Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Windows 8 Tablets: iPad killer? iPad Competitor? Windows Killer?

Kjesse · 12-02-2012, 11:57 PM

I spent Wednesday to Friday in Edmonton, and took the opportunity to pick up a Surface from the Microsoft kiosk, hoping it would bridge the gap between my iPad and my laptop running Windows 7.

Since my last vitriolic posts about Windows 8, I've learned to understand how it works, and I like it. So I was ready to give the tablet a try.

I was pretty excited to be able to use a real Word application on a tablet. I was also looking forward to a device which had USB and micro card support.

In all, it was a pretty slick device, but I returned it before coming back to Calgary.

These were the problems:

-Wifi kept dropping. Apparently this is a known bug, and will be fixed.
-I couldn't log in to Citrix. That's an arm processor issue, no fault of the Surface
-I haven't figured out how to use the new version of Internet Explorer, and didn't like having to take extra steps to use Google. I'm sure there's a way around that, but I was working even at night and didn't have a lot of time to play around
-I prefer the wider form factor of the ipad, I like to read vertically. The Surface makes you read with the tablet held horizontally

The good things:

-The screen looked great
-I like the tile interface a lot, way better than iPad's icons
-there was a familiar file structure which was accessible and easy to understand
-the snap keyboard is pure genius. I tried both, preferred the one with the raised keys, but the touch keyboard would work fine when needed
-the kickstand is great. Every tablet should have one.

In the end, I went back to my laptop for working, and then used my iPad for browsing, by Thursday. With more time I could have gotten more used to the Surface, but I just didn't find that it was worth it given I have an ultrabook running Windows 7 superbly, and an iPad 2.

I think I'll probably try the intel based Surface when it comes out though, and that will probably make me drop the ultrabook.

12-02-2012, 11:57 PM	#91
Kjesse Retired Join Date: Oct 2003 Exp:	I spent Wednesday to Friday in Edmonton, and took the opportunity to pick up a Surface from the Microsoft kiosk, hoping it would bridge the gap between my iPad and my laptop running Windows 7. Since my last vitriolic posts about Windows 8, I've learned to understand how it works, and I like it. So I was ready to give the tablet a try. I was pretty excited to be able to use a real Word application on a tablet. I was also looking forward to a device which had USB and micro card support. In all, it was a pretty slick device, but I returned it before coming back to Calgary. These were the problems: -Wifi kept dropping. Apparently this is a known bug, and will be fixed. -I couldn't log in to Citrix. That's an arm processor issue, no fault of the Surface -I haven't figured out how to use the new version of Internet Explorer, and didn't like having to take extra steps to use Google. I'm sure there's a way around that, but I was working even at night and didn't have a lot of time to play around -I prefer the wider form factor of the ipad, I like to read vertically. The Surface makes you read with the tablet held horizontally The good things: -The screen looked great -I like the tile interface a lot, way better than iPad's icons -there was a familiar file structure which was accessible and easy to understand -the snap keyboard is pure genius. I tried both, preferred the one with the raised keys, but the touch keyboard would work fine when needed -the kickstand is great. Every tablet should have one. In the end, I went back to my laptop for working, and then used my iPad for browsing, by Thursday. With more time I could have gotten more used to the Surface, but I just didn't find that it was worth it given I have an ultrabook running Windows 7 superbly, and an iPad 2. I think I'll probably try the intel based Surface when it comes out though, and that will probably make me drop the ultrabook.