[Rhodes22-list] new/used Rhodes

Sat Apr 19 13:03:21 EDT 2014

Many thanks for all the useful feed-back on helping me resolve my laptop Vs
tablet dilemma.

I am coming to the conclusion that what I need is a laptop for my office
based activities and a tablet for when I'm on the road.

At the risk of eliciting a flood of responses, are any of you using a
tablet to integrate into your boat's navigation system, nothing too
complicated....

Thanks again

Richard
S/V Waif

On Sat, Apr 19, 2014 at 11:35 AM, Michael D. Weisner <mweisner at ebsmed.com>wrote:

> I have an iPad with a Zagg keyboard/clamcase.  It is great for web
> activities but I needed to have some of the functions of a laptop.  James
> hit on a great point with IOS's failure to easily attach items to email.
>  My
> iPhone and iPad drive me nuts when I need to email attachments!
>
> I purchased an inexpensive Lenovo Lynx last summer to try out Win8 on a
> tablet.  The screen is 11.6" which I found to be a welcome feature over the
> fairly small iPad and many of the other tablets I reviewed. The battery
> life
> of 8-10 hours was terrific but the Intel Atom CPU is just too slow.  It
> works well but I really needed more power.
>
> I have just completed my first month on a Dell XPS 12, a Win8.1
> convertible.
> The unit may be used as a laptop and screen flips to fold down over the
> keyboard to function as a tablet.  I recommend the Intel Core i5 CPU as a
> reasonable tradeoff between battery life (8 hours) and power.  So far, it
> has been everything I need.  I purchased it at MicroCenter for $600.
>
>
> Mike
> s/v <-no name -> ('91)
> Nissequogue River, NY
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of James Nichols
> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2014 10:59 AM
> To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] new/used Rhodes
>
> My switch from an older windows version to 8 was pretty rough because of
> the
> changes to the start menu, other than that, the system is much more stable
> than anything I have ever used before.  Once you get over the way the new
> start menu system works, it think it is much more intuitive and much less
> frustrating than the mouse accidentally slipping off what you want and
> deciding to show something else.
>
> The other thing is Metro.  Most people are uncomfortable with a windows
> machine that does not allow them to have multiple windows showing on the
> desktop and only has programs that take over screen.  Android and iOS do
> the
> exact same thing and they are happy with it.
>
> However, there are some solutions out there for those that want their old
> look and feel while not losing the stability of the new operating system.
> There is a program called Start Is Back that will give you a start menu
> like
> you are used to on older windows systems.  I think it is like 4.00 and it
> works great and seriously customizable.  Also, you can avoid metro based
> programs.  There are desktop versions for anything you want to do.
>
> As for the price and keyboard, I looked at one at Fry's for just under 700
> for the base model, so yes, a bit more expensive than an iPad, and a lot
> more expensive than the Android, but it does come with a keyboard that
> snaps
> on and off magnetically and acts as a screen protector when you aren't
> using
> the device.  Then easily flips around the backside when you just want to
> use
> it as a tablet.  Not many other devices come loaded the way the Surface
> does
> out of the box, for my 10" Android device I'll spend another couple hundred
> bucks to get the keyboard and kickstand and it still won't function as well
> as the surface.
>
> However, my real point is, purchase a device that suits how you use it.  If
> all you do is browse the web, watch netflix, check email and play a few
> arcade style games, an android or ipad may suit you well.  If you use your
> device for productivity, need to make sure you get the full web experience
> instead of being directed to the mobile sites all the time or want the
> security that a commercial product such as office will be updated as soon
> as
> a weakness like Heartbleed if found instead of having to wait on the
> community to protect your personal information, then a full-fledged
> windows/OSX  laptop may fill your requirements better.  The surface gives
> you the best of both worlds in portability and flexibility.
>
> Personally, I use a Toshiba Ultrabook that converts into a tablet.
>  Slightly
> larger screen than the surface and it runs the programs that I need for my
> work but still gives me the tablet functionality when I want it.
>
> James
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of
> R22RumRunner at aol.com
> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2014 8:05 AM
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] new/used Rhodes
>
> The Microsoft surface is expensive. By the time you add in all of the non
> standard equipment it isn't such a deal. They range in price from $800.00
> on
> up  and if I'm not mistaken, that doesn't include a keyboard. They come
> with
> Windows  8 which is a dead operating system. Software developers as well as
> hardware  manufacturers are not going with it.
> I did the beta testing with 8 when it became available and Microsoft didn't
> listen to the testers. They basically said that this is what you will get
> and  like it. (That entire development team is now gone) It's a crappy
> operating  system for anything other than a touch pad and even that is very
> hard to get  used to for the average user. I personally use a Lenovo
> product
> with the Android  operating system. Thousands of free software choices and
> I
> paid around $150.00  for it. Around Christmas time I spent more time
> downgrading other people's  Christmas presents from 8 to Windows 7. Most
> manufacturers now allow you to  order their products with 7 installed at no
> extra charge.
>
> Rummy
>
>
> In a message dated 4/18/2014 6:45:34 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> jfn302 at yahoo.com writes:
>
> Check  the Surface out,  It is a full computer that you can use like a
> tablet as  well,  you will like that much better than the limitations that
> the ipad  has. My brothers experience with the ipad convinced me that it is
> not much  more than an entertainment device. And any of the boating
> specific
> applications that the ipad does the Surface can do just as well if not
> better because of its full computer status.
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail on  Android
>
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