Should I Purchase RT?

[jnjroach]

Never shorter, very often longer. The biggest change now is Microsoft is on a 12 month release cycle where they used to be on a 36 month release cycle. So Windows Blue will come out this fall and Office Gemini will come out in early 2014 (or Q3 2013).

 

[ArnoldC]

Building the perfect Franken-tablet; Toshiba Exite edges Microsoft Surface RT in test of five flawed tablets - Cabling Install

 

[J515OP]

Building the perfect Franken-tablet; Toshiba Exite edges Microsoft Surface RT in test of five flawed tablets - Cabling Install

This is a good article but there are are a couple of points that are baffling given how well done the rest seemed to be.

The Windows RT payload comes with a version of Microsoft Office 2013 Preview Edition. In actuality, "Preview" means "beta", which doesn't mean production. Users will ostensibly obtain the "full edition" through Windows Update on their Surface RT.

Our jaws dropped. We certainly weren't warned of the beta nature of software when we bought the system.

This article is dated 3/11/13. Under which rock are these guys living that they are limited to Office Beta and the update (which is already available) is only ostensibly coming?

Microsoft's SkyDrive becomes a useful storage place for the RT's media and documents, if one is legally licensed to use the Office beta edition.

Hmm here's that beta thing again but what's more you don't have to be licensed to use SkyDrive with Office.

But Surface RT comes with highly constrained Office apps -- with no other real choices available, except those from the cloud.

Oh because you know Office is a poor substitute for Docs to Go What other office apps do your need if you have Microsoft Office? Ostensibly people are using office suites other than MS Office because MS Office isn't an available option. Furthermore those choosing a Surface RT are highly likely to be doing so for the very reason of having MS Office which is hardly a constraint.

Sure there are other options when it comes to office suites but MS Office is the gold standard and it is difficult to over look that in an evaluation.

Very strange.

 

[RMansfield]

Somehow I'd doubtful that this article originated on a website called "Cabling and Maintenance." It may be part of a newsfeed their company uses, or perhaps it was just illegally reproduced. It may have been written weeks earlier, which would certainly make sense in regard to the issue of MS Office.

 

[J515OP]

Somehow I'd doubtful that this article originated on a website called "Cabling and Maintenance." It may be part of a newsfeed their company uses, or perhaps it was just illegally reproduced. It may have been written weeks earlier, which would certainly make sense in regard to the issue of MS Office.

Funny you should say that. I noticed it and almost pointed out the same thing. bottom of the article says "Copyright 2013 Network World, Inc.
All Rights Reserved". I didn't bother to follow-up but did now. This appears to be the original Building the perfect Franken-tablet - Network World. Still dated 3/11/13. It also notes the authors are from ExtremeLabs, Inc. and Network World.

The one comment at the bottom of the page? Glad you asked.

Randy Grein

Sigh. This could have been written by any (apple hating) IT staff. Lots of errors, misinformation and just plain bad attitudes:

business-focused application payloads. Over a half million apps and you can't find any business focused ones? Spreadsheets, word processing and presentation software not enough? How about a few databases then? Mine is full of key software like polycom client, encrypted password safe, and network utilities. I can't rightly claim wi-fi spectrum analyzer because I haven't bought the antenna yet ($99). If I choose I can use it as an external display (thanks to Air Display), manage infrastructure with a variety of clients (RDP, Citrix, VNC, terminal and ssh).

Disorganized App store? Hmm, well, organization is very much in the eye of the beholder, but few people have trouble finding something they need in the App store. Perhaps you were looking for an explicit map, which won't work for the volume of choices there. Try using search - word processor turned up 30 hits before I stopped counting, ranging from $29 to free. Same with spreadsheets, I stopped counting at 30. How about drafting applications? There are several that are quite good for rough drafts.

I will happily agree that performance of the mini is 'sedate' compared to a current I5 powered laptop, but you miss the entire point of mobile computing, just as you clearly miss the entire history of the PC revolution. IT did not adopt PCs, they were brought in by users who needed computing power IT didn't provide - BYOD. Networks were not brought in by IT; finance and other divisions started hooking up PCs so they could share files. I can't think of a single major innovation that IT brought in that directly benefits users, so it makes sense that the current invasion of mobile devices was not blessed by IT. The funny part is how much print is wasted in this industry talking about Innovation, when we are perhaps the least innovative discipline in business.

 

[Alison]

If I knew what I know now, I would not have bought Microsoft Surface with Windows RT. Here are the reasons: -

- Windows RT prevents the use of any browser other than IE 10. I would like to use Mozilla and Google Chrome.
(One nuisance with IE 10 is that it wipes my remembered passwords when I delete my browsing history and cookies. Does anyone have a solution?)

