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Argh! So Disappointed With This Tablet

archapacman

New Member
You guys need to stop bickering lol. I had the Kindle Fire HD before the Surface RT, and I do kinda miss it.

It is:
-lighter
-easy to read on. Actually have a good pdf reader compared to the Reader on Surface
-Dolby sound. Jesus Christ. You can hear this thing 10 feet away on a busy café.

However, I had to sell it for the Surface. It just didn't fit my needs. I am a student, and needed something to take notes on. I tried with the KFHD but it was horrendous. Bluetooth keyboard was also buggy on it. However, just because I had these complaints does not mean I don't give it a 5/5 for what it does - and does wonderfully too for its price point.

So, at the end of the day, whatever suits your needs. Go out and find it. Give the product a 5/5 for doing and saying what it does, and the Surface definitely deserves that in my opinion. Because it does MORE then what it says (desktop explorer, system control panel, etc.) Complain about what you want in the future, but just sell/return-it and move on.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
At the end of the day your expectations where not inline with the Surface RT Use Case, you approach the RT device from a Laptop/Consumption Tablet Perspective. I approach the RT Device from the Windows Tablet Perspective, I've used Windows Tablets since 2001.

The Surface RT is a companion device, designed for the Prosumer, Enterprise or SMB users looking for a light weight device that they can use while out and about. Typically these users will have a desktop or desktop replacement laptop and want to be able to have a travel companion that gives them Office Capabilities from anywhere. The other target is the student audience who for the same reasons as above want a device they can take to class.

From a manageability stand point, it is managed from the Enterprise as a phone using EAS Policies.

Using native VPN and RDP it is a viable thin client that because it a closed system is more resistant to malware, making a good choice for Field Staff. Because it support more peripherals it beats the consumer tablets in functionality. Google and Apple want a post PC world, the Surface RT device is Microsoft's vision of PC Plus.

I bought my Surface as my personal take anywhere device, it has become my personal/work take anywhere device, my old Samsung Series 7 Tablet sits docked and I broke out a demo desktop and loaded Windows 8 Enterprise on it at work so I RDP into either machine and run any and all software plus I get all of the advantages of the Surface RT - all day battery life, full Office and an OS that syncs with the rest of my devices, from Phone 8 to Windows 8.

Windows 8 RDP APIs are amazing, full multitouch through RDP even if the host isn't touch enabled, iOS and Android are nowhere nears this level of functionality.
 

JVB

New Member
I recommend that you hold on to it, and take the time to know the Surface RT for everything it can do. The Surface can do what every tablet can do, AND more. I had to forget everything I learned from the Nexus 7 and iPad in order to learn what the Surface RT is all about. I am now an extremely happy Surface RT owner who will never look back.

You also asked why the Surface is worth the price. Well, I'll start off with the premium build quality. It's what made the iPad so unique against the competition, and now the Surface RT is on par with the iPad. Throw in 64 gigs, and a touch cover-keyboard (which is amazing tech on it's own), and you have a unique tablet experience that is not only made of premium material, but flexible enough to "substitute" a Laptop when you're on the move.

The App store is growing day by day. I remember owning the first iPad, and it took a while for App store to fill up. I am willing to give it some time, and you should too.

At the end of the day, you will go with the tablet you like best. The Surface RT IS for me, but that doesn't mean it is for you. So give it more time, and determine if it's worth keeping.
 

J515OP

Super Moderator
You made some good points in the original post and tried to throw out some reasons you understand the shortcomings but that there are still flaws that you can't tolerate. Some have tried to address issues which you already say you understand like being an early adopter and the lack of apps. Here are the points that you are missing and have asked for help trying to understand. Others here have touched on these but maybe you need it a little more concise.

The Surface RT is not a laptop so that comparison is moot. The Surface Pro is not a laptop in form so that comparison is also moot. Sticking with your points about the Pro for a moment, corporate cost is often much higher for a business unit than what a consumer pays for a personal unit. Sometimes this is because of different specs which don't necessarily make the device better from a performance standpoint but are needed in a business environment (e.g. vga port and optical drive). So yes you can end up with a business machine that is more expensive and less powerful than a consumer model. On top of that in both the business world and consumer world, size and portability increase the cost. So since the Pro is a tablet and not a bulky business laptop, that does equate to a higher price for equivalent spec. Just the way it works.

