surface 2 and Ipad 3 and over owners

[geotos]

Hi there, I'm tossing up between ipad 4 and surface 2. I'm not that much into games. Mainly need it for internet browsing, watch movies, music, connecting to TV, playing music through hi fi system, shooting the odd pic and video and playing back on TV and a bit of game playing. Is browsing the internet better on surface 2 than ipad? Flash is important to me for sports streaming. I know there are some app browsers for ipad that support flash, but are they as good as the one and only available browser, IE 11 for surface 2? Does ipad mainly take you to mobile sites? Is it the same with surface 2? Does facebook and twitter look the same on surface 2 as it does on a full pc? Does the full facebook site look like it does on the pc with Ipad using one of their flash app web browsers permitting viewing videos? If the ipad browsers with flash are as good, which tablet of the two is more comfortable for browsing while sitting on lounge? My close up eye sight is going on me, which has easier to read text? Is quality the same watching movies on the TV from ipad and surface 2? I read the new connector from ipad to TV only supports 720p but for movies will output to 1080p. Is this correct? Is the windows updates a hassle like it was on my pc, (moved to mac pro and was relieved of the headaches caused by updates as time moved on), chewing up memory and taking up space eventually slowing the tablet down? I'm living in greece and stores don't have any display models, so I'm going on what you peeps are experiencing. What do people that have both Ipad (ipad 3 and newer) and surface 2 recommend for me to buy?

 

[Cruncher04]

Let me first state that i have iPad3 and Surface (1+2). However i have not used iPad for more than a year since i passed it to my son once i got the Surface 1. So my information might not be too accurate anymore with respect to iPad3.

browsing, watch movies, music, connecting to TV, playing music through hi fi System

From my point of view both devices are capable for this use case. However i'd give the nod to the Surface because you have the option of using HDMI in addition to DLNA and Miracast. On iPad i could use DLNA and AppleTV. Also the Surface is multi-screen capable which means you can play a video on one screen, while having other apps on the primary screen.

Does facebook and twitter look the same on surface 2 as it does on a full pc?

As long as we are talking store apps (not desktop apps) they are the same among all Windows 8 versions.
Of course also desktop apps are the same between all Windows 8 versions, however almost no desktop apps are compiled for ARM. Exception here is Office, File Manager and other tools like Powershell, Paint, Editor etc. which are provided by Microsoft as ARM version for the Windows RT desktop environment.

Does the full facebook site look like it does on the pc with Ipad using one of their flash app web browsers permitting viewing videos?

Sorry, i dont know since i do not use the iPad anymore. Once of the reasons upgrading to Surface was the availability of a desktop class browser with full flash support.
I can test a certain web site on standard Safari and tell you how it looks like if you want but i cannot give a general statement with respect to iPad browser.

Apparently i would recommend the Surface 2. Your decision might also depend on the question if you are using iTunes. iTunes is not available for Surface for example.

 

[anon(5445874)]

With Surface, you have the full websites for any site you chose. It also supports flash and everything else. And they also have apps for many services like facebook and twitter. I love my surface pro. My view is that the ipad is a toy, the surface is an ultra portable super computer.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Hi there, I'm tossing up between ipad 4 and surface 2. I'm not that much into games. Mainly need it for internet browsing, watch movies, music, connecting to TV, playing music through hi fi system, shooting the odd pic and video and playing back on TV and a bit of game playing. Is browsing the internet better on surface 2 than ipad? Flash is important to me for sports streaming. I know there are some app browsers for ipad that support flash, but are they as good as the one and only available browser, IE 11 for surface 2? Does ipad mainly take you to mobile sites? Is it the same with surface 2? Does facebook and twitter look the same on surface 2 as it does on a full pc? Does the full facebook site look like it does on the pc with Ipad using one of their flash app web browsers permitting viewing videos? If the ipad browsers with flash are as good, which tablet of the two is more comfortable for browsing while sitting on lounge? My close up eye sight is going on me, which has easier to read text? Is quality the same watching movies on the TV from ipad and surface 2? I read the new connector from ipad to TV only supports 720p but for movies will output to 1080p. Is this correct? Is the windows updates a hassle like it was on my pc, (moved to mac pro and was relieved of the headaches caused by updates as time moved on), chewing up memory and taking up space eventually slowing the tablet down? I'm living in greece and stores don't have any display models, so I'm going on what you peeps are experiencing. What do people that have both Ipad (ipad 3 and newer) and surface 2 recommend for me to buy?

