I’ve been comparing the Surface Pro with my current tablet, the iPAD 3. First, let me say that the Surface Pro 3 is NOT a consumer device. Surface Pro 3 is a professional and enthusiast device. I do not think Microsoft intended it as a consumer device, I’m sure the intended it for what it is. It will not sell in the same numbers as the iPad or the Kindle. The Surface Pro 3 is a pre-emptive shot at the iPad Pro, if such a thing exists, and is released by Apple. End of topic.
This is where things stand at the moment, as I see them, from both a hardware and software perspective:
Hardware
| Feature | Surface Pro 3 | IPAD 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | Good | Inadequate |
| Screen Aspect Ratio | Good | Good |
| Main Memory | Good | Inadquate for multi-tasking |
| Storage | Good (i5/i7) | Inadequate |
| Wifi | Good | Good |
| Cell | None (not sure if this is really required, I can always use my iPhone to conect) | Good |
| USB | Good (Can use multi-dongle hub to increase ports) | Inadequate |
| Battery endurance | (probably) inadequate | Inadequate |
| Pen Computing | Good | Inadequate |
| iTunes Music and Video | Good – assumed since it runs Windows Pro | Good |
| Apps | Good – Desktop Inadequate – Tablet |
Good – TabletInadequate – Desktop |
| Soft keyboard | Unknown | Inadequate – works well in landscape mode, but entirely too man mode changes to get to keys required |
| Software included | Inadequate – should have Office included, but can always install Libre Office | Full suite – iWorks |
| Cameras | Good for tablet | Good for tablet |
| Screen Orientation | Unknown | Good portrait Good landscape |
| Enterprise Tools | Good – runs same tools as Windows 8.1 Pro | Inadequate |
| Communications Tools | Good – runs same tools as Windows 8.1 Pro | Inadequate, no X, limited ssh, limited background running |
| Hardware keyboard | Inadequate | Inadequate |
| Weight | Inadequate | Good |
Software/Apps
| Ipad Apps | Surface Pro Desktop Apps |
|---|---|
| GoodReader | None equivalent |
| Zinio Magazine Reader | Zinio Magazine Reader, tablet and desktop |
| PressDisplay (Digital Newsparer) | Tablet App, Web viewer |
| Feedly (RSS feed) | Web viewer |
| iWorks | None, perhaps Libre Office |
| OneNote | OneNote |
| Amazon Prime Video | Web viewer |
| Itunes Podcasts | None equivalent |
| Radio/TV apps | None equivalnet, most in Web viewer |
| Vuescan | Vuescan |
| Worldcard (Business card scanner) | None, Tablet Apps want access to private data |
| Apple Maps | None |
| Clock | None |
So that’s how I see things at the moment. Check my next blog for my thoughts on whether to go the Surface Pro route or not.
