Four Years

The sum of a person goes beyond merely the rules they've decided to follow or ignore. We each are equally composed of habits, vices, loves, hates, and everything in between. I understand why people become hard toward others that they don't agree with. 

I get it. Really. 

I don't believe in second chances. People need more opportunities than two if they're to figure things out. We should call it somewhere around five to seven chances to figure things out. The first three times we make a mistake, we barely even know what we've done is wrong. The fourth and fifth times generally start to tickle the conscience. After that the mind starts to grasp what the body may have done. 

The veneer of the wood from which each of us is carved has it's own grain even if it isn't representative of what's underneath. To wander around raw is too painful. Even to go against the flow of our own facade, false or otherwise, hurts even worse. 

Pain is the first motivator of conscience. The initial indiciation we've gone and messed everything up. Then comes the fear people will judge you, because only Heaven knows anyone else has made mistakes. Sins don't pile up on the soul, and they don't leave a stain either. To assume anything could burden the soul is simply to deny the divine entirely.  

Some things are inviolable. Unfortunately, the mind and body don't quite make the list. Nor do the relationships we try to maintain with both. All sorts of earthly organizations try to rule us through a fear of what will happen outside of this life, while ignoring the straight up facts one doesn't need faith to realize. I worry more about the hell we can create for ourselves in life than any awaiting in death. 

To live is to live with regret though. Even when one of my fellow humans forgives or validates me, I can't help but feel guilty for having troubled them at all.

Here comes the tangent.

I've spent a lot of time strongly disliking Henry David Thoreau and his four years of civil disobedience. It felt cowardly what he did. I think deep down what I really felt was envy. Four years of solitude to just think and write, barely a bother to anyone. In September of this year I'll have had my four years to think and write, and at just a couple years different in age from when Henry did the same. I don't liken anything of what I've done or written to Thoreau but I understand why the man did what did. 

I get it. Really.

This probably reads like something a first year college student would write after being assigned to read Thoreau and thinking they have something lent to them from the past of a great man. Yep, pretty pathetic. It's true though, the works that endure the greatest amount of time seem to resonate with me the most. 

January - June 2013: Workspaces

Since I decided to write full time in 2009 I've constantly refined, moved, and defined my workspace. More than just moving things around, I've gone from various chairs, to a standing desk, and back to a sitting desk. The state of my workspace has become a window into my work and my own well being. 

I didn't abandon the standing desk because it wasn't a good set up for me. I still have it sitting in the basement in the event I want to go back to it. I was tired after the first six months of the year and the thought of standing for 8-10 hours a day was difficult to reconcile with my physical state. It was a decision arrived at through what I still feel was wisdom garnered over the last three years. 

After a summer of riding my bike, resting, working out, eating better, and finishing a great many things, I'll need my standing desk back I've no doubt. I'll be stronger, and ready to create new things as opposed to relying on my common endurance to merely finish things. My own creative cycle is not unlike a very long day where one wakes, works on their feet, tires, finds a place to sit, and eventually rests. 

Having endured every level of emotional and physical strength over those three years, and keeping track either through word or photograph has helped. Even if you don't keep a log as a creative person, the best thing one can do is take a picture of your workspace and date it. Sometimes looking back at my old workspaces has given me far more perspective than a log ever has. 

Refining the tools one uses and the way they work within ones workflow hasn't been as enlightening for me. I've gone through something like four laptops, two ultrabooks, a netbook, two tablets, a desktop, and two smartphones trying to strike the right balance. The search goes on for the best device (or devices) for my own process and workflow. I think if someone made a device like the Lenovo Yoga, with a backlit keyboard, pen digitizer, sim card equipped, and 12-hour battery life that would be ideal. At least on paper.  

Finally feeling somewhat settled in Wichita I've been productive. Not as much on my Windows Phone game as I would like, but I've done more work on my novels in the last two months than I did in the six months previous. My log and recollection seems to indicate that this is an exaggeration but it certainly feels that I've done more lately than the first part of the year. 

In 2010-2011 I wrote three novellas, all part of the same story. It's a story I've gone through different phases of loathing for (hatred, disgust, etcetera). Previous to moving to Kansas I probably hadn't looked at them for a year. They really did frustrate me that much. Having given the work some space I came back to them and found I liked them better having been granted some much needed perspective in the interim. 