- I cannot have a written list of my many favourites in Windows RT. I struggle to find my 'tiles' of favourites unless I pin them to the Start page, but my list is long and there isn't room for them all.

- I cannot use iTunes. It will not install. Windows RT tries to make me use XBox for music.

- I cannot use BBC Radio's Listen Again service. Apparently there is no BBC app. for Windows RT.

- I also cannot use Apache OpenOffice with Windows RT.

- Web of Trust will not download. (I have not yet found a similarly good program to protect me from fraudulent websites, etc.)

- Nor will CCleaner download. (It's always been a good program to clean my computer and clear registry issues.)

- I cannot find a SatNav app. in the Windows Store. Does anyone know if there is one available?

Guess that's it for the moment. I hope Microsoft can come up with these requirements. It would change everything for me!

 

[joga]

I think you bougth the wrong device. Surface RT is a tablet, and like every other tablet in the market you can only install Apps from the Store.

If you want the freedom to install everything you want, go ahead and buy the Surface Pro (or any other Win8 tablet).


Don't blame MS. Inform yourself and buy the device which meets your requirements best.

If I knew what I know now, I would not have bought Microsoft Surface with Windows RT. Here are the reasons: -

- Windows RT prevents the use of any browser other than IE 10. I would like to use Mozilla and Google Chrome.
(One nuisance with IE 10 is that it wipes my remembered passwords when I delete my browsing history and cookies. Does anyone have a solution?)

- I cannot have a written list of my many favourites in Windows RT. I struggle to find my 'tiles' of favourites unless I pin them to the Start page, but my list is long and there isn't room for them all.

- I cannot use iTunes. It will not install. Windows RT tries to make me use XBox for music.

- I cannot use BBC Radio's Listen Again service. Apparently there is no BBC app. for Windows RT.

- I also cannot use Apache OpenOffice with Windows RT.

- Web of Trust will not download. (I have not yet found a similarly good program to protect me from fraudulent websites, etc.)

- Nor will CCleaner download. (It's always been a good program to clean my computer and clear registry issues.)

- I cannot find a SatNav app. in the Windows Store. Does anyone know if there is one available?

Guess that's it for the moment. I hope Microsoft can come up with these requirements. It would change everything for me!

Sent from the SurfaceForums.net app for Windows 8

 

[kristalsoldier]

If I knew what I know now, I would not have bought Microsoft Surface with Windows RT. Here are the reasons: -

- Windows RT prevents the use of any browser other than IE 10. I would like to use Mozilla and Google Chrome.
(One nuisance with IE 10 is that it wipes my remembered passwords when I delete my browsing history and cookies. Does anyone have a solution?)

- I cannot have a written list of my many favourites in Windows RT. I struggle to find my 'tiles' of favourites unless I pin them to the Start page, but my list is long and there isn't room for them all.

- I cannot use iTunes. It will not install. Windows RT tries to make me use XBox for music.

- I cannot use BBC Radio's Listen Again service. Apparently there is no BBC app. for Windows RT.

- I also cannot use Apache OpenOffice with Windows RT.

- Web of Trust will not download. (I have not yet found a similarly good program to protect me from fraudulent websites, etc.)

- Nor will CCleaner download. (It's always been a good program to clean my computer and clear registry issues.)

- I cannot find a SatNav app. in the Windows Store. Does anyone know if there is one available?

Guess that's it for the moment. I hope Microsoft can come up with these requirements. It would change everything for me!

Seriously!!!! Why did you not read the product descriptions before you made your purchase? If you wanted more than half the stuff that you put in your post, you should have bought the Surface Pro. Now, if you don't need your RT, I'll take it! Please let me know if you are willing to give it to me. I could bear the cost of shipping and any customs duties, if and/ or as applicable. Thanks.

 

[RMansfield]

I hope Microsoft can come up with these requirements. It would change everything for me!

They have. It's called the Surface Pro.

 

[cauzion]

I'm having a great experience using my Surface RT. I do recommend.

After using my Surface RT for 7 months on an average of 7-8 hours a day, I've decided to start a blog posting my perceptions. It's so much to tell that I think this not the place to post them.

So, check it out at: http://SurfaceRtReview.BlogSpot.com

 

[cali]

Welcome to the site. Hope your decision turned out to be the right one for you.

 

[BOBEL]

I agree with bosamar and jglnaz372 I am an X RT user. The RT is a good unit I bought a surface pro
i5/128 and love it. (larger screen, faster, true windows. What more can I say.