SB - Hard to take quick handwritten notes in one note with clipboard attached.

[Mikewired]

I am trying to get a feel for the daily use of the SB. While researching things I find it hard to jot notes with the pen with the screen attached without looking like a first grader did it. This where the sp4 kickstand shines and offers stability over the SB's wobbly screen. I guess that's what the keyboard is for, typing notes. I felt like a buffoon at a meeting recently trying to fold, flip, reverse the SB to comfortably take notes. Sometimes 2 devices are better. I have a yoga 3 pro so maybe it in laptop mode and a sp4 lying flat for notes. Any thoughts?

 

[bjanssen]

I regularly use my SB to hand write notes in meetings. I have not once considered trying to do that with it attached to the base! Are you in particularly long meetings or something?

 

[sharpuser]

Turn that clipboard around! Detach, rotate, attach.

 

[surfacebookinuk]

I see your point. I have the same issue as well. Typing notes down then suddenly i want to make a note in handwriting, and the screen is moving not letting me write/draw properly.. My lines are never even remotely close to straight when i want to make a shape or something. I never used an SP4 and I am so afraid of selling my SB for an SP4 due to battery life, screen size and keyboard ....

 

[Mikewired]

I am in the same boat. I returned my SB and now using my SP4. I picked up the ever so rare apple pencil today because it was the only one around for 4 states! I will decide tonight about going the Yoga 3 pro plus iPad pro route. I really like the SP4 but I can just seem to squeeze 5 hrs from it. I thought of getting an DC inverted to do quick charges in my car between appointments. We'll see....

 

[dstrauss]

I am in the same boat. I returned my SB and now using my SP4. I picked up the ever so rare apple pencil today because it was the only one around for 4 states! I will decide tonight about going the Yoga 3 pro plus iPad pro route. I really like the SP4 but I can just seem to squeeze 5 hrs from it. I thought of getting an DC inverted to do quick charges in my car between appointments. We'll see....

I don't know what your use case is, but I easily get better than 5 hours with it (same for my SP3 before it). Maybe a defect?

 

[surfacebookinuk]

How do you use your SP4s by the way and how many hours do you get without battery saver enabled?
Because with my usage as a uni student document editing plus surfing and listening to music / watching tv series I get like 8-12 hours depending on brightness etc..
Yesterday for example, I turned it on at 9:15 checked emails and news/facebook/twitter until 10:00. Closed the lid(supposedly sleep mode) and reopened it at 11 in class taking notes using acrobat and onenote.
Closed lid again at 13:00 and opened some 10 minutes later in library where I switched to "Brighter" because of the sun. I was working on my essay (multiple edge tabs + onenote + drawboard + word) until around 4:15. Closed lid went to a meeting then continued the same at 4:50 until around 6. By then my battery was at 27%. Bear in mind that the SB was hot everytime i reopen it after sleep mode(not really sleeping I guess )

 

[SeanP]

Turn that clipboard around! Detach, rotate, attach.

Wow..Would I LOVE it if my SB would do that easily. Detach...easy, flip around? No problem...Reattach? Yup..good to go. Operational? Nope. Totally freezes EVERY time I do this and I have to do a reboot to make it work again. So damn frusrtating

 

[bjanssen]

You should get it replaced. Something is wrong. Mine has never frozen on attach/reattach and I do it all day at work.

 

[sharpuser]

@SeanP

If a 'Reset' does not fix that problem, you should indeed get your computer replaced. You've certainly paid enough money for it.

 

[fonzman78]

Wow..Would I LOVE it if my SB would do that easily. Detach...easy, flip around? No problem...Reattach? Yup..good to go. Operational? Nope. Totally freezes EVERY time I do this and I have to do a reboot to make it work again. So damn frusrtating

I'm in sales. I use the pen everyday at work to take notes. I

I regularly use my SB to hand write notes in meetings. I have not once considered trying to do that with it attached to the base! Are you in particularly long meetings or something?

Totally agree with this. I'm in sales and I use the pen every work day to write notes and copy whiteboard drawings. I have never considered writing with the clipboard attached. It just doesn't make sense. I either detach, turn around, and reattach or I simply detach and just place the clipboard on the desk and write. Rather than look like a buffoon, all my clients comment on how cool that is. Then I spend the next 15 minutes fielding questions about the SB and letting them try it.

 

[dstrauss]

There is a problem with the flip and take notes approach. Because of my setup (at my desk with two external 27" WQHD monitors), I used my Surface Book (three different systems) to take notes while working. Leaving the clipboard attached over the keyboard led to constant overheating and the fan running 60-70% of the time. In contrast, my Surface Pro 4 fan runs maybe 10-15% of the time. The real deal breaker is that with all three Surface Books I tried, when I'd detach the clipboard to go to a meeting, the whole system would barf when I reconnected. With the Surface Pro 4, I pull the connector cable, go to a meeting (or home at night) and when I reconnect the dock cable all the monitors come back up and I'm right where I left off. In fact, I've gone five straight mornings (knock on wood, but probably jinxed anyway) and have plugged my Surface Pro 4 back into the dock and everything came up straight and level...what a pleasure.