Surface 2 Tablet - can't find!

[OutOfTheCube]

Hey guys -

I recently decided to sell one of our iPad's and replace it with a Microsoft Surface 2. Only problem is I can't find any! Apparently they've been sold out since before Christmas. I've been checking online every day this week and none of the big box stores are getting any in. Not sure how they're supposed to compete with Apple if they don't have any for sale.

Anyways, anyone know of any lesser known places where I might find one? Or am I just stuck waiting until they're available?

[psicodude]

I have always had good luck with London Drugs, of all places.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Sometimes Staples is a good option too.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by psicodude

I have always had good luck with London Drugs, of all places.

London Drugs is a nice little secret place to find items sold out at other locations. They've really come through for me a number of times.

[J Diddy]

I third London Drugs.

[Sliver]

None available at London Drugs.

[-TC-]

I picked one up yesterday for my daughter. I got it at the Surface kiosk in Southgate Mall in Edmonton...dunno if that helps

[Mike F]

Surface 2 (bad) or Surface Pro 2 (awesome)?

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Anyways, anyone know of any lesser known places where I might find one? Or am I just stuck waiting until they're available?

#firstworldproblems

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Surface 2 (bad) or Surface Pro 2 (awesome)?

This is like saying the iPad is bad because it isn't a MacBook. Different intended use cases entirely, even if they do share a form factor in this instance.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

This is like saying the iPad is bad because it isn't a MacBook. Different intended use cases entirely, even if they do share a form factor in this instance.

Not an apt comparison at all.

IPads run iOS, which isn't simply a neutered version of OS X which a MacBook runs. That is the case with Windows RT 8.1 and Windows 8.1.

[TorqueDog]

Except it isn't the case. They look the same, but run on completely different architecture (ARM vs x86/x64). This delta is made a lot less apparent thanks to ARM-based Surface devices coming with a proper copy of Microsoft Office. A neutered OS would be like comparing Windows 7 Starter Edition to Windows 7 Professional - same OS, same architecture, but one with artificially reduced abilities than the other. Windows RT isn't artificially limited from running x86 code, it simply doesn't run on hardware capable of it.

Again, different use cases. Let's not start this argument.

[Mike F]

We already started the argument.

They aren't different use cases. As opposed to iOS and OS X, in which the user experiences don't overlap in either direction, to my knowledge there's nothing that can be done on RT that can't be done on Pro, in the same manner, with the same user experience.

If you buy a Surface Pro, you get the entirety of the RT experience, plus a whole lot more functionality, adaptability, and power. And in that very meaningful sense, RT is a neutered version of Pro.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Mike F

We already started the argument.

They aren't different use cases. As opposed to iOS and OS X, in which the user experiences don't overlap in either direction, to my knowledge there's nothing that can be done on RT that can't be done on Pro, in the same manner, with the same user experience.

If you buy a Surface Pro, you get the entirety of the RT experience, plus a whole lot more functionality, adaptability, and power. And in that very meaningful sense, RT is a neutered version of Pro.

So lets work this out...

Apple has a ARM version of thier software that looks different than the x86 version of their software. The OS can't be ran on hardware it wasn't designed for. You can't install apps from one to the other, unless there are versions of each app specifically written to do so. The only real difference is that there is no 'desktop experience' for iOS.

Windows has an ARM version that looks almost entirely the same as their x86 version of the software. The OS can't be ran on hardware it wasn't designed for. You can't install apps from one to the other, unless there are versions of each app specifically written to do so. There is, however, a desktop experience on Windows RT devices.

These 2 statements are entirely equal, except for one thing, Apple didn't include a 'Desktop experience' on their ARM devices, while they did on their x86 devices.

So Apple doesn't have some features, but Microsoft neutered Windows RT?

[tripin_billie]

Unless you are wed to the Surface 2, you could also pick up something like the Dell Venue 8 Pro: http://www.dell.com/us/p/dell-venue-8-pro/pd

I use mine to play Civ 5. Best tablet I've has yet.

[Hack&Lube]

The moral of the story is don't make your mobile OS look exactly like your full desktop platform.

End users are just going to get mad that they can't run all the software they normally do because everything looks the same so they expect the same. This will in effect, just make the mobile OS look like an inferior and neutered version of the experience that people are expecting and nobody wants to buy inferior product (even if technically that is not the case).

If your mobile OS is simply different, then people would think Apples/Oranges and Microsoft wouldn't have failed so catastrophically on the Surface release.

[psicodude]

^ That doesn't make any sense though, if you think about it. Why wouldn't consumers want a consistent user experience across all devices, be it desktop, tablet, phone, or gaming? I know my parents hate being forced to learn a new UI, for example.

Just because Apple does it one way doesn't mean it's the right way.

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by psicodude

^ That doesn't make any sense though, if you think about it. Why wouldn't consumers want a consistent user experience across all devices, be it desktop, tablet, phone, or gaming? I know my parents hate being forced to learn a new UI, for example.

Just because Apple does it one way doesn't mean it's the right way.

The problem is, there has to be differences because the optimized way of using a mouse/keyboard versus using touch are sufficiently different that a lot of things don't translate well.

For instance, I expect information and command density on a computer as I know with shortcut keys and the precision of a mouse pointer I can pack a lot more data and input on the same physical real estate and resolution as a touch screen. A touch screen will need to rely on a limited combination of gestures (for it's "hotkeys") and bigger buttons/more menu transitions (likely the command set will have to be dumbed down or reduced). I expect a video editing or project management tool to look extremely different if I'm on a computer versus a tablet. I would actually be extremely displeased if they defaulted to the "lesser" of the two for instance and made everything "touch friendly".

Likewise, I have very specific expectations of a tablet. I expect it to operate naturally for activities such as reading a book, or mimicking a notepad. I expect to be able to poke around on websites lying on my back in bed without the frustration of the links being too small for the precision of the touch screen because they are optimized for a mouse.

I rather them optimize an OS/app for it's platform for an excellent user experience on each platform rather than try to make a one-size fits all and end up with only an adequate experience for all applications.

With wearable tech on the horizon (smart watches, glasses), I would expect yet another way of interacting with it that makes sense and is natural for that platform.

Just my 2c.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by CubicleGeek

I rather them optimize an OS/app for it's platform for an excellent user experience on each platform rather than try to make a one-size fits all and end up with only an adequate experience for all applications.

With wearable tech on the horizon (smart watches, glasses), I would expect yet another way of interacting with it that makes sense and is natural for that platform.

Just my 2c.

You mean, running up to someone wearing Google Glass and yelling "Ok Glass search diarrhea images" ?