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Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

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Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#91

Post by cgcardona »

ConstantineXVI wrote: post #87
cgcardona wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice review. I've spent the last 6 weeks working on a Windows 8 app. I've been using a dell box and samsung tablet with visual studio and a wired mouse/wireless keyboard so I can speak first hand about what it's like to use the 'desktop' part of Windows 8 for serious work. Disclaimer: I've been a web developer for 4 years and have used a Mac during that whole time. Before that the only experience I had with windows w…

I actually prefer the Metro IE; simply because I'm using this more from the tablet angle than a desktop. My primary machine is a 13" MBA; I've got Win8 running in a VM there and I essentially see it as Win7 with a faster Start Search. I'm in the process of developing a small hobby app right now; but in C#/XAML (out of familiarity more than anything else). I've done WP7 development once and it was frankly amazing to w…

Thank you!

:-]

If you have a Trulia account and use any of our other apps (www.trulia.com, m.trulia.com, or any of our iOS/Android phone/tablet apps http://www.trulia.com/mobile/) and save a search or a property that data will get synced to the Windows 8 app and will show up on the main page (what we call 'the hub').

You can create an account from within the Windows 8 app from the charms bar.

Also to change your location go to the map view by tapping on a map tile from the hub.

Once on the map view swipe from the bottom to reveal the app bars. In the bottom app bar you'll see a tap target for search filter.

Once you filter your search and are on a new location swipe again from the bottom and tap 'Near Foo' from the app bar at the top.

This will take you back to the hub populated with your new location and nearby cities.

Search filtering from the hub is coming soon but we didn't have time to get it in the first release.

Thanks again!

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#92

Post by BrentOzar »

option_greek wrote: post #47

This is off topic but, compare this review to the one written by Marco Arment and you will know the difference between constructive criticism and fanboy-ism.

Brent the author here. Thanks, I really appreciate that comment - especially in light of all the flack I've gotten for the review. I'd read Marco's post, and I was disappointed in that too. He has valid points, but it's tough to hear them through the rage.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#93

Post by mortenjorck »

jimbobimbo wrote: post #51

The lag in Word is more likely caused by an option that makes Office use accelerated graphics. I don't know why this option even exists - I've yet to see someone liking how typing in Office applications works with it being on...

Shouldn't accelerated graphics result in screen redraws that are... faster?

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#94

Post by admiralpumpkin »

brudgers wrote: post #49
garrettlarson wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He encountered problems typing at a reasonable speed, saving a Word document, videoconferencing, and opening the mail client. They sound like issues that can be corrected with a software update, but I don't think they're specific to his workflow.

Compare these activities to the way in which the Surface's competition handles them...e.g typing, creating documents, video conferencing, and configuring email on an iPad. The author's expectations were that the Surface would be as productive as a Windows laptop. Nobody expects an iPad to be as productive as a MacBook.

You're creating an inaccurate view of the author's desires that is not supported by anything he wrote or showed us.

He wanted Word to not be laggy—completely reasonable and basic, nothing that would require laptop-level productivity.

He wanted programs to give an indication that they are doing something, when they are doing something—completely reasonable and obvious.

He wanted programs to not take minutes to launch or set-up—completely reasonable, etc.

____

I think your suggestion that Surface/Win RT's performance be compared to that of an iPad is spot on. iPad creates documents, video conferences and sets up email quickly and without problem in all of my experiences and in all of the reviews on the web that I have read.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#95

Post by jseliger »

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #50
BrentOzar wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi. Brent here, the post author. Thanks for making the point. I had hoped that by recording videos of the problems, I wouldn't get attacked as just making off the cuff observations. Readers can see the problems for themselves. Still getting attacked by the fanbois, though, and that's a little disappointing.

I don't think anything you do can reach that audience. The only thing that MIGHT alter their perception is trying it themselves and even then it takes a lot. But outside of that niche group I think your videos very well demonstrate the issues in a fairly indefensible way. The save issue in particular is the worst as you never treat people's files/work with that much disregard.

