Argh! So Disappointed With This Tablet

[Mbergin]

I know that all of the functions and limitations of Surface RT have been posted and acknowledged by Microsoft, so I don't expect that people defend the functionality of the tablet. I am writing about this tablet from the perspective of not understanding its purpose.
First the hardware. I think this is the best part of the surface. The keyboard (assuming it doesn't tear) is innovative and impressive. The kickstand (even without the ability to adjust the angle) is a wonderful feature. I wish the camera were better, but I know is isn't a device for snapping photos, however, it would be nice that when my daughter and I are sitting in front of it and I can grab a cute photo of us, it would come out looking better than 1mp quality. The usb port is great as is the sd slot.
Now, the software....
Windows RT is confusing to me as an operating system. Windows 8 is only a tolerable operating system because it still has the desktop option. With windows RT, you have the desktop option but can't really do anything with it. You can't install software, you can't use IE to launch VPN client. You have to stick to whatever apps you can find on the barren app store. I also do understand that as an early adopter there will be a ramp up period for quality apps (hopefully!). There is no outlook client. I know it was documented that there wouldn't be, but I don't understand why. You can't VPN unless the VPN solution you use creates an app for you do to so. Unlikely.
Now, this is where you are saying "but this isn't meant to be the laptop replacement for work!". I hear you.... but again, I don't understand the logic. This tablet is 700.00 (for the 64gb version). It can't replace a work device (no ability to join a domain which means that there is little ability to manage the device out of the box. also without domain join you cannot use MS's DirectAccess for always on VPN). It also can't compete with the tablet market. for the same amount of money you can get a 64gb iPad. I am in NO WAY endorsing the iPad. I can't STAND the iPad. however, it IS a superior tablet OS to the Windows Surface, if not only because of the vast amount of apps it currently has. For entertainment purposes a 199.00 kindle fire HD is much better than the Surface RT. Any android tablet would stand up to the Surface RT. Both android and iOS have a ton of apps.
So the answer to a work replacement tablet as well as a functional entertainment tablet will be the Surface Pro. Running around $1,000.00 for 128gb of storage. I CAN'T imagine companies are going to spend $1,000.00 per device for their employees for a device that has LESS than what they can get in a traditional laptop for $700.00! (think HP Elitebook, 500gb HD, 4GB RAM).
So that is my confusion. The Surface RT sells for $700.00 and doesn't have (ANY) laptop comparable features or functionality. It also doesn't have near enough tablet functionality. Certainly the iPad is decades ahead of the Surface RT in what it can do. So it is a bad laptop and bad tablet.
The Surface Pro, when it ships in 2013, may be a quality laptop replacement but still not a quality tablet replacement (just due to the app availability). However it will have a shocking $1,000.00 sticker price! Thus knocking it out of contention as a corporate device replacement.
I don't understand what the target market is for either of the Surface devices.

 

[TeknoBlast]

I don't see the confusion of the RT and Pro version. It's been explained numerous times what the RT version can do. The RT version is equivalent to all the other tablets that are on the market, which is you have a tablet that runs applications that are downloaded from their respective application store. What's so hard to understand that? What MS has done with the RT version is give you an extra bonus, you have a limited desktop that uses Office 2013 Student. Again, there's been many articles and explanations that the desktop on the RT was limited to whatever is on there now. If one didn't do their research to understand this, then that's ones fault. Since the RT version is equivalent to other tablets on the market, why are people not complaining about those tablets, which do not have any type of desktop feature that has Office installed?

All take from these complaints are Surface bashing for no reason. So yeah, the app store is not as populated like iOS or Droid stores, but when those two came on the market, they didn't have thousands of apps to offer either. People expected the MS Store to have the same amount of apps in their store as their competitors right off the bat.....that's not going to happen, which is something I understand. It will take some time to have thousands of apps available in their store, just as when the store for the competitors went online.

I laugh and dismiss your comment about the $199 tablets has better entertainment than the Surface. That's such an idiotic comment to make. I don't dismiss than the $199 tablets are not entertaining, but the Surface beats them all easily. My wife has a Nook Tablet, while it's entertaining to her and has it's uses, it doesn't come near to what the Surface has to offer. I'm getting her the new Nook HD+ and even that ones doesn't come near to what the Surface has to offer.

I currently own an iPad, so my comments are not biased. I enjoyed the iPad and it has it's uses. However, since owning the Surface, my iPad has not been touched. I've done a lot more with the Surface than I have with the iPad.