I own and actively use both an iPad 4 and Surface 2.

Q: Is browsing the internet better on surface 2 than ipad?

A: That depends upon your particular browser needs. On the Surface 2 you don't have a choice of web browser. It is IE 11. That's it. I use Chrome on all of my other notebooks, tablets, and desktops and rely on bookmark/history syncing and multi-user profiles.


Q: Flash is important to me for sports streaming. I know there are some app browsers for ipad that support flash, but are they as good as the one and only available browser, IE 11 for surface 2?

A:Flash on the Surface 2 works. But as is expected with Flash, it dramatically drains the battery.


Q: Does ipad mainly take you to mobile sites? Is it the same with surface 2?

A: In my experience, on the iPad it depends upon the browser and the site. Many mobile sites are somewhere between the phone version of the site and the full desktop version. With the Surface 2, I always get the desktop version. Keep in mind that if you will be using the Surface 2 in "tablet mode" having the full desktop version often times makes navigation difficult because the hyperlinks are small.


Q: ​Does facebook and twitter look the same on surface 2 as it does on a full pc?

A: Yes if you are using the browser. If you are using an app, it looks different.


Q: Does the full facebook site look like it does on the pc with Ipad using one of their flash app web browsers permitting viewing videos?

A: Not that I've seen.


Q: If the ipad browsers with flash are as good, which tablet of the two is more comfortable for browsing while sitting on lounge? My close up eye sight is going on me, which has easier to read text?

A: The iOS browsers claiming to support Flash are not that good, IMO. For a variety of reasons, I find the iPad 4 more comfortable for browsing while sitting in the living room. Although the display on the Surface 2 is quite excellent, the layout, spacing, and scaling look and feel better on the iPad.


Q: Is quality the same watching movies on the TV from ipad and surface 2? I read the new connector from ipad to TV only supports 720p but for movies will output to 1080p. Is this correct?

A: I don't believe that is correct. I rarely use the iPad to drive video to a TV... I prefer to use a Roku 3 with a USB drive attached to it play movies on an HDTV. I do use the Surface 2 on a regular basis to watch web videos on my HDTV. The Surface 2 does an excellent job supporting the HDTV as a 2nd monitor.


Q: Is the windows updates a hassle like it was on my pc, (moved to mac pro and was relieved of the headaches caused by updates as time moved on), chewing up memory and taking up space eventually slowing the tablet down?

A: Unfortunately the answer is highly subjective. For some people they experience no issues with Windows updates. For me, constant headaches with each and every update. Please see my Too Flakey to be relied on thread for details.


As for which would I recommend? It is very, very subjective. If you're looking for a device that "just works", has a variety of applications for various purposes, and is primarily a tablet, the I'd recommend the iPad 4.

If you're looking for something that will primarily be used as a netbook, don't mind exploring and tinkering, willing to compromise when apps aren't available, make heavy use of connectivity options (microSD, USB, microHDMI) then I'd recommend the Surface 2.

 

[geotos]

Cheers Cruncher04 for your reply. I do use itunes, but only with my music. Not music bought from the store. I believe I can store my own music on the surface 2 via usb and not have playback problems.

KevC4D, yes the flash is one of the reasons I've been looking into the surface.

WillysJeepMan, thanks heaps for your detailed answers. Just one more q for you. With the hyperlinks being small, can you pinch to zoom, then touch the link or does it stay small?

