Surface (Win RT) in Education...

[RichCowell]

Took delivery of 3 Microsoft Surface tablets yesterday, two with the Touch Covers, one with the Type Cover... pretty impressed so far (apart from having to have a Hotmail/Live account to set it up (I already had one, but that's not the point... the boss didn't, so I had to create him one first))...

 

I'd already published Outlook, Word, and SIMS on the Terminal Server, so it was pretty easy to get going quickly... The staff iPad users that have seen it so far are already impressed with being able to get the school calendar via Outlook (one of the biggest demands) and SIMS...

 

I was disappointed at not being able to access ActivInspire and SmartNotebook via the table though... I was looking forward to seeing if we could replace IWBs with them... I'll try some other 3rd party IWB solution at some point... (if anyone's got any recommendations, I'd be keen to hear them)...

 

(Edit: ActivInspire and SmartNotebook are accessibles as an Apps - I hadn't added Domain Admins to the permissions on the TS... I believe both packages are changing so they won't work unless they detect their respective hardware connected to the PC though, so will need to look into another option anyway... )

 

I've never been an Apple fan, and even less of a iOS fan, so I never got into the whole iPad craze, so really looking forward to seeing more apps come available for RT... Especially something that matches AirServer/AirPlay so teachers can control their PCs via the tablets...

 

Does anyone have any recommendations of Educational Apps that are already out there? Or software that I can install & publish from the Terminal Server that might work well on a tablet?

 

 

Some annoyances...

1. Can't change the IE Homepage (There's a Google search app available in the market place, and I've published FireFox on the TS)
   
2. Can't reduce the size of the icons on the Start screen
   

Edited December 11, 2012 by RichCowell

[Max_Power]

Not that I am an iPad fan etc, but wouldn't what you say be achievable on the iPad using terminal server?

Or do you mean you have configured outlook on the surface to work correctly?

[RichCowell]

You can use RDP apps like iTapp to connect to the Terminal Server, but they're expensive, and not really ideal as they're awkward unless you've got a keyboard...

 

I don't think there's any way of accessing the published software on the iPads like you can on Surface - they appear as individual icons and open up directly in the software, as opposed to in an RDP session...

[Max_Power]

Still waiting for my surface to be delivered hence the question. Good to know that it works well, and its winning over the mass of iPad fans or Buzz word fans out there

[RichCowell]

Another thing annoying me that I've not found a resolution for yet...

 

Despite ticking the box to Remember my credentials for the published apps from the TS, I keep getting prompted every so often to re-enter them... Most annoying! It's just an RDP file at the end of the day, I never get prompted again on my PC once I've saved the credentials...

 

I guess it could be argued that it's done like that intentionally for security reasons as there's more at stake with the network apps / access to network files etc. but it's still annoying!

Edited December 14, 2012 by RichCowell

[chrisalltraine]

I now have Sims.Net and Sims Discover both as published remote apps (RDP files saved on the desktop of the RT)

 

WOW! I mean WOW! (Is there any further need really for Sims Emerge? No)

 

So now we have the perfect tablet

 

Office Package

Full Outlook

Sims

Discover

Remote Desktop

 

And any other application I publish...

 

It was going to happen... It did happen... and I aint got no problems with Microsoft

 

In my opinion like they did with the Xbox - They hit the nail right on t

[FN-GM]

I am just wondering why you decided to go with the RT version as this is a consumer device? Thanks

[chrisalltraine]

This is my personal device... Just wondering what was and was not possible on a 'Surface'.

 

The Surface Pro is the best option especially if planning to use within the classroom with the better hardware and Full Windows 8.

 

For senior management who want to have a portable device they can use.. for us I do not think the additional cost on them would be worth it for what they require it for.

[sted]

I am just wondering why you decided to go with the RT version as this is a consumer device? Thanks

 

At a guess cost as ive yet to see even an atom based x86 thats not overpriced

[Steve21]

I now have Sims.Net and Sims Discover both as published remote apps (RDP files saved on the desktop of the RT)

 

WOW! I mean WOW! (Is there any further need really for Sims Emerge? No)

 

So now we have the perfect tablet

 

Office Package

Full Outlook

Sims

Discover

Remote Desktop

 

And any other application I publish...

