Surface Pro 2 is incredible

[yuchai]

Caved and bought it. Liking it in all respects except for an infuriating issue.

One of the uses that I was going to have for it is being able to access my HDhomerun prime and being able to watch/record TV so that I can watch TV around the house and also record shows for my commute.

Well, it doesn't work because apparently the SP2 uses displayport internally to connect to the tablet screen, and because MS never implemented allowing HDCP over displayport in Media Center. Issue apparently has been raised and recognized by MS, but they chose to basically sit on it for years.

To recap, I bought MS's newest device, used their own OS, AND paid $10 to get Media Center on it, just to find out that something that my cheap Lenovo x120e from years ago can do, won't work.

Microsoft - wtf? Just when I start to like something you put out there, you do this to me...

 

[bearxor]

Woah. If I were still running a cable card system, that would be a deal breaker.

I was even contemplating going back to one. Guess I'll stick with DTV and Slingbox.

 

[dpodblood]

I was actually just taking a look at the Surface pro this morning. It looks like a really good middle ground between tablet and full blown laptop. When compared to an ultrabook it's really decent value for money. The fact that is has a full size USB 3 ports is great too. Just connect a 128GB USB3 key and you've got additional high speed storage. With the new Intel integrated video chips it could actually play games half decent as well.

Too bad I don't have the money right now, but I may end up picking up the Surface 3 whenever they're released.

 

[Ns1]

doh



http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/18/5224996/microsoft-pulls-latest-surface-pro-2-firmware-update

Of course, as it turns out, I got fucked by this firmware update. My system now perpetually shows as 6% charged.

 

[Imaginer]

Of course, as it turns out, I got fucked by this firmware update. My system now perpetually shows as 6% charged.

Here is a fix I found (and I noticed when my battery reported 22Whr).

Shut down your Surface Pro through Windows.

Hold the volume up button and power button for 15 seconds, the Surface screen will flicker during this.

Release both buttons and wait another 15 seconds.

Turn on your Surface Pro normally.

It will reset the battery indication. There is at one point where I used the device for a few minutes when the battery was reporting 0%. So it maybe a bit borked at that time.

 

[007ELmO]

0%!!!! Magic!!

 

[Ns1]

Here is a fix I found (and I noticed when my battery reported 22Whr).

Shut down your Surface Pro through Windows.

Hold the volume up button and power button for 15 seconds, the Surface screen will flicker during this.

Release both buttons and wait another 15 seconds.

Turn on your Surface Pro normally.

It will reset the battery indication. There is at one point where I used the device for a few minutes when the battery was reporting 0%. So it maybe a bit borked at that time.

yeah that did the trick. thanks.

 

[zerogear]

They really fudged it with the new Firmware update :/

 

[Demo24]

I love this thing, but it seems a little buggy and inconsistent. Frequently my store app simply fails to load, the windows update doesn't always load and sometimes freezes the window for awhile, and I had trouble getting some updates installed, which after they were successful hung it at 'getting windows ready' for like 15 mins before I soft powered it. Sometimes my mouse pointer goes away, and I can't get it to come back. It just seems like I need to reboot it a lot for stuff to work like it should.

The pen input however is a fantastic addition and I find myself using that significantly more than touch to just move around. And the dual apps running is really great, shame I can't do that for everything.

Getting more and more use to it, although I still feel like I'm missing some features. I do wish it had another usb port. Hopefully they get these bugs straightened out, because then it will really be great!

 

[zerogear]

I love this thing, but it seems a little buggy and inconsistent. Frequently my store app simply fails to load, the windows update doesn't always load and sometimes freezes the window for awhile, and I had trouble getting some updates installed, which after they were successful hung it at 'getting windows ready' for like 15 mins before I soft powered it. Sometimes my mouse pointer goes away, and I can't get it to come back. It just seems like I need to reboot it a lot for stuff to work like it should.

The pen input however is a fantastic addition and I find myself using that significantly more than touch to just move around. And the dual apps running is really great, shame I can't do that for everything.

Getting more and more use to it, although I still feel like I'm missing some features. I do wish it had another usb port. Hopefully they get these bugs straightened out, because then it will really be great!

The Windows Update and the App store *may* be due to a network issue. I would check to see if you have all the firmware updates (except December) and see if that resolves your issue.

If you make the Display/Metro smaller in the settings, you can fit triple apps on the Metro snap.

 

[Imaginer]

The Windows Update and the App store *may* be due to a network issue. I would check to see if you have all the firmware updates (except December) and see if that resolves your issue.

If you make the Display/Metro smaller in the settings, you can fit triple apps on the Metro snap.

Forgot about this setting. Great for others to know.

