8+ Readers in comparison

[Gazella]

Yes you're right.

mgmueller, why do you always spell 'fantastic' this way (phantastic)?

[JerseyBiker]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

http://www.asus.com/AllinOne_PCs/ASU...mer_AiO_P1801/

Just saw it in German Media Markt.
Of course it's gargantuan for a tablet.
But it switches from Windows 8 to Android within about 2 seconds.

It's way too big for a tablet and for me too small for a PC since I'm use to very large screens. I had a chuckle with the video though. Who is going to let their young kids run through the house with such an expensive item? My kids at that age wouldn't have even been able to use mine at all. I would get them el cheapo Chinese tablets if anything.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Gazella

...mgmueller, why do you always spell 'fantastic' this way (phantastic)?

Sometimes I accidentally switch to the German spelling for some words.
In German, we often can use both "f" and "ph", for example photo/foto or phantastic/fantastic. I usually use the "ph", since it looks a bit less casual and somewhat more elegant.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by JerseyBiker

It's way too big for a tablet and for me too small for a PC since I'm use to very large screens. I had a chuckle with the video though. Who is going to let their young kids run through the house with such an expensive item? My kids at that age wouldn't have even been able to use mine at all. I would get them el cheapo Chinese tablets if anything.

I didn't even take it out of the docking station. I only have to look at the depth of that thing, to be certain it can't be used as a tablet efficiently.
But actually, this could have led to a serious case of buyer's remorse.
I never would have guessed, you only can use Windows while in the docking station. And in tablet mode you only have Android.
I love the idea of switching back and forth. But only if I can have both OSs - always and under all circumstances.

[kacir]

New Surface Pro 3 available
http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/20/57...g-announcement
... for astronomical prices.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by kacir

New Surface Pro 3 available
http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/20/57...g-announcement
... for astronomical prices.

Starting at $ 799.
Far from astronomical, I think.
In the range = 1.000 Euro = 1.250 US Dollars, I'll most likely buy it.
And even the high end i7 model is reasonably priced. My MacBook Air costs 1.500 Euro as well...
I'm looking forward to it.
Only letdown: No mentioning any Surface Pro mini? So the mini became a maxi with 12" instead?

EDIT: I've pd-ordered the Surface Pro 3, 256GB i7, the day after that post when it became order able in Germany.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Starting at $ 799.
Far from astronomical, I think.
In the range = 1.000 Euro = 1.250 US Dollars, I'll most likely buy it.
And even the high end i7 model is reasonably priced. My MacBook Air costs 1.500 Euro as well...

I was comparing price of the most expensive i7 model with the price of my 2 years old rock-bottom-low-price notebook with similar specs. Similar specs for processor, memory and disk, not form-factor.
Also, do not forget to add $130 for the keyboard cover

If you compare the features against MacBook Air ... then the price is not that high, I guess.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by kacir

I was comparing price of the most expensive i7 model with the price of my 2 years old rock-bottom-low-price notebook with similar specs. Similar specs for processor, memory and disk, not form-factor.
Also, do not forget to add $130 for the keyboard cover

If you compare the features against MacBook Air ... then the price is not that high, I guess.

I best can compare the MacBook Air and Surface Pro 2 I have.
MacBook Air was € 1.500 in August 2011. Price didn't change since then, specs went a bit up of course.
Surface Pro 2 with the type cover and the same size of SSD is exactly the same prize.
And if I compare performance, Surface Pro 2 actually is a bit ahead.
I'd say, it's more or less the same specs and the same price between Surface Pro X and MacBook Air.
On the MacBook Air, you obviously pay the Apple premium.
For Surface Pro X, you pay for the touchscreen and the limited quantities they ship.
To me, the prices for Surface Pro 3 seem perfectly fine. I wouldn't mind some 25% cheaper, but based on my personal comparisons the prices are in line.
What bothers me a bit: They didn't even wait 12 months for a successor. I've got my Surface Pro 2 in October or November last year.

And: Personally, I'm not sure about the 12". I'm absolutely fine with the screen estate of Surface Pro 2.
I like the new features, but actually I was considering a Surface Pro Mini, not a Maxi!
Still, I probably won't be able to resist...

[kacir]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Still, I probably won't be able to resist...

I am looking forward to your review. Whatever you decide to buy next.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by kacir

I am looking forward to your review. Whatever you decide to buy next.

It all slowed down significantly for me in the last 12 months or so.
I don't see a single Android device, that's interesting for me.
I love my NVIDIA Shield because of the emulators (PC Engine, C64, Super Nintendo, ...). For whatever reason, on Android you can have them without jailbreak/root.
I've got a few on my Windows tablets as well.
If there's a successor for NVIDIA Shield, I'll most likely buy it. But probably no Android tablets anymore.