 

It was going to happen... It did happen... and I aint got no problems with Microsoft

 

In my opinion like they did with the Xbox - They hit the nail right on t

 

If the perfect tablet needs terminal services to run, how is it any different to "insert other tablet here" ?

 

It still can't run what a school/business wants as default without terminal/remote apps w/e you want to call it.

 

Not sure what is stopping you using all those packages on an android/linux/apple/RIM etc tablet.

 

Just curious as to what makes the surface any better than well any other tablet (that's roughly same specs, so not a silly £80 android).

 

(Note, Not having a go at surface, just don't see how the above is only surface usable)

 

Steve

[RichCowell]

I am just wondering why you decided to go with the RT version as this is a consumer device? Thanks

 

The Pro version is more like a laptop with a touch screen - it needs to boot up like any PC does, when it's on standby, it doesn't sync mail etc. so you lose the benefits of the tablet...

[RichCowell]

The Surface Pro is the best option especially if planning to use within the classroom with the better hardware and Full Windows 8.

 

For senior management who want to have a portable device they can use.. for us I do not think the additional cost on them would be worth it for what they require it for.

 

If you've got a decent terminal server & wireless connection I can't see why Surface Pro would make much of a difference in the classroom... The only disadvantage that I can see for the classroom environment at the moment is the lack of apps that teachers have been using on their iPads for a while...

 

We're just looking at them for SMT at the moment, until more apps are available, but I don't think it'll take too long... The two members of the SMT who got them when I got mine are loving them so far, one has pretty much given up with his iPad as a result, the other is nearly there... both have mentioned returning their laptops as well as their iPads in favour of the Surface tablets...

[RichCowell]

If the perfect tablet needs terminal services to run, how is it any different to "insert other tablet here" ?

 

It still can't run what a school/business wants as default without terminal/remote apps w/e you want to call it.

 

Not sure what is stopping you using all those packages on an android/linux/apple/RIM etc tablet.

 

Just curious as to what makes the surface any better than well any other tablet (that's roughly same specs, so not a silly £80 android).

 

(Note, Not having a go at surface, just don't see how the above is only surface usable)

 

Steve

 

It's the ease with which it accesses the remote apps... and the fact that you've got (assuming you get one of the keyboards) a keyboard & touchpad to use the software designed for a PC, which has always been a flaw of accessing them from devices without... (I know you can get bluetooth keyboards for iPads, but they're not as responsive, and you don't get the touchpad... ) Trying to use SIMS via something like iTapp on an iPad was a nightmare... on Surface it's just as easy as using it on a laptop... and you can access the published apps directly from icons rather than having to go through an RDP session...

[SYNACK]

Having just got a Nexus 7 I have to vote for surface, you can get RDP for it (nexus) but it's rubbish or expensive. You've got to turn off most of the security to make it work. From my usage RT/8 is faster and more stable.

 

You may ask why I got a 7 rather than a surface, $900 price difference. They are just stupidly expensive here, the x86 ones are cheaper but still double the cost of a 7, around £180 here on the best special they have had.

 

I'm still looking at apps so it may get better but I have to vote for W8 for actual us ability for anything else than angry birds and consuming Google comparable web pages.

Edited December 30, 2012 by SYNACK

[FN-GM]

The Pro version is more like a laptop with a touch screen - it needs to boot up like any PC does, when it's on standby, it doesn't sync mail etc. so you lose the benefits of the tablet...

 

Personally i think thats a small plus based on what you get with a pro version.

[Arthur]

when it's on standby, it doesn't sync mail etc. so you lose the benefits of the tablet...

Once Microsoft starting using Intel's fourth-gen Haswell processors, the Surface Pro will support connect standby which enables it to sync things in standby (although only in Metro apps I think).

[SYNACK]

Haswell really is mythic at this point, Intel had better be able to deliver or there are going to be a lot of irate people, me being one. Still it would give and a window to save themselves, their low power line is not that bad and has potential.

