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Infinity or Samsung Note10.1? Help!

Amazon has accpeted to refund my Transformer Prime. Now I am wondering if I should replace it with the Infinity (in that case, I won't send my keyboard dock) or the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I have read about some issues that people were having with the infinity such as problems with the screen, hardware problems or lagginess even with Jelly Bean. I was wondering if these problems are generalized like the problem with the Prime or if they are isolated cases. Would you get an Infinity again if you could go back and choose?

Wendemixda said:
Amazon has accpeted to refund my Transformer Prime. Now I am wondering if I should replace it with the Infinity (in that case, I won't send my keyboard dock) or the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I have read about some issues that people were having with the infinity such as problems with the screen, hardware problems or lagginess even with Jelly Bean. I was wondering if these problems are generalized like the problem with the Prime or if they are isolated cases. Would you get an Infinity again if you could go back and choose?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
39 pages on this forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1662
44 pages on the Note forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1736

I would get a note 10.1 personally. The TF700 suffers from lag because it uses a slow nand chip. The note 10.1 uses a fast nand chip and there are no major flaws with it.
Would you rather have a higher resolution screen that lags & has quality control issues or a lower resolution screen that's fast?

Just got my tf700 after returning the prime a while back. Make your decision based on what you use the tablet for. I use the keyboard quite a bit and therefore would go with Asus. If you tinker/flash like me, Sammy is a good choice plus their stylus tech is pretty solid. (I own a Galaxy Nexus and an Infuse before that)
Barry is right, these threads often biased depending on the sub-forum. Google some reviews for both tabs and compare their features.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using XDA Premium HD app

The best way to decide (if possible) is to go to a store and play around with both of them.
The "slow Nand" issue is *way* overblown, in my opinion - most users would never even notice the problem. Honestly, the *only* time that I see any sort of lag or slowdown is when updating/installing apps, which can be done when the user decides (like when you don't need to do other things) - besides, how often are you actually install/updating apps while trying to do other things? Honestly, the issue is not nearly as bad as some would make you believe.
As another user already started, if you are going to do a lot of typing and want a FHD screen, the choice is rather obvious. If you actually have a real-world use for the S-Pen, then the Note 10.1 would be the obvious choice.
But again, do yourself a favor and go and try both devices for yourself - most of the stuff you read on these forums is very biased and most of these folks haven't even used both devices, so to get a true representation of the differences between both devices, you'll need to try then for yourself.
I will say this - since the JB upgrade, my TF700 absolutely flies - it is not "laggy" or slow at all - it runs *very* well. After a few small tweaks, even the stock browser is amazingly fast.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

You can use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with any of these devices. If you need a stand alone USB port on the TF700, ASUS makes one. I don't think the ASUS keyboard is reason to select the Infinity over something else.
I think the prime is very good hardware wise. I love the screen. This screen should be on every phone and laptop.
I think JB will be faster once someone gets all the bugs out and replaces some of the molasses with the butter they promised.
Here is a good review of the Infinity. AFAICT, the only thing it lags hardware wise is the iPad 3.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6036/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700t-review
I love my Infinity. I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Linuxguy1 said:
You can use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with any of these devices. If you need a stand alone USB port on the TF700, ASUS makes one. I don't think the ASUS keyboard is reason to select the Infinity over something else.
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True, but a bluetooth keyboard and/or the 30-pin->USB converter are nowhere *near* as convenient as the docking station. Plus, there is no extra battery that way, which is a huge benefit of the dock.
The keyboard dock is one of the features that really sets the Transformer series apart from other Android tablets - I think that it most certainly *is* a reason to chose the TF700 over something else.
I'm guessing that you don't have the dock?
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

jtrosky said:
True, but a bluetooth keyboard and/or the 30-pin->USB converter are nowhere *near* as convenient as the docking station. Plus, there is no extra battery that way, which is a huge benefit of the dock.
The keyboard dock is one of the features that really sets the Transformer series apart from other Android tablets - I think that it most certainly *is* a reason to chose the TF700 over something else.
I'm guessing that you don't have the dock?
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I agree with this ^^^^^
Linuxguy1 said:
You can use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with any of these devices. If you need a stand alone USB port on the TF700, ASUS makes one. I don't think the ASUS keyboard is reason to select the Infinity over something else.
I love my Infinity. I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
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Click to collapse
Keyboard dock with it's extra ports and added battery is a major thing. You can easily get a BT keyboard for your Note but it won't have the the Key features that sets the Asus Keyboard dock apart that the Transformer series is known for. It protects your screen as well

jtrosky said:
The keyboard dock is one of the features that really sets the Transformer series apart from other Android tablets - I think that it most certainly *is* a reason to chose the TF700 over something else.
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Quoted for truth.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I read the mobiletech comparison of the infinity and note 10.1, which was in my opinion an unbiased review of the two tablets. But even as she did the review, a problem appeared on the Infinity (line on the screen). My heart leans toward the infinity because I used the prime and I like all the benefits of the keyboard dock. I am just worried that some people are returning the infinity just like it was done with the prime. I know software issues can resolved with updates so my worries lie mostly with hardware issues.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

Wendemixda said:
Thanks to everyone for your input. I read the mobiletech comparison of the infinity and note 10.1, which was in my opinion an unbiased review of the two tablets. But even as she did the review, a problem appeared on the Infinity (line on the screen). My heart leans toward the infinity because I used the prime and I like all the benefits of the keyboard dock. I am just worried that some people are returning the infinity just like it was done with the prime. I know software issues can resolved with updates so my worries lie mostly with hardware issues.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Honestly you will more then likely get swayed to not get the Infinity due to a few having a bad experience/issues with the Infinity or those that simply just enjoy the attention/drama. It's easy to get caught up in there issues and make you second guess yourself. I for one after seeing these negetive posts lately had made me second guessing myself, even though I have yet to find issues with my Infinity.
Go out and try it! Decide for yourself. Sometimes we are forced to come out of hiding to defend this great device from too much repetitive negetive postings. Also the Infinity is now running Jelly Bean 4.1.1 from the ICS that Lisa from Mobiltech review comparison video. A lot has changed since then... and it's definately even better.

jjdevega said:
I agree with this ^^^^^
Keyboard dock with it's extra ports and added battery is a major thing. You can easily get a BT keyboard for your Note but it won't have the the Key features that sets the Asus Keyboard dock apart that the Transformer series is known for. It protects your screen as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These things have excellent battery life. I haven't seen any need for a larger battery and if I did, it charges through the USB port, which is very easy to set up and carry with me.
The reason I don't think the keyboard is necessary is because I don't use mine as a netbook. I have a netbook. My tablet is a tablet. I use it where a keyboard would be impractical, ie where I want a tablet.
I think these tablets are terrible netbooks. They don't multi task, their app selection is limited, JB is clunky, etc. Whenever I have work to do, I reach for my netbook.

