Microsoft Surface RT Price Drop ($349)

[Cowboy Brian]

A huge price drop has brought Microsoft's Surface RT down to $349 from it's previous price point of $499.. Anyone else thinking of getting one, does anyone have one and may let me know how you like it?



http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en...-rt/home?WT.srch=1_google_sustained_cpc_en-us

 

[Rockport]

As an IT professional, I stay away from Windows products if possible. The OS is poorly written and does not have the end user in mind. Some things work and some don't. Not an intuitive OS when compared to IOS. Android is going down the same lines.

 

[Wheeltax]

I've heard good things about the Surface - might have to give it a look.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

I've heard good things about the Surface - might have to give it a look.

As have I. At $349 it may be worth it.

 

[Section446]

Loaded with Windows 8?

 

[Rockport]

As have I. At $349 it may be worth it.

http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/apple-dominates-consumer-brands-poll/240159008

Apple's iPad also won the top brand spot for a second year in a row. It managed to hold off Amazon's Kindle Fire series, which ranked second. Other contenders in the tablet space were Google Nexus tablets, ranked third, Samsung Galaxy Tab devices, ranked fourth, and HP Slate tablets, ranked fifth. Products that didn't rank well with consumers at all include the BlackBerry PlayBook, Motorola Xoom and Microsoft Surface.

 

[Section446]

http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/apple-dominates-consumer-brands-poll/240159008

Apple's iPad also won the top brand spot for a second year in a row. It managed to hold off Amazon's Kindle Fire series, which ranked second. Other contenders in the tablet space were Google Nexus tablets, ranked third, Samsung Galaxy Tab devices, ranked fourth, and HP Slate tablets, ranked fifth. Products that didn't rank well with consumers at all include the BlackBerry PlayBook, Motorola Xoom and Microsoft Surface.

I've not personally used one, but I've heard nothing good about the Surface. While I'm not an Apple fan, I'd prefer to invest my $349 in a proven product like the iPad, or even the Galaxy Note.

 

[Rockport]

I've not personally used one, but I've heard nothing good about the Surface. While I'm not an Apple fan, I'd prefer to invest my $349 in a proven product like the iPad, or even the Galaxy Note.

The Surface runs Windows OS which means the same buggy software we've had to live with for years in the past.

 

[NorthTexan95]

As an IT professional, I stay away from Windows products if possible. The OS is poorly written and does not have the end user in mind. Some things work and some don't. Not an intuitive OS when compared to IOS. Android is going down the same lines.

What kind of "IT professional" are you? Apple is a good choice if you have individual users that need to use a Mac only product. However, there's a reason why Microsoft dominates the OS market. It is a much better OS for running and managing a network. Apple can't compete in that market because they just don't get business. Actually, I think they just don't care since that's not the market they want to compete in.

Now if you're just talking about Windows 8, then I agree the interface is a huge problem for a power user. I find that it's just weird and somewhat reminds me of switching from DOS to Windows 3.1. Windows 7 is a great OS imo. Windows 8 is better in speed and security ... but I hate the interface. There's a reason why the guy in charge of Windows 8 was fired. I have no desire to push 8 onto my company so we'll stick with 7 probably until 9 comes out.

I've heard blah reviews about the cheaper Surface but I've heard some really good things about the more expensive one that run an actual version of Windows 8. It has capabilities not found in any other tablet. I'm also interested in the new Dell tablet. It has a lot cool features that Ipad doesn't but I haven't looked real close into it.

 

[Rockport]

What kind of "IT professional" are you? Apple is a good choice if you have individual users that need to use a Mac only product. However, there's a reason why Microsoft dominates the OS market. It is a much better OS for running and managing a network. Apple can't compete in that market because they just don't get business. Actually, I think they just don't care since that's not the market they want to compete in.

Now if you're just talking about Windows 8, then I agree the interface is a huge problem for a power user. I find that it's just weird and somewhat reminds me of switching from DOS to Windows 3.1. Windows 7 is a great OS imo. Windows 8 is better in speed and security ... but I hate the interface. There's a reason why the guy in charge of Windows 8 was fired. I have no desire to push 8 onto my company so we'll stick with 7 probably until 9 comes out.