If you're a writer particularly, keep everything. Your work may yet have merit in a different time or in that odd situation where you find yourself to be a different person. Hey, it happens occasionally.

Taco Time

Whenever I visit a Taco Time in Boise, I get consistent professional service and a good product for my money. I've gone there for years and never had a bad experience. Over the years it's left me to ponder something though. Why can't I get that level of service and value almost anywhere else?

I've gone through several banks and insurance companies because they weren't even half as competent as your average Taco Time employee. To put things in perspective, being half as good would still be pretty darned good. I've been to all the Taco Time locations, dozens of time,as each over the years and never had them mess up my order - 100% accurate.

I wonder if it has to do with the management or training program? My wife and I had to deal with several banking institutions, insurance companies, and government agencies relative to selling our house and moving from one State to another. In all those dealings, I met not a single individual (other than our Realtor and her Photographer) that possessed the skills Taco Time employees exhibit.

To look at the individuals serving in our Government, rare is the one I would trust to handle a taco or take from me a list of things I desire. Taco Time has slowly become the means by which I measure a great many things. Would I trust this person or organization to make my Taco; fast, friendly, and accurate?

So many times the answer has been no.

I think it would be great if there was a website where people could rate everything by comparing it to their best experience as a consumer or citizen.

How was your experience with X today?

1. Does not live in the same ballpark as Taco Time.
2. Not nearly as good as Taco Time.
3. Almost as good as Taco Time.
4. As good as Taco Time.
5. Better than Taco Time!
 
It runs through my mind all the time. What would this person (insurance agent, banker, President of the United States) think if they knew I was comparing them to a taco place? Having this as a means to measure my experiences makes life more fun for sure.

In my own work, that is what I strive for... to be as good as the Boise Taco Time restaurants. In a world without heroes, I have at least one.

Surface Pro, 3 Months Later

I've logged just under 100 hours on my Surface Pro and while I have few complaints, it is not a device I would recommend to everyone. The best the device has to offer is not what most people need. I haven't bothered to re-read my old post about this device. Apologies if I end up repeating myself a little bit.

 

This device is designed for work. While the coating along alloy bits chip and scratch, the device is rugged and can take a beating. I ended up buying a thick laptop sticker and cutting it to size and applying it to the back. Otherwise, the thing is extremely resilient.

 

I find the four and a half hours of battery life, while nerve-wracking at times, adequate because of how quickly the device takes a charge. As long as I find an outlet once a day, my Surface Pro chugs on.

 

I've struggled with the pen somewhat. I had downloaded the newer Wacom Driver but recently went back to the original one deployed with the device by Microsoft. Having my cursor trapped in the upper left hand corner of the desktop every other reboot got old, and I don't need pressure sensitivity in Photoshop just yet. Later this summer, when I start painting covers for novels and larger resolution textures for my Windows 8 game, such will become more inconvenient. Sadly, for the portability, there is no better option currently. I like Sketchbook Pro better in some ways anyway. Telling myself that is only going to go so far though.

 

I've deleted every metro app except for Camera, Skype, Skydrive, and Windows Phone. Microsoft's unwise placement of ads within the included metro applications became intolerable. If I pay good money for a device and an OS, I will not endure ads, period. I've sought out third party or open source replacements wherever I could and found plenty of options. However, I'd like to offer kudos to Microsoft for actually allowing me to delete the apps. Sadly, Apple Inc. won't allow such acts of reason within iOS, you have to resort to hiding them in a folder.  

 

I ended up procuring both versions of the cover; type and touch. They are both equally useful depending on what I'm doing and they are light enough I put both in my bag. I'm glad my wife coaxed me into eventually getting the touch cover after much prevarication. If I'm using the device casually, to draw, or away from my desk, the touch cover is way better than the type. For serious text generation, the type cover is a better choice.

 

The regular updates the Surface Pro receives makes it work better and better each month. It runs like my old hand built XP machine, using minimal resources to keep the system running. It so clean and uncluttered that I sometimes prefer it to my W530. I love my workstation, but it works best plugged in with plenty of power and Ethernet cable connected. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, do not pay to upgrade a laptop's WiFi connectivity to anything Intel if you can help it. From what I've seen, they do not support their own hardware and care nothing for the end user.   

