What would you change about the Surface?

[Twisticles]

And another thing:

PlayTo.

It's a neat feature, and part of the functionality of Xbox Smartglass (if you have an Xbox).


On Win8, the feature is built into Windows Media Player and plays to my WDTV no problem.

Not so with the Video app on the Surface...doesn't detect any compatible devices. Why doesn't the PlayTo in the Video app have at least the same capability as Media Centre?! Dropped ball there, I think.

 

[GSOgymrat]

Things I would like to see:

- A "reader" or "article view" on web pages.
- Better organization of favorites in Metro browser
- Speakers could be better, although they are bad on tablet I have used
- Flash support on all web pages
- More video formats supported

 

[Twisticles]

- Better organization of favorites in Metro browser

Oh yes...my favourites turns into one massive long horizontal scrolling list, no folder organisation.

And while we are on IE10, please please can we have "resume last session" ability...

 

[Hubster]

In no particular order:

- More customisation options for Metro UI. As a sidenote, that IE10 tile would be nice if it changed colours with the accent colour. The typical Microsoft bathroom/toilet blue is really offputting;

- Mail client: either an Outlook RT, or more advanced version of Mail. It's just a bit too simple at this point, and could do with, at the very least, the same functionality as the Windows Phone mail client.

- Video: MKV support out of the box would be a massive plus, and also a great advantage over iPad. Or at least make it available via an Update post-purchase.

- Volume: seems to be a bit low. Would also be nice to have an equaliser of some kind.

- file browsing in Metro: we need a real option for File Explorer/Windows Explorer in Metro. See the "Metro Commander" in Windows Store for an idea;

- IE10 Metro: Favourites need better organisation

- a "Help" or "Windows RT Guide" Metro app would be great: tips for how to use the Metro UI, how to select text, copy-paste etc;

PS - does anyone know how to "snap to proper image size" in the Pictures app? In IOS and Windows Phone you doubletap an image to do it, but how do we do it Windows RT?

 

[paulus]

It's already an excellent tablet, and it could be made a little bit better. Some of my thoughts:

1. Kickstand: an extra angle - Any more, and we'd have to sacrifice those reassuring snaps when we prop it open, and those smooth "click" sounds when we close it. Some engineering sacrifices needed to be made people.
2. Audio - It' adequate, but a little louder would be nice.
3. Video - More video format support.
4. Welcome Video/Tutorial - I'm surprised MS didn't include a short tutorial or video for this new and beautiful, touch-friendly OS. I did my research so I already knew the tips and tricks, but I'm sure some people who purchased it didn't even know the basic gestures.
5. Cover - A Bluetooth Touch/Type Cover? Haha.
6.Apps - I'm only hoping the developers would hurry up with the other essential Apps already!

Really, I'm super satisfied with my Surface - it's an outstanding 1.0 tablet. As customers, we're being greedy; but it's also our right to want improvements.
I'm planning to buy my wife one but I'm too poor.

 

[J515OP]

There are apps in the store for Help/Guide/Tutorial. You might want to checkout Cheatsheets or Windows 8 Cheats and our own FAQ here as well as the link in my signature. Microsoft Surface FAQ & Guides

 

[R0bR]

My only gripe thus far is the whole mess with Xbox Music and Video but that affects Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and Surface...it is a very big downgrade over what Zune provided. At least my only gripe for the moment.

 

[macintosh]

Yep i wish they had made office 2013 a modern ui app, and lost the desktop completely

 

[paulus]

Yep i wish they had made office 2013 a modern ui app, and lost the desktop completely

I read something somewhere that the Surface development was so top secret, that even the Office team was kept in the dark until the last minute. (fact-check needed)

I disagree about excluding the desktop app (that's another story), and kinda agree with you about getting a modern office 2013 . But I actually think it would be better if the MS Office department would develop a separate App called "Office Touch 2013" or something. A separate, touch-focused app that is simple and elegant, yet compatible with the main Office software and files.

I just think it would be easier for their developers to make an app that complements the current Office app than to do a major overhaul of the software, and force it to become touch-friendly. Yes?

 

[recon0828]

Things I would like to see:

1. 3g/ LTE it really sucks having to carry around a wifi card to do anything away from home.
2. offline login for xbox live. Everygame needs a wifi connection to log in. It should be fairly easy to do this since you've been able to do it on xbox 360 since it came out.
3. app grouping. Tiles look to crowded when you have a lot of apps installed.
4. more xbox smartglass capabilities. This is more for the developers of the games themselves but it would be nice to have a mini map on my lap for COD.
5. Tutorial app. I had no clue what I was doing when I finished setting it up.
6. Need to get all the essential social media apps up and running. Sure you can put a bookmark tile there but it doesn't notify you of anything.

 

[Hubster]

3. app grouping. Tiles look to crowded when you have a lot of apps installed.

YES! Great call, this is badly needed. Just like we have with Windows Phone:

 

[vgjfelix]

I echo most of these points.
The one thing I will add is core system font-size change functionality. Check out Appy Geek and see how you can adjust the font size (whilst still retaining the column structure) to ANY size YOU want. I've done a video about this in another thread.

vgjfelix