I've heard blah reviews about the cheaper Surface but I've heard some really good things about the more expensive one that run an actual version of Windows 8. It has capabilities not found in any other tablet. I'm also interested in the new Dell tablet. It has a lot cool features that Ipad doesn't but I haven't looked real close into it.

I''m speaking strictly in terms of end user experience. There's no comparison between Windows and OS X or IOS. You're right in that Apple doesn't get business as well as Windows does.

 

[NorthTexan95]

I''m speaking strictly in terms of end user experience. There's no comparison between Windows and OS X or IOS. You're right in that Apple doesn't get business as well as Windows does.

I would disagree about user experience. I think it's just whatever you are used to.

Getting back to the original topic ... I've heard blah reviews about the cheaper Surface but I've heard some really good things about the more expensive one that run an actual version of Windows 8. It has capabilities not found in any other tablet. I'm also interested in the new Dell tablet. It has a lot cool features that Ipad doesn't but I haven't looked real close into it.

 

[iceberg]

windows 8 looks like the partridge family bus ran into the hollywood squares studio.

microsoft, while it gets the enterprise segment, is lost on the consumer one. choices for apps, games and the like will be much lower on the surface than android or apple.

 

[Wheeltax]

windows 8 looks like the partridge family bus ran into the hollywood squares studio.

microsoft, while it gets the enterprise segment, is lost on the consumer one. choices for apps, games and the like will be much lower on the surface than android or apple.

I used to say the same thing, but I cannot imagine Windows 8 on an Enterprise level. Enterprises are just now getting to Win7 of course, but a few years from now I'm not sure what they're going to do.

 

[iceberg]

I used to say the same thing, but I cannot imagine Windows 8 on an Enterprise level. Enterprises are just now getting to Win7 of course, but a few years from now I'm not sure what they're going to do.

well the big issue is that enterprises, to take full advantage of win8, will need touch screens. the pure cost of that is very prohibitive.

 

[TheKey]

well the big issue is that enterprises, to take full advantage of win8, will need touch screens. the pure cost of that is very prohibitive.

I have it and love it. Keyboard works great. I wrote my thesis on it and use excel daily. Only thing is it needs more/better apps.

 

[iceberg]

I have it and love it. Keyboard works great. I wrote my thesis on it and use excel daily. Only thing is it needs more/better apps.

great.

all you need are apps to get things done.

it's a good touch pad system. on par with apple and android. but they're trying to make 1 size fit all. would you write war and peace on a tablet? on a touch screen keyboard? hell, they did it on far worse, so maybe.

the art survives despite the technology. always.

technology just seems to lead the way to where the art never wanted to go.

i got a 1st gen i pad today. i have my own radio station app i put on it and it wasn't easy to put that app on there. google either. but if you're looking for remote access to todays world, you're a fool to use windows.

 

[Eric_Boyer]

As an IT professional, I stay away from Windows products if possible. The OS is poorly written and does not have the end user in mind. Some things work and some don't. Not an intuitive OS when compared to IOS. Android is going down the same lines.

as an I/T professional in the business world, I'll point out that it is nearly impossible to stay away from windows products as that is what dominates the landscape.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

as an I/T professional in the business world, I'll point out that it is nearly impossible to stay away from windows products as that is what dominates the landscape.

This. My wife loves her I-phone my techie friends love their androids, but all of my products are Windows because of my job.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I bought one for our company just to test with. It runs all of our apps but I hate the OS. If I used it more I'm sure I'd get used to it but Win8 is not a desktop OS. Unless you have a touch screen the new "desktop" is weird to navigate. Win7 and XP are great but Vista and 8 are terrible.

 

[Rockport]

as an I/T professional in the business world, I'll point out that it is nearly impossible to stay away from windows products as that is what dominates the landscape.

No doubt. Apple's showing signs of finally getting it though. On a side note, we're in the process of moving many of our SQL Server databases to Oracle and MySQL because of the instability with Windows systems.