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Using SP4 in portrait orientation (profile)

gtunes

New Member
Am I the only one who always uses my SP4 in portrait orientation (profile mode)? I feel distinctly forgotten. No portrait kickstand. No portrait keyboard. Sideways camera. All connectors on the top (or bottom) except for the keyboard connector on the side. No support for the Surface Bluetooth Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers (worked with SP3)...

If adding a keyboard connector for portrait users is too difficult for Microsoft engineers, at least an SP4 driver for the bluetooth typing cover adapter shouldn't be a big effort.

Did I mention no portrait mode kickstand? Even ancient photo frame manufacturers in my grandma's day figured out how to design a kickstand that worked in both landscape and profile orientation...

Just saying.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, I use it in portrait mode all the time... but for inking, reading and reviewing documents. I don't need a keyboard or kickstand for my use case...

Microsoft's own usability studies show kickstand and keyboard are preferred for landscape for over 95% of users...
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
Only time I ever use the thing in portrait is when reading a text book. In such a case all I need is a pen for highlighting and annotating the thing. Other than that, 3:2 gives me more than enough real estate in landscape.
 

Exhile

Member
The old HP TC1100 had folding foot pegs that elevated the tablet to the user in portrait mode. But I think it was down to keep the fan and airflow moving. In landscape mode, the detachable keyboard would angle to the user's preference. In portrait mode, I would say that the tablet would be laid flat on a desk or table rather than standing up.
 
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gtunes

New Member
OK. I hear you. 5% is not a market. I guess I'll have to stop hesitating to use tin snips to "fix" the kickstand on my SP4 to work in portrait orientation. Meantime, if there are no plans to update the type-cover bluetooth adapter driver, I have an unused SP4 type cover that I'm willing to sell cheap... Before posting this thread, I was just feeling forgotten -- alas now I know it for sure.
 
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