 

I thought space would be an issue, but between getting the 128GB version and mapping a 32GB microSD card, I've got plenty of room to spare, 56 GB to be precise. I could even see someone using this device as a righteous mobile gaming platform by rotating games and being careful with hard drive space. I've had my own delusions of running a Steam Version of Fallout: New Vegas and an Xbox controller with it on the road.

 

Getting the device to work for me and the effort required trying different configurations, mapping drives, and similar is mostly above the skill level of the casual user. That isn't to say it was rocket science, or that a non-techy couldn't figure those things out. However, they are less likely to do so and would likely endure the faults of the device with no small amount of frustration.

 

Anyone looking at a Surface Pro should first put a Surface RT or a Lenovo Yoga 11 RT device in their hands first. For most people one of these two devices is going to fit the bill far better than a Surface Pro would. If you find that either of those devices lacks necessary functionality (64 bit OS, Adobe Creative Suite, etcetera) then look at the Surface Pro, but only if you think having pen input is essential. There are some great ultrabooks on the market right now, with more to come if Haswell is half as good as the hype.

Treesizeverse's Fold Top Rucksack & Carry All

I love bags. Really, the best part of making a new acquisition is the part where you find something to carry it around in. I've had really cheap bags that I loved (and still love) and expensive bags that were too much bag, even for me. Looking at Etsy is always a dangerous activity if you like bags, gizmo carriers, and similar.

 

There is a wide array of stuff out there, but the stuff that always caught my eye seemed to all be made by the same guy, Ronald Ceuppens. Even from the pictures, I could tell this guy was an artist relative to how his bags were crafted and arranged. His shop is featured on Etsy here.

 

My wife noticed I was looking at his wares longingly and asked which bags I liked the most, and she'd get one for me for my Birthday. Turns out she got me two.To say I am blessed would be an understatement.

 

The Carry All is built kind of like an old engineer's bag you can sling over one shoulder. It's crafted of emerald blue waxed canvas with leather handles. It has two interior pockets within the main compartment and expands to carry a lot of stuff. It's tall, so you could roll up a light jacket and stick it on top and probably still zip it up.

 

 

The rucksack fold top is made very similarly with almost the same leather and the a similar waxed canvas. Unless you look really closely you cannot tell they aren't a matched set. The rucks sack is very svelte but holds a lot of stuff due to it's height and width. You could put an 11" MacBook or Lenovo Yoga in lengthways and the buttoned interior pocket would be perfect for and iPad or Surface RT/Pro but you'd want to be careful setting the bag down if the device didn't have it's own case.

 

 

The snaps on the outside are tight enough you could put a light jacket or similar between them and the outside of the rucksack. there are two spacious exterior pockets that don't get entirely covered by the flap, so I wouldn't keep gizmos in there if it's raining, but everything in the main compartment should be really comfy and safe.

 

Jetpack Librarian

 

Last year my wife asked me if I would design a mascot of sorts for use on literature and a web presence for the Southwest Idaho Library Association. The SWILA conference has come and gone so it's alright for me to share this. Thanks Elle and Nick for all your advice relative to creating this. The one below was my first attempt. In hindsight, I think I'd just seen Prometheus when I rendered this one.

 

 

18 Days in Wichita

The new workspace.

 

I woke up this morning and headed straight to work. I had my online meeting, which I wasn't really awake for and had my breakfast. It felt like a normal day.

The morning mail arrived bringing a large envelope and a box. In the envelope was our mail from our home in Boise, collected and sent to us by friends. In the box was my battle mat left mistakenly at the last table top game I ran in Boise. Also, there was a box of plastic zombies begging to be assembled, painted, and unleashed on unsuspecting D&D player characters.

Reminders of my old home and the friends who still lived there.

My wife and I have been in Wichita for almost three weeks now, and being the adaptable guy I am, things already feel pretty normal here. I kept a travelogue of our journey and even wrote several blog posts in the time we've been here. None will probably ever see the lights of the Internet.

Writers write to write.

