Monthly Archives: October 2013

Oct
31
2013

Dell Venue 8 pro – An 8″ Tablet – First Impressions

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Today, I received the new Dell Venue 8 pro tablet, an 8″ form factor running an Intel x86 platform (Atom processor, up to 1.8GHz).  I had ordered the 32GB storage version and used a 16GB micro SD card for secondary storage.  I also ordered the optional active pen.

Here’s some first impressions:

  • Size is OK and easily held in one hand portrait or landscape.
  • It runs Windows 8.1 so the added desktop and other flexibility is welcomed.  Since it runs 8.1, I could install my favorite browser, Firefox, and that worked out just fine.
  • To conserve main storage, I installed Firefox to the micro SD drive…no performance problems noted.
  • “Activating” Windows 8.1 was not a problem, but turning on the included Windows Office required entering the 25 character license string…difficult at best.  (Don’t know why Office had to be activated since it came OEM from Dell as part of the package).
  • My normal setup is to create a local-only admin account, and then create a connected user account with user only privileges…works OK on the tablet.
  • Once I signed in using the user account, the Venue 8 pro loaded up my standard Windows Store applications…a nice touch with Windows 8 and 8.1, even RT.
  • Windows Update took a long time.  I suspect that this Dell Tablet is not as fast as the Surface 2 (note the Surface 2 is significantly faster than Surface RT), but maybe not as slow as the Surface RT.
  • I had also ordered the Active PEN from Dell.  Given the small real estate on the 8″ and the sometimes small area for touch, the pen worked OK sometimes!  Sometimes it multiple character-ed an entry requiring clearing the field and re-entering.
  • I especially like the soft keyboard in Windows 8 and 8.1.  I find it far superior to that of Android systems which are generally better than my iPad experiences.  In each of the three platforms, there are context changes in the soft keyboard, but I still find the Windows 8 versions the best of the breed.
  • No heat problems were noticed although a little warmth was detected in the back middle of the tablet, and the small power brick where the USB cable plugs into for device power. (I haven’t tried to drain the battery yet.)
  • Screen image and resolution were OK for my eyes, although the brightness changes with the ambient light – dimmer in darkness, brighter in more light – and if you are in a “grey area” the brightness changes back and forth – an annoyance.
  • Applications seem to run OK.
  • The new icon sizes on the START screen are a help…especially the small icon…enabling more icons to appear on a single START screen.  Scrolling by touch is good on this device.
  • In my setup of the Surface 2, the wi-fi search saw 4 networks…the Venue 8 pro in the same location only saw 2 networks…potentially indicating a less sensitive radio.  (I have 2 networks in my house…the others are neighboring networks).
  • With all the applications basically installed, about 8 GB of main storage is free, the rest being taken up by the OS, the applications, and the restore partition.  Redirecting folders – Pictures, Documents, Downloads, Music – to the D: drive (the micro SD) is easy via the properties.  Good for managing space.
  • No full size USB port, only the micro port.  Connecting a flash drive will require a USB On The Go adapter…or just make multi-use of the “power cable” and get a A-female to A-female adapter.
  • The micro SD card has a nicely protected slot; documentation suggests a SIM card will also have a future slot (on a future model release).
  • The Windows Key is on the top (portrait mode) but I didn’t have any difficulties with its placement.
  • The Dell active pen works with Windows Journal…a nice feature of Windows 8.1 x86 and bringing me back to my first tablet usage, and early Motion Computing M1200 tablet…my best way of taking notes via the Journal application and passive pen.

As with other tablet devices, I consider the Dell Venue 8 pro to be a consumption device and not much of a production device; my general usage does not require large amounts of “disk” storage.  Windows 8(.1) in general suffers from a lack of applications that are common on the iPAD and Android platforms…especially some tools I like to use and news readers.  Hopefully those developers will offer same in the Windows Store.

Dell is suggesting a future keyboard, and you can connect a Bluetooth keyboard now, thus providing some easier productivity capability.  Still even with an 11″ screen, there is not enough real estate for complex operations that often require multiple desktop screens at once.  That’s why I don’t want to see the desktop go away and why some of my machines will stay at Windows 7.

Pros:

  • Windows 8.1 x86 platform
  • Light weight, easy to hold
  • Compact size
  • Windows Journal

Cons:

  • Like most tablets, not a productivity platform for me.
  • Overly sensitive brightness in non-uniform lighting areas
  • Pen occasionally causes rapid multiple character entry (perhaps needs mouse adjustments).
  • Music sound via tiny speaker…use ear phones
  • At times noticeably slow – even with Windows Update
  • Don’t lose the Pen…it costs $35.

