Gadgetory

so the same thing always happens when a new device launches the media gets review units ahead of the official launch and we get to use them while we write our review then the press embargo lifts every outlet posts their reviews and videos at the same time writers and commenters go back and forth and it's a huge frenzy of opinion and buzz for about a day and then it all goes away I'm sure there's some follow-up coverage but after that initial blast almost no one revisits the device to see how well it's aged because we're all on to the next big thing already so let's do something about it let's take another look at the product that tried to change the face of Windows tablets I'm Michael Fisher this is PocketNow this is Microsoft Surface RT and this is episode 22 of after the buzz the surface RT was expected by some to usher in a new era of Windows tablets with its sleek and sturdy design useful kickstand and innovative keyboard covers it definitely made a splash when it landed back in October but that splash was short-lived just a week ago Microsoft reported it took an almost 1 billion dollar adjustment entirely due to unsold surface inventory inventory it's now trying to unload at 349 a pop that's a hundred and fifty dollar discount over the devices original price so should you consider snapping up a marked down surface RT this back-to-school season let's find out it's important to remember that the surface RT isn't just Microsoft's first self-made tablet it's the company's first self-made computer period so it was genuinely surprising to see such a well-built piece of hardware emerge from the company's collaboration with Pegatron and that hardware still holds up in today's landscape now the surface is big and at one-and-a-half pounds it's also quite heavy but in exchange you get a tablet that feels more solid than almost any other device out there with the magnesium casing that holds up pretty well to abuse a full size USB and video out ports a micro SD card slot and an integrated kickstand that's better than any built-in component we've ever used precisely because of that useful kickstand combined with the surface Artie's excessive width you find yourself wanting to use it as a notebook more often than a tablet and if you're willing to throw another Benjamin at the problem you can do that with either a touch cover or a type cover smart and sleek accessories that significantly enhance the usefulness of this tablet but at the cost of almost completely eliminating the savings you'll get from Microsoft's recent discount getting the surface RT further away from your eyes will also keep your mind off the fact that the display while bright and colorful isn't all that crisp at 147 PPI but fortunately the screen is big enough to make using it at a distance fairly comfortable just make sure you keep it on the table though as trying to use this thing as a true laptop is basically guaranteed to end in tears in all though the surface Artie's hardware is an unexpected success story even after ten months it still stands out as a sharply designed futuristic looking device and it's tough build can definitely take an impact or two without shattering the things aren't so rosy on the software front our most recent experience with Windows 8 on the surface as rival the HP Envy x2 saw the computer shut down in the middle of recording a podcast because it just had to install system updates right then and there and this was the full version of Windows 8 the real Windows if you will the surface Arty's software build the aptly named windows RT has taken a lot more flak than the full version but that's a whole big kerfuffle we won't get into here suffice to say the windows 8 experience is at best inconsistent and that definitely holds true on the surface RT and by inconsistent we don't mean it's all bad there's some really good stuff here if you take the time to customize the Start screen which you should do because the legacy desktop environment and windows RT is not where you want to spend your time you'll want to stay in the modern environment not just because it's so much more touch friendly but because the applications can be truly beautiful if they're built right just look at apps like Bing travel which is stunning and it's gorgeous user friendly simplicity or the news app with its sprawling cover images and magazine like layout even the ho-hum stuff like the pictures gallery and the calendar are done right polished and responsive Microsoft OneNote is a truly impressive note-taking app that you might actually prefer to cross-platform titles like Evernote and if you need Microsoft's word processing spreadsheet and presentation software you've got it l biet within the older desktop mode office home in student 2013 is pre-installed with a promise of future free updates when more features become available for Windows RT but there's a flipside to inconsistent and it's app availability remember how we said you'll want to stay in the modern UI environment as often as possible well it's harder when the apps just aren't there to support that Microsoft has done a good job enticing some developers to build apps for Windows but the big names are few and far between and the surfaces performance just isn't fast enough to make using them a good experience you're often stuck waiting quite a while for titles to load and even some programs built to obviate the need for third-party apps don't work right the People Hub for example is beautifully laid out but it takes forever to fetch new notifications and events the same with the messaging tile in fact most actions on the surface RT keep you waiting this is a pretty slow device regardless of what the spec sheet says and if you're about to say the browser makes up for the app shortcomings you're right in theory but not in practice Internet Explorer 10 is wonderfully touch optimized and quite simple to use once you get the hang of Windows 8 swipe in UI but it's also unpredictable big pages sometimes stall when loading and others won't load at all stutters and jumps are common YouTube is hit-and-miss streaming live audio requires you to stay in the browser and is interrupted if the display times out as it does after one minute with default settings and if you're wondering how to change that timeout it's not in the quick settings or anywhere in the own most useless modern UI settings panel to change the display timeout you need to execute a six step process starting at the Windows desktop as if the surface were some kind of notebook from 10 years ago see it's these little seemingly unimportant things that Microsoft gets wrong with the surface RT and modern Windows in general and you'll have to learn to either get around them get used to them or just put up with it if you buy one oh and thanks to Microsoft's current spat with Google you can forget about tight integration between the surface and your software ecosystem if you're a heavy gmail user thankfully there's a web portal to Google's content but obviously it's not ideal amid all the shortcomings there's still a lot of stuff the surface RT gets right that full-size USB port means you can not only transfer data using a USB dongle but charge your phone as well then thanks to the surfaces big battery it'll probably still last all day even if you're a heavy user if you're a subscriber to Microsoft's live ecosystem your email calendar and SkyDrive data will sync very nicely to the surface and you'll wonder why every tablet doesn't come with a kickstand as useful as this one but there's a reason Microsoft is out nearly a billion dollars thanks to this device it's a boatload of compromise that was initially priced way too high it's still overpriced if you ask us the touch cover or type cover is an integral part of the Surface RT experience and buying one at full retail basically wipes out the cost savings if you're ok with the compromise though the Surface RT does do quite a few things well in exchange for all the things that gets wrong and it brings a few features to the table mainly on the hardware side that you need to pay extra for with other tablets that's why it's being featured in an episode of after the buzz and not pocket now is worst gadgets ever seriously because if you're a road warrior with a particular set of windows centric needs the surface RT serves them well enough if you're one of the cash-strapped students Microsoft is targeting with its back-to-school advertising push the surface RT might not be the first tablet we'd recommend but after its discount it's at least worth a look that's gonna do it for this episode of after the buzz folks if you're interested in hearing our thoughts on other tablets smartphones and mobile devices in general we have plenty of them both here on YouTube at our channel page and at pocketnow.com so visit us at those places but before you go anywhere please throw us a like if you did enjoy the video that helps us out leave us a comment down below if you have some feedback and be sure to follow us on social media so you don't miss future content from PocketNow until next time once again this has been michael fisher thank you so much for watching and we'll see you soon