In logging time, I've been less productive in Wichita than I was in Boise, but in moving to a new place, people take a happiness hit. There's also all the time spent trying to reaffirm and redesign relationships and connections with the people you no longer share a county with. I feel like much of that has been sorted out.

X-Files night happened via Facetime, I'm making a Pathfinder Character for a table I'll be telecommuting to, and I'm already planning to keep up with all my old friends via similar methods. The Internet provides in that regard. Even as I still struggle with routers and connectivity on both ends, it still works. I get a glimpse of the faces I want to see.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of my uncle and cousins in Kansas City, exploring Wichita, and meeting more new people. I really had no doubt we'd make it all work, it's just that the mind can't always conceive of the outcome, however certain, and this produces a certain amount of anxiety.

Sadly, I continue to ignore my novels in favor of creating textures for a Windows Phone 8 application and doodling in my spare time. It took a lot to get me to render visuals (sometimes called artwork) when I live in Boise. The past week or so, I've really wanted to draw and I've had to put my knee to the back of my poor old Intuos 4 pen tablet once already. (They bow with use.)

Fair weather artist, winter writer? Maybe. The happier (or sunnier) I am, the harder it is to write and easier it is to make visuals.

Our new home in Wichita is really nice, located on a quiet street, and near to all kinds of places my wife and I have enjoyed visiting. It even has a basement suitable for some old school table top gaming. I went with a sitting desk this time around, because I wanted to be able to sit across from my wife while we worked or played in the evenings.

Moving can put stress on a relationship, and there were certainly moments when my wife and I struggled to communicate amidst the process. The moments when we worked well together really happened as a result of my Father and Brother coming with us. Liz and I did the whole journey in the truck together which really helped in avoiding and mitigating some of the trouble encountered along the way.

Wichita is an interesting place. It feels like a really big used book store where you have to wander the shelves to find what you're looking for and wander you will. The good news is that we've found some pretty nice places to eat, shop, procure used books, and wander for it's own sake. In between those places are vintage buildings looking for renters, old industrial areas, and neighborhoods that look to have been forgotten by time.

I like driving in Wichita (a big compliment coming from me) and I'm looking forward to finding places to ride my bike. I've been told there might be a bin of used RPG books at a particular used book store not far from my home. Having already found a few treasures (GAZ2 with map!), I'm enthusiastic about engaging in more exploration.

Lenovo Yoga 11

Having had a chance to play with a Surface RT, I knew I wanted a similar device. I like my Surface Pro but while the form factor is great for getting work done, it is less than ideal for generating text and casual computing.

 

Set Up

 

As always, make sure you run Windows Update and reboot a couple of times before you freak out and call tech support. When I got mine it barely functioned and as each update was installed my Yoga 11 slowly came to life. If you don’t already have a Microsoft Account, you’ll want to get one, particularly for RT since the Windows Store is the only way to get applications.

 

If you want to be able to store media, grab an SD card and be prepared to go online and figure out how to set it up as a drive. If I can figure out how to get it to work, I’ll post an update with the directions. So far, I’ve found a bunch of help online, but haven’t had a chance to try any of it out. Saving documents works fine, but setting it up to work with apps that play audio or video takes a little more finessing it sounds like.

 

Also, You’ll only be able to use specific mice, keyboards, printers, and similar with Windows RT. If you aren’t sure about a particular product, go here.

 

Hardware

 

The built in keyboard has a little bit of flex, but it is still better than my MacBook Air, or any device I’ve used with a similar form factor. The key arrangement is great for writing, and the function keys are assigned to useful shortcuts by default. You can still get to F1-12 via the Fn key if you need them. It is comparable to the keyboard on my W530 and a little nicer to use because of the slim profile and pebbled feel of the palm rests. No doubt, I will make text in serious quantity with this device.

 

The track pad takes some getting used to. At first you’ll think it is loose or something, but it has a little space to reject accidental clicks and your palm. Like with my MacBook Air, I think my Bluetooth mice will probably find very little use with this device. Haven’t tried hooking up any other peripherals but it did seem to charge my phone a little while it was connected.

 

The screen, port selection, hinges, and feel of the devices exterior are all great. It is a little heavier than you think it would be for the size, but that’s probably because of the rugged construction and size of the battery. Having a device that outlasts my iPad is going to be pretty useful for generating content and casual computing alike.