Linuxguy1 said:
These things have excellent battery life. I haven't seen any need for a larger battery and if I did, it charges through the USB port, which is very easy to set up and carry with me.
The reason I don't think the keyboard is necessary is because I don't use mine as a netbook. I have a netbook. My tablet is a tablet. I use it where a keyboard would be impractical, ie where I want a tablet.
I think these tablets are terrible netbooks. They don't multi task, their app selection is limited, JB is clunky, etc. Whenever I have work to do, I reach for my netbook.
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Even if you dont use it as a netbook, you wouldnt want the extra battery life? That alone should warrant getting the dock. Just seems pointless to carry around a netbook and a tablet when you can just reduce it to one device....just saying
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T

I have both the infinity and note 10.1 along with a kindle fire with CM10. You will be happy with either the Asus or Samsung product. For everyday common web reading and ebook I gravitate to the 7" kindle over the larger 10.1" tablet. I do have the Asus keyboard dock and use it for testing apps.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using Tapatalk HD

I say...
...if you can wait for it.
Dump all the Android tablet stuff and go for the Windows Surface.
I'm no expert in the tablet or Android world, yet something says go WinRT8.
I've stuck by my Infinity thru bad and good and I'm happy, but sadly not elated.
The Android Infinity is slowly coming ashore, yet it's really not anything ground breaking.
Good!...just not fantastic yet.
I was going to screw myself with a second high performance (in relative terms) Android tab.
However for me I'm going to jump on the Surface bandwagon.
I know a Windows touch tablet will make me mad, yet I've been pissed at Windows
since 1995 so we might as well continue with the hate\love Microslop thing.
Hope the rumored price of the Surface is true.
$499.00 for a 32 gig is fair I believe.
Anyhoo...whatever your decision be a happy Android!

Thats OK said:
Hope the rumored price of the Surface is true.
$499.00 for a 32 gig is fair I believe.
Anyhoo...whatever your decision be a happy Android!
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Click to collapse
The $499 for tablet alone is accurate. http://surface.microsoftstore.com/s...age.Surface?ESICaching=off&WT.mc_id=FY13WinHH
I would say the same thing as Thats OK. Windows 8 RT tablet is coming so soon, you should wait and at least get the sense of what people think about the tablet.
I jumped on Infinity because I really needed FHD and did not like Apple. Among the announced Win 8 tablet, there is only one that has Full HD level of screen resolution, which is Samsung Ativ Smart Pro, which is not RT but full Windows 8 tablet so the price is like $1100 and battery life is merely 5 hours. After reading these specs, I basically found myself in a spot (sort of by process of elimination).
Eventually, if the rumored Nexus 10 or perhaps Windows 8 as it evolves and comes up with better model, I may simply jump to it. With the pace of tablet evolving, I am assuming within next six months, there will be a device that is superior to anything out there in every aspect.
For now, each company and device put their own emphasis thus no device is truly superior to others (in my opinion)
Galaxy Note 10.1 - 2GB memory provides great multitasking on android, and its stability and speed is the best. S-pen and S-note experience is the closest to the real paper and pen experience. However, no Full HD and HD screen is just HD. Never as good as FHD.
Infinity - The best full HD screen android tablet. Speed is compatible to Galaxy Note in most cases. Keyboard dock is really great as it can be essentially used as portable battery charger if nothing else. Stability is not quite as high especially after the JB update, (at least for me) I get random white screen freeze, which I am hoping to have it get fixed but until then definite minus point. But its multitasking capability is not as the level of Galaxy Note 10.1.
Windows 8 RT - Don't know how much restriction there. But multitasking should be superior to that of any android as its Windows based. However, it probably will take time for its application market to develop as RT is not compatible with regular windows apps. Also, there is no FHD option, and all announced devices I believe are heavier than android counter parts.
Windows 8 Tablet - Full blown windows 8 tablet has a great potential but so far just as my old $2000 windows tablet suffered, battery, weight will be not as portable. Even xoom on my hand were felt heavy for prolonged use. Price will also be much higher like x2. However, it is real windows so you can essentially do everything that PC does (obviously not running high graphic games).
New Ipad - Full HD, great stability. But just so restrictive and basically no multitasking.

The problem with W8 tablets is kind of a Goldilocks thing.
1) Will RT be enough with the ability to only run "Modern" apps?
2) Are Atom-powered devices too little to run full Windows; especially HD video and games with high frame rates with no discrete GPU?
3) Are Pro devices which are as expensive as ultra and notebooks too much?
Here's what RT devices can and can't do:
Windows RT contains many of the same features as Windows 8:
Fluid, intuitive, and easy-to-use interface design that you can easily customize.
Built in apps like Mail, Calendar, Messaging, Photos, and SkyDrive with many more apps available in the Windows Store.
Internet Explorer 10, for fast, intuitive browsing.
Touch-enabled so you can interact with Windows in a whole new way.
Mouse and keyboard–enabled so you can be as productive as you need to be.
Windows RT also includes some different features:
Windows Update and Windows Defender are always on and up to date making your PC more secure.
Device encryption provides advanced data protection to help keep your information secure.
The PC can turn on instantly with connected standby.
Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview is preinstalled.
Some features aren't included in Windows RT:
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Center
HomeGroup creation (you can join an existing HomeGroup but you can't create a new one)
Remote Desktop
Domain join
Although you can install apps directly from the Windows Store, you can't install apps on the desktop on Windows RT. Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview Edition comes preinstalled, which provides you with touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
You can only install printers, mice, keyboards, and other devices that are certified for Windows RT.​
The problem with full-W8 tablets is that when using native apps that aren't touch optimized you need steady hands and a magnifying glass to interact with them because of the display resolution.
W8 tablets could be the next big thing or they could be a fail. Until (non-media) people have them in their hands and start using them to do the things they'd do on an Android tablet or iPad it's too early to call. The HP TouchPad was easy to use and intuitive but died because of its limitations and poor app availibility. If MS Office was so important to non-business users Android tablets and iPads wouldn't be selling as well as they are. So for consumers, Office as the W8 tablet's stand-out feature might not be that big of a draw. To me, $499 for the base Surface RT is way too much for a product in a 1.0 state competing with more mature products (and eco-systems) like iOS and Android. I guess time will tell.

There is a lot to consider in this decision and depends on what you want to do with the tab. I have the prime, infinity and note. (Yes, I am a tablet horder. I'll admit that now, lol) I personally like the Note and find myself using it over the Asus brands. Everything just works on the Note. And works the way it suppose to. Heck, I can't even stream Youtube or .mkv audio over my Asus tabs without the audio getting out of sync. (via Bluetooth Headphones). That is because Asus used some cheaper components in their tabs. Cheaper AzureWave Wifi radios and Cheap io Nand. Yes, the TF700 can stream a little better than the prime, but after awhile they get out of sync and pisses me off. The major thing the TF700 has over the Note is the HD display. The HD display is nice. But, honestly half the time I can't even tell the difference between the Note and TF700. I actually prefer the colors of the Note's PLS display. Plus, its a hit or miss that you will get a HD display that wont suffer from some sort of light bleed. Performance. Well, performance goes back and forth. The Note outshined the TF700 for awhile. But since the TF700 got JB its now seems a little faster than my note. (That is without some major tweaking and rom modifications.) But the Note has the TF700 beat on multitasking. I can't wait to see what the JB update to the Note will do.
Go to the store check them out m8. If the HD is something that is the winning factor and you could care less about BT crap then go for TF700. Buy one. Take it home. Play with it for awhile. Go back trade it in and get other. Make a decision that way. Because its really hard to come on here and ask us. Each of us do different things with the our tabs. Some enjoy some features more than others. That is why the best bet is just go to a store that has a really good return policy. That way you can play around and see what you like more.

