I
want to like Windows RT, but it's just not fit for purpose. The Surface
RT is simply no use: here are five reasons the Surface 2 will suck (and
one of them is it's not the Surface Pro).
Microsoft, and Microsoft alone, is persisting with Windows RT. As
other hardware manufacturers have shamefacedly dumped Microsoft's
ARM-based OS, making their excuses about it 'being them and not it',
Microsoft hasn't got the memo and is persisting with Windows RT. Pride
can be an expensive thing.
I need to make a couple of things clear here. I wish Windows RT was
great, I like Windows 8, and I think the Surface Pro *is* great.
An ARM-based version of Windows would be a truly game-changing
innovation for reasons of battery life alone, but Windows RT is not
that. We're stuck with Intel for now, and Intel is making such strides
on battery life that it is soon to become a moot point. Meanwhile
Windows 8 is stable and fast and offers additional features and
functions that can simply be ignored by those who want plain old
Windows. And the Surface Pro is the most portable power PC you will ever
own. You can't compute with it on your lap, but surfaces for the
Surface are not exactly in short supply, in my experience. See also:
Windows 8 smartwatch: what you need to know about the Surface smartwatch.
The Surface RT is not in short supply either. It's portable, but
hobbled with the less useful half of an OS it is not useful. And the
Surface 2 will not solve that or the lack of popularity, despite
impressive hardware.
The biggest upgrade on the Surface 2 tablet is its new 1080p display.
With a resolution of 1920x1080, it's a significant upgrade over the
original Surface RT's 1366x768 screen. Not that the Surface RT's screen
was ever the problem.
Microsoft says the panel itself is optically bonded to the surface of
the screen, aiming to improve sunlight legibility outdoors. The 10.6in,
1080p screen should also mean a significant improvement in displaying
crisp and clear text, a major criticism of the original Surface - but
not a problem for me.
Microsoft has also improved the kick stand, a hardware design almost
Apple-like in its simplicity and elegant usefulness. That should be a
good thing but, again, it doesn't stop the Surface 2 from sucking.
Here's why:
5 reasons Surface 2 will suck
1. It's not Windows, but you might think it is
Let's leave all pretence aside: Windows RT is not Windows. It looks
like Windows, and has some of Windows capabilities, but it's not what
your average punter would expect from Windows. And that is a problem.
Unlike many I have no problem with the Modern UI and Windows apps. But
that's becuase they are an additional skin to the Windows OS on which I
run all the software I need.
Something that looks like Windows but on which I can run exactly none
of my Windows software is next to useless. Actually, it's worse than
that, because many people will consider RT devices without realising the
full implications.
2. No-one will write software for it, sell media on it, make third-party hardware for it
Of course you get a 'full' version of Microsoft Office 2013 RT. But
that is not entirely a full version of Office, and it is about the only
useful software you can find. As for hardware accessories the Touch and
Type covers are amazing, but they are expensive and you won't find the
price coming down any time soon.
Unfortunately, they are all there is. Third party hard- and software
makers are just not interested in a niche that is getting more nichey by
the day.
The Windows Store remains resolutely bereft of great apps and games,
and it's not the best place from which a UK consumer can source music
and movies.
Without third-party support, or the ability to run traditional X86
software Windows RT is just a pretty environment within which to web
browse and send emails.
3. It's not even Windows Phone...
So you have a slab on which you can do, well, not a lot. The least
you would expect would be that it could connect you to the web all the
time so you can get on with your hobbled web browsing and emailing.
Unfortunately, that's not the case. The Surface 2 will lack cellular
connectivity. It requires Wi-Fi to get online.
Windows Phone may not have great third-party support, but it does
portable connectivity well. Windows RT can't even help you check your
email on your commute.
4. So it should be cheaper
Kudos to Microsoft for recognising in its pricing that Surface 2 will
not be a challenger to the best Android and iPad tablets with their
rich app- and media support, or the best Windows tablets with their
access to proper software. But even at this price a device that doesn't
do anything is not cheap enough.
The Surface 2 starts at £359. That puts it in the mid rank of
tablets. It's too expensive because the hardware is no better than - say
- a Nexus or even Tesco Hudl tablet, and it doesn't offer access to
either Google Play or Apple iTunes and App Store.
5. It's not the Surface Pro 2
The Surface Pro 2 will set you back at least £719 inc VAT, but in my
view is well worth looking at. It has all the benefits of Surface 2 and
those of a full Windows PC. Indeed, if the performance has improved from
the original Surface Pro it will be the best portable power PC you'll
ever own.
A device on which you can run any Windows program with performance
that you would expect from a £700 PC or laptop. With a keyboard and
display it could easily be your home- and/or office PC. And presuming
that the battery life is up to snuff it could also be your daily
traveling companion, used as either tablet or laptop.
At half the price the Surface 2 will have almost none of the
usefulness, and that makes it worth next to nothing and bound to suck.
