full windows 8 tablet vs window 8 rt tablet

[rem736]

i'm curious about one thing. why would someone who's shopping for a windows tablet go for the RT version rather than full windows (which also has the metro ui as well as the desktop ui). i'm comparing the dell venue 8 to a windows branded RT tablet.

wouldn't there be an advantage to have both interfaces offered in the dell tablet. you could always choose not to use the traditional desktop ui. and in most cases, it's cheaper than the RT tablet.

am i mistaken in that the windows RT tablet has only the metro ui?

[dwig]

You're correct.

Win/RT is a solution for a problem that no longer exists. It is/was an effort for MS to enter the tablet OS market as an expansion of their efforts on phones. It runs on the same chips as Android and supports apps from the MS Store only.

Advances in the standard Windows 8, in particular Win8.1u1, and substantial advances by Intel have made it practical to place the standard full Intel version of Windows on a device of similar size and performance of the devices running the lightweight, limited tablet OSs (e.g. Android & iOS)

RT may have a life, but IMHO it is not likely in the more visible consumer realm. Its reliance on a controled "store" as a source for apps makes it a candidate for restricted use devices for vertical specialty markets. I read of an effort to replace printed maps for pilots with RT devices which were configured to use onlly a special "store" for getting updates and thus preventing them from being used for other purposes and possibly compromising their primary use. Other similar uses (e.g. POS systems, electronic medical charts, ...) are potential markets.

I spent the last few years casually watching the growing tablet market and considering adding one to my collection of devices. It wasn't until the current evolution of the Windows tablets that I felt that I'd benefit from the update. I've added a Dell Venue 8 Pro/32g and retired an "antique" Dell Inspiron notebook still stuck on WinXP and my Kindle Keyboard is likely to join the old notebook in retirement. Being able to run standard "desktop" apps, not being restricted to a single "store" as a source for apps, and the ability to interface with standard external hardware were the clinchers.

One of my favorite tools is Teamviewer ( http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx ) which allows remote control of one computer by another. It allows me to do some of the more geeky setup on the DV8p using the large screen, keyboard and mouse of my desktop machine. It also allows FTP-like file transfer from/to the DV8p from any other machine running TV for which I know its address and password.

The other tool that I find a must-have is Touch Mouse Pointer ( http://www.lovesummertrue.com/touchmousepointer/en-us/ ). This puts a transparent laptop-like virtual touchpad on-screen. This gives mouse type control which may classic Desktop apps need. There are mouse functions that the Touch interface doesn't replicate.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by rem736

i'm curious about one thing. why would someone who's shopping for a windows tablet go for the RT version rather than full windows (which also has the metro ui as well as the desktop ui). i'm comparing the dell venue 8 to a windows branded RT tablet.

wouldn't there be an advantage to have both interfaces offered in the dell tablet. you could always choose not to use the traditional desktop ui. and in most cases, it's cheaper than the RT tablet.

am i mistaken in that the windows RT tablet has only the metro ui?

To the best of my knowledge, there are no currently marketed 8" Windows RT tablets. So that is one reason why a Dell Venue 8 Pro (and the likes) will be cheaper than the 10.6" Windows RT tablets. Another reason is the build quality. The build quality of a Surface 2 and Nokia Lumia 2520 are significantly superior to that of the DV8P. The Surface 2 also provides full USB 3.0, microHDMI, and charging port compared to the DV8P's microUSB.

On the flipside, the DV8P provides an active digitizer.

I own a Surface 2 and have my eye on the DV8P. The Surface 2 has a traditional desktop mode that only supports Microsoft Office (Outlook,Word,Excel,Powerpoint,OneNote) and Internet Explorer. It even supports multiple displays via the microHDMI port providing an experience similar to a desktop.

In theory, it sounds great to have legacy app support on a tablet. In practice, however, no so great. Those legacy desktop apps aren't optimized for touch so attempting to use them feels like a step back in time to the late 90's early 2000's when tablets were simply touch enabled desktops.

So to answer your question (in a very meandering way), you are correct. I suggest looking into how you plan on using a Windows tablet and browsing the Windows app store to see if the apps that you need are available. Ideally, you'd want to use Modern UI apps that have been designed for touch... desktop apps, especially on an 8" device are a decent fall-back but not preferable.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

The Surface 2 also provides full USB 3.0, microHDMI, and charging port compared to the DV8P's microUSB.

What you are calling a microHDMI port is actually a Mini DisplayPort. You have to get it right or you'll end up buying the wrong adapter/cable. I recently bought a couple of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adaptors and they work very well on the Surface Pro 2 to connect to the TV.

[Feher]

Originally Posted by dwig

The other tool that I find a must-have is Touch Mouse Pointer ( http://www.lovesummertrue.com/touchmousepointer/en-us/ ). This puts a transparent laptop-like virtual touchpad on-screen. This gives mouse type control which may classic Desktop apps need. There are mouse functions that the Touch interface doesn't replicate.