I keep hearing ppl saying to wait for winRt instead of getting an android or iPad, and am curious as to what winRT can do that can't be done on an Android or Apple tablet? It was my understanding that winRT would be limited to windows phone esque apps and you would have to get a windows 8/pro for the full experience. I was excited about the Surface when it was announced because i thought i could use all the programs that I'm used too from previous versions of Windows, but that version of the Surface isnt coming out untill later this year right?
I just don't see Windows RT succeeding at the current price point without the legacy support. $250-$300 would be more reasonable IMO.
OP I've seen videos of the Note 10.1 in action and its great, but so is the infinty when it works. If u can hold off until next year, I think Samsung will be releasing a very high res tablet with potentially exynos 5 series cores. I'd get a nexus 7/nook tablet/fire HD while u wait.

I'm running Fedora 17 on a Dell Duo for notebook purposes and it absolutely rocks. Its totally stable, no bugs, surfs great, fast, multi tasking, etc. Its an amazing combination for a netbook. The only thing it doesn't have a lot of is video power. Its definitely not a gamer in that regard.
The Duo came with Vista. SSSLLLLOOOOWWW. Touch a link and wait and wait and wait. It didn't even surf well. Its outright fast with Fedora and Fedora is improving with every release. Its way faster surfing with the Duo than the Infinity. Firefox works way better on the Duo than it does on the Infinity.
KDE 4.9 is a really nice desktop and tools like Libre Office or whatever its called are pretty nice these days. I chuckle to myself every time I realize I have the power of Linux in such a small device.
I got my Infinity to see what I was missing in Android land and to get a tablet that I can read in a car or outside. The Duo screen is almost invisible in anything near daylight.
I'm impressed by the Infinity hardware. The screen rocks, the GPS is good, etc. I am not impressed with Android itself. Its a poor, poor cousin to Linux, for example.
I wouldn't own another tablet without the IPS+ screen. ASUS should be releasing the 600 and 810 models later this month and the 600 might have an 11.6" IPS+ screen on it. It will be running WIndows 8. I'd get a 600 in a heartbeat and put Linux on it. I might do that anyway and retire my Duo. I'll keep my Infinity for around the house and in the car purposes. Its so convenient for browsing, which is about all I ever use it for, right now at least.
My wife has a Sony laptop with Win 7 on it. Her laptop before that had Vista. As far as Windows goes, are you kidding me ? I totally fail to see the attraction. And I pay about $100 for that crap every time I buy a device and install Linux on it.

[Q] Best laptop replacing tablets

Hi Everyone,
I wanted to gather people's thoughts on the best tablets currently out, or due out in the coming 3 months, that would be viable laptop replacing options.
I am currently in this situation, where I want to purchase a tablet and sell my Macbook 13". I travel a lot and a tablet would be very useful because of it's size, portability and the fact that my Macbook is from 2008, so an update is about due I think!
Currently I use my laptop for :
- Browsing the internet
- Occasional listening to music (Use my phone more though)
- Occasional word editing (however, not that often to be honest)
- Transferring photo's from my camera (Sony NEX-6), viewing photo's and occasionally doing minor editing of said photo's
So as you can see, my usage is fairly limited these days. A good screen is of importance to be because of the photo's, as well as watching movies whilst travelling.
Operating system is not a massive deal, I've used all three. I got bored of IOS after I had the iPhone 3GS for a while, then moved to Android (currently using). I've also played around with Windows 8. All have there own advantages and disadvantages.
I have to say, even though most things I say about Apple these days is negative (I feel they've stalled quite a bit in the past 2 years), the Ipad probably still has the best look and feel, but I'm not sure if I would grow bored again with it's tired and outdated looking operating system? I love the photo options and journal options though!
Android is more customisable, I still find new ways to keep myself entertained on my HTC Sensation, thanks to amazing developers, but would a tablet just be an enlarged phone for me then? Would this become unappealing?
Windows 8 looks lovely, it's a fresh faced interface, something new and shiny! It's great fun to play with, but the current Windows RT version is quite limited I'm not sure it's worth gamling on any of the current lineup of Windows Tablets, perhaps not until they get to there second generation at least.
So what would everyone top choice be for a laptop replacing tablet? Personally, I would want something within the same budget as the iPad 4 or less. But, would love to see opinions for any value!
Mike

I don't have experience with the Windows tablets, but the Transformer Infinity - TF700, is a great choice in the Android department. The keyboard dock allows for easy document-editing when you want it, but without being stuck with it.
The older versions of the Transformer line can still offer good performance - not sure what your budget is. You can use bluetooth keyboards with other tablets, and that's an idea, but the integration on the Transformer line is great. Since I built a desktop, I have largely stopped using my laptop and have replaced it with one of the Transformer tablets. With Flash and Drive and office software it does everything I needed my laptop for now that I have a desktop for the video games that require a bit of oomph (and I'm enjoying the gaming on the tablet as well - something I never really got into on my phone).
Not sure how your camera works for transferring photos, but the TF series docks have full-size USB ports and a full-size SD card reader (as well as the microSD slot in the tablet). I have hooked an external hard-drive up to it and all went well.

Pennycake said:
I don't have experience with the Windows tablets, but the Transformer Infinity - TF700, is a great choice in the Android department. The keyboard dock allows for easy document-editing when you want it, but without being stuck with it.
The older versions of the Transformer line can still offer good performance - not sure what your budget is. You can use bluetooth keyboards with other tablets, and that's an idea, but the integration on the Transformer line is great. Since I built a desktop, I have largely stopped using my laptop and have replaced it with one of the Transformer tablets. With Flash and Drive and office software it does everything I needed my laptop for now that I have a desktop for the video games that require a bit of oomph (and I'm enjoying the gaming on the tablet as well - something I never really got into on my phone).
Not sure how your camera works for transferring photos, but the TF series docks have full-size USB ports and a full-size SD card reader (as well as the microSD slot in the tablet). I have hooked an external hard-drive up to it and all went well.
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Click to collapse
I've done quite a bit of research on the TF700, I even came close to committing, however I've just read about too many issues with the I/O and internal memory performance that has put me right off. It seems to be a problem for almost every owner I've encountered. I love the look and style of the tablet, also the connectivity and battery are brilliant. But I want something with excellent performance and I think this is outdated already in that regard. The fact that you have to void your warranty to root it and then install a ROM to make it smooth is a worry.
I was hoping Asus came up with an update to it at CES, but it seems this won't be happening.

The TF700 and the Nexus 10 are the two I consistently hear people say are the best and the fastest right now. I'm not sure about the N10 as laptop replacement, it seems like for that or a tablet without a dock that you'd have to do so many work-arounds that you might look into an ultrabook instead. It would try my patience, but I suppose it's personal preference what you're willing to do and put up with.