 

Port, button, and speaker arrangement are really well thought out. I'm never bumping the power button by accident and my hands never block the speakers working in either laptop or tablet mode.

 

Software

 

Windows RT is surprisingly good in spite of the limitations imposed by only having access to pre-load and Windows Store applications. Word, OneNote, Excel, and Power Point 2013 are pretty great. In particular, I really like Word and OneNote and using them on my Yoga 11 makes me want to upgrade from 2010 on my other machines.

 

Netflix, Adobe Reader, Kindle, Dropbox, Galactic Reign, and Xbox Smartglass were some of the first apps I loaded. In the little bit I’ve had to test each one, they seem to work as I expected. My only quibble so far is with the Adobe Reader app. Their desktop version is pretty good, but the Metro app needs a serious hug. As usual, with mobile operating systems (except iOS), I struggle to find a decent app to read PDFs with.

 

I’ve found that the device multitasks well, which was something of a surprise. I can have 4-6 tabs open in a browser, 2-3 Word Documents, OneNote, and Netflix running in snack mode without much in the way of slow down. I really thought I’d be having to exercise some more stringent workspace management to keep things going and maximize battery life, but RT seems to take care of that for me somehow.

 

The absolute best thing I’ve found about Windows RT? Virtually no OEM bloatware. It came loaded with EBay and two other applications that took one second each to uninstall from via the Start menu. The programs and features list had a single item, a pointing device driver.

 

Other Thoughts

 

I really like Windows RT. I was pretty sure I would after most of the tech bloggers gave it the thumbs down, I’m contrary that way. It’s extremely clean, minimalist, and capable with regard to generating content and casual computing. What it lacks in processing power and application access it makes up in pure battery life and usability.

 

In fact, most of my major quibbles with the hardware and the software are easy to forgive because most, including the single channel WiFi are in the name of preserving battery life. When I don’t absolutely need my Surface Pro, the Lenovo Yoga 11 is what I’ll be carrying. When you work mobile most of the time, having one less cable to carry around or worry about is really nice. Even added together, my Yoga 11 and Surface Pro weigh less than my workstation.

 

Lenovo makes a really nice device, but they’ve outdone themselves with the Yoga 11. If RT will work for you, and you want something that is more laptop than tablet, it is probably the absolute best device. If you want something that feels more like a tablet, get a Surface RT. The Surface is lighter and seems just as capable with only slightly less battery life.  

The Pen is Mighty

I’ve had about ten work days with my Surface Pro now, and I’ve discovered a few things about the form factor that had eluded me previously. I doubt anyone who bought a Surface Pro knew to the extent it would change their personal and professional computing. Let me tell you about my friend, the pen.
 

When you go into Microsoft Word 2010, you won’t immediately see pen functionality until you actually have the pen hover over the screen. When you do, you’ll see Ink Tools pop up in the menu along the top. When you open it, it gives you the option to use five different color pens, at two widths, four different highlighters, and an eraser. There are also menus to evoke custom widths and colors.
 

Yeah, it really is just like writing on a physical document in a lot of ways, except you can erase the pen marks. My wife prefers I print out copies of my work so she can mark it up as she reads. This functionality will save me a lot of printing and shredding in the future, and more than a few trees I would imagine. This was really driven home recently as I had to destroy a large volume of documents as we prepared to move our home elsewhere.
 

I really did think my pen would sit in a drawer and my Surface Pro would lose nothing to stay in landscape mode. My OneNote App, a favorite after using it on the iPad, is full of handwritten notes now and I always make sure I have my pen when I’m working mobile. I’ve recolored textures in Photoshop and done more than a few pretty decent drawings in Sketchbook Pro.
 

There is still no pressure sensitivity in Photoshop, but everything I’m doing there currently doesn’t require that functionality. I do hope Adobe and Microsoft get that resolved soon.
 

I manage to consistently squeeze out four hours of battery life, but I’m generally running in battery saver mode with the brightness at less than 50%. I don’t really notice a big slowdown and turning off the wireless radios really helps. Good workspace management is your friend here, and shutting down programs and services to limit power consumption really does help.
 

