Where you guys buy window tablets from?


rhino123

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2006
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Yo bros and sis,

When it came to where to shop for camera stuff, I have all the ideas and shops... but when it came to tablet... I am a goner.

I am currently shopping for a window 8 tablets, the only shops I know are those in Funan... Harvey Norman and Challengers, I wonder would these shops sell more expensive and if there is a street price for these tablets.

Also it would be most kind if bros with experience with window 8 tablets advise me on which one is great. I know I have to go down to have a test myself, but what I like to know is this,

1) How responsive is the screen
2) Any bad lagging when I am running a couple of programs,
3) Is the OS, a full Window 8 OS, where i can install my lotus notes in it because I need it to run my company's email
4) Are these 3G or WiFi supported.

My budget is quite limited... anywhere below 1k (actually looking at S$500 to S$800)

Currently I am reading reviews of

1) Asus Vivotab Smart (around 699 from Harvey Norman)
2) Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2 (not sure how much it is selling though.)
3) Acers ME510 (read some bad reviews though, so really not sure and it is at around 7xx if I am not wrong).

Hope that you guys could help me up ;)
 

AFAIK, these tablets use Windows 8 RT for ARM CPU, not the stock Windows 8 for Intel systems.
For your company email I strongly recommend you checking with your internal IT department. Many companies will not allow email clients on non-company equipment or email download to any device which is not under their control. So you can either use a web interface to your company email (if provided) or use container solutions where the email client runs isolated and controlled inside a sandbox (which comes with encryption and password). There are solutions for Exchange, not sure about Lotus Notes.
 

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Hmm... Look like I will just stick to my laptop then. My company's IT department didn't even want to help my colleague set up his system when he was send overseas and had to use his own personal email so I doubt they will be willing to help me out on this.

Thanks though.
 

There was a price drop in Microsoft Surface RT tablets recently. I did consider briefly getting one, but I did not in the end. The hardware is good, but unfortunately, there are limited apps available, unlike Android or IOS where you have lots and lots of apps available, both free and paid for
 

Actually I just checked the price online. A 32GB Surface RT with a touch cover cost S$618 in Challenger... and it is a S$130 difference from a 64GB Surface RT with touch cover. I can save up that S$130 and get a large capacity micro SD card with that money. Pretty tempting. I don't actually do much, just don't want to lug my laptop everywhere, the surface RT came with microsoft office (although it is not the full version, but basic editing should be no problem), I can download notepad++, I can surf the net etc. Presently I am studying parttime in SIM too, so it would be good if I can keep my bloody lecture notes in the RT without needing to carry those notes everywhere.

Look pretty alright. But I am still waiting to see if there are better alternatives out there. I don't want ipad and android... somewhat of a personal preference (and not that those two devices are bad).
 

Actually I just checked the price online. A 32GB Surface RT with a touch cover cost S$618 in Challenger...

If you are considering the touch cover, I would strongly recommend that you buy the type cover instead. Your fingers would "Thanks You" for it..
 

I got my Surface RT off the MS Store when it first launched in the US thinking I'd use it to replace my wife's ageing laptop.
She hasn't taken to it, so I'm the primary user now bleah. Had a bit of teething problems in the beginning, first adopter's pain, but I've gotten used to it now.
I find it a bit too heavy to tote around, then again I use my phone for most items. The non-curved edges are not comfortable.

MS Office is useful but most of my stuff is in my company laptop and that gets lugged home anyway.
8.1 Preview did allow me to install Outlook and I get to sync up with my office Exchange servers, but it's rather slow.
I guess I suffer from bloated inbox syndrome from the work environment
 

you can get the Surface Pro if you need a full Windows 8 OS. But of cos, you need to increase ur budget a little.
 

Thanks guys for the info. I think for now, I will read more then go to the shop to try try abit here and there. Hope Challenger and Harvey Norman could let me try, before going to decide which to get.
 

The Challenger in Funan have both Surface RT & Pro for your "tryout" to your heart's delight. ;)

Woohoo! Excellent! heh heh heh ;)

Gonna try out other tablets too, heard that surface RT is pretty heavy.

But I like the connectivity - a full USB port that I can connect my harddisk or thumbdrive in because... lets face it, 32GB (only 15GB usable) is really not that much and there are lots of notes that I have. But if the whole thing weigh more than 1kg... then I might as well just lug my laptop with me.
 

even Microsoft acknowledges that Win 8 RT is a flop, why are you still buying it?
 

even Microsoft acknowledges that Win 8 RT is a flop, why are you still buying it?

From what I understand... it is a flop not because the hardware or software is the problem, the timing is not correct wth its introduction because of the number of andriod and ios devices already out in the market. Microsoft just couldn't have a piece of the pie. I on the other hand liked the interface of window.
 

Bite the bullet, went down to the nearest challenger to look at tablets at lunch... play with Window RT... immediately fell in love with it (if it is a woman, I will marry her :))

Anyway, bought the 64GB one because there are no stock for the 32GB, and came back to office... play with it for a while, so far so good. Love every minutes with my new lady. lol.

Love the metal body, feel really solid. Play with my colleague's Samsung Tab before... it feel really different (not saying anything bad about Samsung), feel wayyyy (in my opinion) better with my lady, hahahahaha.
 

You got the keyboard cover as well?

Yep. Got the touch cover as the type cover was also out of stock. I was unwilling to use the touch cover at first thinking that it will be tough like what was mentioned in lots of review online. Turn out I am very comfortable using it, I can type pretty fast and is very accurate with that.

Put a couple of apps in the RT yesternight.

Pretty nice overall... although I wish I have a stylus, but is not going to fork out that money at the moment.

If ask... I will definitely recommend this baby.
 

Yep. Got the touch cover as the type cover was also out of stock. I was unwilling to use the touch cover at first thinking that it will be tough like what was mentioned in lots of review online. Turn out I am very comfortable using it, I can type pretty fast and is very accurate with that.

Glad to hear that...I am waiting for my order for the Surface RT 32GB + Type Cover to arrive in Sept too. :)
 

Glad to hear that...I am waiting for my order for the Surface RT 32GB + Type Cover to arrive in Sept too. :)

Woohoo. Good. I am sure you will enjoy your surface RT as much as myself ;)
 

Just. Don't. Scratch. It.
No matter what they say about the modern space age coating, had a hairline crack and the paint flaked off worse than the infamous past generation Sigma lenses
Get a simple folder and place within first when putting it in the bag :)
 

Just. Don't. Scratch. It.
No matter what they say about the modern space age coating, had a hairline crack and the paint flaked off worse than the infamous past generation Sigma lenses
Get a simple folder and place within first when putting it in the bag :)

Thanks for the advise :)