I love my iPad mini Retina.
I can't use it for work, too limited email client and such. But as a gadget, it probably beats them all.
I'd be interested in the rumored clamshell iPad, but nothing much bigger than the mini. I don't see any use for a bigger screen on iPad - the way I'm using it.

I absolutely love my Windows 8 tablets, sheer limitless possibilities.
But there aren't that many interesting units to chose from.
I was interested in the Lenovo Thinkpad 8. But customer reviews are full of quality issues, which seems to confirm by prejudices against Lenovo.
I'm definitely interested in the Surface series and would have bought a Surface Pro mini in an instance.
About the 12" "Maxi" I'm not sure, but I'll probably end up buying it.
I really like my Dell Venue 8 Pro, nifty little unit, but I don't see any use to buy another similar one like Asus VivoTab Note.

I kind of miss my Google Chromebook Pixel. It really was a beauty, but too limited for me.

So basically, this probably means for 2014:
Another Surface Pro, probably the "maxi" Pro 3, but still hoping for a mini in addition.
Maybe another clever iPad, clamshell or something like that.
Maybe a successor for NVIDIA Shield.
That's about it.

Ah, of course, I forgot about Google Glass. Very tempted. And maybe the next generation even can be used as some kind of reading device (it already can be done now, but probably no one will read lengthy documents on it).

[Gazella]

mgmueller, out of curiosity, what phone do you use?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Gazella

mgmueller, out of curiosity, what phone do you use?

iPhone 4S and Nokia Lumia 920.
I'd very much prefer any BlackBerry.
But alas - the app fever has gotten to me as well.
When on a (business) trip, now I usually take Dell Venue 8 Pro (Windows 8.1) and iPad mini Retina with me.
For a longer trip or when having some luggage anyway, I choose Surface Pro 2 over Dell Venue 8 Pro.

Why the Windows 8 tablet?
I can't do without it. Even when jumping through hoops, I don't find an acceptable way to send corporate emails via iPad (CI conformity of signatures and so on) and other business stuff.
When having to write lengthy emails or reports on the train, I love the convenience of the Type Keyboard on Surface or the compact bluetooth keyboard (integrated into the folio) of Venue 8 Pro, that's one of the reasons (reported quality issues being the other) why I didn't buy the Lenovo Thinkpad 8 (I haven't seen any efficient keyboard solution).

Why the iPad?
I did without any iPad for about 4 months.
I din't miss it at all as a tool, Windows 8 tablets took that space more than adequately.
But I've kind of missed it as a gadget. And, since having decided for the iPad mini Retina, I use it every single day for a few hours.
And for simple stuff, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard is a nice add-on.

Since I take iOS and Windows 8 on tablets with me, it only makes sense to do the same on phones.
I'm not that fond of iPhone. I miss lots of features, my BlackBerry did deliver already 8 years ago.
For example, I loved the profiles: "I'm in a meeting now. No calls, please, with the exception of those 3 numbers" and things like that.
Absolutely common needs on business phones, but in my opinion iPhone simply is an iPod, that can do some phone related stuff as well.
I often think about replacing the iPhone 4S by the Nokia Lumia 920 for my businesss needs. Or even going for newer Phablets from Nokia.

But quite frankly: Smartphones are about the only gadget, that I never was interested in.
In addition to talking on the phone, there's not much I'm doing on my phones.
I want to have the same address book on all my units.
I'm using outlook.com, to sync between my MacBook Air and Outlook on Surface Pro 2.
So for the respective phones, the contacts issue easily is solved.

I'm (for now) not interested in Android. All I missed on iOS and directed me towards Android, more efficiently can be done on Windows.

And I don't want to fumble around with BlackBerry, to get my contacts, schedules and the likes into a 3rd OS.
I miss my BlackBerry and I even have one of my favorites 5 years ago still lying around, but not using it...

[Gazella]

Thank you for the reply. Are you thinking of getting the iPhone 6 when it gets released in September more likely?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Gazella

Thank you for the reply. Are you thinking of getting the iPhone 6 when it gets released in September more likely?

No, not at all interested.
Like I wrote: I don't find iPhone that compelling - never did.
As a phone it lacks tons of features essential for (my) business needs.
As a gadget it's nice, but I've got my iPad mini Retina for that.
I didn't even go for iPhone 5.
Personally, I did like the older units better design-wise.
iPad 1, to me, was to most beautiful iPad so far. I'm not a fan of the curved edges on the later iPads. iPad Air and mini are a huge improvement, but not the class of iPad 1 yet.
Same for iPhone.
iPhone 4/4S was spectacular. So were the first iPod Touchs....

[mgmueller]

Scheduled for August 31st the latest...