I'd recommend you take a look at the Surface RT tablet. It is not anything like as limited as you might think and it would meet pretty much all your requirements. I have one and for most purposes I have stopped carrying a full-on laptop and just take the Surface.
There is also the Pro coming out this month - it would be over your budget but actually is a genuine laptop replacement. There was a review of it on the Verge yesterday.

Inadorel said:
I'd recommend you take a look at the Surface RT tablet. It is not anything like as limited as you might think and it would meet pretty much all your requirements. I have one and for most purposes I have stopped carrying a full-on laptop and just take the Surface.
There is also the Pro coming out this month - it would be over your budget but actually is a genuine laptop replacement. There was a review of it on the Verge yesterday.
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I wish I could have a play with one in a store... Hopefully soon. What is the screen like? This is an important aspect for me. It doesn't need to be as good as the Nexus 10 for example, but a HD screen would be a minimum I think for me.

Maybe the thinkpad tablet 2 could be a good choice for you. It has win8 pro, is beautifull and light. So no RT limits, no IOS boaringnes, real USB port, HDMI port and a good display.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

olarf said:
Maybe the thinkpad tablet 2 could be a good choice for you. It has win8 pro, is beautifull and light. So no RT limits, no IOS boaringnes, real USB port, HDMI port and a good display.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
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Looks quite nice. Concerned about the battery life being reported on most of the Windows tablets though? As i'll be travelling quite a bit, this could present an issue?

Hi guys, is the Lumia series of Nokia can be an option to replace a laptop computer?

Anyone else have any thoughts?

I recommend Nexus 10 is way to go especially when your priority is photos. Ipad could be the best choice, but if you want to enjoy quality with reasonable price, Nexus 10 won't disappoint you.

lkirra said:
Hi guys, is the Lumia series of Nokia can be an option to replace a laptop computer?
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No comment
Sent from my GT-S5360 using Tapatalk 2

Magnector said:
I recommend Nexus 10 is way to go especially when your priority is photos. Ipad could be the best choice, but if you want to enjoy quality with reasonable price, Nexus 10 won't disappoint you.
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This is probably my top choice right now, although I'm in the UK, so have to wait until they are back in stock to even consider it... I don't have to rush out and get something luckily, I can probably hold off until around May / June before I will have to buy. So it might be worth me waiting as there are bound to be some new releases by then. Hopefully a few Tegra 4 devices start showing themselves by then.

Mikeparakh said:
Looks quite nice. Concerned about the battery life being reported on most of the Windows tablets though? As i'll be travelling quite a bit, this could present an issue?
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So far all tests talking about 10 hours of serious use. I get one tomorrow so soon i can tell you if 10h is a fact.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

olarf said:
So far all tests talking about 10 hours of serious use. I get one tomorrow so soon i can tell you if 10h is a fact.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
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I'd really appreciate that, thanks! Is it the Surface RT you've bought?

No the thinkpad tablet2 with win8 pro. So far it is great but still loading so i have no idea about Akku durance. Soon i have
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

I have a Surface RT, and it gets the job done pretty well. I know some people still complain about a "lack of apps" on the Windows RT platform, but it hasn't been an issue for me - IE10 as a browser and Office (just Word, PPT, Excel, and OneNote, of course) comprise most of my use.
I get between 7.5 and 9 hours of battery life out of the device, depending on what I'm doing. On average, it'll get me through about a day and a half of classes - that's three hours each day, plus about 1.5 hours of additional use outside of that on each day (until the battery runs out after usually 8 or so hours). It charges really fast, though - I don't often have to charge it for much more than an hour to nearly fill the battery. A full recharge from a dead batter will probably take you 2 hours, though.
About the only thing I miss on it is the ability to run some programming interfaces (Python, Java, etc.), but with that fancy new jailbreak tool this may be changing - they've already ported most of Python 2.7, for example. I'd heartily recommend the Surface, given both its advantages and shortcomings.

MacBook replacement?
Mikeparakh said:
I'd really appreciate that, thanks! Is it the Surface RT you've bought?
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Click to collapse
Have you purchased a replacement for the MacBook? Would love to get your thoughts.

Best computing options for general use
Mikeparakh said:
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to gather people's thoughts on the best tablets currently out, or due out in the coming 3 months, that would be viable laptop replacing options.
I am currently in this situation, where I want to purchase a tablet and sell my Macbook 13". I travel a lot and a tablet would be very useful because of it's size, portability and the fact that my Macbook is from 2008, so an update is about due I think!
Currently I use my laptop for :
- Browsing the internet
- Occasional listening to music (Use my phone more though)
- Occasional word editing (however, not that often to be honest)
- Transferring photo's from my camera (Sony NEX-6), viewing photo's and occasionally doing minor editing of said photo's
So as you can see, my usage is fairly limited these days. A good screen is of importance to be because of the photo's, as well as watching movies whilst travelling.
Operating system is not a massive deal, I've used all three. I got bored of IOS after I had the iPhone 3GS for a while, then moved to Android (currently using). I've also played around with Windows 8. All have there own advantages and disadvantages.
I have to say, even though most things I say about Apple these days is negative (I feel they've stalled quite a bit in the past 2 years), the Ipad probably still has the best look and feel, but I'm not sure if I would grow bored again with it's tired and outdated looking operating system? I love the photo options and journal options though!
Android is more customisable, I still find new ways to keep myself entertained on my HTC Sensation, thanks to amazing developers, but would a tablet just be an enlarged phone for me then? Would this become unappealing?
Windows 8 looks lovely, it's a fresh faced interface, something new and shiny! It's great fun to play with, but the current Windows RT version is quite limited I'm not sure it's worth gamling on any of the current lineup of Windows Tablets, perhaps not until they get to there second generation at least.
So what would everyone top choice be for a laptop replacing tablet? Personally, I would want something within the same budget as the iPad 4 or less. But, would love to see opinions for any value!
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For general use like web surfing , email, youtube and netflix watching with a little gaming to pass the time away I would say a tablet ( your choice ) . If its for all that plus working in office regularly along with photo editing and such I would say a laptop . You can get them from basic like an i5 or i7 or even a Celeron or pentium based ones to almost as powerful as a desktop ( Razer , Alienware , MSI, are all gaming laptops and workstations like thinkpads and such and are very powerful ) If you will be doing anything harder like working in CAD or developing or 4k video editing and exporting although many laptops can do these you would be better suited using a desktop , (the CPU , ram , mother board components will be more robust and able to keep cool longer under load than in a laptop). Tablets like the iPad or android tablets are great to pass the time away , are capable to play games or watch videos on and for many people is all the computer they need . I only used my iPad for 3 years ( before that I ran several windows pcs , 4 Macs, and a linux desktop running all the programs I used in my computer repair business ) until I got my MacBook but honestly with what I do on the laptop now the iPad did just as well . I am retired now so my time on the laptop is nothing like what I had done for many years before ( since 1994).

