I picked one up today on a whim. My company is a Microsoft partner and I really wanted to like this but so far I am very less than impressed. So much so that it is most likely going back tomorrow. It is way too big to hold and use without the keyboard and my Microsoft hosted email (Office 365) doesn't work. WTF?
I would rather have a laptop and tablet than that thing. However, some of the other manufacturers are doing interesting things with the software, such as a 2nd screen on the back of the main screen or a keyboard that folds back. How is the typing cover?
Man, that sounds disappointing. Feel bad for MS if this is the general consensus. It seems like a huge hit if this thing flops. Judging from the presentation they did a few months back, it seemed like they did a good job manufacturing it.
I upgraded my media center PC (cause my Win7 was having trouble and figured I had nothing to lose). But media center doesn't come with Win8 anymore. They are giving it away for free (for a limited time) but you have to request a product key and it takes at least 24 hours to get one. So I am without a DVR while I wait. Sigh.
Surface rt sucks right now. There is absoultely nothing you can do with it right now. You cant use any of ur traditonal windows apps or programs. Just the ones designed for the surface which at this moment is non exsistent. The camera and screen both suck way more than the ipad. The broswer speed is slow and it doesnt even come with outlook. I just see no reason to get this over an ipad right now. This might be a flop for microsoft.
The typing cover is pretty difficult to use. It has slight indentations for the keys but you don't keep your fingers on it while you are typing. You may get to a point where you can use it if you used it all the time but I'm not a fan so far. What is really disappointing is trying to use it as a tablet. Perhaps I am spoiled by my iPad, which I find very easy to type with, but holding the Surface is: 1. Heavy 2. Not natural to hold portrait or landscape. Landscape the touch screen keys are too large, even in split mode. Portrait just looks like ****. Clutch BBS was ridiculous looking in Portrait. I don't know how many people may use Office 365 but as Microsoft partners, we get it for free. To not have native Surface support via Office 365 is just mind blowing. How can a Microsoft product and Microsoft service NOT WORK TOGETHER?? O365 leverages a flavor of Microsoft Exchange so I wonder what kind of Exchange ActiveSync support it has for enterprise customers. I guess I could have tried it out using one of my customer email accounts but I have already started to wipe the device so that I can return it tomorrow.
Full Windows 8 will not change the fact, for me at least, that the device is a pain in the ass to use as a tablet. I don't care for the aspect ratio and while it isn't much heavier than an iPad, it is, again my opinion, and very difficult to use without a keyboard.
Yeah, I've never been a fan if the 16:9 tablet for exactly that reason. I'm a little surprised it would have email problems out of the gate though.
Most Surface RT impressions I've seen on other forums have been positive so far...though most of them have involved usage w/ the keyboard, not as a tablet. People seem to prefer the Type Cover over the Touch Cover...apparently it's easier to get accustomed to. I might drop by the MS store here in Austin this weekend to hopefully play with a demo unit. If I get one, it'll definitely be the Surface Pro that's supposed to come out early next year. (To hopefully replace my current laptop and possibly my iPad later on.) Win RT seems way too restricted for my tastes.
I was stuck in airports and on airplanes for about 30 hours this weekend, and my Surface RT was my savior. I was also asked about 15 times "is that the new iPad," no, no it isn't.
You're not going to see a lot of fanless 16:10 Windows 8 slates until this time next year (at the earliest). Resolution is the key issue. I'll let you figure out who's responsible for that.
It does not have email problems out of the gate. Surface RT connects to Office 365 with no issues whatsoever. I prove so here.
RT comes with a beta version of Office 13 Home/Student and is supposed to be updated soon to a full version. The problem is that version is not designed for Business use. Does not come with Outlook and would need a different license for "Commercial Use". WTH? So, if you want to use it for business they want you or your company to pony up for Office 13 (which will cover RT commercial use). Typical M$. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/26/surface_review/
The full version of Office 2013 RT is already available for update, it is about 570MB. If you subscribe to Office 365 ProPlus, you can use Office 2013 on an RT commercially. This is an official statement from Microsoft. http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-offi...-move-to-a-commercial-use-license-7000005893/
If I didn't already have the Samsung series 7 slate I would buy it. Reviews for the most part have been positive, so ill take those views over random users. A lot of people are forgetting one crucial difference between this and an iPad, do you have the real office on iPad? No. Until iOS office arrives this thing has an edge. It isn't quite a laptop, it isn't quite a tablet, its the best of both. I really feel like my impressions from the slate that the surface will be down right amazing.
The thing that separates the Surface (and other Windows RT devices) is that they are truly hybrid devices. They can do everything an iPad or other tablets do extremely well, but they can also be PCs when you want them to be. My Surface was my savior over the weekend as I was stuck in a travel nightmare. The 8+ hour battery life was great, and it was fun to use as a tablet but great that I was also able to get some work done while I was at it. I think once people get used to having devices that offer touch AND physical keyboards and most importantly mice/track pads they'll fall in love. My official hero of the Surface RT combo is the track pad, as it gives your tired arms a rest while also unlocking so much additional potential for the device.