Decisions decisions. For surface 2, I like the fash support, the full desk top websites, the connections usb, micro hdmi, extra sd storage, the 16:9 format to watch movies taking advantage of the full screen, beeing able to hook up a game controller and being able to have a few apps open and viewing them on the split screen.

What scares me is that with updates, will the surface 2 need upgrading in two or three years, like pc's do because they slow right down?

With ipad, I like the better camera, more apps, (although it's not too important to me), more comfy to use in the living room, that it "works", and that they go on for years without having to upgrade like my 3 year old macbook pro which is as quick as it was on day one.

Still don't know which to pick though. If the surface 2 won't need upgrading in the near future and will "work", i'd probably lean towards surface 2. If not, then the ipad.

 

[anon(5445874)]

I've had my surface since the day they first launched the pro. I do video editing (premiere pro), photoshop and 3d modeling (cinema 4d). I've never had a slowdown on it. Also, on my regular pc I don't get slowdown. You're thinking of stuff that happened on XP. Windows 7 and 8 are pretty much slowdown free.

 

[geotos]

You are right Kev, was thinking exactly the xp days.

I read the flakey thread and it looks like it's a mixed bag of lollies. Some have problems, some don't. So it seems that the surface may not be steady yet. Or it may be a lottery on getting a surface that works properly. I see that WillysJeepMan tinkers a lot to get his surface working and believe that he is a surface fan. For me that's frustration every time a new update comes around. With Ipad you choose if you want the update and one of the reasons I've been thinking to get the ipad 4 over the ipad air is that it's on ios 6 and I will probably leave it on 6. Maybe Microsoft needs a a couple of years to get the surface right meaning it's still early days to purcase a surface.

KevC4D and others that have no isues with their surface, do you tinker with your device to get it in order or does it just work automatically? And I don't mean the odd setting here and there but the more advanced stuff.

 

[anon(5445874)]

I don't really tinker much. I do find that it's best to not install garbage. Most of the time people get slowdown it's because they've installed stuff and their hard drive is full. One time this lady had me fix her laptop, it had like 6 toolbars installed in IE. Her screen was literally half full of toolbars.

But there is a good tip for anyone using windows 8... (if you have more than one storage device)
In file explorer click 'this pc' or go to c:\users\(yourusername).
you'll see your folders like 'desktop', 'documents', 'music', 'photos', and more.
Right click these folders, choose the location tab. Click MOVE. Then pick a location other than the disk Windows is installed on (normally c

The beauty of this, you can do a complete refresh without having to backup personal files. Sure you might lose app data and settings, but your files will be safe.
After a fresh install all you need to do is relink the folders to the other storage device.

I do this on my pc (to another Hard Disk) and my surface (SD Card).

 

[geotos]

Thanks Kev. Yes, the ability to add storage to other devices via usb, to an external hard drive or usb stick or the sd card is another win for the surface. On paper it is a great bit of kit which is why I've been considering the surface. I just hope it delivers and if I do go the surface route, I don't regret not going for the ipad 4.

I realise no one can promise anything as everyone sees things their own way through their own eyes, and some things work better for others than others, but the beauty of these forums is that at least it allows you to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of users experiences, helping in deciding on what to go for.

 

[Cruncher04]

I read the flakey thread and it looks like it's a mixed bag of lollies. Some have problems, some don't.

If you read the "flakey thread" carefully it basically reduces to the problem, that the surface is sometimes has issues with switching on and off. So while the issue is indeed real, it is a very singular problem (in particular compared to other devices). Other than that Surface 2 is a very reliable device. The issue described in most cases is directly associated with the fact that you have a type cover connected. When i have the type cover disconnected i never experienced any form of battery drain or related issues.
With other words if you plan to buy the Surface 2 without type cover you might have a much more consistent experience. Personally i consider the type cover (2) as the single most awesome accessory for the Surface though.