Thanks!

I wanted something like this

[JSWolf]

I do one better. I use a wireless mouse with my Surface Pro 2 unless i need the USB port for something else.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do one better. I use a wireless mouse with my Surface Pro 2 unless i need the USB port for something else.

I do this with my DV8p at times, but just when installing software or doing serious configuration changes. I've got an old Mac keyboard with its built-in hub that lets be connect a Logitech wireless mouse's dongle and a thumb drive along with the keyboard at the same time.

I do this only in special cases. When the DV8p is being used for its normal functions "massive" attachments like a mouse or keyboard don't fit the picture. That's when the Touch Mouse Pointer's virtual trackpad becomes a useful tool.

[rem736]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

In theory, it sounds great to have legacy app support on a tablet. In practice, however, no so great. Those legacy desktop apps aren't optimized for touch so attempting to use them feels like a step back in time to the late 90's early 2000's when tablets were simply touch enabled desktops.

true, with a screen that small, shrinking the traditional desktop to fit would be hard to work with. but that's when a bluetooth mouse and keyboard set comes into play.

even if i don't use the windows deskop mode at all for windows applications, i see this as a huge advantage because of the ease of transferring files to and from the device, with the help of a OTG usb cable for local transfers, and connecting to network drives for other transfers, not to mention easily controlling where your browser-downloaded files end up. with the tablet apps, it's a bit harder to figure out where an app's files are.

if apple decides to make a tablet with dual ios/mac os x interfaces, i'm sure it'll appeal to those wanting to reduce on the number of devices they carry.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What you are calling a microHDMI port is actually a Mini DisplayPort. You have to get it right or you'll end up buying the wrong adapter/cable. I recently bought a couple of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adaptors and they work very well on the Surface Pro 2 to connect to the TV.

I have been referring to it as a microHDMI port and even purchased one to use with my Surface 2. works great.... No matter what it's called.

[Andanzas]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

I have been referring to it as a microHDMI port and even purchased one to use with my Surface 2. works great.... No matter what it's called.

He is talking about the Surface Pro 2; you are talking about the Surface 2. So, in fact, you are not contradicting each other, you are simply talking about different tablets.

[beespeckled]

A few months ago I found a good deal on a 64 gig Surface RT. ($299)I didn't initially get the keyboard, couldn't see paying that much for one. I checked out another store to see what their pricing was like for the keyboards, (Much better $79) I chose an empty box, took it to the counter, asked if they had any grey or black ones I would prefer over the blue. Clerk came back with a grey one and it rung up as $17.90!!! I did a double take, she did too, but the price was correct. I lucked out on a closeout for that particular keyboard. It is the touch but it lights up in the dark and other than being a bit different for right/left click pad works out great.

I'm finding that I'm liking it so much better than expected. I purchased a microSDX 64 gig for it this week, so essentially, it has 128 gigs on board. I also purchased 32 gig thumb drives to supplement.

I had a Lenovo Twist for about a year that has the ssd etc. I thought this would be a good compromise as a hybrid tablet for several years at least. I won't go long winded here, but basically it has bricked on me. I've been very disappointed. I think the hard drive is basically toast. So, I was going to get an affordable Android to replace as an interim device. I wasn't using the Twist to read except for reference materials, camera manuals, knitting patterns. Mainly for photo storage and quick edits when away from home, and for productivity, taking notes at meetings.

My expectations were low, after reading reviews on the RT. But I liked the build and the built in kick stand. I like that I was able to get to OneDrive to access stuff that was saved there through the bricked laptop. I was able to get the Lenovo up long enough the other night to retrieve the special reference e-book for my particular camera that was stored on to a thumb drive and transfer it easily to the Surface RT (where I backed it up in OneDrive as a precaution)

The Surface does not get hot, it isn't a speed whiz but the more powerful Lenovo Twist was not much faster either. (the touch screen on the Surface responds so much better than the Lenovo ever did, so that might be part of it)I'm still going to check on getting the hard drive replaced on the Twist. I like the fact that the Surface keyboard is also a cover and it easily fits in my small backpack purse.

Adobe Acrobat just released a touch app for the RT recently, so I can now do PDFs on it plus I have a reader app from the Windows store that nicely formats PDF's. Overdrive seems to work fine on it. Still have to get used to it. I prefer the Android app for Overdrive overall, but I didn't buy this tablet as a main reader. I prefer my Sony 350 first, then my android S3 phone as a 2nd choice for convenient quick moments of reading overall. But the Surface is much better as an overall reader to use than the Lenovo Twist is.

The Surface RT isn't perfect by any means but I'm finding it fits my needs within its limits.