Tablets

Google has control of information Apple and Microsoft couldn't dream of. At this point, for at least the time being what Google has can't be bought - it doesn't look as though someone's going to devise a better search engine that will take that share from Google. Meanwhile, Google is doing just that to all it's competitors using it's huge wad of cash to build itself into industries dominated by others, and then taking a huge steak of the consumer base from them.


Apple is always on a precipice since they live and die by their hardware, granted they do make generally great aluminum cases (no really they got some spiffy stuff - over priced, of course), and imo a very underrated (at least to fellow IT people) OS - but they don't have the "hooks" that Google has.

Microsoft is dead...it's really just a chicken that hasn't realized it's head been cut off. Why the hell would I stay with MS when Valve is going to release their own OS that will be built to play video games, which means it's going to have to have great hardware support! Driver support will be the driver of whether it gets accepted by the main stream! and It's Free(yaaaaaaaaah Linux)!!! SteamOS is going shit all over MS

Microsoft has a lot of business platforms that will stick around for a bit, and some other subsidiaries, but I'm calling it fellas. 10 years from now everybody will be migrating and 15 years from now Microsoft won't have the liquidity to cover all their money sinks -- Not saying they'll completely fold (IBM didn't) but they will shrink and eventually become limited in scope.

Anyway this is probably going to start a derail but whatever place you put Google in, your still a dumb company if consumers want to pay you for the service that you sell and you don't let them because...shit I don't know, you like being an asshole or something.

I'll never understand why people do not want competition in any market. You can see this in the new console thread, and now you are preaching the same bullshit.

It's sheep like mentality imho. As a consumer you should never want one company to outweigh everything so you have no choices at all.

Lenas_sl said:

My buddy just got his Surface Pro 2 256GB and first thing he did was install FFXIV. Said it was running at 20fps 1080p with default settings. Changing to laptop - standard keeps him around 30fps in town.

Looks like I'll be selling my 2011 MBP and going with the SP2. Think I'm gonna get the 128GB version tho.

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With my laptop effectively dead, I'm now debating between just getting a Nexus 7 for browsing and reading (and having my desktop be my primary) or a Surface 2 for a pseudo tablet/laptop replacement.

BrutulTM_sl said:

Apple is becoming more of a fashion brand than a tech innovator.

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Wat. The new CPU in the iPad Air is 2x+ faster than the model it replaces. The Air is lighter and thinner than the outgoing unit, too...all without sacrificing battery life. You make it sound as if Apple orders little parts from Newegg and builds them at home. Sure, companies like Qualcomm have similar CPU's, but that doesn't mean Apple isn't innovating on the tech side.

Apple innovates on the tech side and they are a fashion brand...nothing wrong with that.

But good god, iOS 7 is the ugliest fucking thing to waddle out of a company since Windows 8.

Voyce_sl said:

10 years from now everybody will be migrating and 15 years from now Microsoft won't have the liquidity to cover all their money sinks --

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I don't pretend to have a crystal ball, but doesn't MS have something like 50 billion in cash? And aren't they still making 5-10 billion a year? Maybe Windows will take a beating in the home computing market over the next decade, but it's not going anywhere in corporate environments. At least not any time soon. Not to mention that if Apple can come back from the brink several times in much more dire situations, it's silly to say that MS is doomed.

Personally, I'm glad that Google, MS, Apple, and to a lesser extent other companies are all competing with each other in the various markets and segments. Keeps things interesting.

Plus xbox is still doing great, they are going to push apps to a more unified system i hear so win phone and xbox and win8.1 will use the same apps similar to apples way of doing it. Biggest reason not to buy a MS phone or tablets right now is the app store is shit compared to google and apple. I play with my surface pro and it does make me wonder how anyone can hate too much on MS, it is one of my favorite devices ever and the build quality is as good as anything from apple even if it doesnt look quite as nice.

Win9 will prolly be the next win7, win8 was too much change at once with too many quirks as they tried to push towards a tablet/pc hybrid os.

a_skeleton_03_sl said:

Get a pro and love it.

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yeah I'm seriously considering it.

Now that the Surface Pro 2 looks to have acceptable battery life (6-8 hours of use instead of 4) that will get you through a day, I would definitely get one if I were in the market. The price is still quite steep, and it's silly that they don't include a touch or type cover since it's essential to use the device as a hybrid machine (which is it's entire selling point), but the form factor + full Windows + digital pen still sells it now that battery life is somewhat fixed. Can't wait til a few years from now when devices like this are standard and can be found for the price of a normal tablet and come with full Windows and all day battery.

Does anyone have experience with connecting the Surface Pro to HDMI via the adapter they sell? That was one of the consistent things I was using my laptop for when I would torrent movies or TV shows (I'm sure there is a better way but I haven't bothered to research it).

this is mainly for a_skeleton_03 but I don't know if anyone else has one...

I have a Lenovo Yoga and it's the shit. I'd suggest getting one of those. I've had it for a year now and it's HDMI out is good.

Why would you need an adapter? Get a mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable, works fine with my MBP.

3ft 32AWG Mini DisplayPort to HDMI® w/Audio Cable - White - Monoprice.com

Surface Pro 1st gen powering 4 monitors:

Lenas_sl said:

Why would you need an adapter? Get a mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable, works fine with my MBP.

3ft 32AWG Mini DisplayPort to HDMI® w/Audio Cable - White - Monoprice.com

Surface Pro 1st gen powering 4 monitors:

Spoiler

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Well this is what they sell. If the item from monoprice is the same then yeah you're an idiot if you spend 40 bucks on this.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...c_id=FY13WinHH

Gnomedolf_sl said:

I don't know why people think the Nexus 7 is such a great tablet. I got one a couple days ago and I am not impressed. The UI is laggy and I can't keep it connected to wifi. It stays connected but just stops all data flow. I've tried it on both of my wifi bands and it does the same thing while every other wifi device in the house works fine. This thing goes back tomorrow.

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It's a good tab when you get the bugs worked out of it. I had to do a factory reset out of the box ([email protected]/* <![CDATA[ */!function(t,e,r,n,c,a,p){try{t=document.currentScript||function(){for(t=document.getElementsByTagName('script'),e=t.length;e--if(t[e].getAttribute('data-cfhash'))return t[e]}();if(t&&(c=t.previousSibling{p=t.parentNode;if(a=c.getAttribute('data-cfemail'{for(e='',r='0x'+a.substr(0,2)|0,n=2;a.length-n;n+=2)e+='%'+('0'+('0x'+a.substr(n,2)^r).toString(16.slice(-2);p.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(decodeURIComponent(e,c)}p.removeChild(t)}}catch(u){}}()/* ]]> *//Google) to get mine to work properly. It's been perfect ever since, though. No UI lag and wifi works fine.

Google needs to pick another partner for the next N7. Asus has no real QC at all.

I have a first gen Nexus 7 and I have zero UI lag and no wifi problems at all.

Yeah my first gen Nexus 7 is still trucking along and working great. I use it every day. It's every bit as snappy as the various Samsung S3/S4/Note 3 phones that I've had in my home over the same time period.

The note 3 I just got finally does move just a tad bit faster than the Nexus 7 1st gen tablet, it loads up a few games just a little bit quicker, but it's barely noticeable. Not bad for a tablet that is over a year old now.