One time this lady had me fix her laptop, it had like 6 toolbars installed in IE. Her screen was literally half full of toolbars.

That's one of the bigger advantages of running RT compared to x86 Windows. Most of this crap wont even install on RT including viruses and trojans

 

[bangoban]

After getting the surface 2 its hard seeing the ipad as anything more than a toy/media device/tablet. A surface 2 has windows, even if it is RT it is desgined for serious productivity. Microsoft have terrible marketing because the surface 2 is so obviously the choice tablet to get for uni students, yet people still hop on the ipad bandwagon because its apple. Anyone with decent experience in computers knows that mac software is inherently restricted, combine that with the fact the surface is for the most part a fully functional computer and that the ipad is essentially a blown up iPhone, its easy to make the choice.

Ipad for play, surface for productivity

 

[anon(5445874)]

I have a friend who's huge on apple. A few weeks ago, he was at my office and needed to look something up on the web. So I handed him my surface pro. After ten minutes, he's like "what is this?" I said it was a surface pro, He was so amazed by it that he wanted to buy one. He had seen the marketing for it, and never 'got' the product, at least until he actually used it.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

After getting the surface 2 its hard seeing the ipad as anything more than a toy/media device/tablet. A surface 2 has windows, even if it is RT it is desgined for serious productivity. Microsoft have terrible marketing because the surface 2 is so obviously the choice tablet to get for uni students, yet people still hop on the ipad bandwagon because its apple. Anyone with decent experience in computers knows that mac software is inherently restricted, combine that with the fact the surface is for the most part a fully functional computer and that the ipad is essentially a blown up iPhone, its easy to make the choice.

Ipad for play, surface for productivity

How about this.... As a podcast producer, I use Boss Jock Studio on my iPad4. Please explain to me what software is available for the Surface RT/2 that provides the same functionality. If that is too difficult for you, how about something simple... like a tool for Surface RT/2 that does what Notational Velocity does in managing and syncing plain text files on Dropbox.

To characterize the iPad as for play and the Surface for productivity makes you sound like a Microsoft ******. iPads are used in hospitals as diagnostic tools, in schools at the center of educational curriculum, and in business for mission critical tasks. Hardware specs are only part of the equation... it is the SOFTWARE that makes the hardware come to life. The Surface is woefully inadequate in that area.

 

[kristalsoldier]

How about this.... As a podcast producer, I use Boss Jock Studio on my iPad4. Please explain to me what software is available for the Surface RT/2 that provides the same functionality. If that is too difficult for you, how about something simple... like a tool for Surface RT/2 that does what Notational Velocity does in managing and syncing plain text files on Dropbox.

To characterize the iPad as for play and the Surface for productivity makes you sound like a Microsoft ******.Hardware specs are only part of the equation... it is the SOFTWARE that makes the hardware come to life. The Surface is woefully inadequate in that area.

Well, apparently Delta pilots use the Surface 2 on the flight deck...and I know of at least two business air-charter companies that use the Surface 2 on their flight deck. Recently, there was some news item of some Canadian academic/ training outfit that ordered around 3K Surface 2s. It cuts both ways. Naturally, the iPad (and in some instance some Android tabs) have more coverage, but then again, they have been on the market for a much longer time that the Surface. Does this make me also sound like a MS ******?

Edit: https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...may14%2F05-01cdicollegepr.aspx&token=xJKxef--

 

[bangoban]

How about this.... As a podcast producer, I use Boss Jock Studio on my iPad4. Please explain to me what software is available for the Surface RT/2 that provides the same functionality. If that is too difficult for you, how about something simple... like a tool for Surface RT/2 that does what Notational Velocity does in managing and syncing plain text files on Dropbox.

