My Favorite Unexpected Thing About Surface

[ArnoldC]

That i didn't realize i can type 40 wpm on the Touch keyboard...

 

[mrasmussen]

My favorite unexpected thing is to be able to use many corporate sites, that I couldn't with my Android and iPad tablets. For example Outlook client for the web has full capability and I thought that it uses Silverlight.

I think this is something that most reviews miss, the browsing on the surface is better than any other tablet including the iPad. Seeing as how most folks use tablets to browse the web, the surface should be perfect for most people.

 

[ScottyS]

My most unexpected thing about the SP... That compared to all the other things Microsoft has tried to do (anyone remember Microsoft Bob?), this time they got it right.

 

[Johntxk]

I love the Kindle app. The fact that I can shop the kindle store directly from the app is a major upgrade from my iPad. I have never enjoyed he iBooks store, so this is a serious upgrade.

The device is a great productivity tool for my corporate position.

 

[Russ]

What are your favorite unexpected things about Surface?

JP --

If I can modify your question to include "the extent to which it is," my answer is: It's a computer!! As the Spaniard says, "It's a tool, not a toy."

As you already know, it was a laptop replacement for my Ladyfriend, and survived a six-week trip around China without incident. It is now on its way to Dubai, but this time with the external battery.

As for me: It is a laptop replacement, as well. My excellent HP laptop now goes to my daughter. It also replaced my iPad, which I was using exclusively as a reader, nothing else. That now goes to one of my granddaughters.

I guess I'm a little surprised at how quick it is. The I5 and the SSD are a nice combination.

I could ramble on, but would be repeating others.

Regards,

Russ

 

[T3Jn]

Touch enabled IE. First thing I did was install chrome... then discovered IE. Brilliant, Chrome now gone. Love the update to double tap and zoom text. Swipe back is nice, shame it won't work when link opens to new tab (i.e. close current and return to previous).

 

[nicholas1983]

Hi! I thought I would join the forum to contribute to this topic. I have had my Surface RT for over two months and I am really happy with it, great bit of kit!

I have a hi-fi separates system in my lounge which is connected to a HTPC via USB which is fed to the separate DAC. When I was setting up Media Monkey I had a thought of plugging the DAC into the Surface and to my surprise it outputted sound via the USB, bypassing the internal volume control at the same time. I doubt it was bit-perfect but it sounded very good.

I was also surprised that the HDMI outputted sound. I admit this is pretty obvious now, but it was a surprise at the time.

The amount of bashing the Surface got in technology magazines and websites was a bit of a surprise. Most of them seem to think that a tablet that has Office is some sort of freak that shouldn't be allowed, when in fact it makes perfect sense for a lot of tablet / portable computer users. For my needs as a student it is perfect: It is lighter and smaller than most of the books I have had to carry; 8 hour battery life so no power brick needed; and with a small USB mouse (and a flat table) it turns into a pretty respectable laptop hybrid.

One more: My opinion of Windows 8 has changed since it was installed on my desktop (before I bought the Surface) due to using it on a touch device.

 

[revbilly]

Me too. I like that lights up to let me know it's working. I found it very frustrating to connect at first but discovered if you grasp it by the cord instead of the actual connector, the magnetic connector sort of takes over, aligns itself correctly and snaps into place. Go figure.

 

[malberttoo]

...the magnetic connector sort of takes over, aligns itself correctly and snaps into place. Go figure.

My aligner must be broken then, because it is idiotic how many times I have to try to get mine on!

 

[Exxeter]

Maybe I should have expected it, but once I went to the page and "trusted" it, it set itself up automagically, including my Windows 8 desktop wallpaper and home pages and tabs on IE. Now that is what I call user-friendly.