Now jumping to Windows 8, it seems you have not made peace with Windows new direction and have yet to understand the new paradigm. The desktop is useful and the Mordern UI is useful. This is both for tablets and laptops/PCs. I didn't get it at first either but there is no split personality they both do actually make sense. It sounds like you are comfortable with the desktop but not Modern UI. Once it clicks with you the Windows tablets (both versions of the Surface and all others) will make more sense.

So to tie this all back to the Surface RT. It is a tablet like the iPad or Android tablets. It is not a laptop and you do not need the full desktop abilities because of this, since that isn't its purpose. As a tablet under Modern UI it is exactly like the other tablets. You make the argument that it falls short of them on two points, 1. on lack of apps though you said you understand they will get there so by your own admission this should be a moot point and 2. price because you say if it is just a tablet with fewer apps then it isn't worth the price. On point 2 you also allude to compromised performance compared to other tablets but you never said where the Surface was so much worse other than apps.

It has already been said price wise the Surface is in line for various reasons. The screen is in the middle range, the storage size is at the upper end, the kickstand is unique, the case is excellent in quality and it has expandable storage, a full size usb and unique keyboard options. It has also been recently revealed that Windows RT isn't optimized for the processor so it should only get faster. I don't think you can make any argument the hardware isn't on par with other devices in the price range.

Back to the software. Once you understand Modern UI and that Surfcace RT is like any other tablet has good hardware and the apps are coming that should be enough for most people to be happy. Add in other hardware perks above are enough to make the Surface RT a top of the class tablet. It has a whole other bag of tricks ups its sleeve though that those other tablets can't touch. It has a desktop that includes Microsoft Office! This is huge really, really big. You get desktop management you are used to with the files system, the most widely used productivity suite on the planet and the ability to do all the things that people have been complaining about and wanting to to on iPads and Android tablets for years, all baked in.

I know mind blown right? Ok maybe not exactly but when you think about what people are expecting, the Surface RT which is just a tablet, to be a laptop that says a lot about how capable the tablet really is. That is is mind blowing part, that the tablet is so good people expect it to be a laptop in its capabilities. However that is what the Surface Pro and other full laptops are for.

If you want the tablet that can do things no other tablet can in terms of pc like functionality and the ability to use Office then Surface RT is really the only tablet that fits the bill. iPad and Android are compromises that will work but you have to use alternate office suites and you have to figure out how to integrate that into your pc workflow. Because of that all of the tablets in this range are not professional devices. At best they are prosumer devices suited to home office and college use that are stretched to meet full business demands and do that only with varying degrees of success. If you are a home office or student this is great and probably all you need.

If you are a business and you do need more you can get any device running Windows 8. This could be desktop, laptop, hybrid or tablet. Choose what suits you best. If that is a cool sleek tablet that goes by the name Surface Pro then you can expect to pay more. If you don't want to pay the premium then get a Dell business pro-xyz that weighs 8 lbs and comes in a square plastic case.

The Surface RT has its place if you have the right mind frame, figure out how to make Windows 8 work for you, need more productivity that the "average" tablet but don't expect it to be a top of the line road warrior business pro device.

JP
 
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Mbergin

New Member
JP, GREAT article! very good points and very informative!! I think you are right, I may not appreciate/understand the operating system and hopefully I will. After reading your pot, I think I appreciate what it can do more than being disappointed with what it can't do. I do have an analogy though that may sum up my disappointment with the Surface.
The tablet market has existed for some time and the other OS's have many more apps available. before you say anything, I do understand why that is.
the analogy is about a product entering the market with less options (at first) but charging more. I liken it to a car company creating a new supercar with less features than the existing supercars. I don't know, like fiat creating a supercar but doesn't have paddle shifters, but then charges as much as a Ferrari or lambo. they say that they will get paddle shifters soon but they just released the car so expect that it will take time.
now, before darth calls me an idiot, due to jp's article I more understand why the price may be what it is due to the hardware ms choose to include in the surface. if you are good with waiting for apps to catch up, then I can see how the surface may be a good choice.
and as far as me returning it and getting something else, I didn't buy my surface. it was given to me to evaluate. I test MS hardware and software for our company to decide if it is viable for our company to use.
 

