Technical > PC Hardware Discussion/Reviews > MS Surface, you gonna get one?

MS Surface, you gonna get one?

If I weren't already heavily invested in the iOS ecosystem, I'd seriously consider it. Or, if I had enough disposable income to just buy toys for the heck of it, this would be near the top of the list. Or, if I got one as a gift, I'd use it But otherwise, probably not going to happen any time soon.

I do want to find one in a store somewhere to play with for a bit though...
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♬ Music is life ♬

reply to signmeuptoo

Nexus 10 for me mostly. 11/13/2012 release date. »play.google.com/store/devices/de···icrosite

Google Nexus 10:
»play.google.com/store/devices/de···icrosite
Display: 10 inch, 2560 x 1600, 300ppi
CPU/GPU: Exynos 5 dual, Dual-core ARM Cortex-A15, GPU: Mali-T604
2GB Ram for system.
Storage: 16GB = $399.99, 32GB = $499.99
»play.google.com/store/devices/de···icrosite

Apple iPad with Retina aka iPad 4:
»www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
Display: 9.7inch, 2048x1536, 264ppi
CPU/GPU: Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics
?? Ram for system.
Storage: 16GB = $499, 32GB = $599, 64GB = $699
»www.apple.com/ipad/compare/

MicroSoft Surface:
»surface.microsoftstore.com/store···Y13WinHH
Display: 10.6inch, 1366x768, 147.84ppi
CPU/GPU: NVIDIA T30(Tegra 3)
2GB Ram for sytem.
Storage: 32GB $499.00, $599.00 with black touch cover, 64GB $699.00

Why I am skipping iPad because it still haven't been jailbreak. It could be hardware thats why it is harder to jailbreak it. It has a lower res than Nexus 10, System ram is unknown, I dont want to buy itune.

========================

Why I am skipping Microsoft Surface. I remember they stop supporting Zune HD after couple of months after launch. sigh Totally waste of money. Broken keyboard for the surface and some even damage the surface tablet and you could see the metal. »news.softpedia.com/news/Microsof···72.shtml

»www.surfaceforums.net/forum/micr···eam.html



»www.guardian.co.uk/technology/bl···ver-flaw





When you get the 32GB Surface you end up with 16GB of storage. If you were to get 64GB you end up with 45GB after you install Windows RT.
»www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US/···pace-faq

The CPU and GPU on surface is lowest compare to the iPad 4 and Nexus 10.

Summary:
1. Slower CPU/GPU
2. Low Res compare to the other 2
3. You lose 16GB storage after you install Windows RT on it.
4. Things breaking.
5. Out of Stock?
»www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=off&t···&bih=925
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Google Nexus 10. To me the price $399. Highest res compare to the other 2. CPU and GPU is up and down VS. the iPad A6X. But I heard bias from left and right on the reviews. It is one of those thing you have to get it to find out the truth.

Again, this is how I feel with all 3 tablet. And why I am thinking of getting Nexus 10.

reply to signmeuptoo
Nice and simple: absolutely not.

koitsu, dude, so few words from a man who expresses himself so well! Do you own a tablet? Are you like me and dislike tablets (they are great for sofa surfers like my sister, but for real work, "not so", as my GF loves to say).

Do you cart around the keyboard with the pad? perhaps the execution of MS is suspect, but the idea of the cover doubling as a compact but useful keyboard is a great idea. Sure, connecting a bluetooth keyboard is nice, but there are security issues!

reply to signmeuptoo
a) I think it may be slightly overpriced -- I'd say it will be at least $100 cheaper by this time next year
b) Most tablets don't come with cover, so that's a nice extra, though it's not cheap. The type cover is almost like a real keyboard (but short travel) while the touch cover is a little different, but still a bit faster than typing on the virtual keyboard on the display.
c) I'll probably wait for v2.0 before buying one -- by that time most of the bugs should be worked out -- and I'd definitely go for the Pro since I want x86/x64 compatibility.
d) M$ is refocusing itself, so unless it's a real big flop, they are not going to abandon it. Zune was mostly a toy, so it wasn't that difficult to pull the plug on that.
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Wacky Races 2012!

reply to signmeuptoo
Yes, this keyboard comes in a cover, it works well and people are always asking me about it. I'm not sure what security issues would be of concern; I don't believe the iPad will pair with any other device without authorization...
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♬ Music is life ♬

reply to signmeuptoo
I have no use for a tablet or "flat surface" computer (Surface, iPad, etc.), which is why I kept my answer simple.

I have spent some time with an iPad (about 2-3 hours) a co-worker of mine had, and let's just say I was left with a pretty sour taste in my mouth. I was really disappointed at how much general stuff I couldn't do -- not highly technical stuff like what I do professionally or personally, just very simple/common usage things did not function correctly or work at all. Lack of Flash, for example, really made me laugh (I hate Flash as a technology, I wish it'd die, but let's face it, it's one of those necessary evils). I did like some of the "fancy" visualisations/UI features, but those are just ooh-ahh material and lose their appeal after you've seen them a hundred times.

My mother, who's almost 60 but is semi-familiar with technology (she used to help assemble original Pong machines for example), finds these products "strange" for the exact same reasons I do. She scoffed at the price too (as do I). I imagine the Surface to fall into the same category.

