Complaints

[pvc]

Got my i7 sp3 the other day and feel like bitching a bit.

Why is Firefox so darn slow and laggy? Google maps doesn't even zoom and stalls.
How come "by design" clicking on text fields doesn't open the on screen keyboard in the desktop mode? wtf kind of design is that?? Why can't they just give us the option to choose the behavior?

How come I've had to download literally hundreds of updates for a device that's just a few days old?

What's with the "fancy" power connector that gets disconnected as soon as you touch it? What's wrong with normal micro USB or old style power connectors. Don't be an apple, Microsoft!!!

Also, It's a little heavier than I like and doesn't brush my teeth!

But seriously, Am I expecting too much from a software giant that dominates the os market and sells these devices for ~$1-2000?

 

[Feoen]

I agree; I cannot stand using Firefox or Chrome on the SP3. As an adamant anti-Internet Explorer user, I caved in and use the Metro IE exclusively. It's a wonderful browser for touch-based material (just wish I could get AdBlock on it). I guess there just aren't enough touch-enabled full Windows tablets out there for them to make Firefox or Chrome actually usable with touch.

I'm not sure where you read "by design" on text fields, as generally the keyboard does open when you click on text fields... I have had some encounters where this doesn't happen (e.g., Firefox URL bar) but for the most part in other software this has not been an issue. It's also handy in things like Word where you might want to highlight and don't want to bother with the keyboard constantly popping up.

I disagree with "literally hundreds" of updates. Most are probably kilobites in size, and are the average Windows updates that any user would get. Are you new to Windows?

 

[pvc]

I haven't received the keyboard cover yet, and I keep clicking on the text fields thinking that the soft keyboard would pop up by default like on my android phone. It doesn't. I searched it online and came across a bunch of threads that suggest it's that way by design. This happens in desktop mode.

It's not about being new to windows. The device is literally a few days old, was it not ready and tested when it got pushed out? I've spent quite a bit of time and battery installing about 40 updates in the past 24 hours. Now, I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I am a computer scientist and know how hard it is to develop hardware/software products. I just think they can do better to produce a more polished product.

 

[drolem]

Got my i7 sp3 the other day and feel like bitching a bit.
How come "by design" clicking on text fields doesn't open the on screen keyboard in the desktop mode? wtf kind of design is that?? Why can't they just give us the option to choose the behavior?

Firefox is not a Metro app, meaning it is not using the correct API for text input.

How come I've had to download literally hundreds of updates for a device that's just a few days old?

Most of those are OS updates.

What's with the "fancy" power connector that gets disconnected as soon as you touch it?

Try touching it more gently.

What's wrong with normal micro USB or old style power connectors. Don't be an apple, Microsoft!!!

a) USB cannot carry sufficient power for this device.
b) it's desinged this way so if you accidentally pull the plug it will just disconnect instead of bending or breaking it (like what my daughter did to her android tablet -- she bent the plug and also damaged the micro USB jack) or pulling everything down to the floor.

Also, It's a little heavier than I like and doesn't brush my teeth!

Put it on diet and glue a tooth brush to it.

 

[malberttoo]

I have not tried Firefox on my SP3, but everything Chrome on it blows. Google has no support for their products on a high DPI screen. I am a heavy Chrome/Google products user on my workstation, but like Feoen says above, it has actually been a hidden blessing in that it forced me to start using Metro IE 11 on the SP3, which I consider a wonderful browser. It is awesome on the SP3.

As far as the keyboard not appearing... I'm no expert but here is the short story as I understand it. Desktop apps are different than their Metro counterparts. So Desktop Skype, is not the same as Metro Skype. As I understand it, the Metro apps all use the current APIs, but in order for Desktop apps to automatically summon the on-screen keyboard for instance, Microsoft would have had to back-port the API's to work with the Desktop app environment, and they didn't want to. So... Desktop apps don't have the ability to summon the keyboard.

I do understand Microsoft's basic goal, of getting everything switched over to Metro-style apps, as the Desktop style all rely on the same basic code that has been in existence since Windows XP, and Microsoft can't be chained to that forever. I just have no idea how they will ultimately pull it off.

 

[ctitanic]

Why is Firefox so darn slow and laggy? Google maps doesn't even zoom and stalls.?

Have you Complained to Google and Firefox?

 

[GreyFox7]

Have you Complained to Google and Firefox?

Exactly. Bad code is as bad code does.

 

[Johan]

mine kept on shutting down with the thermometer when doing those initial updates. The first time, the during the firmware update and the touch screen wouldn't work.... downloaded the updates manually and installed it but still says there is a problem.

Refreshed the machine and tried it again and the same thing with shutting down due to temperature.

Third time and no shutdown but rebooted and was stuck on updating page for 50 mins... hard reset and multiple yellow warning signs in device manager. Sucks.

 

[leeshor]

Ask any developer what Microsoft demands of those want Metro style apps. Mozilla was working on a Metro interface but gave up, at least for now.

 

[pvc]

the reason I bought a surface pro and not another tablet was that it is advertised as a fully functioning PC that could run traditional windows apps like ff and chrome. And unless I'm completely wrong, ff and chrome don't have surface or tablet specific apps. So if my desktop can run them fine, what's the deal with surface?? Just to be clear, I don't use any metro apps. I have no interest or use for them. I simply want my desktop apps running on sp like they do on any other laptop or desktop.

Try putting sp on your lap in portrait mode while the power connector is attached and attempt to write a paragraph. You'll see how loose it is. That kind of power fluctuations can't be good for the battery.

Microsoft's goal of switching everyone to metro is stupid and ridiculous. People that use their PC for actual work (not YouTube and porn) will never settle for that. And as I said, this product is not as great as it could be because MS is cutting corners. I hate to say it, but if it was apple, for the sake of improving customer experience, they would have made the changes needed to make the keyboard autoload on desktop. It is their own code and software ffs. They don't have to go running over to adobe, Google, or apple and suck up to them to get it changed.

Anyway, I'm overall happy with it so far, but felt like venting a little. Hopefully, their management or engineers would find the time to listen to their customers for once.

 

[pcom]

I hated Metro apps initially too. Now, I hate going to the desktop but am still forced into it by the browsers (can't use my plugins with Metro IE) and by Microsoft's own apps (Office!).

You're right, though -- forcing a change is tough. Not many people I know like Windows 8/8.1 right out of the box. Heck, *I* didn't and now I find it hard to go back to Windows 7.

 

[Kif]

Just to be clear, I don't use any metro apps. I have no interest or use for them. I simply want my desktop apps running on sp like they do on any other laptop or desktop.

If you're that closed minded about Metro I don't think there's anything anyone can say to change your mind. Metro is optimized for tablet mode and to fully utilize the tablet functionality Metro is essential. I quickly learned this when I purchased my SP3. Google has there own tablet products and Firefox is working on a phone\tablet OS as well so they're probably not inclined to push products for Metro at this time. Buy yourself a good laptop and good luck to you.

Funny thing is that I actually think Metro is the good part of Window 8.1. Everything scales so well in it and runs smoothly. I hope Microsoft can find a better way to get more people to adopt it so companies start supporting it better.