With some careful planning, I can work mobile all day long by lingering in places that have power outlets at least once a day. The Surface Pro does charge really quickly and leaving it off to charge while I bleed in a Moleskine on my lunch hour provides me enough battery life to get through the afternoon. It’s kinda funny actually, but as long as I feed my Surface Pro when I’m feeding myself, I always have battery power when I need it.
 

As I hinted earlier, the big news is my desire to occasionally use the device in portrait mode. Reading PDFs, working in OneNote, and surfing the web is often a better experience holding the device lengthwise. I’ve seen quite a few tech reviewers warn that the weight will prevent the Surface Pro from being a decent tablet, but that hasn’t been my experience.
 

In consuming media I’ve found the best way to go is not to remove the keyboard, but to detach, reverse its orientation, and fold it to the back so the felt is against your fingers instead of the keys. This makes it a little nicer to hold and the lip of the keyboard extends past the edge about ¾ of an inch further, bouncing more of the sound emanating from the top of the device toward you. With warmer weather approaching, I do miss my iPad and the longer battery life.

Surface Pro: Observations

 

I quit my incessant whining and picked up a Surface Pro. A few folks have asked that I share my impressions of the device. I’ll try to stick to things the professional tech writers usually decline to address or the elements of the device they all seem to be completely wrong about.

The very first thing I noticed is how clean the OS install was. There was no OEM bloatware, anti-virus software, or other digital debris. Clean and fresh it felt, and I couldn’t find anything in the programs list I wanted, or should, uninstall.  I proceeded to install all my software which went really quick while I continued to work at my workstation. The next thing I noticed was that my Surface Pro was loaded with a watermarked and invalid version of Windows 8 Pro that could not be activated.

 

Tl;dr Version: I had to return the device and get another one. Don’t let it discourage you from getting one, apparently the malfunction my first one suffered is markedly rare, I hope.

 

My next Surface Pro was likewise unfettered by useless crap the likes Lenovo, Dell, and friends like to load machines with. I loaded my programs quickly, which included Office Pro 2010, Photoshop CS6, Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro, and the Windows Phone SDK. Oh, and Minecraft, of course.

 

Some observations:

 

It’s not a Tablet

It’s been marketed, compared to, and held beside tablets and a few enlightened Ultrabooks but it does not fall into either of these categories. If I had to push it into an existing stratum, it’d be closer to an Ultrabook, but it only somewhat resembles one. The Surface Pro is definitely a design outsider and won’t appeal to everyone, but to certain other folks, it will be just what they’ve been looking for.

If you like to draw, particularly in programs like Sketchbook Pro, you’ll find a decidedly improved experience. I find myself way more inclined to just sit and doodle, something I have not done in a long time. Rendering visuals has always been something I had to set myself up to do on the computer, but with the Surface Pro I feel like there are fewer boundaries between me and making a sketch of concept work.

For every other piece of visual rendering software, Photoshop included, I still prefer an external tablet to the Surface Pen interface. Because that software pretty much requires keyboard shortcuts to be efficient, grabbing up the Surface and just drawing on the screen isn’t practical. You’ll still want to carry your portable Wacom for that, but the experience isn’t diminished and the color accuracy is really good requiring almost no correction later at my workstation.

Touch Enabled Applications

Microsoft has a few good touch enabled applications, but they aren’t quite there yet. The calendar app needs more options with regard to setting recurring events, and the SkyDrive app needs better management and editing options with shared folders. By way of example, you can’t set an event in the calendar app to recur at custom intervals, such as a two-week pay period, or table top RPG session interval. Nearly every app pre-loaded on the device is like this, almost there and yet miles away, lacking just enough functionality to be useless.

Relative to the Calendar app, I’m looking at you as well Windows Phone division. Fix it so I can set it to two week or custom intervals. Go-go. I don’t want to carry Apple’s iPod Touch just to keep track of my calendar.

EDIT: The SkyDrive App does have the functionality I've been whining about. At some point in the last couple of weeks, or I was too dumb to find it. It's a great application and allows for the manipulation and management of personal and shared folders.

The Windows Store is rife with touch enabled games though, and while that’s not really my thing, the Surface Pro could be a pretty awesome mobile gaming platform. It’ll run regular games requiring a Desktop OS and many mobile games one would play on their phone. If you’re looking for a device that can run Fruit Ninja and Skyrim, the Surface Pro could be a really good choice.

