[windows tablet] Microsoft Surface

[localzuk]

That CPU is more than enough for the vast majority of PC users. So this device is basically a desktop, laptop and ipad replacement for use in a business environment. I'm very interested in them for here to be honest! We buy £700 laptops for staff at the moment already, and then give some ipads too. One of these would the lot.

[sted]

but for 90% of what most users do is it much of an improvement on a £400 atom tablet?

[localzuk]

but for 90% of what most users do is it much of an improvement on a £400 atom tablet?

 

Yes, absolutely it is. An Atom is not good enough to run SMART Notebook in my experience. It isn't good enough for running something like MoviePlus etc... I don't buy into the Atom thing for schools - they just don't have the grunt needed.

 

We standardised on i5 here.

[SYNACK]

Yes, absolutely it is. An Atom is not good enough to run SMART Notebook in my experience. It isn't good enough for running something like MoviePlus etc... I don't buy into the Atom thing for schools - they just don't have the grunt needed.

 

We standardised on i5 here.

 

Depends on what you are using it for, if you are using it as an iPad replacement with a lot more options then it can work as it is fine for consumption and basic editing. If you are using it as a primary machine for smartboard stuff, big documents and movies etc then it needs a propper workhorse CPU like the i5 offered. It is all down to how you intend to use it and where the line is drawn on what they actually do.

[localzuk]

We tend to go for machines that are all things for all people. Means we can standardise images and the like, and means we can have spares to do straight swaps should things need fixing.

 

But that's because of the type of school we are.

[Arthur]

The May 2013 firmware update for the Surface Pro has added PXE boot support so you can now deploy a Windows 8 image over the network through MDT or SCCM.

 

PXE Deployment with Surface Pro « The Deployment Guys

 

PXE support has been added to Surface Pro as part of the May firmware update. This means that as long as you have the Surface Pro Ethernet Adapter and installed the firmware update you can now perform PXE based deployments to Surface Pro.

 

It's also possible to inject the firmware update into an offline Windows 8 image.

 

Deploying Drivers and Firmware to Surface Pro « The Deployment Guys

 

In the last month the Surface Pro team have started releasing driver and firmware packs that include all on the drivers and firmware required for Surface Pro. This pack is a simple zip file that contains all of the drivers as INF files that can be installed with out requiring an executable, which for those of you that have followed my previous posts will know is the way I like to see drivers provided.

 

Firmware Deployment

Perhaps the coolest thing about this pack is the fact that it includes firmware that is delivered in the form of a driver package. This is possible due to a UEFI feature called capsule packages. These capsule packages can be installed several ways:

 

• Published via Windows Update
  
• Injected into an offline Windows image
  
• Installed into Windows 8 online
  

Note: They cannot be installed via Windows Software Update Service (WSUS).

 

[...]

 

If you are deploying the drivers as part of an OS deployment, perhaps with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit or System Center Configuration Manager 2012 you simply add these firmware drivers to your existing driver deployment methodology and the Windows will handle handle the update process for you.

[Arthur]

The Surface Pro is now available to buy in the UK Microsoft Store.

 

http://i.imgur.com/aS1izLS.png

[Arthur]

I am not sure why they are disabling Secure Boot though since Ubuntu and other Linux distros supports it.

 

How to install Ubuntu on the Surface Pro « Geek.com

 

When you examine the hardware in the Surface Pro, you realize that — compared to other ultrabooks on the market — it’s a pretty sweet deal. The system combines an Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge) CPU with 4GB of RAM and HD4000 graphics with the ability to use both touch and pen (pressure sensitive Wacom) inputs with an 11.6-inch 1080p display. There aren't many other pieces of hardware on the market that can offer a similar specs sheet, and few come close to the $1,140 price point found on the Surface Pro (with a keyboard cover). The Pro incredibly portable with more than enough power to handle serious computing, even the occasional round of Diablo 3. Not bad right?

 

http://i.imgur.com/YetoIqh.jpg

[Arthur]

Surface Pro 2 ready to go with an adjustable kickstand and improved battery life « The Verge

 

As largely expected, Microsoft will also upgrade its Surface Pro 2 to Intel's new Haswell processor, and the company is also planning to ship units with 8GB of RAM on board. The Haswell upgrade will improve the battery life on the Surface Pro 2, but not significantly. We're told Haswell will add just over two hours of usage to the Surface Pro 2. While there's kickstand improvements and specification changes, the device will look almost identical to the existing Surface Pro tablet that debuted earlier this year.

