School me on Windows 8.1

[Kevin B.]

I'm thinking about getting a tablet, and I am seduced by the Surface Pro Three and it's claim to replace my PC. I'm really attracted to the idea of a tablet that can do everything my PC can do sitting on a Ram mount in my truck. I run Windows 7 on the PC but currently have an Android phone and I wonder about the availability of apps for Windows 8.1 and how much the Surface could replace my phone too. Obviously the big commercial apps will be available, but what about mobile mapping software? I love my BCN and would love something similar on the tablet. I also love Torque, is there a similar OBD2-scanning app that's any good? Tell me about your favorite apps, Windows 8.1 guys.

For bonus points, tell me how to get around the Surface's lack of GPS - I've seen USB GPS recievers for laptops, will that work on the Surface? For extra bonus points, can I tether the Surface to my cell phone for mobile internet the way I can with a laptop? For super extra bonus points, tell me what the Surface can do that a Nexus 7 can't, other than run normal Windows programs (and Not Be Google, which is pretty big for me).

 

[nnnnnate]

I don't personally have experience with the Surface but I'd try and answer what I can.

Tethering shouldn't be an issue. Your phone emits a wifi signal just like you have at your house with your router and the tablet will see it the same.

I haven't ever really looked at the Surface but just took a peak. You can't really compare the SP3 to a Nexus tablet because the price and specs are pretty different. Microsoft is marketing the SP3 against a Mac Book Air. The base model of the SP3 has an i3 processor, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB hard drive. The i3 is pretty small when you think of it as a laptop processor but 4 GB ram is pretty decent. The 64 GB hard drive capacity is pretty low as well for a laptop but not too bad for a tablet. Its got an SD slot so you can add up to a 128 GB card for more storage. You'd need to spend a good chunk of money though to get a fast card for good read/writes, probably in the $100 range. It looks like you can get an external GPS receiver for about $30.

Something to think about. Because its an in between device I wonder how much development is going on for it. An android app will work on a very large swath of devices. Tablets and phones put out by a ton of different brands, thus its worth it for a dev to make a program for it because there is a larger audience and larger potential to make money off of the program. This isn't the case for the SP, there may be a few different companies making devices that will run 8.1 in tablet form but the market saturation isn't nearly as large as for an android or even iOS device. Microsoft is selling a lot of these devices but I just don't know that there is a big enough incentive right now for the "best" devs to build really awesome apps for it. Android went through the same thing a few years ago. Apples was selling millions of iPhones/Pads and thats what programmers were building apps for. As Android grew the devs branched out from iOS and started building/porting their programs over. I don't see that ever really happening for the SP unless things change massively but that may not be the direction Microsoft sees for their device, after all they are pitting it against other laptops, not tablets.

I typed a lot but it comes down to this. I don't know what will work out best for you. I like having a traditional laptop (and full size keyboard) and don't ever see a tablet taking over that role for me. I have recently bought the Samsung Note 4 and love having a "pen" to use on my phablet and am intrigued by the pen for the SP3 as well. I hate buying base spec'd electronics though and wouldn't buy the $800 SP3, I don't see the i3 being beefy enough for long term durability and speed, if I'm going to spend that kind of money it had better be fast enough for me for 3+ years use.

 

[TRD270]

If you want the surface experience come borrow mine, and then we can both go to the range and take turn throwing it in the air and firing bird shot at it

 

[Kevin B.]

If you want the surface experience come borrow mine, and then we can both go to the range and take turn throwing it in the air and firing bird shot at it

A ringing endorsement . What do you hate about it?

 

[Bart]

I just picked up a Surface Pro 3, 512gb, Intel i7, to replace my ancient iPad 1 and my 5 year old Dell Latitude laptop. I also picked up the cover/keyboard and a docking station. I'm not a big fan of Windows 8.1 because I don't use IE and like what I'm familiar with, Windows 7, which you can click to in the lower left side of the main page.

Likes: extremely fast boot up, fast processing, touch screen, light weight, runs the Microsoft Suite, especially Excel, Access, and Word, which I use daily. Runs the Adobe Cloud suite. Charges fast.

Dislikes: Battery runs down regardless of being on or not. Only 1 usb port. The docking station is very finicky and won't charge with the cover on, and sometimes with the cover off. I'm doing some research to see if I have a bad docking station.

I haven't used the pen much but I like that its available if I need it. Overall, I really like it and it actually does replace both of my other tools extremely well. I use it daily.

 

[TRD270]

To be fair mine is not the 3 its an RT. I love the interface, it really is the most useful i've ever used in that respect, which is why I bought it. I liked that it had a USB and a SD card spot. I HOPE they have corrected the issues with mine with the 3. The fact is mine is just to damn slow, they put to slow of a processor in it to little ram or something. The touch screen sucks, or it just can't tell where my fat finger is hitting it, though I don't have the problems on my ladies iPad.... thats not an apple endorsement I for the most part can't stand apple products either which is why I bought a surface. Also I don't know about the more normal keyboard but the flat one I bought mine is ****ing worthless. Its basically turned into a $100 screen protector and causes the on screen more useful keyboard to wig out, so it generally gets ripped off and chucked across the room out of frustration.

I bought the surface for the same reason as you but now regret selling my laptop. As of last week I have bought another laptop a macbook air, again not an apple fan for the most part but you can't beat the ease of use, I like a real keyboard and an awesome mouse pad, it doesn't have a touch screen but the surface may as well not have one for most of the things I used it for anyway.


