Surface 3 vs iPad deployment practices

[swiftv]

We've just splashed on 20 x Surface 3 for a specific use, and are considering future iPad/Surface 3 decisions across the site. The Surface has not impressed me as much as I'd hoped based on a week's living with it. Initial tests were good, but as we've been tinkering it's proving more troublesome than I expected.

 

I have been badgering MS to give me some references for deployment, but I'm sure I'm getting a fairly sanitised selection.

 

Who out there is deploying Surface at the moment? What are the niggles? How are they fairing with battery life, breakage and has anyone used them and iPads and has an opinion one over the other? And lastly, how young are people deploying Surface to?

 

I am familiar with iPad and well versed in the ups and downs. Just need a balanced view on Surface.

[bclarke]

I am just about to deploy Surface's to all teachers and some support staff this term. We will then be deploying them to all students in September. We went down the iPad route originally and it didn't work out for various reasons.

 

It is part of a wider strategy involving moving to Office 365 and using OneNote extensively. We have some lovely training coming up at the start of term where we are going to Microsoft Showcase Classroom in London to train up all out teachers.

 

Happy to have a phone conversation, just PM me.

 

Ben

[Iain.Faulkner]

We're awaiting delivery of 100 of the Microsoft Surface 3's which we are providing to our teaching staff. Just working through the deployment of them now. As @bclarke said, we are moving down the Office 365 and OneNote route and will be pushing staff to use this extensively once the devices are deployed (we've had tablet academy in doing training with us as well on this).

[swiftv]

I see there's some volume going out. Might explain why MS struggled to give us a transparent delivery date. What's the slickest way to deploy these things?

[swiftv]

I'm pushing Onenote and 365 heavily to staff, I love it. It just happens that it works really nicely on the iPad as well, so I'm sat on a fence with regard to device choice.

[Iain.Faulkner]

I see there's some volume going out. Might explain why MS struggled to give us a transparent delivery date. What's the slickest way to deploy these things?

 

We've had the same problem, we've received 34 of our 100 so far with no definite date as to when we might receive the rest.

[bclarke]

I see there's some volume going out. Might explain why MS struggled to give us a transparent delivery date. What's the slickest way to deploy these things?

 

Not just you, I ordered 296 Surface 3's and 46 Docking Stations. Delivery date keeps getting pushed back. I think it has something to do with the Surface Pro 4 pen now being included and possibly their huge 30% price drop.

 

In terms of deploying, create an image using SCCM with most things you need but hold on putting things like Sims on there. Setup some group policies for some regular settings and then I am getting staff to run through a checklist of signing in to most things O365 once they login for the first time. I have run out of time to get that stuff automated if it is even possible at all at the moment.

 

I am resisting the temptation to apply too many GPO's now, for staff anyway.

 

Oh and the OneDrive for Business app that is installed is old and rubbish. It needs a couple of registry edits from Microsoft to make it compatible. They are developing a better version which will be released later in the year.

[swiftv]

Don't get me started on Sync. I'm signed up for preview, but it's all a bit slow. It's been an issue for a while.

 

Our delays were long before the price drop or any mention of the pen deal. This is more endemic to the MS supply chain. I can live with it, if I'm aware of it. It was the lack of transparency that I had issue with. Poor supplier caught in the middle.

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

Hi all,

 

First off if you are waiting for Microsoft Surfaces and are getting long lead times, so are we. Stock is coming into the 'Channel' but is being snapped up quickly. We are slowly starting to see them become more available. SO if it annoys you that there is a delay, try being the person who has to tell the customer... not an easy task....

 

We have recently been playing and testing (I say playing as you have to fully test a device...) the deployment of Surface units. On any new Surface orders, especially multiple orders we do offer imaging services to help get these up and ruining a lot quicker for you

 

If anyone has any questions on imaging / deployment then please feel free to message me and I will be more than happy to see if we can help with advice or guidance.

[manick]

My tuppence worth on Surface 3's. If you're buying them, make sure you purchase an extended warranty. If anything goes wrong with them after the 12 months you're buggered! around £400 to swap it (not fix it). I've just had this with a part that should last much longer than 16 months (battery died). Suffice to say I'm not a happy bunny. If you pay around £600 for something you expect it to last more than 16 months!

 

Cheers

 

Nick

[jmak]

 

We have recently been playing and testing (I say playing as you have to fully test a device...) the deployment of Surface units. On any new Surface orders, especially multiple orders we do offer imaging services to help get these up and ruining a lot quicker for you

@VeryPC_Anthony_L

 

I don't think I need extra help to ruin things [emoji12]