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The MS Surface Pro

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Re: The MS Surface Pro

#31

Post by omaranto »

10char wrote: post #3

I'm still a bit disappointed that Apple has yet to add a Wacom layer to their devices. It's so unquestionably better at doing writing, sketching, and note-taking than crudely smudging your fingers. iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class. I had an old-style swivel tablet (Windows Vista?), and it was a fantastic device to take notes on, invaluable for classwork. OneNote + pen-input really seemed…

"iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class."

I know a couple of people who take notes on their iPads during math talks, they use what Gabe called an ?eraser tip? capacitive touch stylus and an app that shows you your actual size notes above and has a zoned in box at the bottom where you wrote big. I've tried a similar setup on my Nexus 7 and found it pretty comfortable, I imagine on the larger iPad it's even better.

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#33

Post by iamdave »

habosa wrote: post #18

Great review, it's awesome to see gadget reviews from a specific use case instead of just "7/10 on our random everything score scale". I wish there was a review site for the HN crowd. Someone that would use every device like a software developer would: tinkering with settings, trying to write/run code, integrating with other services, etc. I generally like reviews on Engadget/The Verge but sometimes I feel they care…

We should start said site.

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#34

Post by habosa »

iamdave wrote: post #33
habosa wrote: post #18

Great review, it's awesome to see gadget reviews from a specific use case instead of just "7/10 on our random everything score scale". I wish there was a review site for the HN crowd. Someone that would use every device like a software developer would: tinkering with settings, trying to write/run code, integrating with other services, etc. I generally like reviews on Engadget/The Verge but sometimes I feel they care…

We should start said site.

I agree, although I feel there is a large barrier to entry to entering the review business since you need to buy a lot of expensive things to review them.

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#35

Post by iamdave »

habosa wrote: post #34
iamdave wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We should start said site.

I agree, although I feel there is a large barrier to entry to entering the review business since you need to buy a lot of expensive things to review them.

Not always. I have a friend who runs a pretty popular Android blog, routinely mentions that at times, it's as easy as asking for a review product and it's yours.

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#36

Post by interpol_p »

T-Winsnes wrote: post #29
interpol_p wrote: post #23

I really want one of these. As a Cintiq 24HD owner I could totally see the Surface Pro replacing it — denser screen, portable, doesn't weigh 40KG. The only thing that really annoyed me is that the 150% DPI setting throws off the colour picker in Sketchbook Pro. How is the OS allowing this to happen? It seems stupid that the DPI setting is so badly implemented it actually breaks apps. (I have heard that Civ 5 with tou…

I would look at it the other way. Why is the app so broken that it doesn't have support for multiple DPIs?

The app shouldn't know about the DPI being used by the OS.

It should be completely transparent to the app — this is not the app's responsibility.

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#37

Post by vxNsr »

omaranto wrote: post #31
10char wrote: post #3

I'm still a bit disappointed that Apple has yet to add a Wacom layer to their devices. It's so unquestionably better at doing writing, sketching, and note-taking than crudely smudging your fingers. iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class. I had an old-style swivel tablet (Windows Vista?), and it was a fantastic device to take notes on, invaluable for classwork. OneNote + pen-input really seemed…

"iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class." I know a couple of people who take notes on their iPads during math talks, they use what Gabe called an ?eraser tip? capacitive touch stylus and an app that shows you your actual size notes above and has a zoned in box at the bottom where you wrote big. I've tried a similar setup on my Nexus 7 and found it pretty comfortable, I imagine on the larger iP…

I imagine the issue is brush lag. because it's not a built-in digitizer it down't work as quickly as the surface, there have been a number of tests corroborating this, Gabe actually alludes to this in his review when he says "There was no brush lag at all and the pressure sensitivity worked perfectly." there is essentially no brush sensitivity with an ipad (though I doubt you really need it in math notes) and from my limited use (of friends ipad+pen setups) you kinda have to force the pen against the screen to ensure it always writes...

in a head to head competition the surface would win in note-taking though the ipad might win for the price....

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#38

Post by devcpp »

omaranto wrote: post #31
10char wrote: post #3

I'm still a bit disappointed that Apple has yet to add a Wacom layer to their devices. It's so unquestionably better at doing writing, sketching, and note-taking than crudely smudging your fingers. iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class. I had an old-style swivel tablet (Windows Vista?), and it was a fantastic device to take notes on, invaluable for classwork. OneNote + pen-input really seemed…

"iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class." I know a couple of people who take notes on their iPads during math talks, they use what Gabe called an ?eraser tip? capacitive touch stylus and an app that shows you your actual size notes above and has a zoned in box at the bottom where you wrote big. I've tried a similar setup on my Nexus 7 and found it pretty comfortable, I imagine on the larger iP…

Why would you go through that when paper is much more comfortable to write on?

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#39

Post by seanmcdirmid »

rubbingalcohol wrote: post #22
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2010 has called and wants their comment back. People have been doing work on tablets for awhile, have you been to a Starbucks in the states recently?

People at Starbucks with tablets are usually too busy posing to get any real work done.

So the keyboard covers/cases and the typing, those people are just pretending right?

Re: The MS Surface Pro

#40

Post by vxNsr »

shuzchen wrote: post #8
10char wrote: post #3

I'm still a bit disappointed that Apple has yet to add a Wacom layer to their devices. It's so unquestionably better at doing writing, sketching, and note-taking than crudely smudging your fingers. iPads still fail pretty hard at being useful during math class. I had an old-style swivel tablet (Windows Vista?), and it was a fantastic device to take notes on, invaluable for classwork. OneNote + pen-input really seemed…

Yeah, I had a tablet computer back before Apple redefined what tablet meant. It was a Fujitsu machine and OneNote with a wacom pen was definitely a really nice way to take notes in class. However, while I am excited by the machines that are coming out nowadays (surface pro, thinkpad helix to name a few) that will give me both the tablet and laptop experience, I'm dismayed that they're going the way of apple in terms…

Yeah, the issue is space and weight, apple showed that by removing customizability they can significantly reduce the size and weight as well as provide better battery life and nicer looking designs, and when it comes to tablets most people opt for lighter and smaller over replaceable parts.
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