A baby mea culpa..

[mitchellvii]

No one has been harder on Microsoft for their product rollouts (and especially pricing) than me. From what I am reading online I have the backing of much of the tech community. MS Surface Products are good, just too expensive compared to the competition.

However, all money issues aside, now that I have the new type cover keyboard, I am much happier with my current Surface Pro setup. I think I will hold onto it for another 6 months or so to see how all the other new offerings flesh themselves out. One thing about technology, it just keeps getting better and cheaper. I recall my first Pentium laptop that was 1 1/2 inches thick and cost $3500 with an 800 x 600 screen and at the time I thought it was a BEAST. This went well with my small briefcase sized cell phone and $1200 monthly cellphone bill.

My guess is the Venue Pro 11 line from Dell will force MS into lowering their price points. I foresee type covers for less than $100 and the new power cover for what a type cover costs now. In this competitive environment the current pricing structures are simply unsustainable.

So anyway, looks like I'll be around for another 6 months or so annoying most people and helping a few

 

[fonzman78]

Now splurge for the wireless keyboard adapter and you achieve SP nirvana.

Now about having you around for another 6 months....

 

[mitchellvii]

I have flip-flopped quite a bit about using my SP as a desktop replacement for everything other than playing high end games which requires a robust graphics card. However I have decided that it really is best to maintain my current Desktop as my go-to office computer and use the Surface Pro in a pure support role. Since I do not own a wireless printer, this makes printing through my Desktop over the network easier as well.

Because the screen of the Surface Pro is where the ports live, this means a fully connected SP has wires everywhere which blows the whole feng shui of the device. Of course the docking station will help with this but you still cannot write on it easily while docked. That and they want $200 large for the docking station (oof! - I mean my god, it's a piece of plastic with some wires inside.)

The main reason is that with syncing (especially in OneNote) allows me to really treat both computers as one. This means I can use my SP to comfortably hold and take written notes without worrying about cables and such. Within seconds the notes I write will appear on my desktop PC anyway.

 

[revmike]

So anyway, looks like I'll be around for another 6 months or so annoying most people and helping a few

But you are always entertaining.

 

[demandarin]

Glad to see you will still be hanging around. I originally wanted a new pro form the battery life and increased gpu power. but with steam constantly having these great sales on high quality games, im running out of space on my 128gb pro and the 64gb microsd card. I haven't had a home console gaming system in over 6 yrs. or so. since when xbox 360 first dropped.

now as a bonus, ive found my surface pro to be a very capable gaming system. Im constantly amazed at the quality games its pushing. my new favorite games installed is Dishornored, Crysis 2, and DmC(devil may cry 4). I need more space..lol I can hold off for now, but I think around Christmas time, I might get a 256gb 8gb of ram pro2. I know I can always uninstall and replace the games as I get them but most of my games I haven't beat yet..haha

Although the new pro is an all around better device, the only drawback, imo, to the original pro is the battery life. its still one of the more powerful tablets out there and can still hold its own. im looking forward to the new powercover also as it may help me hold off even longer.

 

[oion]

My guess is the Venue Pro 11 line from Dell will force MS into lowering their price points. I foresee type covers for less than $100 and the new power cover for what a type cover costs now. In this competitive environment the current pricing structures are simply unsustainable.

The accessories maybe, but doubtful for the main units. MS already pissed off the OEMs for entering the hardware market in the first place, and they can't win a race to the bottom unless they cheap out like the clones have (clones proving the Surface has a decent form factor because clearly they do market research, right?), and the other OEMs have much stronger manufacturing infrastructure already in place.

So anyway, looks like I'll be around for another 6 months or so annoying most people and helping a few

That's unfortunate.

 

[olimjj]

No one has been harder on Microsoft for their product rollouts (and especially pricing) than me. From what I am reading online I have the backing of much of the tech community. MS Surface Products are good, just too expensive compared to the competition

That is because most of the Prolific Tech writers are Apple heads who are kept very busy bashing Microsoft at every opportunity warranted or not

So anyway, looks like I'll be around for another 6 months or so annoying most people and helping a few

I personally am pleased because you do spark interesting discussions

 

[CrippsCorner]

That and they want $200 large for the docking station (oof! - I mean my god, it's a piece of plastic with some wires inside.)

Is it? Damn... from the images I thought it was actually made from the same material as the Surface itself, that's rather disappointing.

 

[mitchellvii]

Is it? Damn... from the images I thought it was actually made from the same material as the Surface itself, that's rather disappointing.

Only Microsoft would have the nerve to charge more that the price of a small tablet for a piece of plastic. My guess is they probably have $25 at most in raw materials in that docking station.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Yeah well now I can confirm it's definitely overpriced being made out of plastic. And to think, I was defending it all this time lol (giving it the benefit of the doubt)

 

[mitchellvii]

Yeah well now I can confirm it's definitely overpriced being made out of plastic. And to think, I was defending it all this time lol (giving it the benefit of the doubt)

Well, fancy plastic anyway

 

[CrippsCorner]

Would you say it was unapologetic fancy plastic?