SEANT Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Has the Surface RT’s $150 discount caught the attention of anyone? I found it tempting enough to make the purchase. After using it for the past week I have to say I’m impressed. Very good build quality and system performance; no regrets so far. I’m heavily vested in the Windows eco-system, though, so have a much greater Return On Investment potential. Also, one of the biggest criticisms (App count) is not that bothersome to me. Given some of the unique qualities of the Surface RT, I’m somewhat surprised by it’s predicament. The Ipad/Android tablets must be extremely good. The next half year should be interesting/pivotal for this product. Revised marketing, RT 8.1 upgrade, the increase in numbers due to this price cut (a price it probably should have from the start) will have to be pretty good to avoid an “Also Ran” fate. I think it will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotGuy Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Also Ran fate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 It's an expression. Horse racing results would list Win, Place, and Show . . . . and also ran. http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=also+ran+meaning&oq=%22Also+Ran%22&gs_l=hp.1.1.0l2j0i10.1539.9195.0.13257.18.14.4.0.0.0.195.1847.2j12.14.0....0...1c.1.21.psy-ab.dto6cxXUmNU&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.49478099,d.dmg&fp=427d5954f40588d7&biw=1152&bih=658 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotGuy Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 That makes sense. Ty for linky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 I’m all hooked up with the HomeGroup. Apparently my circa 2003 inkjet printer is not compatible with Windows RT. May be time to look at a new wireless Laser printer – anyone have a recommendation? Here is a screen capture of the RT interfacing with AutoCAD 360. I’ll test that some more to see how functional it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyke Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I’m all hooked up with the HomeGroup. Apparently my circa 2003 inkjet printer is not compatible with Windows RT. May be time to look at a new wireless Laser printer – anyone have a recommendation? I invested in a HP LaserJet Pro Color M251nw a few months ago and run it wireless for our home network, 3 PCs, 2 laptops, iPad and lapbook. It has never missed a beat and produces excellent results. We have the forerunner in the office which has been used every day for the last four years and other than replacing the toner cartridges never let us down once. I can only recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLW210 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I bought a Brother HL-3140cw Color Laser Printer a few months ago, good price and reasonable toner prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 Cool. I’ll investigate both of those options. I wasn't sure if I would go full color (colour) – hopefully those are affordable enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 Wow, those are reasonably priced. The Brother model looks more affordable but, unlike the HP, does not appear on the Windows RT Compatibility list. Not a pressing issue - I'll check again when I'm ready to purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyke Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Cool. I’ll investigate both of those options. I wasn't sure if I would go full color (colour) – hopefully those are affordable enough. The HP costed just over €220 here in Germany and running costs are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f700es Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 The new Acer Iconia W3-810 is the new 8.1" Windows Pro tablet. It starts at $350 usd. At this price point and the ability to run full windows apps I think it might just seal the fate of the RT based units. This and it comes with a full copy of Office 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Microsoft will have to make a valiant attempt to salvage the Windows RT OS, and the Surface RT in particular. I can safely say that - but also honestly tell you that the unit is pretty damn amazing as is. A serious marketing blunder may doom some very impressive hardware. I just saw the specs for Acer Iconia W3-810. Looks to be a good value but only has 32 GB storage and 2 GB RAM. Is that sufficient for full windows 8? Those specs are similar to my Surface but it only has to contend with Windows RT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f700es Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 I think the 32gb model is $299 and the 64gb unit is $349. I won't argue against the ARM platform being a great platform with it's performance and small footprint. There is nothing really wrong with RT imho just MS messed it up for the lay person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 . . . . just MS messed it up for the lay person Microsoft does not get "lay people". And they don't get marketing. I think they're comfortable with enterprise/business, but even there they no longer have carte blanche. I'm sort of gambling that Microsoft won't risk loosing the business sector, and will pull out all the stops to keep it. Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f700es Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I think Bill (Gates) said once that if it came to it they would give Windows away if that meant keeping the developers busy with MS development tools and keep Office sales strong. I think they should give away Windows for home users. It would turn the pc on it's side! Do like they did with XP and Win7, have a home version that could not log into a NT domain and have a Pro version that had to be bought but keep that at $99. At that point the game would be over! Same with mobile devices. Just give it away and use the app store as a cash cow much like Apple has done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANT Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Now is a good time to be a Business Major . . . . an interesting time anyway. A discipline that used to be fairly static and stodgy is now quite volatile. The old business model morphs and mutates like a Chernobyl fruit fly. Freely distributing expensive to produce software has worked already. I imagine that the App stores for all the players have as many free apps available as apps for sale. It is no doubt typical that front runners of a former paradigm tend to be slow to perceive and react to a shift. Microsoft could be that titanic, but I’m hoping for a better outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I think Bill (Gates) said once that if it came to it they would give Windows away if that meant keeping the developers busy with MS development tools and keep Office sales strong. I think they should give away Windows for home users. It would turn the pc on it's side! Do like they did with XP and Win7, have a home version that could not log into a NT domain and have a Pro version that had to be bought but keep that at $99. At that point the game would be over! Same with mobile devices. Just give it away and use the app store as a cash cow much like Apple has done.I can agree with this... but then again it's "me" that's getting something for free so of course I'm okay with this. But let me elaborate.... I have seven computers at home. Yes seven. And they're all actively used... here's the list: My main office computer. Windows Home Server. Wife's laptop. My laptop. HTPC in living room. HTPC in bedroom. HTPC in guest room. My house is a pretty good size two story so I have the room to have all these computers. Laptop was my wife's that she bought, and my laptop was a freebie leftover from work. My WHS was a freebie built computer that my mother got stuck with somehow and gave to me but works great. One HTPC is another gimmie with little addons I had to do, and the living room and bedroom HTPC's are custom ones that were delicately crafted by yours truly and lemme tell you they work fantastic. So not a lot of upfront cost but definitely more than your average. So on to my point... all seven computers didn't come with Windows 7. Since all my computers are connected via Cat5e ethernet, I am totally hard wired which really benefits me to have Pro. For me to legally buy seven OS licenses, I get a tad bit of a break on a 5-user pack and then I gotta buy two more but still... that's a grand almost. Only two computers are used for business... my office computer and my WHS (half the time... the other half is my media and personal storage). Computers can be used for much more than just "business". It takes a full OS to make a HTPC if you go the WMC route, which is honestly the only way to go if you use your setup as a tuner. Just my $0.02 anyways but it'd be hard to control people using a license for "work" or for "pleasure". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f700es Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Well the home version could be like XP Home was. It did not have the ability to log into an NT 4.0 Domain so no using it at an office. So this would keep people legit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Well the home version could be like XP Home was. It did not have the ability to log into an NT 4.0 Domain so no using it at an office. So this would keep people legit Yeah but I have a domain with WHS, so guys like me are out of luck. Then again, it's a bit over the top for most people so I totally understand. Also, I think it would be neat if Microsoft would release an OS that is only WMC. That's it. You could still install things like XBMC and Hulu, etc... but do it on an outside client. Sell this OS for $20 or $30 or something... would be awesome I think! All three of my HTPC's do is strictly TV, music, movies, pictures, Netflix and Hulu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLW210 Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I can agree with this... but then again it's "me" that's getting something for free so of course I'm okay with this. But let me elaborate.... I have seven computers at home. Yes seven. And they're all actively used... here's the list: My main office computer. Windows Home Server. Wife's laptop. My laptop. HTPC in living room. HTPC in bedroom. HTPC in guest room. My house is a pretty good size two story so I have the room to have all these computers. Laptop was my wife's that she bought, and my laptop was a freebie leftover from work. My WHS was a freebie built computer that my mother got stuck with somehow and gave to me but works great. One HTPC is another gimmie with little addons I had to do, and the living room and bedroom HTPC's are custom ones that were delicately crafted by yours truly and lemme tell you they work fantastic. So not a lot of upfront cost but definitely more than your average. So on to my point... all seven computers didn't come with Windows 7. Since all my computers are connected via Cat5e ethernet, I am totally hard wired which really benefits me to have Pro. For me to legally buy seven OS licenses, I get a tad bit of a break on a 5-user pack and then I gotta buy two more but still... that's a grand almost. Only two computers are used for business... my office computer and my WHS (half the time... the other half is my media and personal storage). Computers can be used for much more than just "business". It takes a full OS to make a HTPC if you go the WMC route, which is honestly the only way to go if you use your setup as a tuner. Just my $0.02 anyways but it'd be hard to control people using a license for "work" or for "pleasure". You could do all that and more with a Linux distro, absolutely FREE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.