Overall rating 3 out of 5 stars.

Recommended configuration:  Base machine with 32GB storage; 16GB and greater micro SD; active pen; a protective case with pen storage,

ED

Oct
24
2013

Hello Windows Surface 2 (RT version) – Updated

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Having retired my RT Surface 1 last week at Best Buy, on Tuesday (22 Oct) it was time to go back to Best Buy and redeem my $200 trade-in card, plus some additional monies, for a new Microsoft Surface 2.

First Impressions:

  • The case is lighter in color – a light grey/silver
  • The power connector connects MUCH easier, and it is easy to tell it is connected with the new ring light
  • My older TYPE keyboard works just fine – no plans on getting the newer version.
  • Once started, it appears to boot faster
  • More importantly, it appears to operate much faster
  • Once setup, and logged in via my Microsoft account, it identified all my software from earlier versions and enabled me to opt to install them – nice.
  • The DESKTOP icon on the Start Screen was not there…it was in the All Apps screen and could be pinned to the Start Screen
  • The Kick Stand, now in two positions vice the older version which had only one; seemed less sturdy than the older model.
  • I elected to continue with a 32GB SSD configuration and used the older model’s 16GB microSD for additional storage memory.  Since I don’t use the Surface for a production machine, 32GB or main storage and 16GB of auxiliary storage is more than sufficient.  About 12GB of storage is available on the main SSD.  (Note: I usually set up the machine with a local admin account and one user account tied to Microsoft login.)  It appears that having a microSD for additional storage is a necessity on tablet computing devices.
  • I like Windows 8.1 RT better than the 8.0 version although I would like to see a Firefox version of the browser.  The desktop IE version is OK.
  • I installed the Google search application…it is a nice way to achieve an alternate browser experience.
  • WiFi seems to be picking up additional neighboring hot spots…means it is probably more sensitive.
  • My usage is not heavily dependent on main storage…pictures are in my camera not in my tablets.  Music is in my iPod.

As with other tablet devices, I consider the Surface 2 to be a consumption device and not much of a production device, although the 10″ form factor makes some productivity possible especially with the included Office Suite.  Windows 8(.1) in general suffers from a lack of applications that are common on the iPAD and Android platforms…especially some tools I like to use and news readers.  Hopefully those developers will offer same in the Windows Store.

Pros:

  • Windows 8.1 platform – and the Office Suite
  • Generally easy to hold – no better than other 10″ devices
  • Significant speed improvement…much, much better
  • Ability to continue to use existing keyboards
  • Apparently the Wi Fi is more sensitive in the Surface 2
  • Full size USB port, and now USB v3 capable

Cons:

  • Productivity potential limited based on real estate
  • Some common iPAD and Android applications/tools not available in the Windows Store.
  • Inability to install my browser of preference – Firefox

Overall rating 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommended configuration:  Base machine with 32GB storage; 16GB and greater micro SD…move some folders to the micro SD to better balance the configuration needs.

ED

 

Oct
16
2013

Goodbye Windows Surface RT (version 1)

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Week of 14 October 2013:  For this week, Best Buy is offering a $200 gift card for trading in a Windows Surface RT (version 1).  Since Microsoft is coming out with Surface 2 (RT and PRO versions) next week, rather then accumulate multiple devices, I took advantage of the $200 offer and it will significantly help in funding a new Surface 2 next week.

Although there is much controversy, I found the RT tablet a very nice device, and its aspect ratio helped with the 10.1″ screen size.  Ability to install applications, having the Office suite, and now with Outlook for e-mail, it is suitable for most of my needs.  For me, the ONLY drawback is my inability to install an alternate web browser such as my favorite Firefox. (The two flavors of Internet Explorer are both frustrating to use and are a serious drawback for RT…with the desktop version being better than the “Metro” version).

For me, 10 inch tablets are more of a consumable device, suitable for many things such as some games, some editing Office documents, and accessible to the file system.  Windows 8.1 RT offered some very nice improvements that accommodated my working style better (on the desktop).  I find that doing original or complex productivity work often requires a larger screen…for me, 22″ or greater – with multiple screens open at the same time.

So for now, goodbye Surface RT, I patiently await Surface 2 next week!

ED