MS Surface 2nd generaton - Page 3

kevinp · 09-25-2013, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

I suspect a lot of people would like a Surface, but relatively few will spring for one.

That's exactly the point. They way overpriced them, at least as far as I'm concerned. With lots of people out of work these days, benefits disappearing from jobs, jobs going overseas, yet the prices keep going up on all these devices. I just had to pay over $3,000 out of my pocket for back surgery because my crappy insurance wouldn't cover more.

I'm glad somebody's got lots of cash to throw away. I certainly don't.

afv011 · 09-26-2013, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

And damned good they are, too. Have you ever used one?

I played with one. If they were that good, they wouldn't be collecting dust in warehouses and wouldn't get discount after discount, don't you think?

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinp

That's exactly the point. They way overpriced them, at least as far as I'm concerned. With lots of people out of work these days, benefits disappearing from jobs, jobs going overseas, yet the prices keep going up on all these devices. I just had to pay over $3,000 out of my pocket for back surgery because my crappy insurance wouldn't cover more.

I'm glad somebody's got lots of cash to throw away. I certainly don't.

They are reasonably priced compared to other devices in the "ultrabook" class (which is what they are). It's not "throwing money away" if (like me) it's a device you have a use for. Mine gets used all day, every day.

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afv011

I played with one. If they were that good, they wouldn't be collecting dust in warehouses and wouldn't get discount after discount, don't you think?

Does the Surface Pro really get "discount after discount"? I haven't noticed that happening. They really are "that good" to my mind. I use mine for my job, not as a toy, every day; it's so much more convenient to use than the Dell notebook it's replaced. It's a "real" PC and can run all my desktop software.

Hitch · 09-26-2013, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Does the Surface Pro really get "discount after discount"? I haven't noticed that happening. They really are "that good" to my mind. I use mine for my job, not as a toy, every day; it's so much more convenient to use than the Dell notebook it's replaced. It's a "real" PC and can run all my desktop software.

Well, I admit, I'm dying for one. I have a honking big Win7 desktop, of course, and a laptop that is literally ancient (an IBM Thinkpad running XP). It must be close to 10 years old by now. But at the rate I am forced to buy other devices, for testing (Kindles, Kindle HD's, Nooks, Nook HD's, Droid tablets, iPad, you-name-it) I doubt I'll be able to spring for the Surface PRO--but I damn sure wish I could. I'd like an ultrabook-type tablet with a keyboard that is about productivity--not consuming games and apps.

I find the iPad extremely unusable for any real "work." It's fine for some games like the wordgames I favor (can't speak as to FPS or that type of thing, have never played one), and for using RSS readers, but I just find it clunky for work unless it's browsing. I think that if someone is an existing iPhone user, I can see why they would want an iPad, and of course, the fanboi factor can't be overlooked, but having used one and tried the other at some length, really...excluding the need for the iPad for (testing for) my business, if I had it to do over again, yes, I'd have bought a Pro over an iPad in a heartbeat. I think if people thought of it as an ultrabook, rather than a "tablet," it would have done far better. It's true that it's pricey, no doubt, but damn, it's just super.

Hitch

Kumabjorn · 09-26-2013, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Does the Surface Pro really get "discount after discount"? I haven't noticed that happening. They really are "that good" to my mind. I use mine for my job, not as a toy, every day; it's so much more convenient to use than the Dell notebook it's replaced. It's a "real" PC and can run all my desktop software.

To use it as a "real" PC do you connect an external monitor? Is it possible to connect more than one?

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

To use it as a "real" PC do you connect an external monitor? Is it possible to connect more than one?

When I use it at home I have it hooked up to a 21" monitor for convenience. I don't know if you could attach more than one; it has a standard mini-HDMI display port - would an HDMI splitter work, I wonder?

The "type keyboard" is excellent; just as good as my previous notebook's keyboard.

Kumabjorn · 09-26-2013, 07:20 AM

I just learned that the new dock has a DisplayPort 1.2 that supports daisy chaining of monitors. I believe the dock is compatible with the original SP.

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 07:30 AM

Yes, all the new accessories are compatible with the original Surface, which is nice. The one I like is the "power keyboard", which is a full-size keyboard with a battery to extend the battery life of the Surface - that sounds useful!

Kumabjorn · 09-26-2013, 07:49 AM

I know I originally stated that I'm primarily looking for something that let's me ink in OneNote, but I can see this Surface Pro 2, with all the new peripherals actually replacing a lot of devices, that I could put on eBay to justify another splurge. I probably need to know more about the Surface Pro 2 before making the jump though. Totally we are looking at some $3000 including new external monitors, but if it is doable, then it might be worth it if I can get $2000 for my HP laptop, Envy x2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 07:58 AM

Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything you need to know that I can help with.

mrscoach · 09-26-2013, 08:49 AM

Harry, my daughter needs a tablet. Yes, needs is the word. She is in college for Apparel Design and Manufacturing (a fancy label for fashion designer) and has discovered an app that lets them draw designs on their devices then email or otherwise send them elsewhere. I don't know if it is possible to just send from one device to another with the same user or if those are considered separate accounts by the app. The app is on all platforms, I already checked.