Galaxy note 10.1 or Asus Vivotab Smart

They are different operating systems i know and cant be compared. but I'm hesitant for any of these tablets. I love android and this would be my third tablet (actually only keep one, earlier donated it to my family). But my problem is android tablet-specific applications, many of which are stretched versions of the phone or simply lack of design. Applications for Windows 8 RT are few but all are focused on tablet but there are 50% decent that look great and really tablet friendly. Android for me was the customization and power to get ROMS but lately I see that IOS or Windows already have apps that do the same, maybe not at the same level but they do. And customization is getting really stall because every os is adding stuff that ROMs have. I know that many reviewers wont recommend Windows RT but the vivotab comes with windows 8 +RT and cost the same as the galaxy note 10.1 also it has 5 touch point and the s-pen ( i think every windows tablet comes with the s-pen) . I just want to know if anyone with the note 10.1 like the windows 8 tablet or find it more productive . Im not starting a fight about OS but i want to know how people feel about both tablets for work related aplication.Sorry about my english feel free to correct me. thank you

I start by saying that this is just me and my opinion only obviously. Windows is for "windows people" which is to say they want to turn it on,have it work and fancy it up with the options Windows gives them. It can only be customized so far. Now that's not to say it's less productive by any means. I've checked out their foray into tablets and it only reminds me of everything else they do, which I don't like. I stopped using Windows as a main OS long ago. If I do use it, it's a VB and even that is extremely limited.
As far as a comparison goes, most tablets are useful for your basic needs and even limited professional needs. I just happen to prefer open source stuff.
I hate Samsung phones, hate them. I actually debated for a long time before I bought this tablet because of my "Samsung bias" and almost went with a Windows unit. In the end I felt this tablet suited my needs more and was more "me" if that Mae's any sense.
The best advice I can give is test them both out and then test them again, and then again. I did and I don't regret my purchase for one second. Maybe this helps you,maybe not but either way best of luck with your decision.

insanecrane said:
The best advice I can give is test them both out and then test them again, and then again. I did and I don't regret my purchase for one second. Maybe this helps you,maybe not but either way best of luck with your decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love android tablet too and agree that maybe tablets will not replace a desktop PC for productivity, but i find myself in time to upgrade
i bought the motorola xoom on day one and it was 7 months of hell using honeycomb (im sure windows RT users will know that by now but im more interested in a windows 8 tablet which is the vivotab smart and apps that work for windows 8 will work here.
im not trying in anyway to change peoples mind about galaxy note 10.1 but i would like to hear someone who have touched a windows 8 tab and tell me if its a good buy or will it not replace android any day. I have not seen any windows 8 review that is honest and not try to compare android/IOS/windows

First and foremost, you are right. Windows RT and Android are different.
Also, both form factors are different as well.
I usually recommend the Note 10.1 over its performance and S-Pen, but only for people who would actually use it. If you take lots of notes, or need to make a quick sketch, or if you are a student, even if you work woth a lot of papers and you need an all-in-one productivity tool, note taking board and Internet device, with all the extras that a powerful configuration has to offer, the Note 10.1 is the one to go for.
If what you need is a fast, Internet surfing machine, basic stuff like searching e-mail, social feeds, playing a game or two and use all that in a simple, modern, clean interface, go for the Vivotab. You also get Office suite, which is good for some in some cases.
I have used a Note 10.1 and a Samsung ATIV SmartPC Pro, and I must say, even though both tablets have S-Pen, (and God that Ativ hybrid is gorgeous), I still prefer the Note. It's up to you and your personal choice. I bought the Note anyways because it was that "finally-device" for my first true Android tablet. Even if some reviews were messed up (drunk reviewers? Jokes).
At the end of the day, I always knew I wanted this tablet as soon as it was announced. It's great for me as a student and as a worker as well. It's a great, efficient and powerful companion that never lets me down. But if you prefer keyboard+simple usage+office, go for the vivotab.
Sent from my GT-N8000 using Tapatalk HD

I love windows. I'm a windows guy. I can take apart, put together, overclock, underclock, bypass, or anything on earth I want to do with any windows based machine. That said windows RT is not my favorite. Surface with windows pro will be out soon so if your going windows on a tablet id wait for that one. Full pc capabilities. Your not gonna be flash restricted in a year and then there's silverlight as well.
BUT, on a tablet you may also want to consider windows tablets have much less battery life, are ram restrictive, in the growing stage so apps are limited, weigh a lot more, are not as community supported as android, the new one's scheduled for release this year with full windows are running i5 which is awesome but comes at a price. Noise. Lots of noise. Those cpu get hot so must be fan cooled, noise noise noise. Android? Blessed silence. Heat. Anyone whos ever held a laptop knows about the hot spots. If you have a fan there will be a hot spot and the back is likely to get warm as well.
Overall, though im admittedly a windows lover, I choose android on a tablet. And I wont speak about apple as I hate their business model with a purple passion.

Well, i am an Android guy, but thats about phones. On a tablet, I think Asus Vivotab Smart is a good choice. Mine will be shipped tomorrow. It is a Cloverfield tablet, so it runs full blown W8. Apps are no problem here. Battery life is ok due to the low power 2760 cpu, which outperforms tegra 3 and Kraits. And it is affordable. I got mine for less than 500 Euro. So it might worth take a look.

jerses said:
They are different operating systems i know and cant be compared. but I'm hesitant for any of these tablets. I love android and this would be my third tablet (actually only keep one, earlier donated it to my family). But my problem is android tablet-specific applications, many of which are stretched versions of the phone or simply lack of design. Applications for Windows 8 RT are few but all are focused on tablet but there are 50% decent that look great and really tablet friendly. Android for me was the customization and power to get ROMS but lately I see that IOS or Windows already have apps that do the same, maybe not at the same level but they do. And customization is getting really stall because every os is adding stuff that ROMs have. I know that many reviewers wont recommend Windows RT but the vivotab comes with windows 8 +RT and cost the same as the galaxy note 10.1 also it has 5 touch point and the s-pen ( i think every windows tablet comes with the s-pen) . I just want to know if anyone with the note 10.1 like the windows 8 tablet or find it more productive . Im not starting a fight about OS but i want to know how people feel about both tablets for work related aplication.Sorry about my english feel free to correct me. thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Jerses,
I've had the Asus VivoTab Smart for about a week now, and so far it's been great. I've loaded Office 2010 Pro onto the device and haven't noticed any lag in load times etc. Having a full version of Word, Excel and OneNote are a must for me, and this tablet fits the bill nicely (it's also the cheapest over here in NZ). I did think I'd need Outlook as well, but I'm finding the built in Mail app works fine - it's nice and fast for reading email on the go, displays HTML email fine, and needs nearly all my needs. I do refer to Outlook for some of the heavy lifting (scheduling meetings etc).
I mainly use for work, so haven't used video or music much.
this table doesn't have a stylus (as noted before) - but you can use one of those 'generic' stylus (like the ones for the iPad) which work fine. I personally think Windows tablet developers are missing a trick here, the Windows handwriting recoginition is out of this world - it reads my scrawl better than I do.
Overall, for an easy to use, not much customisation needed, tablet - I'd highly reccomend this one.
KD.