Battery Life

Be prepared to pack your charging cord. Buy one of those zippered pencil cases at Wal-Mart made out of wetsuit material and stick the power brick in it. Put that in your bag and carry it with your Surface Pro. You will need it. Microsoft extends its apologies by having a handy USB charging port on the brick for your cell phone so that it is at least providing an extra service for taking up space in your bag.

Type Cover & Pen

Even as thin as it is, it’s still better than any keyboard on a mobile device I’ve used, that wasn’t Apple or Lenovo. I winced when I laid down $130 for it, but I’m glad I did. I wish I’d acted quicker on the limited edition Year of the Snake which is now out of stock. I think they still have the blue one with skulls though.

Some of the reviewers complained about the pen falling off the side while they hypothetically walked down the street carrying it. I’m not sure why anyone sane would do this, unless they were looking to get mugged or basically failed at the Internet. I mean, there is an array of awesome cases for sale on Etsy for crying out loud!

Sticking the pen to the side seems like workspace management as opposed to a place to store it in transit. I have my workspace partitioned between two shelf levels to keep my design notes and materials from devouring my writing utensils and being able to stick the Surface Pen to the side while I work is pretty nice. I think almost every reviewer harped on the pen thing and totally missed the point of why it is there, granted I’m not sure what Microsoft’s marketing hype led everyone to think on that particular point.

Peripherals

My Surface Pro synced up with my Lenovo LT1421 better than my Lenovo W530. I had to visit a website, download drivers, and reboot with my workstation, but with my Surface, I just had to connect and wait a few moments. Every other external display or input device has loaded up similarly and I’ve had no trouble pairing my Surface with another device.

You’ve only got one USB port; Bluetooth capable devices are your friend.

Also, get a case or two. As I stated earlier, there are a number of great cases out there and the best place I’ve found to look, other than the Microsoft Store, is Etsy.

The Bad

Microsoft has gone out of its way to convince the public that this device is a tablet and that it can compete with other tablet devices. I’ll be able to pass my iPad to my wife after she’s forced to turn hers in, but it’ll hurt. There are many things the iPad does markedly better than the Surface Pro, but these things are not intrinsic to the devices, it’s still a Microsoft versus Apple thing.

If Microsoft could improve the touch enabled applications people use every day and the battery life of the Surface Pro, they would have an iPad killer. Until they do that with their own pre-loaded applications, there is no incentive for independent developers or big names to do the same. I don’t have to look hard to find a better calendar app, chat client, cloud storage, or email client than what comes loaded on the Surface Pro, whereas I all but ignore the marketplace with my iPad for the same functionality.

The Good

I really like the display. I’ve not seen a screen this nice on anything that small other than the iPad’s retina display. High density displays really pop on smaller devices and struggle to impress me on larger ones like Apple’s new MacBook Pro line. Seriously, Retina display MacBooks are the worst idea I’ve seen Apple come up with in a while.

Aside from being great for consuming media, it’s very good for creation as well if you’re the type that sets color to display. Like I said earlier, you will have to adjust somewhat if you have a color calibrated monitor for finishing your work, but the adjustments I’ve had to do were really minor and worth the time to have a more mobile work machine.

It’s clear holding the device in your hands that it was developed using some of the most advanced rapid prototyping methods. I wish the microSD card slot was behind the kickstand like on the Surface RT, but that would be my only quibble with port placement and overall build quality. There have been some complaints about having a single viewing angle with the kickstand, but it hasn’t been a problem for me.

Conclusion

The Surface Pro isn’t for everyone. You can’t just hand it to anyone and have them acquire the same outcome with the pre-loaded applications. However, the more tech savvy folks will be drawn to this device not for what it can do out of the box, but for the potential it has if set up properly. Developers, professionals, and folks looking for a daily carry that’ll talk to the network at the workplace will find great things in the Surface Pro.

 

Regular folks looking for the really good tablet computing experience Microsoft advertises as a feature of the Surface Pro should, unfortunately, buy an iPad. If Microsoft fixes the touch enabled applications that come pre-loaded with the device, I’d amend that assessment.