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Old 26-05-2013, 10:34
TheBigM
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That's what recommend and a tablet for when one wants to travel even lighter and have much better battery life.
What about when you are travelling and want a tablet experience some of the time and a laptop experience some of the time?

I could travel with a single Surface Pro which can do each one reasonably well.

Or I would have to travel with two separate devices adding, thickness, weight plus two chargers etc.
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Old 26-05-2013, 10:40
PPhilster
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Come now, don't be silly. This is full windows 8, anything a desktop computer can do, this can.

With an iPad, you rely on whatever Bluetooth profiles are baked into iOS.

With Windows, ANY bluetooth device can be run. If your device doesn't have bluetooth integrated, you can just stick in a dongle and third-party software can always be added to take care of any missing profiles.
No, you rely on the many developers and third party manufacturers giving so much more attention to mobile devices.
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Old 26-05-2013, 11:09
TheBigM
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No, you rely on the many developers and third party manufacturers giving so much more attention to mobile devices.
What a generic reply. Sounds like you don't have a real reply in this case but that's because you don't know the answer as illuminated by the last couple of posts you made in this thread.

Let me educate you: if the iPad doesn't have a particular bluetooth profile baked in to iOS, the iPad can't perform that particular bluetooth function.

The iOS supports five profiles
out of this many profiles.

That wiki page shows a particular bluetooth profile that blackberries and some androids can do but iOS can't.

There's nothing out there with more compatibility with third party devices and hardware than a Windows PC.
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Old 26-05-2013, 11:10
neo_wales
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I've been using a full size Vaio and a tablet when away from home and the Pro should mean I can leave them behind. The Pro is a 'real' computer and will run any of the software I want. The soft touch keyboard is fine for when just out and about and the 'real' keyboard for when static. You can use a small USB hub and plug in standard keyboards and a mouse.
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Old 27-05-2013, 07:35
PPhilster
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What a generic reply. Sounds like you don't have a real reply in this case but that's because you don't know the answer as illuminated by the last couple of posts you made in this thread.

Let me educate you: if the iPad doesn't have a particular bluetooth profile baked in to iOS, the iPad can't perform that particular bluetooth function.

The iOS supports five profiles
out of this many profiles.

That wiki page shows a particular bluetooth profile that blackberries and some androids can do but iOS can't.

There's nothing out there with more compatibility with third party devices and hardware than a Windows PC.
Not a generic reply at all. The reality of the PC market clearly shows for a number of years now that the focus has shifted to mobile devices. There are obviously many things that you can say a PC or a Mac can do that an iPad or other mobile device can't do but that doesn't mean it matters to most consumers or developers, who's focus has been on the mobile market for some time now.

That's the kind of argument Microsoft would make to promote their Surface Pro without getting it, once again, that most users don't care.
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Old 27-05-2013, 12:30
TheBigM
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Not a generic reply at all. The reality of the PC market clearly shows for a number of years now that the focus has shifted to mobile devices. There are obviously many things that you can say a PC or a Mac can do that an iPad or other mobile device can't do but that doesn't mean it matters to most consumers or developers, who's focus has been on the mobile market for some time now.

That's the kind of argument Microsoft would make to promote their Surface Pro without getting it, once again, that most users don't care.
Complete movement of the goalposts by you.

Your original argument was that you think an iPad can do more than a PC, for example, not being surprised if the iPad had more bluetooth capabilities than a PC.

Anyway, thankfully you have backtracked on that with a different statement: "here are obviously many things that you can say a PC or a Mac can do that an iPad or other mobile device can't do but that doesn't mean it matters to most consumers".

I assure you that things like developing, testing and debugging all on the same device is something that matters to developers and something that the iPad can't do.

The Surface Pro as a platform has the capability to do anything that a laptop or tablet can do. It only needs more software written for touch.
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Old 27-05-2013, 12:31
TheBigM
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It's a real shame an iPad fanboy had to come in and derail the thread when he has little knowledge of the Surface Pro (or even the iPad it seems) just because he can't stand any other product being good or people having any desire for a product other than what he has bought.
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Old 28-05-2013, 11:19
alanwarwic
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I realise Pro is full Windows but what does the non full windows 'RT' acronym stand for?

Off the top of my head I can only think of 'Restricted Tablet'. It is quite fitting but surely unintended.
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Old 28-05-2013, 11:30
IvanIV
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I realise Pro is full Windows but what does the non full windows 'RT' acronym stand for?

Off the top of my head I can only think of 'Restricted Tablet'. It is quite fitting but surely unintended.
I think it means RunTime, as in unlike with Windows 8 you cannot install anything else on it except Windows RT apps.
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Old 28-05-2013, 12:16
AJ2001
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I haven't. I saw it yesterday in person, it's a great bit of kit.

Personally, considering waiting for a Haswell one so it gets decent battery life.

If it had a Sky Go app available it would be able to be my only machine and I would sell my iPad.

If this is full windows, should be able to run the PC version of Sky Go?
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Old 28-05-2013, 13:57
IvanIV
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If this is full windows, should be able to run the PC version of Sky Go?
Anything you can run on a PC with Windows 8 on it you can run on the Surface Pro, too. The same thing. The only problem can be a compatibility issue with W8, but then again, on both.
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:06
TheBigM
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If this is full windows, should be able to run the PC version of Sky Go?
Can you download content on Sky Go for PCs? I've only ever used it on my iPad. From what I remember, Sky Go behaves differently depending on the device and the content it shows you. Maybe that was for a different app like Now TV.