I leaned a lot for the Galaxy Note stylus 10.01 but there are not many applications for android that support this pen ... I imagine that in the future things may change but by then it will be time to update my tablet back.
I did some research on the stylus you say and there are very good choices, from typical sausage tip, a fine-point stylus (Adonith jot) to one that emulates an S-PEN, same functions to nullify the palm (jot Touch) and pressure sensitive. The latter is ipad but no doubt that technology pass android or windows 8.
I feel bad for leaving behind android, I actually really like the OS but I feel still very green to the world of tablets and that some apps feel more like they where made for a 7" tablet. Also im kind of scared of this seen how bad apps (Phone/Tablet) look on the nexus 10... i think that proves that having one app fits all is not going to work in near future.
So I think I opt for the smart vivotab think android will live in me .... maybe as BlueStacks or dualboot lol

I really prefer android over apple for both phones and tablets (own apple and android in both). I can't speak intelligently about windows 8. I can say this as a first time android Note 10.1 tablet owner - I bought 2 of these for my 6th & 4th grade kids since they wanted apps (games mostly) and I wanted them to be able to do their homework for school (light use of "word and excel"). Overall the notes are a great single quiver solution and we are all extremely happy with them. But, I have to say if my kids were in High school or college I think the challenges we have in some instances with printing and converting polaris office files to word and excel I would absolutely take a hard look at a Windows pro tablet or even laptop. Maybe it isn't fair since we've only had our Notes for 4 weeks but printing anything not portrait is a chore and coming from a strong Word and Excel background leaves me wishing Polaris Office had a lot more capability.

i'd actually love to get a win 8 tab (not rt). no rooting, no waiting on updates from mfg's and running any windows program. what i do hate is the 16:9 screen ratio. it's just too elongated for me.

I was really keen on getting a Surface, but in the end I decided on the Note. It actually came down to one main point, I can't type on the Surface in portrait mode. I loved the integrated keyboard and cover of the Surface and lamented that something similar wasn't available for the Note. I bought a BT keyboard with a stand so I can have the Note in either landscape or portrait depending on my needs, as soon as I can find one that integrates with the Note as a cover I will buy that.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD

Just for some clarification, the VivoTab Smart seems to run full Windows 8, not RT (it has an Intel Atom (x86) processor). Won't be nearly as locked down as RT, and might be decent if you rely on some Windows apps.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=38329609&postcount=11

Don't forget you can run android on x86 machine. You can dual boot android and windows 8 on the asus vivatab smart.
Nothing beat having a standard keyboard on the screen with all the copy/paste ctrl alt characters and shortcut up/down/left/right buttons etc you have on a standard windows. windows 8 has everything you need for a tablet and more more more more. the asus at 499$ worth any peny believe me. maj-left or right to select ... the end of the tablet copy/paste nightmare on phones and tablets.

I'm in the market for a new tablet as well. I have a Motorola Xoom and while it served it's purpose, it didn't quite cut it as a tablet for me. Why? Well first of all, the performance just isn't very good. I've installed several roms on it and it just gets very laggy and unresponsive after a while. The second thing is the weight. I can't comfortably use it as an e-book reader in bed, which is a big want for me.
I went to Best Buy and played around with a few tablets and was really impressed by the Asus Vivo Tab. It was light, very responsive, and after watching a few HD videos on it and playing with it a while, it never got warm. My bit drawbacks for it are first and foremost, it's running Windows 8, which is good and bad. The good is that it'll run native x86 apps, the bad is that it's Windows 8. Will I need to instal Antivirus on it? Can I anticipate BSOD? Not that you can't get lock ups on Android, I've had plenty on my Xoom. Finally, I've read it's useless for all but the most basic gaming (think Angry Birds). I don't game on my tablet at all but my son does.. but then again, he has my old iphone to game on so gaming's not a big deal.
I'm wondering how Bluestacks runs on it though. Anyone tried running Bluestacks on one of these?

Help me decide which tablet
Hi guys
Please help me to decide which tablet to buy. I have been looking at both the Asus VivoTab and the Samsung Galaxy Note. I am not at all tech savvy so must of what you talk about goes right over my head. I want a tablet to take overseas with me. I want to watch movies, surf the net, catch up on my emails, read a book and play the occasional game.
Just give me a really quick idea of which one will suit my needs.
Thanks

They both suit your needs, you only have to ask yourself if you prefer to work with pen or keyboard.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk HD

Kumabjorn said:
They both suit your needs, you only have to ask yourself if you prefer to work with pen or keyboard.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that really the only diference? I have been going mad looking at all the specs etc.. Is one easier to use than the other? All help gratefully accepted.
Thanks

Other differences won't really make a dent in your intended usage. Ease of use will be more important than any technical discrepancies.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD

Kumabjorn said:
Other differences won't really make a dent in your intended usage. Ease of use will be more important than any technical discrepancies.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My husband and I went out this morning to have a good look at both units and at this stage I am pretty sure that we are going to go with the Samsung.
Thanks for all the input.

Buying advice: Surface RT

Hi,
I'm in the market for a new tablet and I am thinking to buy a Microsoft Surface RT (the 1st gen). My biggest concern regarding this tablet is the problem with the lag that I've heard people complaining about. I've tried to find if this problem has been fixed with the update to Windows RT 8.1, but without much success. Do you guys have any feedback?
My budget is around 300 euros and I've been looking at Surface tablets and the Google Nexus 10, which is currently on discount. I think I would like the Surface more, but the potential issues with the lag have made me reconsider a bit.
What I plan to use the tablet for:
- Web browsing
- Reading
- Movies (is the surface able to handle 1080p? i might connect it to a tv)
- Some light document editing (this is where the Surface would be really handy)
I'm not interested too much in the app ecosystem (Android vs MS Store), so I wouldn't see that as a disadvantage when compared to the Nexus.
Thanks!
PS: Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place.

dark_master said:
Hi,
I'm in the market for a new tablet and I am thinking to buy a Microsoft Surface RT (the 1st gen). My biggest concern regarding this tablet is the problem with the lag that I've heard people complaining about. I've tried to find if this problem has been fixed with the update to Windows RT 8.1, but without much success. Do you guys have any feedback?
My budget is around 300 euros and I've been looking at Surface tablets and the Google Nexus 10, which is currently on discount. I think I would like the Surface more, but the potential issues with the lag have made me reconsider a bit.
What I plan to use the tablet for:
- Web browsing
- Reading
- Movies (is the surface able to handle 1080p? i might connect it to a tv)
- Some light document editing (this is where the Surface would be really handy)
I'm not interested too much in the app ecosystem (Android vs MS Store), so I wouldn't see that as a disadvantage when compared to the Nexus.
Thanks!
PS: Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try and save up to buy the Pro 2 Version because you will get let down buy the RT 2, it is sooooo limited
You will fall in love with it but be disappointed, like a beautiful woman who can only cook one sort of food.. Lamb and Smash are a while you will want the full meal..
I love the Surface but hate the way I got robbed by their MS Surface RT 2.
I want more..

