I purchased a Microsoft Surface RT back on Day One, pre-ordered actually before the Oct. 26th release, and have enjoyed it ever since. For the most part, my Surface RT has replaced my iPad except for one app and that is for the use of RSA SecurID which I can now access from my Windows Phone. Things I have done with the Surface RT can be done with an iPad, but in many cases tasks that require lots of typing are much easier on the Surface with the use of the touch cover.
My iPad 3 64GB version cost $699 without a cover and no external keyboard or stand. If you want a keyboard, you can buy covers that have a keyboard in them starting at aboput $89 which typically do not have a trackpad area. No MicroSD card support.
My Surface RT 64GB version cost $699 with a touch cover that has a trackpad area and has a built in stand. The Surface RT 64GB without a cover is $599. Support for MicroSD cards up to 64GB.
When it was first announced and even to this day, many have balked at the Surface RT as simply another device and did not take the time to understand exactly what Microsoft was attempting to do. Out of the gate, it did not have the apps that devices running Android or iOS had so many gave it little to no chance at all but those devices did not have stellar libraries of apps near the start of their life either. Anyways, Microsoft was not just releasing another device, but a device that was part of an ecosystem that they were beginning to lay the ground work for.
Microsoft Windows RT is similar to Apple iOS, which both are designed for mobile devices. The devices that run these operating systems are often used to read books, compose emails, take notes while in a meeting, watch videos, listen to music, and play games. A mobile device commonly does not replace the functionality of a desktop or laptop because of their processing limitations and lack of business software, one can of course argue this fact with cloud computing but not everyone can stay connected 24/7 yet.
Many in the industry have unfairly compared the Surface RT to what it is not, and that is a laptop such as an AirBook or MacBook. Windows RT runs a mobile OS, in which the AirBook and MacBooks run a desktop OS. To be fair, you have to really compare the Surface RT to an iPad which cannot run applications designed for a desktop OS, thereby you cannot run legacy applications such as Adobe Photoshop or AutoCAD on your iPad. Sure there are apps on the iPad that give you some of the functionality of legacy applications such as AutoCAD WS, Pages, Adobe Photoshop Express, but you cannot simply pull out your install DVDs and install the software you might have invested hundreds or thousands of dollars in.
At the end of the day, consumers are confused as to what Microsoft is trying to do by offer two different Windows platforms and what advantage each offers over the other. This was evident by a trip last week to my local Best Buy when I was on the search for a Windows Surface Pro with 128GB of RAM. Employees almost seemed overwhelmed by the number of people interested in the devices and not really sure how to explain things to the customer.
Battery life is around 8 hours or more based on what you are doing.
If you are primarily using it as a tablet, you will not need the type or touch cover but they are excellent accessories if you plan to use the MS Office applications though.
Comes with an installed version of MS Office that is designed for Windows RT which contains Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. This version does support most of the functionality that you will find in the full MS Office suite with the exception of Outlook, Access, and creating VBA macros.
Does have a Desktop mode so you can manage your files just like in Windows 8.
Does not support DRM for videos because it does not have Windows Media Player, which I feel is a mistake on Microsoft's part. However, I can display play my MP4 video files without any problem.
Offers a USB port which you can use to plug-in an external DVD player or hard drive/thumb drive to transfer data files, plu in a full size keyboard or mouse, or even an Xbox controller for games that support it, and other USB devices.
MicroSD card slot allows you to expand the amount of storage available.
Utilizes your Windows single login, so your settings move from desktop to Surface and so on.
SkyDrive is an integral part of the Surface experience as it is installed by default and helps you extend the available drive space.
Snapped states do make it possible to have two applications open at a time.
16x9 screen is nice for watching your videos, Netflix, and Hulu Plus.
Does support video out using a dedicated port, you can buy a HDMI or VGA connector for your Surface. I have used both and they seem to work just fine based on the limited video resolution options that are available. Netflix on my 42" HDTV from the Surface seemed to worked well for what I think was non-HD source to begin with. I have also used the VGA with my 27" computer monitor and had no problems.
While the size is a plus for watching videos and playing games, it does take a bit of getting used to though for reading eBooks. Holding the device in portrait mode seems a bit awkward because of its size, but horizontal works just fine. The Kindle app does allow you to compress the margins so you are not reading across the whole screen which is very nice.
Browsing the Internet can be done via Internet Explorer from the Start Screen which seems to have some compatibility issues with older websites, but the desktop Internet Explorer seems to have much better support for older sites and sites that require Adobe Flash. So unlike iOS, Windows RT can display Flash content which is a huge plus for sites that still rely on that technology.
