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Hey guys, I've been looking up on the surface and it's perfect for me. I've never liked tablets because of the keyboard issue so this is great for me.
as I've never had a tablet or anything like this before so my question may be stupid but can I download programs and use them or is it just like apps and stuff? I mean if it was a normal computer but just so thin and compact it would be great and i think that's why I'm mistaking this to be.
I thought as it's a windows 8 tablet that programs on PC that were coded for windows 8 PC would work on the surface?
UrbanDesigns said:
Hey guys, I've been looking up on the surface and it's perfect for me. I've never liked tablets because of the keyboard issue so this is great for me.
as I've never had a tablet or anything like this before so my question may be stupid but can I download programs and use them or is it just like apps and stuff? I mean if it was a normal computer but just so thin and compact it would be great and i think that's why I'm mistaking this to be.
I thought as it's a windows 8 tablet that programs on PC that were coded for windows 8 PC would work on the surface?
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Click to collapse
You are right and wrong.
surface by microsoft is of two types.
-surface rt
-surface pro.
surface rt is powered by nvidia arm tegra 3 processor. this will allow it to ONLY run windows app created for ARM processor. so with this you will only be able to use apps downloaded from windows store(previously known as metro apps). this tab will be lighter, cheaper and is already available on microsoft stores.
surface pro on the other hand is powere by intel sandy bridge processors built on x86 architecture. this means it has the same architecture as old windows machines and will run older programmes made for windows 7, vista etc. also it will be able to run apps downloaded from windows store(metro apps). this tab will be bulkier, and more expensive and is expected to be available by the end of the year.
from your post i think you should stick with the surface pro. hope i ans ur question.
spaco22 provided great answers, but I think the real question is - what stuff (apps/programs) do you want to download and use?
The Surface RT comes with Office, media player, etc. It works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon video, and has an "app store".
If you want to install and run "any" Windows program, I agree with spaco22, you'll want the Pro, or, IMO, spend another hundred or two and get an Ultrabook or convertible. You'll have a better overall "full Windows" experience than on the Surface Pro.
mk1151 said:
spaco22 provided great answers, but I think the real question is - what stuff (apps/programs) do you want to download and use?
The Surface RT comes with Office, media player, etc. It works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon video, and has an "app store".
If you want to install and run "any" Windows program, I agree with spaco22, you'll want the Pro, or, IMO, spend another hundred or two and get an Ultrabook or convertible. You'll have a better overall "full Windows" experience than on the Surface Pro.
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Just everyday programs that I use on my computer, I like the idea of the Surface cause of how thin it is but if the pro version is bulkier then I don't think I'd bother.
Thanks for answering guys!
UrbanDesigns said:
Just everyday programs that I use on my computer, I like the idea of the Surface cause of how thin it is but if the pro version is bulkier then I don't think I'd bother.
Thanks for answering guys!
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Its worth a note that surface pro isn't the only x86 windows 8 tablet. If you want skinny then you could look up atom basses tablets as they can be just as slim though you will lose power so don't expect call of duty, though the new amd chips had it running at 30fps but then your thicker again. Also note that almost all keyboards can work even with Rt let alonr pro. I have a surface but i don't use the touchpad as its a bit restrictive ie you need a flat surface, so i use a mac Bluetooth keyboard and it works a great and is almost as slim and 100x more practical est with the kickstand.
mk1151 said:
spaco22 provided great answers, but I think the real question is - what stuff (apps/programs) do you want to download and use?
The Surface RT comes with Office, media player, etc. It works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon video, and has an "app store".
If you want to install and run "any" Windows program, I agree with spaco22, you'll want the Pro, or, IMO, spend another hundred or two and get an Ultrabook or convertible. You'll have a better overall "full Windows" experience than on the Surface Pro.
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Click to collapse
Yeah but the pro is going to be over $1000 depending on what model and you are saying spending a few hundred more for an ultrabook. The point being is the surface rt and ipads are limited but for most users will be fine for daily computing. Yes they don't run legacy apps but looking forward , future software will be designed for that platform if Win8 has a strong install base and legacy apps will not really be needed / wanted in many cases.
the atom based tablet looks good, plus it has 4G LTE which is a bonus
im not looking to play call of duty on it but i just want something that's powerful and run normal programs. there's not apps for everything I need to do.
