Verizon stores have Surface RT tables on display

[slbailey1]

It has been reported that Verizon has Surface RT tables on display. I'm heading out to my Verizon store this weekend to check it out!

I have some questions about it's size and weight. I have questions about Flash support on RT devices. I have questions about do I really need my old Windows apps on a mobile device. I want a mobile tablet that can fit in my purse.

The main selling point for a Windows RT device is that it comes with a full feature Office 2013. Also Microsoft have a real good ecosystem - an ecosystem is not just apps.

[Rockbeast]

Originally Posted by slbailey1

It has been reported that Verizon has Surface RT tables on display. I'm heading out to my Verizon store this weekend to check it out!

I have some questions about it's size and weight. I have questions about Flash support on RT devices. I have questions about do I really need my old Windows apps on a mobile device. I want a mobile tablet that can fit in my purse.

The main selling point for a Windows RT device is that it comes with a full feature Office 2013. Also Microsoft have a real good ecosystem - an ecosystem is not just apps.

A lot of questions! Be sure to ask Verizon about the meaning of life...and, what's the meaning of denying webOS users full access to GPS! Both of those are important questions...I'm not sure which one is most important...

But, back to the Surface RT tablets...aren't there 2 versions, the RT and the Full Windows 8 Mobile? I was looking at the following:

Things MS Office Home or Student RT doesn't have that Standard MS Office Home or Student does have

It appears the RT version is somewhat limited....not bad mind you, but limited. So can the full Windows 8 mobile OS Surface tablet be a replacement for a laptop? This is something I've been wondering about.

[slbailey1]

I went to my Verizon store over the weekend. The Surface is nice and very light. It is just to big for me. I want a tablet that is between 7.7" and 9".

I talked to one of the employees and she said that Verizon will not be selling the Surface. She said that Verizon does not sell devices that they cannot sell there service with.

I'm hoping the Samsung will release a 7.7" or 8.9" Windows 8 tablet (not Windows 8 RT).

[Grabber5.0]

Wait.. am I reading this right? Verizon has them on display but won't be selling them? :?:

[Remy X]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

[snip]
...and, what's the meaning of denying webOS users full access to GPS! Both of those are important questions...I'm not sure which one is most important...
[/snip]

AFAIK, they want people to pay for the proprietary VZW maps app... so they are still stuck in a walled garden mindset that had cost them the chance to sell the original 1st gen iPhone... they turned it down because it used iTunes instead of VZW V-cast to sell music... corporate dinosaurs like these are always one step behind

[slbailey1]

Originally Posted by Grabber5.0

Wait.. am I reading this right? Verizon has them on display but won't be selling them? :?:

Yes, Verizon have them on display, but will not be selling them.

[Rockbeast]

Originally Posted by Remy X

AFAIK, they want people to pay for the proprietary VZW maps app... so they are still stuck in a walled garden mindset that had cost them the chance to sell the original 1st gen iPhone... they turned it down because it used iTunes instead of VZW V-cast to sell music... corporate dinosaurs like these are always one step behind

But think about this...they do not limit GPS access to any other OS....In fact, instead of properly promoting the Pre+ Big Red was all 'gaga' over the Motorola Droid which used it's own navigation system, which is and was much better than the VZ Navigator...why would they promote devices that would reduce the purchases for VZ Navigator, then NOT promote the Pre+/Pixi+ which were apparently being forced to use VZ Navigator? And you will never find evidence that anyone at Verizon chose to limit GPS on the Palm devices.

I don't buy that. I think either somebody just forgot to deal with GPS issues when reviewing/updating the Palm OS for use in VZW network, or somebody was just having a bad day when reviewing that part of the code and wanted to 'act out' by messing up the code which resulted in having lousy GPS on VZ network...and then that person quit and took a job at T-mobile....Of course, I have absolutely no data to support this idea....and I have little idea where I currently am because of my lousy GPS function on my Pre2...just as bad as Pre+ now.

Oh man, I did it again...nothing about the actual topic of this thread. Well, it is a quandary, why does Verizon have these Surface tablets on display when they are not going to sell them? That seems rather idiotic.

[Remy X]

The original Droid with the crappy touchscreen? Ewww. They have no brain. They turned down the original iPhone, which was a good phone at the time when nothing else was available. They messed up with and ignored the Pre+/Pixi+ which came at a time when Android was still half-baked in many regards. **facepalm**

Why can't Verizon see a good thing when they hold it in their hands?

I don't mean to get emotional, i just wonder what's going through their minds when they do those things. The only good thing that came of them mishandling their launch of the Pre+ is that it turned out to be a "free" upgrade phone for me. I came there like a garden variety opportunist, looking for the "deal", and absolutely fell in love with webOS. Yea, i was prepared to pay for the data plan and insurance, but there was no way i would tolerate any "down payment" to get a phone in my hands.

Interesting observation though on the navigation problem. I don't have a Pre2, so i hadn't realized that GPS was so completely broken there, with no quick fix available. That is strange, how the WZV Navigator fixes GPS on the Pre+, but not on the Pre2. You may be right that this was the work of an individual guy who wasn't there anymore when the Pre 2 came around. The others just didn't seem to know enough to port the bug AND the fix. I wish there was a way for me to look at low-level GPS signal data and figure out what's wrong.

Back to the subject of the Surface, i would think that they'd only sell one if it was equipped with an EVDO/LTE radio. Otherwise i see no point in even displaying it.


[Edit] - I think i know what's wrong... the satellite GPS comes through, but tower triangulation (that gives accuracy) doesn't... so the code on the phone that handles tower triangulation data is either faulty or has been moved to the Navigator app (stupid)....

[John Steffes]

Microsoft is paying Verizon to showcase it... Verizon loves money....


Surface Pro would be nice, Surface RT, do not get the price, business users company will pay, but consumers?

I can get a full laptop with Windows 8 Pro, for $299, Radio Shack even has one....

Price for a tablet above $200, unless Apple white is applied, who will pay that royalty?

[geekpeter]

its quite amazing tbh, ive seen their advert for it several times and each time wonder what exactly their trying to make out its selling point to be, if the adverts anything to go from tis the fact it makes some click/snappy noises.

definatly doesnt do it justice, probably best waiting for loads of others to aquire one, preferably people who have all the other brand/models out there to make a decent comparison.

i cant imagine it being much different to any other tablets out there tbh, after aquiring 4 different types now, their all pretty much the same and do the same, its just down to how free/open they are in the end and ultimatly how useful and easy to use they are.

[DougB541#CB]

The Surface has replaced my iPad2 hands down. Great tablet with some great ORIGINAL UI concepts.

[slbailey1]

Originally Posted by DougB541#WP

The Surface has replaced my iPad2 hands down. Great tablet with some great ORIGINAL UI concepts.

How do you close an app on a tablet? On a desktop or laptop running Windows 8 it is easy, just click F4. On a tablet running Windows 8 I can never drag the top edge of the app to close. Do Windows 8 handle apps and memory like Android so I don't have to worry about leaving apps open?

Also, how do you bring up the keyboard on the tablet and how do you change the default tablet layout from the swipe keyboard to the normal QWERTY keyboard?

The above are the only 2 problems I have with the Windows 8 UI. I like the direction Windows and Windows ecosystem is going! I really like Microsoft's rumored yearly upgrade of Windows instead of the 3 year upgrade schedule.

[Rnp]

Until where I know, the RT is the IPad from M$... with the Windows Phone 8 for tablets.

I'm wrong?

Best Regards... B)