Surface Pro 3

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

...instead of copy what's on the whiteboard onto your OneNote, you should be able to just take a high quality photo to OneNote...

And what would I do with the picture then in OneNote?
If I just want to take a picture, why would I take any tablet with me in the first place? Why not just use any smartphone?
I haven't been a student for some time. But if I was, I'd load the PDF (who's still writing from the whiteboard nowadays? Probably only noobs) of the course on my Surface Pro 3 and only add some comments via pen, directly on the PDF.

I use OneNote, for example, to draft presentations.
Those drafts are sent to our Offshore partner and then finalized over night in PowerPoint.
I even sometimes show the draft to clients. It's a nice mixture of "handwritten notes" meet "digital world".

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by dickloraine

I see a camera on a tablet just as a gimmick. In MY opinion it would be better to not include a camera and make the device cheaper. It is especially ridiculous in the low cost android market.

Given the popularity of WhatsApp and Skype, there probably is some demand for cameras in tablets.
But maybe a single front facing camera would be sufficient? And it certainly doesn't have to be a high end one.

I'm always fascinated, when seeing people taking pictures of their vacations with tablets. I kind of understand, using a smartphone for that. You've got it with you anyway and maybe forgot a "real" camera. But taking a bulky tablet with you, while sightseeing?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

lol what a noob, that because you bought consumer grade toy laptop...

Are MacBook Pros consumer grade toys?

And I think, you've got it mixed up anyway. Consumer products are far more likely, to have add-ons like that. Look at the business line products. One of my clients has an "Executive Notebook" in their program. It sells quite well, although being in the price range > € 5.000.
There's no GPS or 3G/4G or gimmicks like that. But a stylish leather folio and piano lacquer.

Or, to use the words of my favorite boss: "I don't use a mobile phone. I've got 2 assistants for that".

[mgmueller]

In the 3DMark Benchmark, Surface Pro 3 has been added.
The average of all users so far is 54.019 for Ice Storm Unlimited test.
I only get 49.129 for now.
So I've just installed the Intel XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility) tool.
Highly interesting, to track CPU temperature, utilization and such.
I'll see, what some tuning can do...
Certainly not necessary, it's obviously powerful enough. But I have to see at least once...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Oh sure, and this forum it is in has nothing but useful stuff for you. It is not intended as generic windows anyway but then you have already made up your mind.

Dale

You said and I quote...

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Does everyone know we have a full forum dedicated to discussing this and other Surface products?

I'm pointing out that it's not a dedicated form for the Surface and other Surface products. It's a generic Windows forum. Dedicated means you have a forum or subforum just for the Surface.

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Given the popularity of WhatsApp and Skype, there probably is some demand for cameras in tablets.
But maybe a single front facing camera would be sufficient? And it certainly doesn't have to be a high end one.

I'm always fascinated, when seeing people taking pictures of their vacations with tablets. I kind of understand, using a smartphone for that. You've got it with you anyway and maybe forgot a "real" camera. But taking a bulky tablet with you, while sightseeing?

I don't have a real camera. I don't have a smartphone. I wouldn't carry it about while vacationing, but the tablet has a much better camera than my aged phone.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You said and I quote...



I'm pointing out that it's not a dedicated form for the Surface and other Surface products. It's a generic Windows forum. Dedicated means you have a forum or subforum just for the Surface.

You are right I should have not said dedicated because it includes other mobile products from Windows as well like the Windows phone.

Dale

[FinancialWar]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Are MacBook Pros consumer grade toys?

Of course, all Macs are toys. That's why only girls, and children use them.

[FinancialWar]

Jokes aside, I don't mind the SP3 if it is a bit thicker, but really want a camera that's at least as good as a smartphone camera. I mean the sp3 is already so much bigger and heavier, so what is the reason for such a crappy cam?

[mgmueller]

I went for the easy solution: Putting the pen into the sleeve: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00K...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's not very stylish, but -at least when on the road- it solves my problem. Better than putting it in my suit pocket.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

Jokes aside, I don't mind the SP3 if it is a bit thicker, but really want a camera that's at least as good as a smartphone camera. I mean the sp3 is already so much bigger and heavier, so what is the reason for such a crappy cam?

Why are lots of tablets without GPS?
A few years ago, it was bundled with 3G. No 3G meant, no GPS.
Nowadays it's separated and what would be the costs? 10 Euros?
Still: Only maybe 50% of WiFi-only models have it.
Same with cameras or other features.
Sometimes it's cost pressure, sometimes it's simply a matter of required space (can it fit in?), sometimes it's some strategic decision of product managers. Often enough it's sheer ignorance.

