8+ Readers in comparison

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by JerseyBiker

...If you think it's bad here go to xda where you get yelled at by a dozen people for asking a question.

This reminds me of an old German joke (a cynical one):
2 construction workers by accident fell off a scaffold.
One broke his arm and legs.
The other was lucky, he got caught with his eye on a nail...

[emai7s2]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

This
2 construction workers by accident fell off a scaffold. One broke his arm and legs. The other was lucky, he got caught with his eye on a nail...

Hmm, that joke makes me want to do a facepalm, but I don't know how to do it. :-)

Seriously, I also appreciate your insight - hope you continue to evaluate units & post your thoughts here in the future.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by emai7s2

My problem is I need a replacement notebook for my aging WinXP notebook, and all my tech friends recommend strongly against getting Win8, so I'm at a loss at what to do at the moment. Wait for Win10?

Why do your "tech friends" recommend against it? I like Windows 8.1 a lot.

[emai7s2]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why do your "tech friends" recommend against it? I like Windows 8.1 a lot.

I'm not a tech, so I don't know the details. They are all big fans of Win 7, and say while MS has had good OS's like WinXP & Win7, 'interim' versions like Vista & Win 8 should be avoided. These are my goto guys when I need technical help, so I don't want to experience a live facepalm when they see my computer …

So what in particular do you like about 8.1? You are a lone voice in the wilderness …

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by emai7s2

So what I particular do you like about 8.1? You are a lone voice in the wilderness …

Very stable, and good performance. Boots up in a fraction of the time that Windows 7 takes. It's really just a "better Windows 7", the only real difference being that the "Start" menu is now an "app screen", but that's the most trivial of things - you can have it boot up directly into the "old" Windows desktop if that's your preference.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by emai7s2

I'm not a tech, so I don't know the details. They are all big fans of Win 7, and say while MS has had good OS's like WinXP & Win7, 'interim' versions like Vista & Win 8 should be avoided. These are my goto guys when I need technical help, so I don't want to experience a live facepalm when they see my computer …

So what in particular do you like about 8.1? You are a lone voice in the wilderness …

Microsoft has now admitted that Windows 7 was an interim OS and has already stopped supporting it on new devices. I do think Windows 7 was an improvement over Windows Vista but Windows 8 is better than 7.

Dale

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by emai7s2

...So what in particular do you like about 8.1? You are a lone voice in the wilderness …

I love statistics.
In German we have a saying: "I only trust the statistics I have falsified myself".
There's lots of truth to it.

I frequently go to the biggest seller of consumer electronics, Saturn Markt, five minutes by foot from my home.
I talk to the sales guys and they take their time. Most of them know me in the meantime and know, at some point they probably will sell something to me, so they don't mind.

Example #1:
I've asked them 2 or so years ago, how well Surface Pro was doing. They actually could count the numbers of units they sold, something in the range of 1 or 2 every other day.
But then, the big surprise: "Surface RT is doing extremely well". And this was before the price cut!
a.) Personally, I don't know anyone with an RT unit, but lots of people with Windows 8.
b.) If RT was doing well: Why that big loss of Microsoft?

Example #2:
About 10 weeks ago, I asked them about the availability of BlackBerry Passport.
They told me: "No idea, we're not selling BlackBerry anymore".
Wow! By far the best business phone I've owned for years (bought it maybe 2 weeks later online) and they don't even sell it?

But, if I look at their clientele, it perfectly makes sense (both examples, BlackBerry and RT):
If I stroll through their mobile phone department, I'm 25 years older than the rest. And I'm willing to spend 2 or 3 times the amount of the average consumer there who states their wishes.

It's all about the reference standard.
If I choose gadgeteers for reference, they will bash Windows 8 and and the Windows 8 units I have myself.
The number of apps is rather limited, especially concerning games and casual stuff.
I've read an interesting article, similar to this one http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasoneva...gelizing-this/ some time ago. The reviewer bashed Microsoft, not marketing Surface Pro as the gaming powerhouse tablet. You can connect your Xbox controller, via USB or even wirelessly and play games on a level iPad and the likes not even dream of. But no one even knows...

