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Microsoft Surface

13K views 110 replies 32 participants last post by  naijai 
#1 ·
Microsoft reveals its own Windows 8 tablet: meet the new Surface for Windows RT

Microsoft announces Surface for Windows 8 Pro: Intel inside, optional pen input

Microsoft Surface tablets: the differences between Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro models

Surface for Windows RT tablet
•Processor: NVIDIA-made ARM chip
•Weight: 676 grams
•Thickness: 9.3 millimeters
•Display: 10.6-inch ClearType HD capactive touch panel
•Battery: 31.5Wh
•I/O: microSDXC, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae
•Software: Windows RT + Office Home & Student 2013 RT
•Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand
•Capacity: 32GB / 64GB
•Availability: 10/26/2012
•Pricing: Starting at $499

Surface for Windows 8 Pro tablet
•Processor: 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 Processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB RAM-Dual Channel Memory
•Weight: 903 grams
•Thickness: 13.5 millimeters
•Display: 10.6" ClearType Full HD Display, 1920x1080 pixels, 16:9 (widescreen), 10-point multi-touch
•Battery: 42W-h
•I/O: microSDXC, Full-size USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, 2x2 MIMO antennae
•Software: Windows 8 Pro
•Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand, Pen with Palm Block
•Capacity: 64GB / 128GB
Cameras and A/V: Two 720p HD LifeCams, front- and rear-facing with TruColor, Microphone, Stereo speakers
•Availability: "Three months after" the Windows 8 launch this fall
•Pricing: To be determined
 
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#77 ·
#78 ·
Cholly said:
Folks over at LiveScience.com did a battery life test on the Surface Pro and came up with a result of 4 hours and 37 minutes, compared to an Ipad's 12 hours and 22 minutes.
Not very good results for a tablet.
http://news.yahoo.com/7-worst-battery-life-guzzling-gadgets-162947696.html
That's a terrible comparison. The iPad is not a direct competitor. The iPad is useless to many business customers. Other than form factor, there is really no comparison.

Put a real processor in the iPad and see how long it lasts.
 
#81 ·
hilmar2k said:
That's a terrible comparison. The iPad is not a direct competitor. The iPad is useless to many business customers. Other than form factor, there is really no comparison.

Put a real processor in the iPad and see how long it lasts.
Then if you don't like that comparison, compare it to a MacBook Air.

But whatever you compare it to, that is pathetic times.
 
#83 ·
hilmar2k said:
Find me another tablet running a real processor with a real OS that has a significantly better battery. That means nothing running iOS or Android, and nothing with an Atom, ARM, etc.
The SurfacePro is nothing but a laptop with a touch screen, no more, no less.

those battery times are pathetic and are in line with my $350 i3 powered Acer laptop on its very best days of minimal use.

When all the dust settles, the SurfaceRT and Pro will be in the rear view mirror to all these others out there from Apple and android powered stuff.
 
#84 ·
lparsons21 said:
The SurfacePro is nothing but a laptop with a touch screen, no more, no less.

those battery times are pathetic and are in line with my $350 i3 powered Acer laptop on its very best days of minimal use.

When all the dust settles, the SurfaceRT and Pro will be in the rear view mirror to all these others out there from Apple and android powered stuff.
They may be in the rear view mirror, but it will be to other Core iX machines running Windows. The bottom line is that for business, a tablet needs to be running a real OS, and needs a real processor. You just can't have 8-10 hour run-time with that horsepower in a tablet form factor.

Unlike the iPad, the Surface Pro isn't for playing Angry Birds and watching YouTube videos. It's a business machine that does things the iPad can't. The iPad is not the competition.

It's also not a laptop, so that's also a terrible comparison.
 
#86 ·
hilmar2k said:
They may be in the rear view mirror, but it will be to other Core iX machines running Windows. The bottom line is that for business, a tablet needs to be running a real OS, and needs a real processor. You just can't have 8-10 hour run-time with that horsepower in a tablet form factor.

Unlike the iPad, the Surface Pro isn't for playing Angry Birds and watching YouTube videos. It's a business machine that does things the iPad can't. The iPad is not the competition.