I know a lot of people love their surfaces, I actually tried to take mine back right after I got it. They told me the behavior of it was strange and exchanged it for me, I went out of town and continued to be frustrated. Sadly for me by the time I returned I was outside of the refund window. Once again this is all based on the RT and for real you are more than welcome to borrow mine for a week, if you like it i'll make you a screaming deal. All its doing for me now is collecting dust, and it will be used for movies on planes about the only thing its useful for

 

[Spork]

Just got to say I love my Nexus 7 :greg:

 

[mbryson]

If you want the surface experience come borrow mine, and then we can both go to the range and take turn throwing it in the air and firing bird shot at it

That sounds quite fun I'm IN

 

[Deleted member 12904]

I have been using a surface pro 2 for a year now. I went all in and it replaced my workstation and laptop. I use a cables to go 3.0usb dock and run twin 27" displays at work.
I travel for work and the one major downside is the single usb port and I use a USB diplay so I can use two displays but the usb port is underpowered so I have to use a powered usb hub for everything.

 

[MattL]

Here is my take. I got a dell venue pro 8 tablet to test out when they first came out. I was very against the windows 8/8.1 os mainly because I was so used to W7. That being said here are my thoughts.
I love the thing for what it is. Its a small tablet able to run just about everything your computer can. I can write word/excel docs watch movies surf internet and play games in the app mode. It took me some time to get comfortable but have used it daily for a long time as a time killer. I got so used to the touch screen when I got a W8 laptop, it was a bit of a challenge as it was not a touch screen.

What I don't like about it is the app store and the lack of basic programs. I have yet to get a quality ebook reader i like, unlike android, and a quality audiobook player.
There are some issues that bug me, like stand by. If i play a music i have problem with it going to sleep and killing the sound.

One thing I have been plagued with is i did a reset some time ago and it slowed things down. I need to just reload the thing and start fresh.
For the hardware, its fast for what i use it and the battery life is good as well. I have used it to watch movies on planes and road trips.

Would I buy it again? Absolutely. Would I buy a 10 version vs the 8 uncertain. I have a keyboard and mouse for it. but seldom use them. If it was 10 I might use it more for computer work and not a mobile tablet.

 

[mbryson]

I do think I finally figured out what I really don't care for with Win8. It's the lack of a taskbar when you hit the "start" or "action" or whatever they are terming the "start" button now? I would like to see them give the option to leave that as it has been since '95. FORCING me to their stupid menu has driven me to just create more shortcut icons on my desktop.

 

[MattL]

I do think I finally figured out what I really don't care for with Win8. It's the lack of a taskbar when you hit the "start" or "action" or whatever they are terming the "start" button now? I would like to see them give the option to leave that as it has been since '95. FORCING me to their stupid menu has driven me to just create more shortcut icons on my desktop.

You can always use something like THIS
there are some updates coming from what i hear to return some old well liked properties to the OS.

 

[mbryson]

You can always use something like THIS
there are some updates coming from what i hear to return some old well liked properties to the OS.

I've resisted those so far (and don't spend a TON of time on my Win8 PC--personal laptop, might get used 4-5 hours a week, max) and am trying to realize the "concept" of MS "wonderful" design. I have a Mac and a few Win7 work PCs.

 

[Deleted member 12904]

Also worth noting the surface replaced my desktop and laptop but not my tablet. I still use my ipad for tablet use because IMO the surface makes an awesome small form computer but an awful tablet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nnnnnate]

I do think I finally figured out what I really don't care for with Win8. It's the lack of a taskbar when you hit the "start" or "action" or whatever they are terming the "start" button now? I would like to see them give the option to leave that as it has been since '95. FORCING me to their stupid menu has driven me to just create more shortcut icons on my desktop.

Do know what you are looking for when you hit the windows key? If you do just start to type in the name of the program and it will pull up a search bar based on what has been typed. This works the same in Win7 and Win8.x. I haven't used win8 on a personal computer but I have 10+ servers running Server 2012 and 2012 R2 which are based off the same platform as 8.0 and 8.1. The other trick is right clicking the start button to get to some of the management tools.

 

[mbryson]

Do know what you are looking for when you hit the windows key? If you do just start to type in the name of the program and it will pull up a search bar based on what has been typed. This works the same in Win7 and Win8.x. I haven't used win8 on a personal computer but I have 10+ servers running Server 2012 and 2012 R2 which are based off the same platform as 8.0 and 8.1. The other trick is right clicking the start button to get to some of the management tools.

not necessarily.... depends on what the developer named things. Even Mac keeps a "taskbar" (at the top) that has available actions on it. I especially hate it (pre-8.1 update) when you didn't have a way out of one of the new programs. Alt-tab is your friend there, but the annoyance factor goes off the charts on a laptop for me. Might be different on a touchscreen tablet or similar?

 

[moab_cj5]

I have a dell venue for work. I love it! I have had it for a few months now and it has replaced my laptop. I dont use it for personal use at all, but it is great for work. Windows 8 is a little different, but i am liking it more all the time.

 

[Kevin B.]

Bumping this old thread, because I just discovered that Nat Geo Topo will take a live GPS input. Unfortunately, it's not available on a mobile platform.

So now I'm thinking netbook with a touchscreen. Is anybody still using these? How do they compare to tablets in terms of battery life?

 

[ozzy702]

As far as mapping software, I sue Gai gps for both IOS and Droid and it's pretty much the gold standard for backpackers. Very solid program. Download all the maps you want for free at whatever resolution you want. One time purchase of $19 for the app. Upload files from google earth, export stuff to google earth. It's pretty slick.

In regards to windows 8.1, I'm not a fan and am waiting for the release of 10. We have Dell tablets at work that are annoying to use.

 

[nnnnnate]

Ozzy have you tried the demo version of WIN10? I installed it on a spare computer at work but haven't played with it much. It seems to be more consistent on the menus and whatnot which I like over 8.1. The demo version is free to download and try. I read somewhere that win10 is going to be a free upgrade for anyone with win7 and win8.x.