apps than that it is a laptop replacement. Plus metro or RT apps will come quickly, there are already 4000+ including remote desktop and other productively tools.

My point is still 100% correct. Unless you need a legacy apps I did not list, or your legacy app is replaced by an adequate Metro/RT app then this is a laptop replacement.

This is not just a tablet like the iPad. The iPad does not have a file explorer, or browser that supports flash (IE Desktop). Does not have a full featured office suite. (Just a simpled downed iWorks). And this costs about the same as an iPad. So it makes perfect financial sense to me.

 

[Coreldan]

Unless there is any real mobility involved, I'd probably get a bigger laptop for that need, but I guess the RT has the good side of being secure with the lack of x86 apps.

Sort of reminds me about at least the local trend of netbooks. People would get those instead of laptops or desktops for home use. Sure, most people necessarily dont need a laptop, but to gimp oneself with a horribly performing netbook with small screen and small keyboard when there was just about no mobility involved was weird to me.

Dont get me wrong, I'm all about the Surface RT, but if it's just sitting home on a desk I feel there would be better devices with better returns? That said, it does double as a sexy tablet too.

 

[Reflexx]

Well, Surface RT should perform much more quickly than netbooks.

Netbooks were a decent idea with poor execution. People did want devices that they mainly used to surft the web and do some small productivity stuff (like Office). But most netbooks were ridiculously slow.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I'd probably suggest a traditional laptop for $700. A junior high kid (or even any casual user) could install LibreOffice for free. It supports MS Office and is free.

 

[Reflexx]

I'd probably suggest a traditional laptop for $700. A junior high kid (or even any casual user) could install LibreOffice for free. It supports MS Office and is free.

Why get LibreOffice if you could get the real thing?

And with a traditional laptop, there's still the worry about viruses when you let your preteen browse the web.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Why get LibreOffice if you could get the real thing?

And with a traditional laptop, there's still the worry about viruses when you let your preteen browse the web.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't see paying more for mobile platform (RT or iOS) device than for an x86 laptop with an i3 or even i5 processor.

Besides, who says there won't be viruses for RT? That's what people used to claim about OS X.

 

[odin09]

I'd take a laptop any day over a similar priced tablet hybrid. I'm looking for different things with a tablet. If I'm getting a keyboard I want a real keyboard.

Sent from my mwp6985 using Board Express

 

[Coreldan]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't see paying more for mobile platform (RT or iOS) device than for an x86 laptop with an i3 or even i5 processor.

Besides, who says there won't be viruses for RT? That's what people used to claim about OS X.

Just a guess, but lack of viruses for OSX was due to the virus developers not having enough incentive to go after OSX, cos Windows was so much more dominant. As for RT, it will only run apps from the app store, all of which will be approved by Microsoft.

I suppose during the approval process, MS will check that it has no malicious capabilities.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Just a guess, but lack of viruses for OSX was due to the virus developers not having enough incentive to go after OSX, cos Windows was so much more dominant. As for RT, it will only run apps from the app store, all of which will be approved by Microsoft.



I suppose during the approval process, MS will check that it has no malicious capabilities.

That's another issue. There aren't a heck of a lot of apps available.