All the more reasons that a Surface (and other Windows 8/RT tablets) can become both a Kindle, a Nook, and a fully featured web browser (Netflix and such) at the same time. (of course, it can also be had under desktop, more user involved, windowed managed mode)

 

[arandomguy]

An update on my situation. I found a Surface Pro (first gen) 128gb for $600, will give it a run to see if it is for me compared to a 14 inch Ultrabook type laptop with a GPU (Acer v7 482pg).

 

[Demo24]

The Windows Update and the App store *may* be due to a network issue. I would check to see if you have all the firmware updates (except December) and see if that resolves your issue.

If you make the Display/Metro smaller in the settings, you can fit triple apps on the Metro snap.

Thanks, yeah I think that was it. Looks like it was struggling with december update. Then it tried to do the October one, but that kept failing. I eventually got it to do that one, so it's caught up finally and seems to be better.

I can't figure out how to do the 3 apps though. Then again I can't always figure out how exactly to do the side-by-side, I should probably watch a tutorial.

I do wish the trackpad felt a little different. Kinda rough using it to scroll, which works the best. What I find myself really wanting is that if I held the button on the pen it would let me drag pages, sadly that doesn't seem to even be option able.

 

[Imaginer]

Thanks, yeah I think that was it. Looks like it was struggling with december update. Then it tried to do the October one, but that kept failing. I eventually got it to do that one, so it's caught up finally and seems to be better.

I can't figure out how to do the 3 apps though. Then again I can't always figure out how exactly to do the side-by-side, I should probably watch a tutorial.

I do wish the trackpad felt a little different. Kinda rough using it to scroll, which works the best. What I find myself really wanting is that if I held the button on the pen it would let me drag pages, sadly that doesn't seem to even be option able.

To do the three app snapping, set the "Modern/Metro" scaling in "PC Settings>PC and Devices>Display" from Default to Smaller. This will allow to do three apps simultaneously because things are scaled to "fit more" in the given scaling display.

The trackpad on the keyboard cover, is utterly mostly worthless and less utilized for me (though in a pinch, it is handy). I much prefer in sometimes switching my touch screen to trackpad status. Many do not know this, and I will keep vouching this, TrackMousePointer is a (last I checked - free) desktop software that enables touch screens to act as a huge (and possibly better) trackpad.

 

[Demo24]

To do the three app snapping, set the "Modern/Metro" scaling in "PC Settings>PC and Devices>Display" from Default to Smaller. This will allow to do three apps simultaneously because things are scaled to "fit more" in the given scaling display.

The trackpad on the keyboard cover, is utterly mostly worthless and less utilized for me (though in a pinch, it is handy). I much prefer in sometimes switching my touch screen to trackpad status. Many do not know this, and I will keep vouching this, TrackMousePointer is a (last I checked - free) desktop software that enables touch screens to act as a huge (and possibly better) trackpad.

Link to that software?

I actually don't mind the trackpad that much, but the texture is weird.

 

[Imaginer]

Link to that software?

I actually don't mind the trackpad that much, but the texture is weird.

http://www.lovesummertrue.com/touchmousepointer/en-us/index.html

I recommend using the software under full screen pointing, to not have any obstructions from the software's interface. Settings can be assigned to multi touch options, such as right click, scrolling, middle click, etc.

 

[foghorn67]

Ugh, Touch Cover is going back to the store.

 

[Demo24]

Ive been wanting to try a touch cover, the esc key on my type cover keeps getting stuck which makes most of the keyboard/mouse unresponsive until I realize what has happened and unstick it. Although sometimes it goes completely dead and the touchpad won't work until a reboot, highly annoying.

Bought a microsoft sculpt touch mouse to go with it, worlds better now! I seem to be making this thing more and more into a laptop than a tablet.


Civ5 on this is kinda fun though in touch mode.

 

[zerogear]

Ive been wanting to try a touch cover, the esc key on my type cover keeps getting stuck which makes most of the keyboard/mouse unresponsive until I realize what has happened and unstick it. Although sometimes it goes completely dead and the touchpad won't work until a reboot, highly annoying.

Bought a microsoft sculpt touch mouse to go with it, worlds better now! I seem to be making this thing more and more into a laptop than a tablet.


Civ5 on this is kinda fun though in touch mode.

Problem with Civ 5 is that when I got it, I played with it, non-stop for 2 days.

 

[foghorn67]

Any other games that go well with the SP2?

 

[007ELmO]

Does Civ5 have a specific touch mode, or is it just acting like a mouse?

 

[foghorn67]

If I run into one more person that says they have a stylus for their iPad, I'm going to slap the poop out Microsoft's marketing director.

 

[Demo24]

Does Civ5 have a specific touch mode, or is it just acting like a mouse?