Thanks for the heads up on RT vs PRO. Might have to reconsider buying the RT and going straight to Pro
I've been excited about the Surface since it was first announced... and my excitement held true even after getting my hands on a demo unit... but now, considering the price, looking at the future of Windows RT and finally their announcement that they're cutting order amounts has me second guessing my upcoming purchase.
I just don't think it's a viable platform anymore, I feel like RT will be dead in a year and this device will be the Commodore Amiga of the Tablet world.
Any current users feel the same? Differently? I'm just scared to buy one now.
ih8sense said:
I've been excited about the Surface since it was first announced... and my excitement held true even after getting my hands on a demo unit... but now, considering the price, looking at the future of Windows RT and finally their announcement that they're cutting order amounts has me second guessing my upcoming purchase.
I just don't think it's a viable platform anymore, I feel like RT will be dead in a year and this device will be the Commodore Amiga of the Tablet world.
Any current users feel the same? Differently? I'm just scared to buy one now.
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You bought a good tablet, mate. build quality and software is awesome, that's why u got interested in the first place.
On the other hand, will it get support?, i believe in time it will. My reasons is touch screen. Touch is the future, yes x86 apps already exist but they dont exist in touch. So the future being touch will revolutionize the existing apps for touch and this will make room for metro apps. And this is were rt will win.
Secondly the future is portable, x86 is not, rt is. Windows 8 is bridge to what will become sindows of the future, a touch only windows. Besides if MS fails in marketing RT, someone else will want a cut of the pie and market RT.
Lastly, modders will break this device before xmas, sideloading will b possible,emulation will happen and i foresee a future were android emulators will run on this beast. A lot will happen
RT has potential, surface may fail but RT will not cos its light weight and its future proof.
I think RT will not fail. PPL will wait till they see their lovely apps on it but they will come. Windows is used on more than 90% of the computers in the world. So I think its just a matter of time to developers finish and publish their apps. Even if winRT won't get as popular as win8, the code is almost the same which makes easy to publish the same app for Arm.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express
you know, the only pros of surface pro over surface IMO is the MKV support and 1080p screen.
2 things that made me return surface are
- lack of MKV support (which 90% of my movies are in mkv)
- low resolution. When i used it while lying down the bed, i tend to use it closer to my eyes than when i'm sitting down. The text doesn't look crisp and i can see pixels in the pictures.
If those 2 reasons won't bother you, surface is one hell of a tablet and for 499$, it's a steal. Remember that it's a tablet, apps would be optimized for touchscreen and you will have great mobility over laptop. The apps are pretty limited for now but i believe developers will start developing for it. I love the surface even though i return it.
I think that the biggest hurdle for Windows RT is the WinRT runtime. It's horribly gimped. I was honestly amazed at how god awful and stunted C# was in WinRT. It's almost as if they intentionally limited it for reasons only MS knows.
First off, Microsoft haven't announced a halving of orders. It is merely conjecture. What they have announced is support for Surface RT until 2017 though we dont know any details around this.
I dont think that Windows RT will be a big platform in the way that other lightweight OS's are - iOS and Android - but I do think it offers something unique. If you use tons of popular apps on other platforms, you will be disappointed in the Surface RT. If you live in a web browser, you will love Surface RT. I am not sure this will change unless those apps come for Windows 8 and can also be cross compiled for Windows RT.
If a 10" tablet is what you want and it fits your life, I see only 2 usable options - an iPad or a Surface RT. Android is awful on 10" tablets.
Sounds to me though that if you want the form factor the Surface brings, then Surface Pro might be more suitable, but I am not convinced it is a viable tablet as Windows desktop mode is horrible to use with touch.
quoted:
Sounds to me though that if you want the form factor the Surface brings, then Surface Pro might be more suitable, but I am not convinced it is a viable tablet as Windows desktop mode is horrible to use with touch.
pro =$1000, 4ish hour battery life.
no sales numbers released from rt.
ruh roh.
What about the Lenovo Twist? Windows 8 Pro, i5, 128gb SSD 12.5 touch screen and it is a tablet and laptop.. I returned my Surface and bought a Twist for $699 on BF.. Hoping it will do it all....
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
Got to agree with some of the above posts.
RT is the future of windows, it is the new NT, and some of us older users will remember how that was initially received...
The Surface RT is one helluva sexy tablet. In build quality, specs, and screen beauty it just is awesome. Really without software it is way ahead of the whole pack..... I played with it a long time....