[flyinghaggis]

I've used the RT version quite a bit and really liked the size, weight and form factor but the WindowsRT just doesn't have the apps I need to run. The poor battery life pretty much put me off the previous Surface Pro model but I might be tempted by the Surface Pro 2to replace my aging laptop. Fingers crossed for some MacBook Air style battery life gains from the new Haswell CPU!

 

Does anyone on here own the current Surface Pro and if so what were your thoughts about it?

[RichCowell]

I've been using the Surface RT for about 9 months now, and still absolutely loving it... I'll definitely be looking to upgrade to the Surface RT 2 when it's released... I've thought about the Pro model, but the main things I use it for are standard web browsing, and little general things at work - command prompt etc. the rest I access via RDP, which works perfectly...

 

I'm glad they're not ditching RT just yet!

[Arthur]

Power Cover: Microsoft's keyboard cover for the Surface with a built-in battery « Neowin

 

Microsoft are working on a new cover that will attach to the Surface Pro and extend the battery life of the device. The optional add-on, known as the "Power Cover," will include an external battery that will help increase the longevity of the device. The combination of a Power Cover and the upcoming Surface Pro 2 should for an all-day computing device, given the tablet's Haswell chip that will already extend battery life.

 

Seeing as the cover will have a battery in it, we will be curious to see if it is more rigid than the Type Cover. Currently, even the Type Cover is a bit flexible for our taste when using the Surface Pro. While it works well on hard surfaces, using the Type Cover on your lap results in just enough flexing that leaves room for improvement.

 

While we don't have a release date for the Power Cover, we have heard whispers that it may not launch with the Surface Pro 2 and could come at a later, unspecified date. No pricing details were revealed to Neowin.

 

The Power Cover might be backwards compatible, meaning it may work with the current Surface Pro, but we are hearing that it will definitely not work with existing Surface RT devices.

 

The dock on the current Surface Pro/RT is highly underused, and we hope that Microsoft will some day license out the port to expand the Surface accessory options. It is good to see that Microsoft is working to expand upon the current ports functionality, as we feel it is a unique offering Microsoft should extrapolate upon with peripherals.

 

As for now, the Power Cover is looking to be a solid companion to the Surface lineup and we will be quite curious to see how much additional life it will add to the tablet.

[gshaw]

Still falls between two bases for me, not a big enough screen for a power user device and not enough features in the thin and light RT version. That said there's not another Windows tablet on the market under £1000 (Lenovo Helix I mean you!) that comes close in the design and build quality stakes.

 

i3 mid range Win8 Pro Surface... if only eh

[zag]

They should really ditch the 64gb model and only have the 128 one at that price difference.

 

Windows seems really bloated on disk space.

[john]

Still falls between two bases for me, not a big enough screen for a power user device and not enough features in the thin and light RT version. That said there's not another Windows tablet on the market under £1000 (Lenovo Helix I mean you!) that comes close in the design and build quality stakes.

 

You don't want a Lenovo Helix, it is shocking! I have had my paws on one with @Ric_ and @Domino and we were quite excited by it (well I was even if they were not), it was a decent spec with SSD, lots of ram, decent CPU so not even the entry model Helix and after half an hour I hated it, it was sluggish, slow to respond and had a poor build quality to the dock / keyboard. The tablet build seemed ok but for £1K+ its too much and not worth the money. I had a play with a Samsung at BETT back in February and I would by far rather have that than the Helix.

[forrager]

I have been using the Surface Pro 128 since release as my primary company laptop.

 

So far I have found no real issues with it. The battery life is acceptable for a mobile device running any of the tech apps I need to work and when on site I can just put it back on life support.

 

The convenience that its size provides over my old x60 is perfect for me and I have been able to work anywhere I choose so far. Despite what you may have read I can use it on my lap without any real problems.

 

Tethered via BT on my phone I am always connected (subject to 3G coverage) and I use a pocket drive to carry all my VM's for testing and development work.

 

As a mobile engineering tool it is powerful enough and has yet to let me down and, as a domestic device it is very slick. I do not have time to play many games, but it has handled the ones that I do play.

 

Only 2 minor niggles are - the stylus is easy to loose track of as it falls off in your bag. I now put it in a separate pocket so that I can find it easily and, if you can't find the stylus, working in photoshop etc can get a little tedious using the trackpad. Easily solved by increasing the zoom or using the wedge mouse.