Good point. If you post virtually anything online in front of an audience of any size, someone is going to vehemently or ignorantly disagree ("Puppies are cute;" "NO THEY'RE NOT"). I wrote about the problem here: http://jseliger.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/trolls-comments-and... but have noticed it elsewhere, too, and the larger the size of the audience, the more likely it is to have some number of vocal and ignorant members.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#96

Post by rlu »

BrentOzar wrote: post #32
Anechoic wrote: post #23

"The diagonally-oriented camera is strange. In the one orientation it’s optimized for, it’s slightly annoying. In any other orientation, it’s almost intolerable. " "The built-in front-facing camera for Skype is angled so that it’ll work great when the kickstand is open, but again, only for Danny DeVito, or maybe for people who want to show off their chests in Skype." ------ "The Touch Cover is one of the Surface’s bi…

Hi. Brent here, the post author. Thanks for making the point. I had hoped that by recording videos of the problems, I wouldn't get attacked as just making off the cuff observations. Readers can see the problems for themselves. Still getting attacked by the fanbois, though, and that's a little disappointing.

You're right.

However, given that your problems other than the kick stand are rather odd bugs specific to you (haven't seen anyone else have the problems you had with Mail and saving in Word) would you not consider perhaps getting the device replaced over straight up returning it?

As for Word being slow...I agree that is inexcusable. If I were you I probably would have tried getting the free update to the final version from Windows Update to see if the problem has been fixed.

I dunno. I guess I'm looking at it from a glass half full perspective because I like mine and don't experience the problems you do.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#97

Post by jitl »

brudgers wrote: post #45
BrentOzar wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brent the author here. I'd be really curious to hear which portions of my experience are edge cases - typing in Word, using the camera, and checking my email don't seem out of the mainstream to me on a tablet whose main market purports to be workers.

The reality of the current market is that slates are media consumption devices, not laptop replacements - in so far as one uses their laptop for productivity. A person who types frequently enough, fast enough, and in sufficient quantity to experience a bottle neck with Windows RT's version of Word as a critical purchase feature, is an edge case...or rather not part of the targeted market segment at this time. This is…

> The reality of the current market is that slates are media consumption devices

This isn't true, especially for tablets with 10" screen-size. The "media creation" apps are there, in Apple's App Store, and on Google Play, and people buy them and use them. My tablet has totally replaced the roll of journals, planners, and notebooks. I do all my UI sketches on my iPad, wite my school assignments, take my notes, keep my journal, etc. And millions of other people do the same on these devices; or at least they want to: Creation apps sell.

> A person who types frequently enough, fast enough, and in sufficient quantity to experience a bottle neck with Windows RT's version of Word as a critical purchase feature, is an edge case...or rather not part of the targeted market segment at this time.

No, Microsoft is marketing the Surface as an iPad alternative that can Do Buisness Things: It's got a USB port, and it runs Real Office.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#98

Post by jamesjguthrie »

dangrossman wrote: post #43
jamesjguthrie wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are other tablets out there. The Dell Latitude 10 is an Intel Atom but does run Windows 8 Pro. I want one of them.

The Latitude 10 has an Atom processor, 2GB RAM and a 64GB HD. Given there'll only be ~10-14GB free space on that drive out of the box, that's not enough to even install Office, Photoshop, Visual Studio, etc. let alone run them. It's almost a scam to sell such an unusable hardware configuration. Someone's going to sync their music and buy two movies and find out their new "64GB" tablet is already out of space. That si…

Sounds like you want a touchscreen laptop.

If you want to be running Visual Studio etc then you'll need a touch screen laptop. Dell Latitude XT3 would be good here.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#99

Post by ralfn »

prayaagk wrote: post #85

I don't think his post and reason are highly analytic. Rather its result of working so hard to find out even smallest issue with Microsoft's new product No product are perfect in that regard. Remember first iPhone ? first Android ? first iPad ? Camera viewpoint doesn't cover your face when you put tablet on kickstand mode? put it little away. what's wrong. Other leading tablets in market doesn't even have one. Its be…

They are not competing against first generation offering. This is not some child thats needs love and support. This is a commercial product from a for-profit company at a high price.

As for your phrasing of his complaints as "the smallest issues" He is going through the two most obvious and common usecases. Typing a document and saving that document, and checking his email. The device is locked down, its one of the few uses they aim for and you are allowed to do.

Re: Why I'm returning my Microsoft Surface RT

#100

Post by alpb »

Are all the HN upvoters are retarded? This is not Surface RT. RT does not have a classic Windows Desktop environment. It only has metro.

This is a Surface Pro, which has not been released yet. Slowness is totally understandable because that guy installed an OS X on an iPad, which is the same thing as using Win8 full desktop environment on Surface RT hardware.

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