Opinions on Surface Pro 3

[vomhorizon]

The problem Apple will have going down that road is what happens to iOS and Mac OS? It ultimately is the problem Microsoft had with Windows 8.

Do you add stuff to iOS to give it true multitasking, access to the file system? Or do you take Mac OS and enable it to run iOS apps (possibly with an emulator while waiting for programmers to make the binaries compatible with Intel, like we had with Rosetta) on top and integrate some better touch features? Or do you start fresh with something completely new to solve the problem of making an operating system that brings out the best of a tablet experience and the experience of a notebook/productivity device on top of dealing with the problem of the current apps being on two different architecture?

I think Microsoft's solution with Windows 10 works. It's a hodge podge and it isn't as elegant as something Apple would design. But I think it's great at making devices that you can interact with in many ways, mouse/trackpad, keyboard, touch and pen and also gives you the laid-back tablet experience one minute and can run your full on desktop apps the next.

I'm curious to see how far Apple will bring the iPad as a productivity device. I think iOS would need to evolve a lot for a 12.9" tablet with a CPU that can take on a notebook to make sense.

I would imagine they would look to take iOS up to a level where it becomes better for productivity and enterprise. I do not think they'll try to morph OS X into something that works with touch and on a tablet. What I have noticed with my co-workers that use SP3 is that they are perfectly comfortable and actually prefer to use Windows8 on the SP3 and Windows7 (or XP) on their traditional laptop or desktop workstation. So its not like the windows community is running around one common OS just yet although this may change with Windows 10.

Having said that, Apple would still be better off maintaining two distinct operating systems with their own strengths. Far more people at the moment use the iPAD and iPhone without a MAC then the other way around. Advantages of moving "up" iOS are plenty, and apple here has an opportunity to really tweak it for a powerful device that many claim apple will launch next year. Ultimately, Apple sees the full potential of its iDevices in the Apps, and if they do provide the canvas with multi-tasking, fast processing and something that looks like a file system (or a workaround) then the developers will take care of the rest.

The only thing that I wish I had the SP3 for is MS OFFICE where I have to use my mac book pro, every time I am out of my office (don't like using Office for iPAD yet). If apple can make the 12.9 device more powerful, integrate an innovative keyboard and cover then I simply would take that device with me all along. I can then leave my mac book pro @ home and not upgrade it as often. At the moment, I use very little iPAD simply because I want to switch between browsing and productivity the moment i get an email and therefore I always reach out for my mac book pro when I am at home. My wife is the total opposite. In my opinion there are plenty of power users for apple that have been using the iPAD for a few years, and will jump straight into such a device even if it is priced closer to that of the mac book air.

I however, absolutely want any such device to be as portable, light, thin as an iPad AIR or AIR2...If its fat, heavy and a blending of "a toaster and a refrigerator" as TC said, then i really do not want it. I'd rather carry my mac book pro around with me.

The smart cover implementation is something apple has been working on for some time, and that to me is something that will be a piece of cake for apple given how they manage to make such things so much better then everyone else. I am actually counting on apple releasing such a device next year, hopefully on or before WWDC and I hope apple leaves iOS and OS X as distinct operating systems optimized around the devices they serve. I don't want apple to dumb down one or find a compromise position where it pisses off one user base (as the enterprise folks took to Windows 8)

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...es-a-unique-multi-touch-gesture-keyboard.html

 

[mi7chy]

SP3 hardware is awesome. Imagine integrating the Macbook Air, iPad Air and Intuos digitizer pen into a single unit that has about the same thickness and weight as an iPad 2 but more optimally sized at 12" (9.7" IMHO is too small for productivity and creativity). You have access to the largest software selection with full Office, Photoshop, Acrobat, Chrome browser with extensions like Adblock Plus, etc. Only minor drawback is the tablet experience is still improving and is not as refined as Android or iOS. I'd suggest to go one model up with i5, 256GB SSD and 8GB DRAM and use the 10% off educational discount.

 

[Skylitfly]

So, I played with Surface Pro 3 during the weekend and was very pleased.

I'm pretty much set for the Intel i5, 128gb model or even the base i3 model to save some money. Thats really all the power I need in that form factor and for my usage needs. My 15" rMBP remains as my main workstation anyways.

iPad has turned nearly useless to me. At the moment I'm only using my rMBP and iPhone since I can't really find anything the iPad can do significantly better than either one of these. Low end Surface Pro 3 will land perfectly in the middle and won't even hit my wallet that hard.

Thanks for the opinions and information guys.

 

[laserfox]

So, I played with Surface Pro 3 during the weekend and was very pleased.

I'm pretty much set for the Intel i5, 128gb model or even the base i3 model to save some money. Thats really all the power I need in that form factor and for my usage needs. My 15" rMBP remains as my main workstation anyways.

iPad has turned nearly useless to me. At the moment I'm only using my rMBP and iPhone since I can't really find anything the iPad can do significantly better than either one of these. Low end Surface Pro 3 will land perfectly in the middle and won't even hit my wallet that hard.

Thanks for the opinions and information guys.

Cheers! You will enjoy it, I love my pro 3!

 

[akuma13]

I've been solely using my SP3 for about a week now and I don't miss my Macbook Air. It's a great device that Microsoft doesn't know how to market well.

OneNote is probably the most exciting tool i've used in a while.