News - Microsoft Surface RT tablet price cut by 30 per cent

[TheAnimus]

I'm not going to list the kit I have available. But the nature of my work means I have a lot to choose from. I guess I am saying I'm not a fanboy.

But when packing the last few times a theme has emerged. I've got two portable laptops, one wafer thin, lightweight ultrabook which is fairly fast, one incredibly high end bit thicker ultrabook (SSD RAID). I've got an iPad2+4, Nexus7, Lenovo thing, Transformer Prime.

One thing is common trend. The RT goes everywhere.

Now until 8.1 I grant you I did often still use a laptop for email. Webmail has never been good enough for my usage, its too clunky. Since 8.1 the RT surface has been doing very well in the email regard too.

These usages are not abnormal. Even the die hard mac fan I know wants one, as soon as they get LTE.

Simple things like the GoPro, plug in the MicroSD card, I can edit the video, upload it, all from the Surface RT, I did this whilst at a BBQ the week before last.

The touch cover is again this whole "i'm not a laptop" thing. If I want to use it to write anything long (seldom do) I plug in any USB thing that is lying around.

I find the views here so at odds with what I've seen in reality when people have used one.

There is a lot to critique, a lot that needs improvement, but everyone is going for the not interested thing.

[Agent]

I think it's in part because of the entire RT / Pro situation.

Everyone wants the pro - because it runs everything, right? But as a result, most dismiss the RT. Not helped by some tech sites already proclaiming RT is dead. To be fair that's not really being helped by the list of future RT devices and Ti exiting the market.

The RT is a lovely bit of kit, great build quality. But people are scared. Why change when they're familiar with iOS / Android? We can both think of reasons, but I'm not sure the general public has any idea what they are.

But as for the not interested thing, yeah, I agree. I see it often. People at work have said it, but not used one. Strange world

[Saracen]

....

Given I've said before, again and again that 10" isn't the good tablet size, 7" is. ....

That depends on who you are, what you like and what you want it for.

For me, 10" is the perfect tablet size and 7" is just too small.

[Spud1]

The RT is a lovely bit of kit, great build quality. But people are scared. Why change when they're familiar with iOS / Android? We can both think of reasons, but I'm not sure the general public has any idea what they are.

I think this is a big part of it - "why change". There is so little incentive if you already have a tablet, predominately because of the App ecosystem (in most cases, Windows gets things last, if at all). No matter how good the built in software is - that's just not enough these days.

Before I got a tablet I always wondered "what would I use it for" - I just couldn't get my head around it. Now I wouldn't want to be without my iPad, but when I think about what I use it for..I can only do 50% of what I do on my iPad with an RT device. This is largely as the apps are not there. It's fine - better even - for web browsing/email/photo viewing, but I can't sit on the sofa and mess about with Real Racing, Candy Crush, Flight Control etc etc..those big name games just don't exist on the platform.

They won't do either until there is a critical mass of users to bring in the revenue for developers. That's why I think Microsoft really need to get the price down that bit more..and maybe an 8" device would do that for them - it worked for Apple, and could well do for Microsoft.

As I have said many many times, surface RT is a really interesting product - something that I really want but just cannot justify purchasing in any way..and that's a common pattern I hear around the office/friends.

[TheAnimus]

I think this is a big part of it - "why change". There is so little incentive if you already have a tablet, predominately because of the App ecosystem (in most cases, Windows gets things last, if at all). No matter how good the built in software is - that's just not enough these days.

Which app? There is only one that I find missing, which is a very esoteric one, SkyDemon.

Before I got a tablet I always wondered "what would I use it for" - I just couldn't get my head around it. Now I wouldn't want to be without my iPad, but when I think about what I use it for..I can only do 50% of what I do on my iPad with an RT device. This is largely as the apps are not there. It's fine - better even - for web browsing/email/photo viewing, but I can't sit on the sofa and mess about with Real Racing, Candy Crush, Flight Control etc etc..those big name games just don't exist on the platform.

It's not just better, it will do it. I can't browse the web on an iPad only. I bump in to flash far too much, developers who've relied on mouseover being different to mousedown. All these things I can do on the RT which I can't on any other tablet I've had (exception one android one with clunky hacks).

Then the games, think there's flight control, you've got plenty of racing games with XBL tie-ins. I've not found it lacking from that perspective.

However, there is no denying that the iPad has more games, but both miss out on good quality 'exclusives'.

When you consider however that one can actually do stuff. I mean really do stuff. Like plug in monitor keyboard + mouse and use office. Happily. That is a major killer feature. Someone's emailed this PDF, I just want to make one tiny change, and oh, I can! That level of usefulness just goes way beyond anything I've found in any other tablet.

As I have said many many times, surface RT is a really interesting product - something that I really want but just cannot justify purchasing in any way..and that's a common pattern I hear around the office/friends.

Have you tried using one?

This is why I find it so bizarre, I know only one person who has worked with me using the RT and hasn't bought one. His view is 4G is essential.

[TheAnimus]

That depends on who you are, what you like and what you want it for.

For me, 10" is the perfect tablet size and 7" is just too small.

The sales tend to back my preference up. Granted it might just be cost.

[Spud1]

Have you tried using one?

Yeah I have, admittedly only for a few hours though.

There are tonnes of apps/games missing - but whether it affects you or not will depend on your usage. I think the wider issue with apps is what I mentioned in my previous post - Windows gets it last. A big new app gets launched on iOS/Android..but the developers just state "coming soon" for windows, if at all.

Games are what I download most of all on my iPad (App wise) so I notice them more than "real" apps.

I don't really have issues with browsing(still see the lack of flash as a positive )/using external screens/office apps/PDF edits etc - with the exception of flash you can do all of that on iOS/Android, although it might not be built into the OS.

The hardware is excellent though, absolutely no doubting that.

[TheAnimus]

I don't really have issues with browsing(still see the lack of flash as a positive )/using external screens/office apps/PDF edits etc - with the exception of flash you can do all of that on iOS/Android, although it might not be built into the OS.

No, you really can't.

You can't just walk up to a printer, USB in, use it.

You can't just plug in a keyboard and write a novel. You can't take a PDF and make corrections in a manner that produces something completely professional. In the same way what Open Office doesn't cut it, the iOS alternatives are so far away from beginning to cut the mustard. Try using a mouse with an iPad....

Hell I don't know how someone could do basic DTP without a mouse.

Then it comes to apps. Apart from SkyDemon I'm not missing anything, I know because I actively use (and can dev for) all the main 3 platforms. I can use skype and watch iplayer, simultaneously, with video on both on my RT surface, I can't on any other. The apps that are available I've found to be better designed and higher quality on the whole (some apps always favour one platform I find however). A good example is a Reddit app and The Economist app or Photoshop express.

They also have some truly great games from XBL which are exclusive.

If there are any specific apps that are missing, I'd be curious to know which ones! Making MUI apps is really cheap. However I will say pre-8.1 the store is a bugger to navigate, saying "its no worse than iOS" isn't good enough, its awful. However in 8.1 its much better.