Former Apple Fanboy Arrives, Seeks Peace

[ewgrosschris]

Hello All.

To make a long story short, I've been using Mac OS X for a longggg time. I recently ditched the iPhone for the Android Platform, and now my life revolves around Google everything.

However. I am really considering a windows tablet for college during my engineering courses. I love the idea of one note, and using a stylus to jot down equations with great accuracy. I just had a few questions, I'm shopping between the surface pro, and the sony viao duo 13... and of course the upcoming surface pro 2. Once i see the specs on that sucker.

This is in regard to the input of the surface pro. I really like the writing to text function, however I hate having to wait for it to convert to clear space for me to write down more.

But the biggest issue i have is having to tap that damn insert key all the time. Is there a way to have it just auto insert. So I can keep chugging along?

Also once I'm typing in this black box, can I move to the top and write directly onto the paper any time I want?

Secondly, any place I can get a tutorial to get me up to speed on onenote?


Lastly, How well will this tablet fit in with my need to use. GMAIL/Google/DropBox/GoogleDrive/Google Calendar and spotify?


Thanks to everyone! Any information is appreciated!

 

[minimojoman]

Lastly, How well will this tablet fit in with my need to use. GMAIL/Google/DropBox/GoogleDrive/Google Calendar and spotify?

The only question I can offer any feedback to is the last one.

While the surface is in a "tablet" form, it is far from a tablet. Its a full featured computer. Think of it as a laptop in a tablet form. It will handle everything in your last question just like a laptop would. Of course the type cover comes in handy for heavier use. But the on screen keyboard is pretty nice too and can get moderate typing jobs done with a little practice.

 

[Krooked]

I use OneNote and then use OCR when I'm done. I just chug along until I'm done chugging.

This stylus and SP2-tablet is KING during meetings and I was able to finally toss the ledgers and multiple notebook/stickies

 

[ultra99]

I use OneNote and then use OCR when I'm done. I just chug along until I'm done chugging.

This stylus and SP2-tablet is KING during meetings and I was able to finally toss the ledgers and multiple notebook/stickies

what does OCR do?

 

[dlacaba]

what does OCR do?

Optical Character Recognition - in One Note it's just a button that says Convert to Text.

I do the same thing as Krooked does. While in meetings I just keep writing and writing, don't use Word for taking notes. Just stick with OneNote. I've gotten ridden of all my paper notebooks (Except one, just in case) and just use the Surface now.

 

[ultra99]

If you guys do that, there's no difference bt typing on a normal laptop and using the stylus on the surface? typing is usually faster than writing.

 

[dlacaba]

If you guys do that, there's no difference bt typing on a normal laptop and using the stylus on the surface? typing is usually faster than writing.

Agreed it is faster, but there's also workflows diagrams and other things you may want to write. The other issue with typing is that when you type the screen is up and blocks your field of view. In a meeting it seems rude and you block yourself off from what's going on. If you're the meeting stenographer, that's ok.

 

[Krooked]

...but there's also workflows diagrams and other things you may want to write. The other issue with typing is that when you type the screen is up and blocks your field of view. In a meeting it seems rude and you block yourself off from what's going on. If you're the meeting stenographer, that's ok.

I agree.

There are times when typing simply doesn't cut it. Hence the need for ledgers and notebooks. Drawing an arrow in your notebook to insert additional ideas in previously recorded remarks, drawing flowcharts, drafting relationships, drawing tables and cells, copying calculations and quickly gliding around your document and inserting information at any point in the discussion or simply doodling during the boring parts are just not possible with a keyboard during a meeting.

The first time I used OneNote on my SP2 in a board meeting was the last time I used a notebook/ledger.