It has a launch mode for windows 8 with specific touch controls. The UI doesn't change, but it does respond properly to touch. Kinda like moving around in a mapping engine. I don't know if you can change the controls, as they are a little odd and sometimes frustrating (move with 2 fingers, but also zoom with 2 so sometimes you end up zooming). Still overall it actually does work well in touch mode, and kinda my preferred method since I can sit it on my lap and do everything i need. Battery doesnt last long like that though.

 

[ozymandius42]

Hello all, apologies if this is the wrong thread, but I've been thinking of getting the Surface pro/rt 2 as a laptop replacement. I'm going to be using it primarily for:
1. checking/replying to email;
2. pdf and ebook reading and annotating (PRIMARY function),
3. note writing with either the stylus and the keyboard and writing.
4. Additionally, I may listen to music while reading/writing and '
5. maybe use it for some VERY LIGHT gaming. I have a desktop as my primary machine and do most of my gaming on that, so this not really an issue.

So my question is: does it make sense to get a surface as a laptop replacement for the tasks above, and which surface makes more sense? Thanks in advance!

 

[Imaginer]

Hello all, apologies if this is the wrong thread, but I've been thinking of getting the Surface pro/rt 2 as a laptop replacement. I'm going to be using it primarily for:
1. checking/replying to email;

Using the Mail app on the Surface Pro is very good now compared to the Mail app on Windows 8.0. It should suit well for this purpose. If not, full Outlook is available to get on the device.

2. pdf and ebook reading and annotating (PRIMARY function),

Kindle, Nook, and PDF readers are available in the Windows Store. You can be carrying both a Kindle and a Nook, and split snap the two apps (maybe a third depending on your Modern scaling) with ease. Notes and annotating are there to use.

3. note writing with either the stylus and the keyboard and writing.

The Surface Pro/Pro2 is well suited for the task. Between OneNote, the on screen keyboard options for not wanting to deploy the keyboard covers, and the handwriting recognition input, it can do these things.

4. Additionally, I may listen to music while reading/writing and

You can do that too at the same time. Using the volume button, you initiate the on screen forward and back controls for switching songs and the play/pause button. If you want, you can quickly switch to and back from the Music app (or any other music playback software).

5. maybe use it for some VERY LIGHT gaming. I have a desktop as my primary machine and do most of my gaming on that, so this not really an issue.

Light gaming it can definitely handle. Considering the Surface Pro 2 is able to play on low settings Borderlands 2 at around 30FPS. It can also accept a game controller considering the full sized USB 3.0 port. You can also connect any pointing device of your choice.

So my question is: does it make sense to get a surface as a laptop replacement for the tasks above, and which surface makes more sense? Thanks in advance!

As a laptop replacement, it works very well. I switched from my previous HP Envy 14 to the first Surface Pro, and then got the Surface Pro 2. The Wacom digitizer is the final technical point for me in purchasing the device.

But do note, this is a hybrid of sorts while closely in the realm of tablet handling. Do not expect to be able to have a wide array of screen adjustments on your lap (moot for me, because it is much like reading and writing on a traditional book on my lap anyways).

When typing on the covers, the Type cover is the best choice for me and I use the device on my lap, sans kick stand. The screen viewing angles make the Surface Pro very viewable if I have the cover and device flat on my lap. This setup also is easier to whip out the pen without the awkward screen angle to deal with.

On the desk or table, depending on your seating height and device distance placement, the two angle adjustments of the Surface Pro 2 (and along with the viewing angles of the screen) would cover 'most' people's builds and arrangements, but not as flexible as a laptop's screen.

But unlike a laptop, you can handle the device like a tablet. Thumb typing on the split on screen keyboard is good for medium length writing, auditory and visual keyboard cues assisting in that process. Still would want to use a keyboard/keyboard cover for lengthy writing but that is a caveat of any tablet form factor in comparison to a laptop.

If you do not mind the size (it is a trade off in bringing portability while maintaining workability), then it is a great device for the most part as a travel PC computer and all the flexibility of such.


Edit: Navigation by touch on the desktop takes a light touch for me, to ensure my finger tips make the necessary contact to the screen elements. You can adjust the desktop scaling accordingly, but do not expect to mash fingers. It also takes adjustment to navigate by such, as your fingers can obscure some of the screen elements in click touching things. But it works, and works well enough for me.

If direct touch on the desktop space does not work well, even with light tip touching and scaling, TouchMousePointer makes the touch screen into a better trackpad than the one on the keyboard covers. I now only use this mode, for things like the Steam desktop client that does not cooperate with touch to begin with.



It should be of note, the Surface Pro 1 is at $500 in some places (Best Buy). But note the single kickstand option and the single CPU/memory/SSD hardware configuration.