[FragglePete]

Talking to a friend who lives in the same village as myself over the Christmas period, he works for Microsoft Education so I always enjoy a bit of a chin wag about things (not sure if he groans when he sees me though! ). While he praises (obviously) the Surface, he's a little baffled by it all when he listed a whole load of a manufacturers who do Windows tablets already, many Windows 8 certified already namely Lenovo and Dell. He also is raving about the new Cloverleaf chipset from Intel. Also mentioned the connected standby which is allowing these devices to last for over three weeks in this state. I've been ribbing him about Windows 8, and he just sees it as a very brave stake in the ground with which way Microsoft are going. Interesting stuff - funny though we have to rely on Remote Apps to run how we want things.

 

We've managed so far to avoid everthing tablet within our school (either Apple, Microsoft or 'droid) - it just hasn't really been asked for, so we're not getting them in just for the sake of getting them in. However, got myself a Google Nexus 7 for Xmas so may have a play over the coming months and see what we can and can't and won't and want to do.

 

Pete

[RichCowell]

funny though we have to rely on Remote Apps to run how we want things.Pete

 

Surely Remote Apps will be the best way, for a while at least, of accessing the various bits of software needed on the tablets?

It saves installing/maintaining software on all the devices... so far we've only got 7 apps published, and only for 3 devices at the moment (other than SIMS which is how we access SIMS across the school)... but it's already easier than setting them all up individually or imaging them...

[FragglePete]

Surely Remote Apps will be the best way, for a while at least, of accessing the various bits of software needed on the tablets?

It saves installing/maintaining software on all the devices... so far we've only got 7 apps published, and only for 3 devices at the moment (other than SIMS which is how we access SIMS across the school)... but it's already easier than setting them all up individually or imaging them...

 

True - we use it here for the report writing software (AIM High) for when teachers want to be able to access from home. Outside of the report cycle the server sits idle, may start employing it more.

 

Pete

[Steve21]

It's the ease with which it accesses the remote apps... and the fact that you've got (assuming you get one of the keyboards) a keyboard & touchpad to use the software designed for a PC, which has always been a flaw of accessing them from devices without... (I know you can get bluetooth keyboards for iPads, but they're not as responsive, and you don't get the touchpad... ) Trying to use SIMS via something like iTapp on an iPad was a nightmare... on Surface it's just as easy as using it on a laptop... and you can access the published apps directly from icons rather than having to go through an RDP session...

 

That makes more sense, was assuming it'd still need an app/remote desktop for RT style surface.

 

Out of curiosity, had any breakages that need to be fixed yet? Wondering how easy to replace/fix bits are, as one site I was reading seems to think not very easy at all

 

Steve

[RichCowell]

Out of curiosity, had any breakages that need to be fixed yet? Wondering how easy to replace/fix bits are, as one site I was reading seems to think not very easy at all

Steve

 

No breakages as yet, but we've only got the Head, Executive Head & myself using them so far... However I can't imagine they'd be easy to repair - other than swapping the keyboard... But then that just makes them the same as most other tablets available... I'm not sure what the repair service would be like, one thing in favour of Apple would definitely be the Apple Care - though we've never had to use it, I know others that have and it's always sounded quite quick & easy...

[CyberNerd]

RT is becoming a bit more usable, provided you compile the apps yourself:

Windows RT jailbroken to run third-party Desktop apps | ExtremeTech

[RichCowell]

That looks intriguing... Not a great solution for general use (if we were to roll out Surface to the staff like we've rolled out iPads), but for the odd user with a specific need that can't be met using RDP, it may be worth doing...

 

I'm still really impressed with it generally... Got a call from one of the heads yesterday asking how he prints from it and was quite impressed when I added his office printer and showed him how easy it was...

[PeterH]

Interesting thread. We are considering trialling RT devices with a small number of students for them to use at school and take home. Agree with what people have said about the Pro devices being more versatile, but they are likely to also be a lot more expensive. The RT devices are expensive enough as it is. As I see it there are several advantages to these RT devices:

 

• Office 2013 built in, no need to buy extra licenses
  
• Remote Desktop client built in, can therefore run other software if needed
  
• Can't install software except via the Windows app store - no worries about students installing unlicensed or other undesirable software
  
• No malware or viruses (yet) as it can't run x86 binaries
  
• Battery life much better than x86-based laptops or tablets