Wireless printing is supported, my HP Printer that was connected to the WiFi was found and installed will little to no effort at all.
Connects to your Xbox via the Surface application so you can navigate your Xbox dashboard and play media.
High school and college students that need to access the Internet and write term papers, but also want something smaller and have a longer battery life than a laptop.
Users who already have a desktop or laptop, and want something smaller when traveling or commuting from home to the office. It is also great as a secondary machine for the family since the IE browser is compatible with sites that have Flash unlike an iPad, and it offers most of the functionality in MS Office that many will use.
Gamers that want to increase their Gamerscore on the go can play Xbox Live games from the Windows Store and enhance their experience with the Surface integration with their Xbox.
Are looking to replace their current desktop or laptop.
Need to run legacy applications such as AutoCAD or Adobe Photoshop.
In the end, you need to choose what device is best for you and your family's needs. If you are in the market for a new and fresh experience, be sure to check out the Microsoft Surface. Very early on, it was available only through Microsoft's online and retail stores. This was an excellent way to bring it to the market, but not to the masses. Recently, Microsoft has partnered up with Best Buy and Staples to get the products in the hands of more potential buyers.
I hope this article was of interest to you.
With everything that is happening with the economy and jobs these days, everyone is trying to save a buck here and there. This is all great until it has an adverse affect on productivity. While it is hard to think about spending money, some cost cuts can end up costing more in the end than the money being saved. In times like these, it is often a great idea to invest in new software to increase productivity as well as hardware. If you work in a 3D application, such as AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor or 3ds max, on a regular basis you might want to check out the products that 3Dconnexion develops.
All their products are designed to improve 3D navigation in 3D applications, but their latest product the SpacePilot Pro goes well beyond 3D navigation and allows you to access standard views and commands/tools in a 3D application with a touch of a button. By using a device such as the new SpacePilot Pro, you can increase your productivity my reducing the number of clicks to access frequently used commands as well as reducing the amount of moving your mouse to navigate a 3D model. All of these minor changes to your workflow allow you to focus on your design and not navigating the application or the 3D model you are working on, in the end resulting in getting more done in less time.
I have used one of the old 3Dconnexion products, a SpaceBall, in the past and loved it for working in the 3D environment of AutoCAD and 3ds max, and am looking forward to getting my hands on the new SpacePilot Pro. Once I have some time experimenting with the latest device, I will post my impressions. A few of the things that caught my attention with the new SpacePilot was the ability to map AutoCAD commands or AutoLISP code to buttons, as well as the LCD screen which allows for access to applications such as Outlook and RSS feeds. Mapping AutoLISP code to a button allows you to have different sets of macros for working in 2D from 3D, or even different macros if you are working in model space from paper space.
If you use a 3Dconnexion product with AutoCAD or another 3D application, post a comment and let me hear about your experience if you feel like sharing. For more information on the SpacePilot Pro and other 3Dconnexion products, visit http://www.3dconnexion.com.
For over a month now I have been using a product called SimpleShare by SimpleTech, which is a NAS (Network Attached Server) device. SimpleShare is similar to the USB external devices, except it hooks up to your router or hub through an Ethernet port. For a small business of a couple people or even for the home network this device is great. I purchased and use the 160 GB model, but there are also models of 250GB and 400GB in size. Since it attaches as a device on your network, it allows you to map a drive letter on each one of the machines attached to your network. This makes it great for all in the office or home to access documents, music or other files from a single location. This also makes backing up files easy as well. No more having to use a USB thumb drive to move files around just to print.
Speaking of printing, the SimpleShare device has two USB ports on the back to allow you to configure a printer as a network device. This makes it easy to share a printer that can hook up to a USB port rather easy. I currently have my HP LaserJet 2200dn configured on the network so all my computers that are wired to wireless can print to it. This saves both time and money from needing to move files to other computers to print or have the need to purchase additional printers. The USB ports also allow you to connect other USB devices so they can be shared on the network, or attach a SimpleDrive which allows you to set up mirroring of the SimpleShare device and provide additional storage. The SimpleShare device was simple and easy to setup in a matter or minutes and not hours. There are many other NAS devices on the market and this was one of the most diverse products that I came across with letting you manage it from a web browser and any computer on the network.
To learn more about the SimpleShare device, visit SimpleTech on the Internet at http://www.simpletech.com.