Surface Pro or any other similar Windows 8 tablet is not the best business tablet. IMHO it's the only business tablet. I can't do 75% of my business needs on iOS or Android. Yes, some can and some corporates did introduce those to their employees.
But for vast majority, simple truth is: Windows 8 and the respective tablets are tools of productivity. Highly capable business tool, but not even close to the coolness league of iOS or Android.

I dare say, your "techies" probably fall more in the category of gadgeteers than technicians.
They may be technically capable. But what are their usage patterns? Is any of them a network administrator and talking about the units he'd use in his employer's network?

To get to the point:
Windows 8 is not "better or worse" than iOS or Android.
You simply can't compare the 2.
If I want to play or something like that, there's not a single argument for Windows 8. You can do (more or less) all on it, but it's usually a bit less hip and a bit more limited.
But if you have wide reaching business needs, IMHO there's simply not much alternatives.
Maybe Linux, but bringing Linux on a tablet?

Brief anecdote:
One of my customer's in 2011 did replace their BlackBerries by iPhones.
Employees loved it.
I had bough my iPhones contract-free for some € 600, they had theirs for free.
I was envious, I admit it.
But a few weeks later, one of my contacts was on a meeting with me. Oh, how he struggled to write a lengthy email on a touch keyboard while driving in a car.
And, I really couldn't believe it, a few weeks later the company did offer a bluetooth keyboard to the employees who wanted one. It was a compact one, not much bigger than an iPhone. But I found it funny enough...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Surprisingly enough, Surface Pro 1 still keeps up well.
But then again, I still have iPad 1 and it's still absolutely fine as well.

There's a single issue, where SP3 drastically outshines SP1: The pen.
You stated already, you don't use the pen much.
I only use it for notes either and for handwriting accuracy isn't much of an issue. Still, SP1 and SP2 did have slight problems with the accuracy of the pen in the corners.
SP3 completely has solved that with a new pen. Working flawlessly!

For those following my anguished decision-making process with bated breath (yeah, all 0 of you), even though I strongly respect mgmueller's feedback on the build quality, at this point—primarily due to screensize and keyboard durability—to either go with the new Yoga Pro 3 or the new Thinkpad Yoga, with the keyboard that flattens. I just don't see the SP's keyboard living through a year with my rather-notorious pounding. I go through a keyboard every 3-6 months...so I fear I'd be replacing the thing non-stop.

updates to follow. @mgmueller: I am not, actually, a kind person. Just honest and selfish. Whom would I ask, without you? Sheesh. Just selfish, as I said. Goeth not.

Hitch

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Hitch

For those following my anguished decision-making process with bated breath (yeah, all 0 of you), even though I strongly respect mgmueller's feedback on the build quality, at this point—primarily due to screensize and keyboard durability—to either go with the new Yoga Pro 3 or the new Thinkpad Yoga, with the keyboard that flattens. I just don't see the SP's keyboard living through a year with my rather-notorious pounding. I go through a keyboard every 3-6 months...so I fear I'd be replacing the thing non-stop.

updates to follow. @mgmueller: I am not, actually, a kind person. Just honest and selfish. Whom would I ask, without you? Sheesh. Just selfish, as I said. Goeth not.

Hitch

Hmmm...
Of course you could buy the Surface Pro, but without the keyboard/cover.
I have 2 fantastic sleeves, they both would protect it well enough even without cover.
And then you just could use Surface Pro with any bluetooth or USB keyboard. Or via docking station. Or...