As for the Pro version, I don't think I'll get one just yet. If I need to do some computing, then that's what my desktop is for. And just so you'll understand if you don't do your research, the Pro will do what your desktop can do. Understood?

 

[TrentonT]

My experience is a bit different to yours and I thinkwith all tools people have very different expectations of what this pad shouldbe able to do.
It to date has by far exceeded my needs. I have used Androids (Asus Transformer201) great pad no issues but targeted more as a toy than a tool (again myperception don't flame me for this) it just did not meet my needs. A pad likethis may be perfect for you.

I have also used and still do have a BlackBerry the only reason I still have itis hoping that the new OS will give it some life.

The biggest issue with the Surface right (my opinion) is Apps the apps I amlooking for are not all in yet, they may be there (which is frustratingsearching the Store is a mystery for me) when I search
I more often than not find nothing or worse yet items totally unrelated to mysearch show up. Apps are coming at a faster pace now and as more pads are inuse this will increase it is very early in the life cycle of the OS and I thinkwe will have far more choice in the near future.
My thoughts.

 

[ARosch]

You are a very early adopter, so you really should keep that in mind. The Android market and apple market have been building apps for years which gives them a tremendous head start. The Windows marketplace is growing very quickly, so perhaps you should just be patient? You bought what is essentially the light version so you should have expected less compatibility. The Surface RT is meant to be an entry level windows tablet. You are overlooking some of the advantages that RT has over Pro, for example the inability to get viruses. Other advantages of RT are a lower price and much greater battery life. Also, you can run two apps at once with windows where as that's not an option on iOS and it requires rooting on Android.

You overlooked the fact that the Surface Pro 64gb comes with a free $100 keyboard whereas the apple come with... well nothing.
You also compared it to the Elitebook. Newsflash dude, the Surface is a TABLET and the elitebook is a LAPTOP. For $700 you get more functionality but you also get a bulky slow device. Not sure you understand the speed differences between a HDD and a SSD; the latter is much faster. I would perhaps be more open to your argument had you picked something such as the Asus VivoBook that is a touchscreen laptop, but I still think they are different devices with different purposes.

I am sorry that you are unhappy with your surface;however, I honestly believe that the Surface RT is a great product. This product is tailored for a certain market like all electronics, and in the future I suggest you look to see if it is for you before spending the money and then ranting how a product is not what you assumed it would be.

 

[Mbergin]

Darth, your post was a waste of time. I already stated that I know the abilities and lack thereof of the Surface RT. My confusion is why it is priced at 700.00. You also have failed to explain how the Surface RT is superior to the nook your wife has.

 

[Mbergin]

Arosch, the elitebook does have SSD. I am intimately aware of the differences. Am I to like the surface better than a laptop of similar price because it is less bulky even though it is less functional? I appreciate that I am an early adopter and the app store has yet to catch up. I get all that. What I don't understand is the pricing model. To reiterate, for 700.00 I can get an iPad that has a ton of apps and functionality of a tablet that is more functional than the surface rt. also for 700.00 I can get a laptop that is more functional as a laptop than the surface rt is. THAT is my issue. This device isn't as good as a similar priced tablet and isn't as good as a similar priced laptop. Make it 399.000 and I may think differently.

 

[TeknoBlast]

Darth, your post was a waste of time. I already stated that I know the abilities and lack thereof of the Surface RT. My confusion is why it is priced at 700.00. You also have failed to explain how the Surface RT is superior to the nook your wife has.

Well you come off that you didn't know what the RT version can do and then come here to bash the Surface on what it cant do. So if you already knew that the Surface cant do legacy application, then why complain about?

There's really no confusion with the $700 pricing, it's comparable to the current tablets. So let's compare here, the iPad 3 64GB WiFi is priced at 699, which is the same as the 64Gb Surface. It has the same functionalities that it can only run applications from the app store. However, with the 64GB Surface, you get the touch keyboard, which acts as a cover.....which you have to purchase a smart cover for $39 from apple or buy whatever aftermarket cover for the iPad. Is it only for the touch cover, no. The Surface gives you the ability to expand the memory. So the $700 price tag, is just about right...yes, I wish the Surface was $100 cheaper but at the same time it's priced right.