But every time I interacted with the windows interface, there was just that familiar slow feeling. I am even now very serious about the Surface RT and am hotly debating buying it. But the software is just slightly underwhelming. I love the Metro interface, but not whats under it.
IF you do web browisng, games, movies and pics ONLY - this is an ABSOLUTELY must buy. The gorgeous experience is unbeatable. But the whole interaction at the windows level tends to wake me up from my dream. Having support for proper PowerPoint with HDMI ouput makes this a traveling presentation platform etc. But apps? apps? apps? You cannot entice people if the apps are missing - you cannot say " buy it now, I guarantee that apps are coming". It does not work with consumers. That it may lead to a slow down fro the Surface is one of my biggest fears.
On a tablet I browse the internet, listen to music, read books, email, and watch some sports. So by my own standard I should buy it. But Windows keeps me away...
One thing I do not agree about as said above - that windows desktop is not for touch. Using the touch laptops I find this to be quite intuitive, coming from a tablet world. Yes, on vertical screens one's hands can get tired to do a lot of touching - holding it up to the screen for extended periods. But I find it much more natural than trackpads - I hate trackpads, even Apple's "magic" trackpad ....
My 2 cents.... I need to decide if I just want a tablet, or a tablet that can double as a small laptop.
saryu said:
you know, the only pros of surface pro over surface IMO is the MKV support and 1080p screen.
2 things that made me return surface are
- lack of MKV support (which 90% of my movies are in mkv)
- low resolution. When i used it while lying down the bed, i tend to use it closer to my eyes than when i'm sitting down. The text doesn't look crisp and i can see pixels in the pictures.
If those 2 reasons won't bother you, surface is one hell of a tablet and for 499$, it's a steal. Remember that it's a tablet, apps would be optimized for touchscreen and you will have great mobility over laptop. The apps are pretty limited for now but i believe developers will start developing for it. I love the surface even though i return it.
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Click to collapse
In less than a month after the release there are at least two applications tha support some mkv. They are still not perfect but it took developers more than a year to get the same result for the iPad.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
---------- Post added at 01:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------
Yes, I'm worry about the cut down the numbers of orders for RT reported by suppliers and Microsoft rushing to release the PRO version acting like it will be the saver.
http://ultramobilepc-tips.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-high-risk-behind-surface-pro.html#links
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
ctitanic said:
In less than a month after the release there are at least two applications tha support some mkv. They are still not perfect but it took developers more than a year to get the same result for the iPad.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
---------- Post added at 01:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------
Yes, I'm worry about the cut down the numbers of orders for RT reported by suppliers and Microsoft rushing to release the PRO version acting like it will be the saver.
http://ultramobilepc-tips.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-high-risk-behind-surface-pro.html#links
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
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Click to collapse
After hearing the pricing of the pro and the battery limitations, I actually like my Surface RT more now. Unfortunately there is so much pressure for it to beat the IPAD that people write it off without giving it a chance . I like it more and more every day.
ih8sense said:
I've been excited about the Surface since it was first announced... and my excitement held true even after getting my hands on a demo unit... but now, considering the price, looking at the future of Windows RT and finally their announcement that they're cutting order amounts has me second guessing my upcoming purchase.
I just don't think it's a viable platform anymore, I feel like RT will be dead in a year and this device will be the Commodore Amiga of the Tablet world.
Any current users feel the same? Differently? I'm just scared to buy one now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It very depends on your propose, what you need for it.
for me, i do need a lot excel , ppt, word, and I tried do it on iPad, it sucks. I own a Macbook Air, but a bit trouble while checking something on street .....
After testing Surface for an hour, I love it. Of course if you looking for fun more than a working tab, its not a good choice at this moment as lack of apps support.
Just hope Chrome will come and get more apps soon , then will be the king of tablet im sure.
guitar1969 said:
After hearing the pricing of the pro and the battery limitations, I actually like my Surface RT more now. Unfortunately there is so much pressure for it to beat the IPAD that people write it off without giving it a chance . I like it more and more every day.
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I completely agree. I can't put the damn thing down! The browser experience is sensational. And Xbox music is phenomenally good! I mean free streaming music, albeit with fairly unobtrusive add support.