But I really don't want to bash Lenovo. As far as I know, they rank #1 in the meantime in the PC segment?
Maybe I just have a problem going with the mainstream. For mobile phones, for example I don't like Samsung either. And I think they rank #1 as well...
At heart, I guess I'm a rebel and revolt against the popular kid in the class...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Hmmm...
Of course you could buy the Surface Pro, but without the keyboard/cover.
I have 2 fantastic sleeves, they both would protect it well enough even without cover.
And then you just could use Surface Pro with any bluetooth or USB keyboard. Or via docking station. Or...

But I really don't want to bash Lenovo. As far as I know, they rank #1 in the meantime in the PC segment?
Maybe I just have a problem going with the mainstream. For mobile phones, for example I don't like Samsung either. And I think they rank #1 as well...
At heart, I guess I'm a rebel and revolt against the popular kid in the class...

Well...I have ordered the Thinkpad Yoga with the extras under the hood. I will let you know what I think, @mg. If you want to know.

hitch

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well...I have ordered the Thinkpad Yoga with the extras under the hood. I will let you know what I think, @mg. If you want to know.

hitch

I'm always interested to hear about other's experience.
But for now I'm not tempted to follow.
I have to downsize my gadgets first, I can't handle them anymore. Whenever I briefly check 3 or 4, for example if some of you ask about a feature, at least 1 or 2 have run out of battery.
Recently, my Kindle DXG looses lots of juice, even when turned off. I fear, I let the battery discharge too often and have killed the capacity...

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well...I have ordered the Thinkpad Yoga with the extras under the hood. I will let you know what I think, @mg. If you want to know.

hitch

Congratulations!
It's always great to know, a new gadget is on its way.

[mgmueller]

I've just confirmed my request to Alex Turcic, to delete my account.
Ideally all my threads as well, but I don't know whether this can and will be done as well. And I won't be able to tell, as I won't visit the website any longer after my account is deleted.

I'm very well into active discussions. But I'm not into scatology or bashing.
Especially, if it's about a poll in a user forum.
To some it may be their livelihood (which wasn't threatened or belittled in any way by me) but to me it's a hobby.
As in "being fun".
I find the tone less and less fun, not just in my threads and concerning me.
So it's time to move on.
I'll keep buying stuff, but those gadgets never will be half as important for me, as they seem to be for some others. And even then I don't get the aggression. But fortunately enough, I don't have to take notice...

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've just confirmed my request to Alex Turcic, to delete my account.
Ideally all my threads as well, but I don't know whether this can and will be done as well. And I won't be able to tell, as I won't visit the website any longer.

I'm very well into active discussions. But I'm not into scatology or bashing.
Especially, if it's about a poll in a user forum.
To some it may be their livelihood (which wasn't threatened or belittled in any way by me) but to me it's a hobby.
As in "being fun".
I find the tone less and less fun, not just in my threads and concerning me.
So it's time to move on.
I'll keep buying stuff, but those gadgets never will be half as important for me, as they seem to be for some others. And even then I don't get the aggression. But fortunately enough, I don't have to take notice...

Nein!!! Geh nicht! Die Mehrheit hier mag Dich, sehr sogar, und wir lesen super gern was Du schreibst.

Ich hoffe sehr, dass Du es Dir doch nochmals anders überlegt. Bitte bleib.

[oldhaggis]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've just confirmed my request to Alex Turcic, to delete my account.
Ideally all my threads as well, but I don't know whether this can and will be done as well. And I won't be able to tell, as I won't visit the website any longer after my account is deleted.

I'm very well into active discussions. But I'm not into scatology or bashing.
Especially, if it's about a poll in a user forum.
To some it may be their livelihood (which wasn't threatened or belittled in any way by me) but to me it's a hobby.
As in "being fun".
I find the tone less and less fun, not just in my threads and concerning me.
So it's time to move on.
I'll keep buying stuff, but those gadgets never will be half as important for me, as they seem to be for some others. And even then I don't get the aggression. But fortunately enough, I don't have to take notice...

I wish you would not go too, I have followed your post's with interest for a long time, your informative review's of ereaders and tablets etc., have helped me and many people here, I understand why you want to delete your account, I Just hope you don't