About a year ago I got an original Microsoft Surface Pro tablet running Windows 8. I have since upgraded to 8.1 (64 bit). While the Surface kind of bombed due to competition from iPads and other tablets, it is a pretty capable little device for radio guys.
As a Mac guy at heart I bought it mostly to learn Windows 8 since we will eventually be switching to that at work (mostly Win7P now...). I also figured it would be useful to program radios in the car, since it is smaller that the MacBook Pro (with Parallels and Windows7 Pro) I usually used for this.
I have found that the Surface has pretty much handled everything I have tossed at it, even some of the older stuff that balked in Windows 7 or Vista. So far it has worked fine in things like Pro96Com, Arc-XT, several Motorola RSS and CPS applications, programmers for my IC7000 and Alinco's and even FreeScan.
I have found an exceptional USB-Serial adapter, a StarTech ICUSB2321F that installed without need of drivers and worked right off.
I really don't like or use the goofy Tiles interface but the Desktop interface is similar enough to prior versions of Windows to allow pretty easy navigation and the new 8.1 Start Menu is pretty useful.
While it certainly is no replacement for my Mac's it is perfect for programming my car stuff and running decoders on the road. It was worth the money, which is amazing that that came out of my keyboard seeing as how it is a Microsoft product.
Now that the new Surface Pro 2 is out you may find used or NOS original versions out there. Just make sure to get the keyboard cover, I prefer the Chicklet style. Also don't confuse this with the SurfaceRT, which does not run Windows 8, it runs a mobile/tablet OS that will not run the normal Windows programs we rely on in the radio hobby.
While it lags behind the iPad in my book for media consumption, as a radio hobby device it can't be beat. Since the demand was pretty miniscule they can be had pretty cheap if you look around.
As a Mac guy at heart I bought it mostly to learn Windows 8 since we will eventually be switching to that at work (mostly Win7P now...). I also figured it would be useful to program radios in the car, since it is smaller that the MacBook Pro (with Parallels and Windows7 Pro) I usually used for this.
I have found that the Surface has pretty much handled everything I have tossed at it, even some of the older stuff that balked in Windows 7 or Vista. So far it has worked fine in things like Pro96Com, Arc-XT, several Motorola RSS and CPS applications, programmers for my IC7000 and Alinco's and even FreeScan.
I have found an exceptional USB-Serial adapter, a StarTech ICUSB2321F that installed without need of drivers and worked right off.
I really don't like or use the goofy Tiles interface but the Desktop interface is similar enough to prior versions of Windows to allow pretty easy navigation and the new 8.1 Start Menu is pretty useful.
While it certainly is no replacement for my Mac's it is perfect for programming my car stuff and running decoders on the road. It was worth the money, which is amazing that that came out of my keyboard seeing as how it is a Microsoft product.
Now that the new Surface Pro 2 is out you may find used or NOS original versions out there. Just make sure to get the keyboard cover, I prefer the Chicklet style. Also don't confuse this with the SurfaceRT, which does not run Windows 8, it runs a mobile/tablet OS that will not run the normal Windows programs we rely on in the radio hobby.
While it lags behind the iPad in my book for media consumption, as a radio hobby device it can't be beat. Since the demand was pretty miniscule they can be had pretty cheap if you look around.