tablet

[MadBurgerMaker]

You shouldn't be too concerned with apps anyway, since the Pro is basically a Windows laptop without a keyboard.

This is a good "teachable moment".  Remember folks, that when someone asks for advice, they usually just mean "please tell me that what I was doing is correct". 

Looks to me like he tested them out and got the ones he liked and that did the things he wanted.  Just because he didn't buy the one you wanted him to buy doesn't mean he completely disregarded everything you said, not that you said anything particularly useful ("or so I've read").

[Barrister]

Unless I've owned a Surface tablet, what else could I say but "from what I've read"?

Nobody in the thread was suggesting a Surface tablet, is all.  And while the idea sounds incredibly nifty (it is a full WinTel computer after all), the reviews have been pretty much mixed-to-poor.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Edit:  Okay I'll take out the part about someone beating off to pictures of Steve Jobs and all that. There simply wasn't much advice for CC to go with in this thread, and certainly not enough for a post like that from you.

The important part is he didn't seem to blow anyone off, there just wasn't much here. He went and tried the various options out, the Pros did something that was very useful, so he went with them.  This is how you're supposed to shop for things like this, isn't it?  Why the post about a teachable moment because he didn't get whatever it is you wanted him to get (but didn't suggest as an alternative)?

If I had seen his post I would have straight up recommended a Surface Pro.  They need something to read textbooks on + a keyboard + the ability to do anything else associated with a school that uses Win 8 + price isn't particularly important.  That just screams Surface Pro (or one of the smaller Windows 8 touchscreen laptops but he was already looking at the SP).

[Barrister]

Edit:  Okay I'll take out the part about someone beating off to pictures of Steve Jobs and all that. There simply wasn't much advice for CC to go with in this thread, and certainly not enough for a post like that from you.

The important part is he didn't seem to blow anyone off, there just wasn't much here. He went and tried the various options out, the Pros did something that was very useful, so he went with them.  This is how you're supposed to shop for things like this, isn't it?  Why the post about a teachable moment because he didn't get whatever it is you wanted him to get (but didn't suggest as an alternative)?

If I had seen his post I would have straight up recommended a Surface Pro.  They need something to read textbooks on + a keyboard + the ability to do anything else associated with a school that uses Win 8 + price isn't particularly important.  That just screams Surface Pro (or one of the smaller Windows 8 touchscreen laptops but he was already looking at the SP).

While I'll almost always throw in an Apple recommendation whether warranted or not, I think I'm otherwise pretty reasonable.  Here, I suggested "Nexus / iPad".

The big concern I have with Surface Pro for school would be battery life.  I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but the impression I have is it won't last through a day of classes.

[MadBurgerMaker]

The battery life tends to run about 5-6 hours depending on what you're doing, in my experience.  It's like a small Windows laptop (because it IS a small Windows laptop), and people get through the day with those all the time.  The battery life is fine.  It wouldn't be enough for me, but I'm moving around more than a kid in class, and require more battery life (so I got the Air).  A kid in a classroom can just plug it in if it gets a little low.

They'll work just fine for kids in school. 

Also, you didn't suggest anything to CC. You just said the battery life wasn't good and it runs hot, then your next post was the teachable moment one.

E:  I do have to point out that they're building new versions of the Surface tablets though, so that might have been something to consider.  The RT is losing the "RT" part, and will just be called the Surface now so it isn't going away just yet, the Pros are getting the 4th gen i5 chips, and they're making a mini.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I like the idea.  The Pro is just too expensive for me.  Anything new like that is something I'd avoid anyway, let someone else find the bugs and the 'needs improvements'.

[DontSayBanana]

I ended up splitting the difference between a tablet and an ebook reader, got a Nook HD+ over the weekend.

[crazy canuck]

We went out and looked at them all.  The clincher was that they could write notes on the screen of the Surface pro.  My younger son is up in his room now "writing" his math homework on his tablet.  The only thing the Apple product could do better was it had better apps.  But these are not meant for entertainment so that was a pretty low priority.

The ability for them to write notes in class and save it all electronically is going to be huge.

This is a good "teachable moment".  Remember folks, that when someone asks for advice, they usually just mean "please tell me that what I was doing is correct". 

Wow, sorry for not buying an apple product there BB.

I got three pieces of advice all of which did help me make up my mind.  You raised a concern about battery life.  It is true that other products have a longer battery life but that wasnt a major issue because they are going to be plugged into a power supply most of the time.  You also raised an issue about heat.  They do run a bit hot but also not a major concern for me.

There was another comment about a lack of apps.  That was not a concern of mine.  This device is not an entertainment unit.  Everything the boys need is there.

GF gave the best advice when he explained that the Nexus 10 and Ipads were different products and the Surface pro is a full windows computer.  He was right and that is what helped me make up my mind.  That and the fact it is a fully functional computer that the boys can write on and has text recognition software to translate their handwriting into typewritten font - A huge benefit.  Basically the boys get all their homework electronically.  Before they had to print out the work, do it by hand, and then hand it in.  Now they can simply download the documents, do their work directly on those documents and show the electronic version or email the completed assignment back to the teacher.


So now you know where you can stick your Apple fanboism.

[crazy canuck]

If I had seen his post I would have straight up recommended a Surface Pro.  They need something to read textbooks on + a keyboard + the ability to do anything else associated with a school that uses Win 8 + price isn't particularly important.  That just screams Surface Pro (or one of the smaller Windows 8 touchscreen laptops but he was already looking at the SP).

That is reassuring.  I was wondering if there was something else out there I might have missed.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Not that I know of.  I've used them before (borrowed through work, etc) and really liked them, but I didn't get one because they ended up not quite fitting my needs (my wife too, she ended up getting a small convertible Win 8 laptop).

I think they're really damn cool gadgets, and what you/your kids are using them for is something they'll be great at. 

[Phillip V]

Microsoft to Debut Second Generation of Surface Products on September 23

http://allthingsd.com/20130909/microsoft-to-introduce-second-generation-of-surface-products-at-sept-23-new-york-event/

[Josquius]

If you need it for reading then stick with a regular kindle or the like.
A lot of tablets are easier on the eyes than would be expected but they're still not on a paper level.
I'd avoid iPads, the locked in market and lack of flash is a pain. I'm actually coming to rather like my kindle fire now I've downloaded a different, flash supporting, web browser, and a video player which handles all the regular internet formats.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Fuck Apple.  Just about anything else would be OK.

[crazy canuck]

The big concern I have with Surface Pro for school would be battery life.  I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but the impression I have is it won't last through a day of classes.

Happy to report that both boys returned from school with 50%+ power left over.

[Barrister]

The big concern I have with Surface Pro for school would be battery life.  I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but the impression I have is it won't last through a day of classes.

Happy to report that both boys returned from school with 50%+ power left over.

I'm happy to hear it.