Have any of you guys switched from the iPad to the Surface?

[marc55]

NO, this is not to start a flame war, I'm just wondering if any of you guys have switched from the iPad to the Surface, and how you like the Surface compared to the iPad.

While we love the iPad, I do not like that it does not have a USB Port, so we may be switching to a Surface or ASUS Transformer in the near future.

Thank you

 

[oion]

Honestly, all you have to do is read the actual user reviews. Amazon, Best Buy, Staples, CNet, etc.--lots of users have consolidated down from laptop+(iPad/Kindle) to a Surface. I'm not sure about replacing a desktop, but I'm sure some people have done that with the Pro version.

Edit to add: I still believe the Surface RT (only the Windows RT line can be remotely compared to iOS/iPad) is in a class separate from iPad, between iPad and a full Windows tablet. Its productivity range vastly outstrips anything the iOS can muster, so a direct comparison is still unfair (for the iPad). I wouldn't buy a Surface RT/2 as a pure media consumption device; that's a waste.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Well, I bought and use the iPad as a supplement to the Surface (RT) and my desktop machine. I see each platform for the strengths that it has and the way they combine to make my life easier. There is no doubt that the iPad is an excellently crafted device, which is made all the more attractive with its app eco-system. However, since I have very specific needs from my iPad, my exposure to the iOS app eco-system is very limited - but what I do have work very well.

Similarly, the Surface, in my context, performs a very specific function and it does it very well. Again, I have limited demands from its app eco-system, which is why the alleged sparseness of the app store (now very much improved that what it was when I got my Surface, which was close to a year back) did not and does not bother me. I am equally appreciative of the build quality of the Surface and the way it generally handles. It's accessories - while like Apple's is relatively expensive - are excellent! (My specific reference is to the Type Cover, which is one of the best keyboards that I have used and here I am comparing it to some of the classic ThinkPad keyboards that I have used and that I currently use).

In short, I spend very less time - if at all - comparing the iPad to the Surface; rather, I spend most of my time working out ways and means by which each enhance the other's capabilities and how they may - individually and together - contribute to my work and other needs.

 

[narse77]

I did. The iPad was great for media and games but I could never do more work than email. I get a lot more done with my surface and ended up just not using my iPad anymore.

 

[Dancoopbronjoe]

Hello

I also did. I have had an iPad and iphone since they came out. I took the plunge 2 months ago.bought the rt and Neva looked back. I miss Barclays app but other than that its superb. IPad great for mucking about but the surface is the same but you can actually work on it too...Outlook and excel etc. And a USB to load info to and frow. So happy my iphone went last week for a Lumina 925. Same again don't miss Apple what so ever.no Itunes to deal with. Converting films etc. Surface pro 2 for me next week!!

 

[cafutter]

I made he switch when the Pro first came out. The iPad was not great when it came to manipulating Word documents. I did much better with the Pro. There wasn't a noticeable weight difference. There were a couple of minor issues.
1) The battery did not last very long. I bought a second power cord so I could charge in different places
2) It was not as network friendly in a high security hospital environment because Windows 8 was not a supported platform for our IT department.
3) The mouse pad is not great and I found my cursor would jump all over the place. The "fix" was to download a facility to turn off the mouse pad.

Overall, I love this device and the only real issue I have with it is the battery life. I am hoping the power pack keyboard will be backwards compatible with the Pro 1.

 

[The White Falcon]

Hello

I also did. I have had an iPad and iphone since they came out. I took the plunge 2 months ago.bought the rt and Neva looked back. I miss Barclays app but other than that its superb. IPad great for mucking about but the surface is the same but you can actually work on it too...Outlook and excel etc. And a USB to load info to and frow. So happy my iphone went last week for a Lumina 925. Same again don't miss Apple what so ever.no Itunes to deal with. Converting films etc. Surface pro 2 for me next week!!