I really want to know what demographic these products are intended for. I'm not trolling -- I really am serious.

The only thing I can see them being used for is to act as a glorified book and web page reader, and I imagine they do those tasks quite well. But to me, they look like a big mobile phone, and I abhor mobile phones (haven't had one for over 10 years).

I use my computer(s) differently than the masses, so my reluctance and disapproval is understandable. But like I said, my mother, who is pretty much a "simple computer user", does not understand what these things are for either -- especially for how much they cost.
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Making life hard for others since 1977.
I speak for myself and not my employer/affiliates of my employer.

Said the laptop to the tablet:

reply to signmeuptoo
I'm gonna get one, primarily as a very expensive word processor.

I wish I were kidding, but I'm not. I do a fair bit of creative writing, and I feel most inspired at night. I'm tired of hot, loud laptops with idiotic blinding LEDs that keep my wife up while I'm trying to write. I'm also tired of stripped-down crap apps that pretend to be MS Word equivalents on iOS and Android. All of my archives are in Word format. I also work for a Microsoft shop. The fact that the Surface has actual Word on it is a godsend to me. And the integrated keyboard cover is brilliant.

I would like it better if it would run x86 apps -- and I understand the forthcoming Surface Pro will, but at what cost in both money and in battery life? -- but even as it is, it's the answer to a very aggravating question that I've been asking for some time.

So yes, after I satiated my wife's cravings for a new iPad 4 last month, she's going to reciprocate by getting me a Surface for Christmas. Such is life.

Edit: Incidentally, I have tried both variants of the Surface keyboard cover: the Touch Cover, whose keys do not actually move, and the Type Cover, which has actual keys that can be depressed by a small amount. I was shocked at the fact that I could actually type competently, and at reasonable speed, on the Touch Cover. As an added bonus, it's silent. Even so, I am considering getting the Type Cover since, as a writer, the extra bit of speed and familiarity that comes from having physical keys may be significant.

reply to signmeuptoo
Forget the Surface RT Get one of the Atom based Windows 8 tablets out or coming out soon.

They are more expensive for sure (which is really a bummer), but they are full x86 compatible, where the RT systems are not. Many of them come with dockable keyboards as well - basically making them a convertible laptop - part traditional laptop, part tablet.

For full disclosure reasons, I worked on the the graphics driver for the Atom based Windows 8 tablets
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"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.... We are far too easily pleased." C.S. Lewis

reply to signmeuptoo

reply to signmeuptoo
Personally I don't much care for the kickstand design of the Surface and Surface pro. Nor do I much care for the touch cover / type cover concept. The kickstand only has two options open and closed. It would also seem like a poor option for typing on ones lap.

I much prefer the keyboard dock concept that the ASUS Transformer series uses which provides extra battery power, USB ports, additional angle positions and real keys.

For what it's worth I expect the Surface Pro to be about ~$800 to ~$1000+ depending on specs.

The computer industry is obviously trending towards mobile computing and these devices are clearly aimed at those who like this trend. I don't necessarily care for it but I'll reach for my iPad fairly quickly when I cannot use my desktop even though I have a fairly capable laptop and Windows 8 core i5 based tablet PC.

reply to signmeuptoo
Nope, I'm still happy with my HP TouchPad .
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KI6RIT

reply to ccallana

reply to banditws6
The ability to spend $1000 on a tablet that runs x86 vs my 64 gig/3g ipad that cost $850+ when new is very appealing.

When I bought the ipad I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, two years later, it frustrates the heck out of me on a minute by minute basis.

The ability to have any semblance of windows (vs ios) on a tablet is very enticing.
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Ken

You can get an Acer Iconia W700 series Ivy Bridge based Core i3 Windows 8 tablet for ~$800 or an Acer Iconia W700 series Ivy Bridge Core i5 Windos 8 tablet starting at about about $900.

I don't see how or why Microsoft would undercut such pricing for the Surface Pro.

reply to signmeuptoo
I just wanted to post back on here to say that I picked up a Samsung ATIV 500T with the Atom Z2760 and I love it to death. Finally, here is a tablet that not only runs the full Office experience (which of course the Surface RT could mostly do, Outlook excluded), but also other x86 stuff that I'm familiar with. It even runs the GIS system that we're developing at work. Granted, it doesn't do well with games (unless we're talking DOSBox stuff) but that's not why I bought it.

My favorite thing about this tablet is the built-in Wacom digitizer. I've always been a bit of a sketch artist although I've largely let that talent go by the wayside, but this is the best digital inking experience I've ever had. The Metro inking apps suck but even Microsoft OneNote is pretty good for quick sketching. This has me looking into some better purpose-built software like Sketchbook Pro or something. I never liked the old Wacom tablets where I had to draw on the tablet but look at a screen somewhere else to see the result. With the ATIV it's a lot like drawing on paper.

The build quality of the ATIV isn't the greatest and it's done some weird stuff now and again, but overall I'm incredibly happy with it. I get a lot more use out of it (in the productivity sphere) than I ever got out of our iPad. The battery lasts a long time, too, definitely through a complete workday and beyond -- which is why I went with an Atom tablet instead of one of the more powerful i5 ones. I already have an i7 laptop with a battery that barely lasts to 4 hours, so if I need power, I already have a solution. The Atom is the perfect mix of capability and longevity.