- See more at: http://www.techadvisor.co.uk/opinion/tablets/5-reasons-surface-2-will-suck/#sthash.ErOCxdUp.dpuf
I want to
like Windows RT, but it's just not fit for purpose. The Surface RT is simply no
use: here are five reasons the Surface 2 will suck (and one of them is it's not
the Surface
Pro).
Microsoft,
and Microsoft alone, is persisting with Windows RT. As other hardware
manufacturers have shamefacedly dumped Microsoft's ARM-based OS, making their
excuses about it 'being them and not it', Microsoft hasn't got the memo and is
persisting with Windows RT. Pride can be an expensive thing.
I need to
make a couple of things clear here. I wish Windows RT was great, I like Windows
8, and I think the Surface Pro *is* great.
An ARM-based
version of Windows would be a truly game-changing innovation for reasons of
battery life alone, but Windows RT is not that. We're stuck with Intel for now,
and Intel is making such strides on battery life that it is soon to become a
moot point. Meanwhile Windows 8 is stable and fast and offers additional
features and functions that can simply be ignored by those who want plain old
Windows. And the Surface Pro is the most portable power PC you will ever own.
You can't compute with it on your lap, but surfaces for the Surface are not
exactly in short supply, in my experience. See also: Windows 8 smartwatch: what you need to know about the
Surface smartwatch.
The Surface
RT is not in short supply either. It's portable, but hobbled with the less
useful half of an OS it is not useful. And the Surface 2 will not solve that or
the lack of popularity, despite impressive hardware.
The biggest
upgrade on the Surface 2 tablet is its new 1080p display. With a resolution of
1920x1080, it's a significant upgrade over the original Surface RT's 1366x768
screen. Not that the Surface RT's screen was ever the problem.
Microsoft
says the panel itself is optically bonded to the surface of the screen, aiming
to improve sunlight legibility outdoors. The 10.6in, 1080p screen should also
mean a significant improvement in displaying crisp and clear text, a major
criticism of the original Surface - but not a problem for me.
Microsoft
has also improved the kick stand, a hardware design almost Apple-like in its
simplicity and elegant usefulness. That should be a good thing but, again, it
doesn't stop the Surface 2 from sucking. Here's why:
5 reasons Surface 2 will suck
1. It's not Windows, but you might think it is
Let's leave
all pretence aside: Windows RT is not Windows. It looks like Windows, and has
some of Windows capabilities, but it's not what your average punter would
expect from Windows. And that is a problem. Unlike many I have no problem with
the Modern UI and Windows apps. But that's becuase they are an additional skin
to the Windows OS on which I run all the software I need.
Something
that looks like Windows but on which I can run exactly none of my Windows
software is next to useless. Actually, it's worse than that, because many
people will consider RT devices without realising the full implications.
2. No-one will write software for it, sell media on
it, make third-party hardware for it
Of course
you get a 'full' version of Microsoft Office 2013 RT. But that is not entirely
a full version of Office, and it is about the only useful software you can
find. As for hardware accessories the Touch and Type covers are amazing, but
they are expensive and you won't find the price coming down any time soon.
Unfortunately,
they are all there is. Third party hard- and software makers are just not
interested in a niche that is getting more nichey by the day.
The Windows
Store remains resolutely bereft of great apps and games, and it's not the best
place from which a UK consumer can source music and movies.
Without
third-party support, or the ability to run traditional X86 software Windows RT
is just a pretty environment within which to web browse and send emails.
3. It's not even Windows Phone...
So you have
a slab on which you can do, well, not a lot. The least you would expect would
be that it could connect you to the web all the time so you can get on with
your hobbled web browsing and emailing. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The
Surface 2 will lack cellular connectivity. It requires Wi-Fi to get online.
Windows
Phone may not have great third-party support, but it does portable connectivity
well. Windows RT can't even help you check your email on your commute.
4. So it should be cheaper
Kudos to
Microsoft for recognising in its pricing that Surface 2 will not be a
challenger to the best Android and iPad tablets with their rich app- and media
support, or the best Windows tablets with their access to proper software. But
even at this price a device that doesn't do anything is not cheap enough.
The Surface
2 starts at £359. That puts it in the mid rank of tablets. It's too expensive
because the hardware is no better than - say - a Nexus or even Tesco Hudl
tablet, and it doesn't offer access to either Google Play or Apple iTunes and
App Store.
5. It's not the Surface Pro 2
The Surface
Pro 2 will set you back at least £719 inc VAT, but in my view is well worth
looking at. It has all the benefits of Surface 2 and those of a full Windows
PC. Indeed, if the performance has improved from the original Surface Pro it
will be the best portable power PC you'll ever own.
A device on
which you can run any Windows program with performance that you would expect
from a £700 PC or laptop. With a keyboard and display it could easily be your
home- and/or office PC. And presuming that the battery life is up to snuff it
could also be your daily traveling companion, used as either tablet or laptop.
At half the
price the Surface 2 will have almost none of the usefulness, and that makes it
worth next to nothing and bound to suck.