It's also not a laptop, so that's also a terrible comparison.
You may be right about business and the Core iX machines though history shows that hasn't been the case at all. Touch machines with pathetic battery life were tried and rejected many years ago. We'll see if they get traction this time.

And yes, businesses can and do use the iOS devices for many business uses.

Now let's come back to that form factor. Compare the 11" MacBook Air to the Surface with keyboard (the only practical way in most business use cases). Pricewise they are at the same point. And yes, the Air at the moment lacks touch, but frankly touch doesn't have that big an impact on battery life. Yet the Air gets much better battery life out of their config.
 
#87 ·
lparsons21 said:
You may be right about business and the Core iX machines though history shows that hasn't been the case at all. Touch machines with pathetic battery life were tried and rejected many years ago. We'll see if they get traction this time.

And yes, businesses can and do use the iOS devices for many business uses.

Now let's come back to that form factor. Compare the 11" MacBook Air to the Surface with keyboard (the only practical way in most business use cases). Pricewise they are at the same point. And yes, the Air at the moment lacks touch, but frankly touch doesn't have that big an impact on battery life. Yet the Air gets much better battery life out of their config.
The MacBook Air is 55% larger and 20% heavier. Of course it can have better battery life.
 
#88 ·
Cholly said:
Folks over at LiveScience.com did a battery life test on the Surface Pro and came up with a result of 4 hours and 37 minutes, compared to an Ipad's 12 hours and 22 minutes.
Not very good results for a tablet.
http://news.yahoo.com/7-worst-battery-life-guzzling-gadgets-162947696.html
Have never seen 12 hours of battery life on the ipads we are replacing with the surfaces, under continious use we see about 4 maybe 5 hours in the clinics, hell the one I use mainly as a kindle gets about 6 - 7 hours of use before it is down to 5 percent charge left - and yes it is a brand new ipad - the 4th generation
 
#91 ·
Hoosier205 said:
A Windows device. Meh...

I'll give it a year to see how they perform, both in use and sales. I've begun to see Microsoft in the same light as Blackberry/RIM: A day late and a dollar short.
Maybe, but the only platform that is useful in any way for me for work. I am sure I am by no means alone in that. The program I use for work daily is Windows only.
 
#92 ·
wingrider01 said:
Have never seen 12 hours of battery life on the ipads we are replacing with the surfaces, under continious use we see about 4 maybe 5 hours in the clinics, hell the one I use mainly as a kindle gets about 6 - 7 hours of use before it is down to 5 percent charge left - and yes it is a brand new ipad - the 4th generation
I get about 10 hours on my iPad under continuous use and it is the original iPad. That said, some apps seem to eat battery time heavier than others which would explain the differing times people see.
 
#93 ·
wingrider01 said:
Gets done on the ipad through Office 365 here, for native work with powerpoint will stick with a windows based system, it just works better
Creating or heavily editing a Powerpoint presentation is certainly better done and easier on a more conventional setup of keyboard/mouse. Touch is of no real value for that and certainly not on a very small screen.
 
#97 ·
hilmar2k;3179930 said:
Encompass, a mortgage origination program. A lot of the website I need for work are even IE only. Annoying.
FYI - I happened across their Facebook page of all places. Someone asked about a Mac version. They have no plans for one, but said the next big launch will be web-based rather than OS. That was posted in November of 2012.
 
#98 ·
Well i'm still waiting for Best Buy to restock their supply of the 128GB :( , So untill then the ipad lives for another week. I'm sure the reason (IMHO) of the shortage was MS didn't supply enough to retailers for the launch. So hopefully i can get it by this weekend
 
#99 ·
According to iFixit the Surface Pro in nearly unrepairable, so I would get an extended warranty if you just have to have one. I make that same recommendation for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display, which also are not very repairable though a bit better than the surface from what I've read.
 
#100 ·
lparsons21 said:
According to iFixit the Surface Pro in nearly unrepairable, so I would get an extended warranty if you just have to have one. I make that same recommendation for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display, which also are not very repairable though a bit better than the surface from what I've read.
I saw that breakdown of the Surface Pro, i have considered the warranty on it but haven't decided yet
 
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