Brief anecdote: About 12 years ago, one of the (back then) smaller manufacturers of mobile phones had been my client. One of their smart phones didn't sell. So some market researcher did lots of surveys. The result: This particular smart phone didn't have an MP3 player, so the target group below 20 years didn't buy it. When hearing such stories, you only can shake your head in disbelief. My only explanations: Engineers, product managers and such, who develop such products, rarely are the target groups themselves. So their products often enough miss the target, at least in some areas. One would think there would be field studies and the likes. But given the short life cycles, this happens less and less often.
My wife already is used to my standard phrase, when getting a new gadget: Those imbeciles! How could they forget about...
Sometimes it's unbelievable.

In this case, personally I never would have seen the flaws in the camera. I simply never have used a camera on any of my tablets. Only exception: I have been toying around with an app on iPad for scanning business cards.
But now that I'm aware of it, you're certainly right: The back camera seems to be pretty useless...No biggy for me, but still some minor detail Microsoft should be checking out.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I went for the easy solution: Putting the pen into the sleeve: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00K...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's a nice sleeve. Maroo just started making new sleeves for the pro 3 which have a pen holder too http://www.maroo.com/store/design/Surface-Pro-3

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I use OneNote, for example, to draft presentations. Those drafts are sent to our Offshore partner and then finalized over night in PowerPoint. I even sometimes show the draft to clients. It's a nice mixture of "handwritten notes" meet "digital world".

Thanks for offering a visored window into the professional life that affords you 26 readers and 44 tablets! I must admit to being curious about that.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

Thanks for offering a visored window into the professional life that affords you 26 readers and 44 tablets! I must admit being curious about that.

I just took count (I've got a list in Evernote, to keep track of my firmware updates and the likes): It's 29 readers and 53 tablets at the moment.
Sounds a lot.
But:
a.) I've bought them since 2007. That's about 90 months = on average 1 gadget every 4.5 weeks. It's not all expensive gadgets in the range of 800 Euros. A lot are in the range of maybe 300 Euros.
b.) Actually, the follow-up costs are significantly higher, than the gadgets themselves: SD cards, covers, content, ... easily can add up the same amount in the first month and another 300+ Euros per month.
Meaning: I'd spend almost as much by just using my existing equipment and buying apps and add-ons.
c.) I've discovered Amazon for selling stuff. I hate eBay: Way too much effort, to offer your used products. But in Amazon, I simply have to find the product and click "I want to sell". Usually, my products sell within 1 or 2 days. Often enough, I sell 2 or 3 old gadgets and get a new one without having to spend any additional amount.
Nowadays I'm "collecting" readers and tablets. But it had been video games and other stuff before, which still sells surprisingly well.
d.) Those gadgets are my main expenses. The rest of my costs mainly are tax deductible travel expenses. I don't have other expensive hobbies: No horse, not even a car (not because of costs, but simply preferring train for the trips I have to take. My last car most of the times was parked for 3 days at the airport...).
I know tons of people, who spend the same amount per month for their car. But they use it less frequent (I easily spend about 8 hours per day using my gadgets) and they use it unilaterally (they drive, nothing else). Whereas I'm watching movies on my Apple TV at home, on my new LG beamer in the hotel, read books on some reader, play some game on PS Vita or some tablet, hear music on some tablet and so on...
I know people, who spend the same amount for restaurants. Whatever makes one happy...

But: I'm not having a high income. I've "decelerated" it all in 2008. Back then, I used to work 100+ hour weeks. But I ended up in the hospital with a blood pressure of 230:170 at the age of 40. After that (my doctor on intensive care showed me a patient with similar symptoms, who ended up in a wheelchair), I took the slogan of my former employer as advice: "Work smarter, not harder".
"Smarter", to me nowadays meaning, working the bare minimum and enjoying my time, instead of aiming to double or triple my income.
In the past, gas for driving to the office alone had cost me 400+ Euros per month (and it took me 2 hours per day, back and forth). That's one additional gadget per month, just by not having a car and only making trips I don't have to pay myself.
Interesting enough, quite a few friends and former colleagues went the same direction. The term "decelerate" actually is from one of my favorite colleagues. He rather spends his days in the home office with his 2 year old son, than aiming for the income level that seemed necessary 10 years ago.

You see, I try to rationalize my spending frenzy.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by palazzo

I got mine yesterday too (UK) and have no disappointments so far. (Except maybe that it seems unable to cope with 1080p .mkv films.) ..

I just made the ultimate stress test on my Surface Pro 3: My 20GB MKV Avatar rip. Working flawlessly, as expected (and as on Surface Pro 2 before).