I
want to like Windows RT, but it's just not fit for purpose. The Surface
RT is simply no use: here are five reasons the Surface 2 will suck (and
one of them is it's not the Surface Pro).
Microsoft, and Microsoft alone, is persisting with Windows RT. As
other hardware manufacturers have shamefacedly dumped Microsoft's
ARM-based OS, making their excuses about it 'being them and not it',
Microsoft hasn't got the memo and is persisting with Windows RT. Pride
can be an expensive thing.
I need to make a couple of things clear here. I wish Windows RT was
great, I like Windows 8, and I think the Surface Pro *is* great.
An ARM-based version of Windows would be a truly game-changing
innovation for reasons of battery life alone, but Windows RT is not
that. We're stuck with Intel for now, and Intel is making such strides
on battery life that it is soon to become a moot point. Meanwhile
Windows 8 is stable and fast and offers additional features and
functions that can simply be ignored by those who want plain old
Windows. And the Surface Pro is the most portable power PC you will ever
own. You can't compute with it on your lap, but surfaces for the
Surface are not exactly in short supply, in my experience. See also:
Windows 8 smartwatch: what you need to know about the Surface smartwatch.
The Surface RT is not in short supply either. It's portable, but
hobbled with the less useful half of an OS it is not useful. And the
Surface 2 will not solve that or the lack of popularity, despite
impressive hardware.
The biggest upgrade on the Surface 2 tablet is its new 1080p display.
With a resolution of 1920x1080, it's a significant upgrade over the
original Surface RT's 1366x768 screen. Not that the Surface RT's screen
was ever the problem.
Microsoft says the panel itself is optically bonded to the surface of
the screen, aiming to improve sunlight legibility outdoors. The 10.6in,
1080p screen should also mean a significant improvement in displaying
crisp and clear text, a major criticism of the original Surface - but
not a problem for me.
Microsoft has also improved the kick stand, a hardware design almost
Apple-like in its simplicity and elegant usefulness. That should be a
good thing but, again, it doesn't stop the Surface 2 from sucking.
Here's why:
5 reasons Surface 2 will suck
1. It's not Windows, but you might think it is
Let's leave all pretence aside: Windows RT is not Windows. It looks
like Windows, and has some of Windows capabilities, but it's not what
your average punter would expect from Windows. And that is a problem.
Unlike many I have no problem with the Modern UI and Windows apps. But
that's becuase they are an additional skin to the Windows OS on which I
run all the software I need.
Something that looks like Windows but on which I can run exactly none
of my Windows software is next to useless. Actually, it's worse than
that, because many people will consider RT devices without realising the
full implications.
2. No-one will write software for it, sell media on it, make third-party hardware for it
Of course you get a 'full' version of Microsoft Office 2013 RT. But
that is not entirely a full version of Office, and it is about the only
useful software you can find. As for hardware accessories the Touch and
Type covers are amazing, but they are expensive and you won't find the
price coming down any time soon.
Unfortunately, they are all there is. Third party hard- and software
makers are just not interested in a niche that is getting more nichey by
the day.
The Windows Store remains resolutely bereft of great apps and games,
and it's not the best place from which a UK consumer can source music
and movies.
Without third-party support, or the ability to run traditional X86
software Windows RT is just a pretty environment within which to web
browse and send emails.
3. It's not even Windows Phone...
So you have a slab on which you can do, well, not a lot. The least
you would expect would be that it could connect you to the web all the
time so you can get on with your hobbled web browsing and emailing.
Unfortunately, that's not the case. The Surface 2 will lack cellular
connectivity. It requires Wi-Fi to get online.
Windows Phone may not have great third-party support, but it does
portable connectivity well. Windows RT can't even help you check your
email on your commute.
4. So it should be cheaper
Kudos to Microsoft for recognising in its pricing that Surface 2 will
not be a challenger to the best Android and iPad tablets with their
rich app- and media support, or the best Windows tablets with their
access to proper software. But even at this price a device that doesn't
do anything is not cheap enough.
The Surface 2 starts at £359. That puts it in the mid rank of
tablets. It's too expensive because the hardware is no better than - say
- a Nexus or even Tesco Hudl tablet, and it doesn't offer access to
either Google Play or Apple iTunes and App Store.
5. It's not the Surface Pro 2
The Surface Pro 2 will set you back at least £719 inc VAT, but in my
view is well worth looking at. It has all the benefits of Surface 2 and
those of a full Windows PC. Indeed, if the performance has improved from
the original Surface Pro it will be the best portable power PC you'll
ever own.
A device on which you can run any Windows program with performance
that you would expect from a £700 PC or laptop. With a keyboard and
display it could easily be your home- and/or office PC. And presuming
that the battery life is up to snuff it could also be your daily
traveling companion, used as either tablet or laptop.
At half the price the Surface 2 will have almost none of the
usefulness, and that makes it worth next to nothing and bound to suck.
- See more at: http://www.techadvisor.co.uk/opinion/tablets/5-reasons-surface-2-will-suck/#sthash.ErOCxdUp.dpuf