I've looked at getting a Lumia 928, but they don't have the few apps I like to have on my phone (yet). I had an Xperia Play, but it had crippling software issues that kept getting worse. Then I tried a Palm Pre 2, which I loved and hated (great OS, terrible screen resolution and cramped keyboard) and now I've got an iPhone 4 (still on contract, so I've had to buy the Pre and iPhone used on eBay). But come next year, I might just get a Lumia.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Hello

I also did. I have had an iPad and iphone since they came out. I took the plunge 2 months ago.bought the rt and Neva looked back. I miss Barclays app but other than that its superb. IPad great for mucking about but the surface is the same but you can actually work on it too...Outlook and excel etc. And a USB to load info to and frow. So happy my iphone went last week for a Lumina 925. Same again don't miss Apple what so ever.no Itunes to deal with. Converting films etc. Surface pro 2 for me next week!!

The problems I'm having in getting the RT to replace my iPad are:
1. Poor capacitive digitizer
2. Missing apps for the functions I need

The problem is that while it is possible get actual work done it is difficult to "muck about" the Surface RT. The music apps on the RT are pretty poor organization-wise (metadata tags aren't properly processed) and having the default music app be called "XBox Music" seems out of place to me.

I really like the flexibility of the RT, but epub and cbz/cbr reading apps are woefully inadequate. No VLC video player.

What it will come down to for me is... Getting the iPad to get actual work done or Getting the Surface RT to be able to "muck around"... the first one to the goal will be the winner.

 

[Surface Dude]

The problems I'm having in getting the RT to replace my iPad are:
1. Poor capacitive digitizer
2. Missing apps for the functions I need

The problem is that while it is possible get actual work done it is difficult to "muck about" the Surface RT. The music apps on the RT are pretty poor organization-wise (metadata tags aren't properly processed) and having the default music app be called "XBox Music" seems out of place to me.

I really like the flexibility of the RT, but epub and cbz/cbr reading apps are woefully inadequate. No VLC video player.

What it will come down to for me is... Getting the iPad to get actual work done or Getting the Surface RT to be able to "muck around"... the first one to the goal will be the winner.

I use Freda for reading alongside the NOOK app

 

[brocharlieb]

I didn't switch from the iPad to the Surface, but I tried both and chose the Surface over the iPad. The Surface allows me to use Word, print my work, access my old work using USB memory sticks and much, much more. I didn't have apps I was using before, so I'm not missing them. I'm still super happy with my choice. The Surface RT meets my needs almost perfectly, but I think it's a lot closer to perfect (for me) than the iPad would have been.

 

[kristi]

The only thing I use my iPad for is work email while I'm traveling. Due to extremely high network security, we limit remote access vie personal devices to an app that runs on iOS and Android, but not windows mobile yet, so that's my only choice. But other than that, I use my Surface Pro, and soon my Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2 (yes, I am getting both). I rarely use my Lenovo laptop anymore, and once I get my SP2, I will be retiring and selling it along with the docking station. I also have an iMac (mostly bought it for that sweet screen real estate), and I honestly don't even use it very much. The Surface honestly fills almost all of my computer needs. FYI, I run Photoshop and InDesign on it, even, which is one reason I'm shelling out for the SP2 256, with more RAM.

 

[oion]

The only thing I use my iPad for is work email while I'm traveling. Due to extremely high network security, we limit remote access vie personal devices to an app that runs on iOS and Android, but not windows mobile yet, so that's my only choice. But other than that, I use my Surface Pro, and soon my Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2 (yes, I am getting both). I rarely use my Lenovo laptop anymore, and once I get my SP2, I will be retiring and selling it along with the docking station. I also have an iMac (mostly bought it for that sweet screen real estate), and I honestly don't even use it very much. The Surface honestly fills almost all of my computer needs. FYI, I run Photoshop and InDesign on it, even, which is one reason I'm shelling out for the SP2 256, with more RAM.

Good lord, you people-who-get-multiples---what on earth are you doing with three different Surface devices? mg: So you'll end up with an iPad, Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface 2? Share the wealth, man.

Question about remote access, so they don't allow full Windows machines to connect? That's interesting...