R0bR

Member
The tablet market has existed for some time and the other OS's have many more apps available. before you say anything, I do understand why that is.

You've already said a few times that other tablets can do more and yet your only point is that they have more Apps, that's not being able to do more. If you actually look at the difference between an iPad and a Surface RT you'll see that the iPad actually does less for the same money.

Here's what I can do with my limited Surface RT desktop:

- I can setup and connect to my network printer, or plug in a USB one if needed without relying on an App or requiring a wireless printer
- I can run Office
- I can access the file system, I can setup my libraries and connect to network shares
- I can plug in a SD card to transfer files or store media and documents
- I can plug in an external USB drive

I could continue that list but considering you can't do any of that with an iPad that can do apparently more than a Surface RT why bother. Sure iOS and Android have more Apps but they are mature stores, still iPad was released with almost 2000 Apps when it first came out. A year after Android tablets were available there were some 50 compatible tablet Apps in their store, they made up for that by allowing phone apps to run on the tablets all stretched out. Surface RT was released with over 5000 apps, they will come but if Apps is the only reason the other tablets are "better" in your eyes then you're not seeing the big picture. Sad really if you are one responsible for evaluating these products.

As for the Surface Pro and pricing, do some research and you'll find that it competes very well with other Ultrabooks on the market. Using your logic why would I buy an iPad at $700 when I can buy a cheap laptop that can do more?
 
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Mbergin

New Member
what research didn't I do, fanboy? I have done more research and work on the surface in 2 days than your miniscule brain could produce in a lifetime. go back to playing on your mom's overpriced surface tablet.
 
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Mbergin

New Member
R0br, try to be objective.
if a device has more applications, more ways to accomplish different things, then it can, in fact, do more. it isn't the hardware that does things, its the software.
The iPad does not do less than the surface. by virtue of having more applications, it DOES more.
To reply to your list of what your surface can do:
1) Printing. This is true. but just because your ability to print was baked into the OS and you don't have to add a free application to print is not really an impressive advantage. I do think that the printing ability is actually a benefit to the surface though. so I agree.
2) you can run a version of office. Not the full version and not all the applications that make up the office suite. However, is still an advantage over ios or android.
3)Accessing the file system isn't much of an advantage. one might say that you wouldn't need to access the file system if the OS were stable. network shares is cool too.
4) do other tablets not have sd slots? I haven't researched many other tablets so I don't know...
5) yes, the usb port is useful for many reasons.

You clearly don't understand how corporate IT works. I am responsible for evaluating MICROSOFT software and hardware as viable option s for corporate. not tablets, not laptops but Microsoft products. using my logic, I WOULDN'T buy an ipad at 700.00 instead of a cheap laptop.
In order for a surface tablet to be a corporate option it needs:
1) the ability to be secure (bitlocker)
2) the ability to be managed by existing device management software, not mdm. sccm or domain gpo at least
3) the ability to vpn using current vpn technology (IPSEC or vpn client)
4) ms outlook (corporate standard)
5) not being able to be domain joined negates the ability to use directaccess.

now, with that being said, the surface pro seems like it may be a viable option. but, with a $1000.00 pricetag, it doesn't make financial sense to purchase the surface when there are and will be other tablet devices and/or laptops that run the intel processors and therefore windows 8 full version where all the requirements above can be met that are less expensive.
 
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guitar1969

New Member
This thread is pointless. For what the surface RT does, it is great. I own an Insurance agency and don't have a laptop (mainly use desktop at office). For light duty work and a true browser that can access all secure sites it does everything I need in a small lightweight package. Far more than an IPAD could do. I love that the desktop has all the flexibility of networking and printing in the familiar win layout.
 
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