In any case, with that hurdle crossed, the Surface Pro sounds pretty ideal for me except I feel that I may as well as wait for a Haswell one to get better battery life.
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:13
alanwarwic
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I think it means RunTime, as in unlike with Windows 8 you cannot install anything else on it except Windows RT apps.
Probably why I could not recall its meaning.
'As in' certainly does not correlate to 'run time'

'Restricted Tablet' fits in much better though we can be trained into an expanded definition of 'run time'.
'Metro' certainly fitted in better.
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:30
IvanIV
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Probably why I could not recall its meaning.
'As in' certainly does not correlate to 'run time'

'Restricted Tablet' fits in much better though we can be trained into an expanded definition of 'run time'.
'Metro' certainly fitted in better.
I think Windows part of Windows RT confused many people. They expected the RT tablets to be what Surface Pro is and were disappointed.
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:34
IvanIV
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Can you download content on Sky Go for PCs? I've only ever used it on my iPad. From what I remember, Sky Go behaves differently depending on the device and the content it shows you. Maybe that was for a different app like Now TV.

In any case, with that hurdle crossed, the Surface Pro sounds pretty ideal for me except I feel that I may as well as wait for a Haswell one to get better battery life.
Haswell looks promising, 50% battery life improvement, they say, but I have to have this toy now I'll try to get my hands on Surface Pro by the end of the week.
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:39
John259
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I think Windows part of Windows RT confused many people. They expected the RT tablets to be what Surface Pro is and were disappointed.
Hence the reports of many RT tablets being returned.

BTW WinRT <> Windows RT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinRT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_RT
Choosing confusing product names seems to be just about the only thing the MS marketing department is any good at
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Old 28-05-2013, 16:26
TheBigM
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Hence the reports of many RT tablets being returned.

BTW WinRT <> Windows RT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinRT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_RT
Choosing confusing product names seems to be just about the only thing the MS marketing department is any good at
These are confusing names, and yet, they are much better than what came before. They got a bit muddled, wanting to call it Windows RT to draw on the power of the Windows brand (ignoring its poisoned chalice nature) but then expecting people to realise it's not "full" windows.

A Surface RT2 does remain an attractive proposition fundamentally however - an iPad that does Flash and Office and chance to manage files. The current one just lacks power from a hardware perspective (and apps from a software one).

Windows Phone 7 Series - as it was a BMW or something. Or Windows Server 2008 R2.
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Old 28-05-2013, 16:29
TheBigM
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Haswell looks promising, 50% battery life improvement, they say, but I have to have this toy now I'll try to get my hands on Surface Pro by the end of the week.
I REAALLY want one, but then again, an iMac sounds pretty sweet too (apart from all the ugly grey chrome).
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Old 28-05-2013, 18:40
IvanIV
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I REAALLY want one, but then again, an iMac sounds pretty sweet too (apart from all the ugly grey chrome).
You would end up installing Windows on it anyway
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Old 28-05-2013, 18:46
TheBigM
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You would end up installing Windows on it anyway
I do like windows. My main reason for getting one is trying to figure out what's so great about OS X. I played with a friend's Macbook Pro on Sunday evening a fair bit and I really just don't get it.

I think I will have a chat with DotNetWill about it, he seems to be pretty balanced and have a good understanding of both.
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Old 28-05-2013, 18:54
IvanIV
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A friend showed me his MacBook Pro he uses for development for iOS. The most important keys for developing in Objective-C, i.e., [ and ] were only available through some funny key combination
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Old 28-05-2013, 19:00
AJ2001
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Can you download content on Sky Go for PCs? I've only ever used it on my iPad. From what I remember, Sky Go behaves differently depending on the device and the content it shows you. Maybe that was for a different app like Now TV.

In any case, with that hurdle crossed, the Surface Pro sounds pretty ideal for me except I feel that I may as well as wait for a Haswell one to get better battery life.

Yes, you can download and watch offline . I was doing it up to 12 months ago, before i switched to the ipad.

EDIT: Did a quick check just . Now You need to subscribe toSky Go extra ( 5 pounds/month) if you want to download and watch offline. Streaming is still free
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Old 28-05-2013, 20:17
jonner101
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A friend showed me his MacBook Pro he uses for development for iOS. The most important keys for developing in Objective-C, i.e., [ and ] were only available through some funny key combination
Are you really sure ?

typing this on a macbook pro, the [ and the ] keys are directly to the right of the p key and you don't even have to press the shift key to type them
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Old 28-05-2013, 20:33
jonner101
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I do like windows. My main reason for getting one is trying to figure out what's so great about OS X. I played with a friend's Macbook Pro on Sunday evening a fair bit and I really just don't get it.

I think I will have a chat with DotNetWill about it, he seems to be pretty balanced and have a good understanding of both.
Can't you make up your own mind ?

There are pros and cons to either, it's going to be down to personal preference really.

I got a mac book as I needed to do some contract iOS Development work, then I've used it as my main personal laptop ever since then.

I just like the look and feel of it more than windows. Especially since windows 8 which I think aesthetically looks horrible. But that will be down to your own personal preference.
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Old 28-05-2013, 21:41
IvanIV
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Are you really sure ?

typing this on a macbook pro, the [ and the ] keys are directly to the right of the p key and you don't even have to press the shift key to type them
He certainly had troubles to type them I only saw it for maybe five minutes, showed me some graph with dialogs of an app he was writing and could not find those keys.
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