Day 3

Today the biggest thing that I tried to work out was the battery life. I know some people have complained about the battery connection and how it’s magnetically attached to the device. I didn’t see that as a big problem, but I did notice that connecting the device in the dark, like right before I go to bed and after I turn out the lights, isn’t the easiest thing in the worked to do. I am all for next gen tech, but maybe so kind of plug style connection might have worked as well. Either way, I think its a pretty strong connection, and I have to say the Surface RT charges FAST. I mean crazy fast. I went from fully drained to fully charged in just over an hour. I was going to try it using a car charger with a plug adapter, but since I don’t carry one on me on a normal day I dismissed it.

I also noticed the that the battery sips power. I am sure that is due to the low power consumption of the Tegra-3 chip, but its amazing how much work I can get done during the day and still have a charge enough to watch a video. Not a long one, but just having the ability is nice.

I don’t know how much power will be consumed now that Surface RT supports Flash, but I am guessing I may see some drain.

Something that I noticed as a minor nuisance is that fact that I can’t see the battery icon on the home screen or while I am surfing. It isn’t a big deal, and I can always press -windows-C, but seeing it always on as opposed to having to use a gesture can be distracting.

So my battery finally wore down after 9.35 hours. Not to bad after a full day of work, watching the new Pope, and a combination of emails and social posts.

Nice job Microsoft. So far….

Day 1 with the Surface RT

So for today, I am tethering my Surface RT to my Nokia phone.  Its 4G service, and I am reminded every day just how much I love the Lumia.  So, as I am sitting on the train, I am propping the Surface on my lap, and using the touch keyboard.  Its not the most comfortable position, typing with the keyboard like this, but its not completely unstable.  I spent about two hours typing on the keyboard a day ago, and I am getting pretty accurate with the keyboard.  I know a lot of people were complaining about it, but I think its all just a matter of personal  preference.  I’m not saying its perfect, but I have to say its an ingenious tech addition and it makes the tablet a significantly more productive device.

So, here it the good.  I really like the touch keyboard.  Its faster than typing on the screen for sure.  The mouse pad pointer pad is touchy but not distracting.  I think having the left/right click buttons on the bottom is a problem.  A more effective place might have been on the left and right side of the touchpad.  This way they could be clichéd with my free pinky fingers, but that’s just asking for something that has no useful purpose on a normal keyboard, so why do it here?  Additionally, I like the clicking sound the keypad makes when I use it.  I have been using the keypad to type this, so my most effective way to know I missed a key is when I don’t hear the clicking.

The bad so far?  Not to much really.  I can operate most of the functions with the touch keyboard. 

Day 2 goes to the Surface!

 

Surface RT

So I purchased a Microsoft Surface RT, after spending about two weeks trying to decide which tablet I should get.  I got it slightly used, so I didn’t feel so bad about spending the money.  It was only about a month old, and it came with the Touch cover.  So I guess what I will do for the next 60 days is do a daily review, so if anybody does read this thing, then maybe they can get some of my insight.

I have said it a few times, but I am sort of a MS junkie.  I had an Ipad, and an Iphone, but I have always had problems with it, especially when it came to contact management and memory issues.  I think they are wonderful devises, but ITunes never seemed to integrate well with my PC, and even now I cant get ITunes to work with Windows 8.  In April I purchased the Lumia 900 by Nokia.  I thought the windows integration was really well done, and even though it didn’t have the greatest camera, it didn’t give me all the problems I had previously.

So here is what I am working with now.

Alienware Aurora x58 with Windows 8 Pro, 16gb ram with MS Office 2010 Business suite

Nokia Lumia 900 16gb

Surface RT with 32gb and 32gb sdxc card with MS Office 2013 Student

45gb Skydrive account.

These are stock picks.  I will take some tomorrow.

Missing my Girls

So I have been trying to follow my daughter’s post while she in Guatemala, but really there in’t much to follow since all the posts are before they actually got there. I have been thinking about my daughters a lot lately; more so then usual, and I have to say I find the idea of moving over to NH more appealing. I really want to spend these years with my children, and I hate the idea that I might miss my little Kelli as she goes into high school. Kya is going to college and even though I wouldn’t see her all the time, any time would be better than holidays.

Kya

It would be an easier decision if I could find a decent job out there. Either way, I miss my children a lot, and I am finding myself feeling more and more isolated from their lives.

New Post

Just in case I get to drunk or tired to post, I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year!

New Post

So I have been using Windows 8 for about a month now, or at least since it because available.  I probably have read about 10 different reviews, and thousands of comments.  I think my review is a lot less complicated.

 

Its pretty nice.

 

That’s it.  I think if you want it, your going to get it, and you will be happy with it.  If you don’t want it, you won’t get it, but then you might still be running Windows XP.  Don’t get me wrong, XP was good.  Windows 8 is fresh, it syncs well, it runs just fine, and it the end its just an operating system.  Its not a life changer, game changer, religion changer, or anything that historic.  Its just Windows 8.  So get over it.

Pretty simple, huh…

Weekend In Vegas

So we spent last weekend in Vegas, and its a good thing that the only thing that we brought back was the hangover and the pictures.  Way to much drinking, and way to much partying.  Thats not bad at all, since we haven’t taken a vacation this year, and we really needed to blow off some steam.

I think we also used this as a time to spend together, since we both have been so busy we haven’t had any time to just relax and hang out like we used to.  Putting two kids into college isn’t easy, thats for sure.  And having to pay for it, well thats a whole story in itself!