dark_master said:
Hi,
What I plan to use the tablet for:
- Web browsing
- Reading
- Movies (is the surface able to handle 1080p? i might connect it to a tv)
- Some light document editing (this is where the Surface would be really handy)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The RT will be more than able to handle this work, and then some. IE 10 (or IE 11 with Windows 8.1) are nicely-capable and standards-compliant browsers. The only lag that I ever notice here is when I visit a web site that is thick with awful Flash crap (usually ads). I found that this problem was significantly reduced after I turned on ad blocking as described in the Tricks and Tips thread.
As far as reading goes, there is a Kindle app that works nicely for any Kindle books that you own. The built-in Reader app will give you access to document formats like PDF; although, for my money it is limited. The App Store has some more capable alternatives. I find that I really enjoy using the Surface in Portrait mode for reading, as I can see a lot of text at one time.
Movies-wise, there is an excellent Netflix app and Hulu Plus. If you are wanting to watch DVD rips, you'll find that the built-in video app does have a frustratingly-limited selection of formats that it supports. If this is a major concern for you, take some of the media that you want to play on a microSD card to a store that sells RTs and try them out first.
The Surface comes with Office 2013 Home and Student edition, so that will take care of your Word, Excel, PowerPoint editing needs. There are also several free apps that provide excellent choices for general text-editing.

I have a Surface RT, I also have a Surface Pro, the Surface Pro has replaced my Desktop, but I still use my RT for many things and for your money you cannot go wrong, I have/had a Samsung 10.1 tablet, the wife has it now, I just could not go back to it after I got the RT, go for it, you will not be sorry, lag ?, what lag.

I have a Surface RT 32GB which I bought for £160. This thing has replaced my Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 ed. and feels much faster. It feels faster than my old Asus Transformer which used the same chipset. I use this more than my laptop which is I5 with 4GB RAM (HP Envy Spectre). But it won't replace my desktop. So yeah there is no lag. And all the apps you ever need are all on the Windows store like VLC and so on. Definitely a good purchase would recommend. Mine is 32GB (14GB User Available) so would recommend a 64 as I have to use a USB for my movies
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Thanks for your replies. If you google surface reviews, in many many of them you see people complaining that the tablet is sluggish. In addition, I've seen videos of 1080p movies having quite a bit of lag, which is why I was concerned.
Would it be better to try and get a Surface 2? From my point of view it doesn't make sense since you get almost the same experience. It's still Windows RT, you just get better performance and a better screen. I'm not sure that's worth an extra 150-200 euros. I'm not really interested in the Surface pro because it's too expensive. The 1st gen might be cheaper, but the battery life is quite bad and I don't want to carry around a charger all the time.
For those of you who upgraded from RT 8 to RT 8.1, was it a noticeable improvement in terms of performance?

dark_master said:
Thanks for your replies. If you google surface reviews, in many many of them you see people complaining that the tablet is sluggish. In addition, I've seen videos of 1080p movies having quite a bit of lag, which is why I was concerned.
Would it be better to try and get a Surface 2? From my point of view it doesn't make sense since you get almost the same experience. It's still Windows RT, you just get better performance and a better screen. I'm not sure that's worth an extra 150-200 euros. I'm not really interested in the Surface pro because it's too expensive. The 1st gen might be cheaper, but the battery life is quite bad and I don't want to carry around a charger all the time.
For those of you who upgraded from RT 8 to RT 8.1, was it a noticeable improvement in terms of performance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The list of improvements with the 8.1 update that I have noticed in my surface rt
1. better performance and frame rate in the modern UI
2. Easier navigation for the modern UI
3. New apps became compatible
4. Office feels more fluid
5. Bugs with WiFi performance has gone
6. Better battery life about 8–9 hrs
7. Faster start up
8. Windows store delay bug vanished .
The only con is that no jail break yet for 8
After i got my surface rt, my laptop is collecting dust , along with my android tablets
I'm a teacher and I use office heavily... this thing is enough' for me , and I have the piece of mind I was missing with conventional windows , regarding malware and such...

dark_master said:
Thanks for your replies. If you google surface reviews, in many many of them you see people complaining that the tablet is sluggish. In addition, I've seen videos of 1080p movies having quite a bit of lag, which is why I was concerned.
Would it be better to try and get a Surface 2? From my point of view it doesn't make sense since you get almost the same experience. It's still Windows RT, you just get better performance and a better screen. I'm not sure that's worth an extra 150-200 euros. I'm not really interested in the Surface pro because it's too expensive. The 1st gen might be cheaper, but the battery life is quite bad and I don't want to carry around a charger all the time.
For those of you who upgraded from RT 8 to RT 8.1, was it a noticeable improvement in terms of performance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well firstly Surface RT isn't 1080 so that could be the problem. I am watching 720p videos and it plays them perfectly. No stutter at all.
The battery life is amazing on this. I'm an Android fanboy so I'd love to slate Microsoft but the battery life on this is very good, lasts for ages. I charge it once every two days, because after one day usage it still has juice and I'm watching movies, heavy internet browsing and so on
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

bottom line
Buying advice ..bottom line
Don't believe reviews on the net .. this tablet is good
Surface 2 has the advantages in gaming and dual position kick stand ,, as a teacher I don't care about that
Touch cover is terrific
First gen surface rt became stable and good for the money just go for it ...
Who told you that battery life is bad ,, or there is lag ? This is not true man .. just to be on the safe side ,, do a complete reset in the recovery before updating to the new 81 ..and it will take time maybe full day

Go for it : Microsoft Surface RT
Don’t worry just go for the tablet, my friend bought it and he told me that it has a
USB ports and also expandable memory and believe me I have never seen him charging it as it has a long battery life. He says that it provides the best of reading and typing experience to its user. It is very light and one the MOST POPULAR iOS and android app in the market. Hope so it helped.

As said the RT is only 720p but it is fine for looking at movies but the Surface 2 has a better screen but just don't believe what people say about the lag on it. You can make it a fantastic piece of kit with just a few adjustments which I found on here and other sites.
The Surface 2 can take advantage of the same adjustments which makes it even faster again.
I had a Nexus 7 (2013) and the RT is faster than that ever was plus I don't have the Google [email protected] and the battery for me lasts between 10 and 13 hours.