To characterize the iPad as for play and the Surface for productivity makes you sound like a Microsoft ******. iPads are used in hospitals as diagnostic tools, in schools at the center of educational curriculum, and in business for mission critical tasks. Hardware specs are only part of the equation... it is the SOFTWARE that makes the hardware come to life. The Surface is woefully inadequate in that area.

yea that was very biased, just depends what you like and your needs, but the union between a cover keyboard and the surface can't be discounted in someone's decision, it is a fantastic piece of technology. I also much prefer windows. I do have a little grudge against apple i can't lie. I think they compromise functionality for aesthetics. Windows does both for me, couldn't care less about apps although there is plenty, windows complexity breeds an unrivalled simplicity.

 

[geotos]

After reading all the posts here, a few other threads and having watched some videos, I am leaning towards the surface 2. I still have around a month to make up my mind as the surface or ipad wiil be a present, brought to me by my sister who will be visiting me from oz. I'll continue to monitor the threads and posts here and if the surface will be reliable, I'll be going for it because I do like what it can do, from multi tasking, the full web browser, connectivity, 16:9 for movies, extra storage, to office for the odd task. Reliability is the last ingredient left for the decission.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Last post on the matter: I have the Surface 2 and the iPad Air and I find both excellent for what I use them for.

I had bought the original Surface RT when it was first released. At that time, while I did appreciate what MS was trying to do with the designed Windows interface and the RT in particular, I found the hardware - though excellently crafted - a bit awkward. Further, in my opinion, the RT did not handle the OS efficiently and the Store was a desert. As soon as the Surface 2 was released, I picked it up (32GB with a 64GB MicroSD Card). That combined with 8.1 made it a much slicker device. Aside from using it everyday, I have taken it abroad during my travels and it has performed excellently. While at home, I have large monitors on which I view media (movies, mainly) and my partner's Nexus 10 (I also had one, but I gave it away), when travelling, I used the Surface 2 and it performed to my expectations. One point to note is that I don't have any paid app on my Surface - all apps that I do use are free. That said, I should also mention that I do not use too many apps. My situation may be a bit peculiar because (1) I don't game at all and (2) my need for legacy applications is minimal. When I am out and about either I connect to WIFI networks of which I am a member of or to those which allow free access. When neither is available, I tether the Surface to my phone (I have an unlimited data connection with free tethering, which helps).

I opted for the iPad (originally, I had the iPad 4) because of one reason only - the aspect ratio. The reason this is important for me is because I have a digital library numbering more than a couple of thousand books. Reading is a part of my job and I needed a device which I could use to that end. This is also the reason why I sold the iPad 4 and got the 32GB Air (WIFI only model) - because of the profile and the weight reduction. Luckily for me, when I bought the iPad 4, Apple had included a ?20 voucher for the Store. I bought a few apps like PDF Expert and other reading apps. I still have more than ?8 on the voucher!!! So, you see, I am not in apps - regardless of the eco-system. I find the iPad perfectly suited for reading - my library has both ePub and PDF files. The device is light and holds its charge for a long time (especially now after the recent 7.1.1 update). I rarely surf the web on the iPad, but when I do, I use Mercury browser as I don't like Safari. But aside from this, I don't use the iPad for anything else though I do have my bank's app on it (I have my bank's app on my Lumia 720 too - running 8.1 Dev Preview - and I use that). Its there just in case.

From my point of view, each device plays a very specific role and they do so brilliantly. I find it difficult to read my books on the Surface. There are two reasons for this: (1) the aspect ratio and portrait mode on the Surface just makes it unwieldy; (2) it goes without saying that the reading apps (for eg.: PDF Expert and even iBooks) are much better and more polished on the iPad. On the other hand, I have tried using a couple of add-on keyboards with the iPad, but I have not been able to get comfortable with typing long documents (and I mean book-length documents) on the iPad. I should mention, in this context, that (1) when I was trying to write on the iPad, I was using Pages. I did not like the experience and (2) the keyboards I was using was not comfortable and this was compounded by the inability to use a mouse. The Surface on the other hand is excellent - it has Office (which I use extensively), I love the keyboard (I have the purple Type Cover 2), and I can pair a BT mouse or use a USB mouse (in my experience go with the BT mouse option because the latter drains the battery of the Surface).