And as for apps you needn't worry. The company I work for has figured out that Windows 8 is going onto every budget laptop from here on out and the Windows 8 marketplace presents a great opportunity. As such are having their iOS & Android app ported to Win8 as we speak.
Also as another example the impetus to get into Windows 8/RT the VLC Player devs are going to the extreme of going to Kickstarter for funding to hire full time devs to get VLC Player into the Windows 8 marketplace as fast as possible... http://www.wpcentral.com/vlc-starts-kickstarter-windows-8-and-beyond-development-funding
So I sincerely believe the WINRT app catalogue will really take off.
Also, you know it's a good device when the missus is continually wanting it off you!
I agree with others... The RT has a good life to it. The problem IMO, is that people are holding out to see the Pro, then they'll decide.
Honestly I think people will end up with the RT over the Pro.
You just can't use a 10" screen for full desktop applications. It doesn't work.
Also, and this is big, the Pro is not using a Run Time system, that means you must shut it down when not in use, it will suspend instead of sleep, and it will go through battery like mad (they expect 4 hours max).
If you like how fast the Surface RT turns on, and how your e-mails, status updates, and calendar reminders are there, kiss that goodbye with the Pro. It is, for all intents and purposes, a PC in a thin form factor. An engineering marvel for sure, but I think people will expect it to be like the Surface RT, iPad, or Android tab just beefier. When they find out it isn't, I think RT sales will shoot up.
I also read somewhere that the Surface is not optimized to use all the 5 cores of the Tegra3 and it is still running crippled. I believe it came from Nvidia themselves. Once fixed, it should be more responsive. I hope so, because it does seem a bit slow in opening apps and such, although it is tolerable.
guitar1969 said:
I also read somewhere that the Surface is not optimized to use all the 5 cores of the Tegra3 and it is still running crippled. I believe it came from Nvidia themselves. Once fixed, it should be more responsive. I hope so, because it does seem a bit slow in opening apps and such, although it is tolerable.
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Click to collapse
Microsoft will continue to optimise the base firmware of the device to improve performance. They've released one such update already and there will be plenty more to come.
Just look how far they've pushed the Xbox 360.
I notice videos of people playing call of duty ect with a surface, how do they do that?
There are 2 surface models, the RT and the Pro.
The RT may "only" be an ARM device and incapable of running existing windows software but the pro is just a normal windows laptop bundled into a tablet chassis.
The pro runs normal Windows software and that includes call of duty (which is on steam if you didn't know there was a windows version). Pro is also thicker, heavier, more expensive, has fans adding a tiny bit of noise, isn't all that powerful for gaming (1.7ghz dual core and integrated graphics are a big no no) and has a poorer battery life (reported from 3-7 hours dependant on usage). But it is just a normal windows computer so any game or software you already own will install on it, that's its primary advantage over the RT.
Ah ok, I think I have a RT version.
Yep I know of steam, I have over 400 games on it.
I'm finding it hard to find games for my surface.
aussiesausage said:
Ah ok, I think I have a RT version.
Yep I know of steam, I have over 400 games on it.
I'm finding it hard to find games for my surface.
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Search microsoft in the store, their games also have the green xbox logo/bar.
There are loads of decent tablet style games made by msoft
Oh yea cool found some, thanks.
aussiesausage said:
Ah ok, I think I have a RT version.
Yep I know of steam, I have over 400 games on it.
I'm finding it hard to find games for my surface.
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I already presumed you knew what steam was, I was more saying thats where you get Call of duty for PC
If you look in the windows RT development and hacking section there is a jailbreak for RT devices. The jailbreak allows you to run unsigned code on the windows desktop, because RT uses an ARM processor not x86 it does mean that you can't run any old software on it, it has to be ported to run on ARM instead of x86, but even then RT normally won't let you run any applications in desktop mode at all apart from the ones already built in. With the jailbreak if will let run desktop applications which aren't written by microsoft (but still have to be ported to RT). There is then a list of a few programs people have ported to windows RT, a few games are on it, the quake engines are on it. Call of duty can't ever be done, for someone like you or me to port a piece of software to windows RT we need the source code, and that is not publically available. Open source programs only (as they are the ones we can get the code for to modify for RT).
I do think its a bit odd that a person would buy a surface and not know whether they bought an RT or Pro though :/
Haha. I checked the box and it says windows RT at the bottom, assume that's means I have a RT. I didn't know there was 2 version until I came on here.
Thanks mate.