Now, my daughter is fairly technologically challenged. Her brother has to routinely confiscate her laptop to remove the crud she has gotten on there and has no idea about. She is looking at the Surface tablets but doesn't know about RT vs Pro or if she wants an android. She likes the fact that the Surface has a USB portl. Since she has an android phone I don't want to get her into the Apple ecosystem, but figure the Windows wouldn't be so bad because she uses Windows computers all the time.

Would a Surface be a good choice for her? I figured she might want to take notes with it, also, but doesn't have too many regular classes left, most are her major classes which are hands on. If a Surface would be good, which one would you suggest? I was thinking of one of the originals, but don't know enough about any of them to decide one way or the other. She only has this year and next before she graduates.

pl001 · 09-26-2013, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinp

That's exactly the point. They way overpriced them, at least as far as I'm concerned. With lots of people out of work these days, benefits disappearing from jobs, jobs going overseas, yet the prices keep going up on all these devices. I just had to pay over $3,000 out of my pocket for back surgery because my crappy insurance wouldn't cover more.

I'm glad somebody's got lots of cash to throw away. I certainly don't.

It's one thing to claim the RT is overpriced compared to its competition. It's quite another to claim these devices in general keep going up in price. That's ridiculous.

Do you remember the first Kindle? It listed at $400. A far superior version now costs $119. In 1999 I paid over $1700 for a midrange Pentium III desktop with 15" monitor. My RT is more capable in almost every way for 1/3 that price.

It's actually quite amazing the amount of computing power you can buy for your money these days. Hard times or not, computers are much more attainable today than ever before.

HarryT · 09-26-2013, 09:13 AM

If the drawing app supports a stylus, then it sounds as if the original Surface Pro would be a very good choice - the touch screen and stylus work extremely well. It's a completely standard Windows 8 system, so if your daughter's used Windows before she'd have no problems.

Teknikal · 09-26-2013, 09:32 AM

I've always liked the surface hardware but the whole Windows 8 tile thing just isn't for me, unless theres a good customisable start menu (not button) and an option to never have to see those tiles I just couldn't bring myself to ever consider one.

The hardware itself is very sleek though.

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09-26-2013, 07:20 AM	#38
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	I just learned that the new dock has a DisplayPort 1.2 that supports daisy chaining of monitors. I believe the dock is compatible with the original SP.

09-26-2013, 07:30 AM	#39
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, all the new accessories are compatible with the original Surface, which is nice. The one I like is the "power keyboard", which is a full-size keyboard with a battery to extend the battery life of the Surface - that sounds useful!

09-26-2013, 07:49 AM	#40
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	I know I originally stated that I'm primarily looking for something that let's me ink in OneNote, but I can see this Surface Pro 2, with all the new peripherals actually replacing a lot of devices, that I could put on eBay to justify another splurge. I probably need to know more about the Surface Pro 2 before making the jump though. Totally we are looking at some $3000 including new external monitors, but if it is doable, then it might be worth it if I can get $2000 for my HP laptop, Envy x2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

09-26-2013, 07:58 AM	#41
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything you need to know that I can help with.

09-26-2013, 08:49 AM	#42
mrscoach Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	Harry, my daughter needs a tablet. Yes, needs is the word. She is in college for Apparel Design and Manufacturing (a fancy label for fashion designer) and has discovered an app that lets them draw designs on their devices then email or otherwise send them elsewhere. I don't know if it is possible to just send from one device to another with the same user or if those are considered separate accounts by the app. The app is on all platforms, I already checked. Now, my daughter is fairly technologically challenged. Her brother has to routinely confiscate her laptop to remove the crud she has gotten on there and has no idea about. She is looking at the Surface tablets but doesn't know about RT vs Pro or if she wants an android. She likes the fact that the Surface has a USB portl. Since she has an android phone I don't want to get her into the Apple ecosystem, but figure the Windows wouldn't be so bad because she uses Windows computers all the time. Would a Surface be a good choice for her? I figured she might want to take notes with it, also, but doesn't have too many regular classes left, most are her major classes which are hands on. If a Surface would be good, which one would you suggest? I was thinking of one of the originals, but don't know enough about any of them to decide one way or the other. She only has this year and next before she graduates.

09-26-2013, 09:13 AM	#44
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If the drawing app supports a stylus, then it sounds as if the original Surface Pro would be a very good choice - the touch screen and stylus work extremely well. It's a completely standard Windows 8 system, so if your daughter's used Windows before she'd have no problems.

09-26-2013, 09:32 AM	#45
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	I've always liked the surface hardware but the whole Windows 8 tile thing just isn't for me, unless theres a good customisable start menu (not button) and an option to never have to see those tiles I just couldn't bring myself to ever consider one. The hardware itself is very sleek though.