Anyone running Beyond on a Windows 8 Tablet?

[Laserhobbit]

Jem,

We have a Surface2 which we use for one of the business at home. I guess it kind of says it all when I say if you want one we may have one we are looking at selling I am sure for some things it is great and this may well be using Beyond, but it just falls short of not being a great tablet or a great laptop. It can never seem to quite work very well at either, this is partly due to Windows 8 which just can't seem to make up its mind and you find yourself constantly switching between newer tablet based apps and the old fashioned Windows screen. The other issue is a large number of applications simply won't run, DropBox being an example. It appear that Microsoft block certain apps from being compatible with the device and send you off to the Microsoft store to buy apps from there. All in all I think you would do much better with either a high end laptop or maybe a MacBook Air with Windows running. Not a great sales job I know, but if anyone is interested in buying a Surface Pro 2 send me a PM.

Cheers


Steve

[Jem]

or maybe a MacBook Air with Windows running...

Yep, that very same thought was going through my mind as well . Having already turned to the 'dark side' I have to say that I find it thoroughly refreshing.

Another thing that really hacks me off about Windoze stuff is all the pre-installed crap that comes with each system. It appears a 64Gb Surface Pro 2 system only has around 37Gb left once all the pre-installed stuff is taken into account . It really bugs me that I have to spend hours getting rid of all this crap before I can have a useful (to me) tablet.

[JStewart]

I absolutely agree, as a tablet, the Surface Pro, as nice as it is, still fails. After using iOS, Windows Desktop and Metro are just too clunky to get on with. I still have the iPad as my primary Tablet. The Surface Pro is noticeably heavier too! - but you do get the power of fat Windows.

The MacBook Air is a great portable machine, and I probably get more real work done on the move with that device than any other. It is light, battery life is great, its fast, and has a good keyboard and trackpad. If you will be using it either on your lap, or where you can get access to a table, and in not too a hostile environment, then the MBA will be fine.

I went for the Surface Pro because I needed something with a decent amount of power to run one or two custom laser safety applications I have to use. And walking around a venue environment with a traditional clamshell device in one hand and a detector array in another is not really practical; it is far to easy to get knocked or dropped.

Really it will be down to what you will be using it for, and where you will be using it.

James

[Laserhobbit]

All,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but James and dilbert how did you install Beyond on the Surface Pro, all I get is a message to say that the software is not compatible with the device, go to the Microsoft store?

MAny Thanks

Steve

[dilbert]

Steve, I've run fine on a surface pro 1 & 3. I'll PM you my number for a chat.

[hitekvoop]

Not a surface, but I just switched my primary control rig over to a Toshiba 2 in 1 (touch laptop that converts into a clunky, enormous tablet). I picked up a slimline "lap panel" touchscreen monitor that I use for my universe display.

I run 2x 4-port startech USB extenders, the APC40, the 2nd touch monitor, and a Korg nanoKontrol off it. Did two shows over this last weekend and they went off without a hitch!

Total cost including 2nd monitor was around $1400ish (I bought the SSD version of the toshiba which jacked up the price a bit). Boots in 7 seconds!

Model # is: Satellite Radius P55W-B5318

I had been considering the Surface until I saw this thing in action...