So you pay $700 for an iPad that has a store that offers tons of applications, fair enough. Yes, the store is way ahead than any of app store....but again, iOS store has tons of shitty apps. I know, because I browsed the store many times. This argument of "quality over quantity" may be old, but it's true. I rather have a few quality apps than tons of shitty apps.


Do you really need an explanation between the Nook and Surface? That was a joke right?

If the Surface RT didn't have the desktop feature, would people still complain? If the RT didn't have the desktop feature, the Surface would be like any other tablet that's on the market, which it only runs apps from the app store. Would you still complain.

 

[archapacman]

I have a few friends that are in the same category as you are. They became frustrated with the device because they expected more. One of them even returned it and is waiting for the Pro. I have to admit, I nearly returned the device 5 times because I had the same thoughts - this isn't a true Windows 8 Pro, why bother? My most frustrating time was when three days in a row, I got a bug, and apps ran REALLY slow. That was upon finding that I have been using the device TOO much as a laptop: powering through apps, opening 3 apps on desktop, using all the windows keys to shortcut real quick and open more apps while multi-tasking.

Here is the thing. The Surface is not meant to be a laptop replacement. That's that.

It is a true blend of tablet and laptop, and I really mean it. 50/50. The Surface Pro would probably be more laptop then tablet, so 30 tablet: 70 laptop. Like a lot of people say, this is an early adopted device. Hell, Windows 8 is an early adopted operating system. Software issues? And lots? That is a sign of goodness to come. The constant updates have made the tablet faster every time (so far), and we can expect to upgrade to Windows Blue or the next version next year.

Look at it this way: when iOS and Android tablets came about, guess which had more software issues? You bet, the tablet that tries to tackle more: Android with its widgets, notifications, mods, open source etc.

Now, look at where Android is now compared to iOS. iOS is way outdated compared to Android, which has gone from a crappy phone OS in 2.3 gingerbread to a full-fledge buttery smooth Jelly beans.

Well I am glad I was patient and didn't return it. More apps, more software updates. The niche of this tablet will soon be reviewed with more choices, and my opinion is that, it is not a tablet made for everyone, it is a tablet made for EACH individual.

 

[Mbergin]

Darth, of course I would complain regardless of if the Surface RT had a desktop feature or not. The tablet just isn't on par with other tablets.
As for the nook v surface question, no, it is not a joke. PLEASE tell me how the suface is better than the nook. $500.00 better.
Also, just because someone is aware of a products limitations doesn't negate them from being able to complain about those limitations.

 

[TeknoBlast]

Alright, I'll entertain you. The Surface, hardware wise, is way better than the Nook. The very little apps that the Surface has, it beats out the Nook. Just the OS itself gives it a +1 to the Surface. The functionality of the Surface over takes the Nook anytime. The Nook is primarily an e-reader, so it has its limitation to what it can do, this is why it's so cheap. However, the Nook has its place in the market.....for people who wants to read books. I wouldn't want to read an entire book on the Surface because of the glare I would get if I tried. However, I can watch some sweet videos on the Surface, which the Nook is kind of eh. So really, I don't think it's fair to compare the two.

One has more production functionality and the other is an e-reader.


I know you expected more with the Surface, but if you're so down on it and want opinions on why it's priced at what it's priced at and cant justify the cost....then return it and go back to another tablet. It's easy as that.

 

[Mbergin]

So, you justify the surface costing 500.00 more than the nook because you can watch "sweet videos". I have a kindle fire and I can watch some awesome video's as well. You are really not giving any details or granularity to your defense of the surface. The nook or kindle fire are not just e readers, if you think that then you have a lack of knowledge of those products.
How does the surface have a more production functionality?
I didn't expect more from the surface. I didn't buy it and then complain that it can't do things that were already published it can't do. Again, I am confused at the price point and the target market. An unbiased look shows that you can get a far superior tablet for the same if not less money. It isn't about me and my financial decision. it is a holistic look at the market and the life or death of the surface. Look, it can't be just me that is pondering this question, MS already cut production of the surface by 2 million units. Apparently others fail to see the niche this product fills.

 

[ARosch]

also for 700.00 I can get a laptop that is more functional as a laptop than the surface rt is. THAT is my issue.

What you are saying is equivalent to saying that for $5 you can get a basketball that is better at being a basketball. A laptop will always be a better laptop than a tablet...
The Surface is a tablet meant for running apps from an app store and the laptop is meant for running programs/legacy applications.

Side note, I cannot find a $700 Elitebook with an SSD.