Hello everyone,
First of all sorry for my English!
I have a Microsoft surface 2 running Windows RT 8.1 which i bought so i can't take college notes. And for my disappointment i found out that my surface don't have the palm rejection technology. So i had to buy a Huion Cura Glove and a Stylus for capacitive touch...after that i was again disappointed when i found out that there's no Windows Journal on Windows RT!
I don't like the One Note app and all the other apps...
So i'm asking if theres anyway to get Windows Journl on my Surface
Thanks
I ran across this little article and I was thinking that when this option becomes available it may be applicable to the Surface. I was able to get a surface for free from a friend of mine who was having trouble charging it. I was there doing work on a laptop for her dad and she just told me I could have the tablet. I offered to try and repair it, and she just said to keep it. So, got the surface rt, blue keyboard, and a case. Come to find out that all that was bad was the charger. Some loose wires. I wasn't able to fix the charger, but I have a new one coming tomorrow. Now I have to come up something to do with this little tablet. Minecraft for the kids would be preferred. Everything else is fine on the tablet. So, a little curious to see how this Windows 10 ARM works and if it will work to put on the Surface RT. Especially, with the emulation built in.
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-arm-not-windows-rt
lol x86 emulation isn't going to work on a Tegra 3. There has been work on porting Windows 10 IoT to the tablet but there is a lot to do like porting drivers and applications
fgghjjkll said:
lol x86 emulation isn't going to work on a Tegra 3. There has been work on porting Windows 10 IoT to the tablet but there is a lot to do like porting drivers and applications
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Click to collapse
Lol what. The old tegra hardware is perfectly capable from a hardware standpoint.
We already had working emulation on the surface RT... I played though all of fallout 1 on my surface RT.
https://hackaday.com/2013/02/18/running-x86-apps-on-windows-rt-devices/
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2095934
danthekilla said:
Lol what. The old tegra hardware is perfectly capable from a hardware standpoint.
We already had working emulation on the surface RT... I played though all of fallout 1 on my surface RT.
https://hackaday.com/2013/02/18/running-x86-apps-on-windows-rt-devices/
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2095934
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The project is abandoned. Sorry.
There is this group working on Linux for the rt model surface units. https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_151267220466917&key=f0a7f91912ae2b52e0700f73990eb321&libId=jawsy41u01000n4o000DAwb2n09zf9zol&loc=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.xda-developers.com%2Fsitesearch.php%3Fq%3Dwindows%2520surface%2520rt&v=1&out=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fq%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fforum.xda-developers.com%2Fwindows-8-rt%2Frt-development%2Fwip-secure-boot-linux-surface-rt-t3653848%26sa%3DU%26ved%3D0ahUKEwiEsrbTwPjXAhWD2YMKHQPXA48QFggMMAQ%26client%3Dinternal-uds-cse%26cx%3Dpartner-pub-2900107662879704%3A4763122713%26usg%3DAOvVaw09iZfaks4BIXZgVRFCfAIG&title=General%20Search&txt=%5BWIP%5D%20Secure%20Boot%20and%20Linux%20for%20%3Cb%3ESurface%20RT%3C%2Fb%3E%20%7C%20%3Cb%3EWindows%3C%2Fb%3E%208%2C%20RT%20...
puppychow said:
There is this group working on Linux for the rt model surface units. https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma... <b>Surface RT</b> | <b>Windows</b> 8, RT ...
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Link isnt working
phoenixbennu said:
I ran across this little article and I was thinking that when this option becomes available it may be applicable to the Surface. I was able to get a surface for free from a friend of mine who was having trouble charging it. I was there doing work on a laptop for her dad and she just told me I could have the tablet. I offered to try and repair it, and she just said to keep it. So, got the surface rt, blue keyboard, and a case. Come to find out that all that was bad was the charger. Some loose wires. I wasn't able to fix the charger, but I have a new one coming tomorrow. Now I have to come up something to do with this little tablet. Minecraft for the kids would be preferred. Everything else is fine on the tablet. So, a little curious to see how this Windows 10 ARM works and if it will work to put on the Surface RT. Especially, with the emulation built in.
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-arm-not-windows-rt
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Click to collapse
Windows 10 for Surface RT has been leaked.
Here is a link (follow the steps carefully)
https://forum.xda-developers.com/wi...face-rt-2-windows-10-arm32-step-step-t4107273