Some issues: I have found that surfing using IE 11 on the Surface (usually I am using the Modern UI version) drains the battery much faster than doing most other things. Second, there were some issues with the optimization of the battery at the initial stages (I am specifically referring to the Surface 2). But over time this has settled down (though some people do seem to have recurring problems with this). While I have never yet faced and SoD issues, this has also been reported to be a problem by some. By the same count, people have complained about the iPad Air's 1GB of RAM and how that is proving to be a bottleneck when using some apps, like Safari, for example. My experience, however, has been different. The Air has been rock solid and the only thing that I have noticed that has improved is battery life after the 7.1.1 update. I also notice that the interface has become a bit smoother than before but that could just be me imagining things.

At the end of the day, my mobile digital kit consists of three devices - the Surface 2, the iPad Air and my Lumia 720 - and each performs its functions very well.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[geotos]

Cheers kristalsoldier! Doesn't have to be the last post. By all means everyone is welcome to contribute. The more the better.

Your post has swayed me even more to the S2 as I will be using the product mainly like you do. I'm not much of a game or app man myself. The difference between us is that I don't do much reading, so I wouldn't even need the ipad.

 

[kristalsoldier]

In case you are interested, this is a list of the apps that I have currently on my Surface 2. I had posted this listed elsewhere on this forum.

Skype
OneDrive
Office (OneNote in Modern UI mode)
IE
Adobe reader/ Foxit
Bing News / Nextgen reader/ Flipboard/ News Republic/ News Bento
Tube Save/ YouTube Player/ Metro Tube
Reddhub
Metro Media Player/ Media Monkey/ Metro Commander/ Multimedia 8 (still looking for that one "excellent" pure media playing app!)
Bing Travel/ Expedia Hotels/ Wego Travel/ Trip Advisor
Bing Food and Drink
Freda Reader/ Fiction Book Reader Lite/ Book Bazaar Reader
Twitter
Currency Converter
Clock (I forget the exact name)
HP Scan and Capture
Here Maps
Reading List
Viber (though I have never used it on my Surface 2)
Chess (Lv 100)
BT WiFi
Fresh Paint (though I have never really used it)
Netflix (for when I sign up!!!!)
Windows Phone (though I think I may uninstall this)

 

[SeeVuPlay]

My suggestion is to get a Surface 2. I do a lot of meetings and need office. My company is currently testing windows tablets. Right now, we have ipads in use and issued to staff members.

Me, I don't take the ipad anywhere. I personally use a Surface 2 and it is incredible. My girlfriend uses the iPad mini and we have ipad 2, which have now been passed along to her dad. and she loves it for its size. I can tell you that both Surface and ipads are very stable. Surface has crashes occasionally...but so do the ipads (just as much). There seems to be this notion that ipads dont crash, but they do.

I use OneNote for EVERYTHING from planning vacations, keeping lists, and managing my work projects, and the type cover 2 is a great accessory. You just click it on...no need to sync or turn on bluetooth everytime. At meetings, i often take notes while having either calendar or email split screen.

Every other basic function is a wash...music, video, internet. Someone mentioned aspect ratio for reading....i have no issues personally there. After a week, you wonder why it was even an issue. Having said that, i could understand 4:3 being easier to hold...but to me is truly a non-issue.

There is always a complaint about flappy birds and some trendy app that isnt on windows, and that will likely never change...at some point you just gotta say, 150,000,000 apps is plenty. Similarly, for windows phone all i heard about was "no instagram" . When instagram arrived, i thought it was stupid...so in todays world, its the young kids who determine what should be popular...like instagram, and words with friends....they are fads.

Anyhow, you would be quite happy with either! But still....Surface 2 is my vote. Also, there is rumor of a Surface mini coming out soon...with LTE