Pros:
Metal casing makes it feel premium and durable.
The screen is bright and the colors are vivid even with auto brightness turned on.
Unlike most of the tablets it has a full usb 2.0 port so you don`t need an otg cable.
If you get a (touch) cover you will not need a tablet case.
Kickstand.
Charger does not rely on usb. That means faster charging and longer charger cable.
Cons:
Its heavy because of the metal casing.
The cameras are pure garbage for taking photos. However they are super fine for skype and 720p(and 800p) videos.
The touch cover sometimes misses keystrokes(maybe I need to push it harder?).
The SoC is old (from 2012) so some apps and future updates might not run super smooth.
If you are interested in running anything else other than windows Secure Boot will say nope.
The Surface runs on windows RT which means no desktop applications (not because you are not able to, because microsoft said nope, see windows RT jailbreak) except for ms office, basic windows utilities (minus media player) and IE.However you can get all the apps from the Windows Store (well not all just the arm compatible ones, see VLC). It has reached a hundred thousand apps, some of them are very useful.
Windows RT is certainly closer to a real operating system than iOS or Android. Windows Explorer is an excellent file manager and IE is a desktop browser, so you will always get the full featured website (and not the mobile optimized one).It also has full Flash support out of the box!
Unless you only run ms office and browse the web with your desktop/main computer surface rt will NOT replace your desktop. Even jailbroken will still run very few (though useful) desktop applications.
Windows RT IS Windows but microsoft decided they needed to have absolute control over what is running on it. If they had it open I am sure many applications would have been ported on arm (just as many did on 64bit, its just a matter of compilation). That lockdown is the reason windows on arm never really succeeded(and why the 600 dollar surface came down to 150 with the touch cover...). WinRT(Windows RunTime not the os) is very limited and runs on a sandbox so dont expect any functionality near the one of the classic windows applications (or some android ones) on Windows Store Apps.
Overall I would recommend Asus T100A or some of the Bay Trail tablets that will run everything your laptop or desktop does and have better performance compared to Tegra 3( its equal to Tegra 4 or Snapdragon 800). However you will get worse battery life compared to the arm processors(6-8 hrs atom vs 10-12hrs on arm) and sometimes worse build quality for the same price.
If you are happy with what you can do with ms office and IE on the windows desktop then go for it. Its an excellent tablet with a keyboard on a good price.
If you want to run some of the popular windows tools (Visual Studio, Notepad ++, Sublime Text, 7 Zip, Vlc, Chrome etc...) then you need a bay trail tab.
Personally I thought I could work with Surface RT but after a week of using it on 8.1 I downgraded on RT to get the jailbreak. I use it a lot more than my android tab( nexus 7), but still after a month of usage I feel it is awfully limited.

It seems that you guys have convinced me to go for the surface. There was a good deal this weekend for the Nexus 10, but decided that it's better to get what i like .
Anyway, would it be better to get a new surface rt or a second hand surface 2? I've found a guy who has one for sale with 3 month warranty on it (about 9 months old), but he does not have the receipt. Do you know if you need it in case of any issues?

You can take it to a MS store for service no problem. If you don't have one nearby though... not sure. I *think* they won't care (use the serial number to track it, maybe?) but I can't swear it.

[Q] Surface 2 worth to buy now?

A little disappointed not seeing a new surface with Tegra K1 or mini sized model.
That's why I am thinking to buy Surface 2. I want a tablet with the full functioned Office and I can check and edit documents easily outside. Is it still worth to buy a Windows RT tablets right now? Do you guys think Microsoft is still developing Windows RT?
Can someone who have Surface 2 share you experiences? :fingers-crossed:

My honest opinion, not worth it. I honestly don't think RT is around to stay and some of the atom tablets manage to get to similar enough price points yet run full windows 8.1.

SixSixSevenSeven said:
My honest opinion, not worth it. I honestly don't think RT is around to stay and some of the atom tablets manage to get to similar enough price points yet run full windows 8.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what i think too. I really hope Microsoft would bring out a surface-liked, atom equipped, 10.1 inch Windows 8.1 tablet in the future

I have a Surface RT, I mostly use it for watching episodes of shows, school work, and emails. For basic usage it's fine with 8.1 RT, M$ still does windows updates to fix whatever.
The surface 2 Pro & SP3 both have the same i5 Haswell that's about 1yr old now. I honestly don't see why the SP3 didn't wait for Broadwell...
Transmitted From Burning Gundam

For me, the lack of a published jailbreak for RT 8.1 would be a deal-breaker on the Surface 2. Hopefully that will change as I believe a jailbreak is still in the works, but I wouldn't bet on it anymore when x86 devices are at or near the same price point. If you don't care about running desktop software other than office, and find a really good deal on a Surface 2, then it might still be worth it. I really like the Surface hardware and form factor, just Windows RT is somewhat disappointing out of the box. I've had my Surface RT and type cover for a bit over a year now and it is a really useful device.

I have a Surface 2 for about 7 months now and I still love it! Love it much more than any Android or iPad tablet. It's very good in terms of performance and the kickstand is just amazing! I love the 16:9 form factor because I always use my tablet in landscape (On a table or most of the time on my chest when I am in bed ) Internet Explorer 11 is amazing, much better than Chrome or Safari are except for one annoying bug that is when I try to go back to a page it takes almost forever to load it again! (Microsoft if you are reading this, please fix this bug, it's very very annoying). I love watching movies in there as well and the design is fantastic! But yours movies will have to be mp4 as there aren't AFAIK any good free mkv players (VLC team if you are reading this, we are still waiting for VLC in ARM!!! Please do it!!!)
Battery life is not very good when you use it for web browsing (about 6, 6.5 hours) but for watching movies it's very good! If you want for Office though, keep in mind that the Office RT version doesn't have VBA...
I love the virtual keyboard, it's really really responsive, never failed me...
And there is a USB socket where I can plug my pen drive with my movies and it's really a very good thing to have and you'll never have that in a iPad.
The cameras are ok, not the best but also not the worst. The front is good enough for skype calls.
The audio could be a little better though with speakers on front instead of sides, maybe for surface 3.
And another thing, there are still missing a lot of apps in the store. And the charger is a little tricky to get it plugged in.
I think Microsoft might have a killer tablet Windows RT tablet if they have:
- Have the speakers on the front
- Have a better GPU (Tegra K1 )
- Have a little bit more bright in the screen and a 12 inch screen like Surface 3
- Improve the battery life for web browsing
- Fix the increasingly annoying bug in the Internet Explorer 11 back button.
The dream is to get a Surface Pro 3 with all this. I believe what's really missing in Surface Pro 3 right now is a really powerful GPU to play games. When Microsoft makes that, then the game is over for every other tablet!! Imagine able to play Watch Dogs at a decent framerate/quality everywhere!! Just plug in a mouse, a keyboard or maybe a 360 controller and you are done.

I'm set to get the Surface 2 in a few weeks coming from Japan, as Microsoft have rare distributors around, with my region having only one who overprice by over $200 to $300 for the Surface Pro series. They absolutely don't carry the Surface 2.
The Surface Pro are really expensive, and I have a powerful but heavy Alienware laptop to do heavier loads for 3D rendering when I need to. So, the Surface 2 comes to mind for my masters thesis writing needs with a great keyboard cover and lighter to carry around.
I'm a heavy Galaxy Note user, was really tempted to get the Note 10.1, or the 12.2. My decision for choosing the Surface 2 instead were:
1. That wonderful built-in kickstand. I don't like leather covers.
2. Fantastic Type Cover 2 for my fast typing and with backlighting.
3. 200GB of OneDrive for 2 freaking years!
4. Full Office.
5. Snappy OS, with practically no viruses I've heard of.
6. Half the price compared to the Pro series, and I'm getting the 64GB version, all within $700 with the Type Cover 2.
7. Full connectivity with USB 3.0, Wifi, Bluetooth, miracasting, and HDMI for extended screen at home.
8. A promising RT future - I know people doubt RT is ever getting the pickup it truly deserves and the news that MS is going to merge RT and WinPhone into one is something. I do not need Instagram, or any of those games most are playing. I mean to see this as my writing and reading tool.
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