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Windows Tablets For Fieldwork

No Problem, Bill. Your insights are always appreciated. I know Brian is looking forward to showing you a couple of new features and helping us decide which "settings" should be set as "default", etc.
Maybe one day you will see your way clear to replace your S3 (which I think has been troublesome to you?) with a Surface Go w/LTE which outperforms the S3 in every important measure, IMHO.
Get him to show you the rugged case, strap, etc. that I got for his unit...

I'm hoping to see a spec bump soon on the Surface Go, which to me mainly means the new one at essentially the same price will be better and/or the current models (which are far more than "adequate" IMHO) will drop in price (while supplies last, of course) which means choices, which is goods for folks! :-)

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

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FWIW, I noted in the article linked below that you can pick up a Black SP6 with Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD including a Type Cover for $899.99 on Amazon.
The article has a link to the Amazon page with the $899.99 price - just look for the "for$899" link. Both the Black and the Platinum model are available for $899.00 via the MS Store, but ehe Amazon (Black Only) model includes the Type Cover...

I am in agreement with the author of the article that this is a short term promotion just ahead of the MS Event this Wednesday.

Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
Pretty exciting near and mid-horizon products announced today at the MS Surface event!
I was not able to attend this event this time, but I was following closely on-line and most of what we were already aware of was announced, though there were a few surprises, at least they were to me.
Of highest immediate interest is the Surface Pro X. I have not even ordered mine yet, but probably will within the next week or so. I'm not in a huge rush to get one except for testing. My gut is that 13" is a bit unwieldy in the field, but with the light weight, full-time 4G, etc., I may be wrong - I'll just have to fondle one first. Technically, I'm mainly interested in testing performance of the hardware/OS... I foresee a couple of new Surface Laptops for a couple of people here and I'm sure to get a few requests for a Surface Pro 7 or two, LOL. Of course, the Surface Neo and Surface Duo are "Holiday 2020" devices and I will be keeping tabs on those, for sure. I am told by my sources that we'll see a couple of other manufacturers building their own versions of these devices, so that's good.

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
OK, so I gave in :sneaky: & ordered a Surface Pro X so I can test our software on this new device & OS combo environment... I'll test it on our full-featured Av7, lighter weight MS10 and our Web Sketcher...

I ended up bumping it up one step (SSD size) from my typical minimum-spec configuration in hopes that this device can effectively replace my Surface Go and my iPad Pro with respect for a mobile companion.
I would not expect this change to affect my testing at all - I just wanted more storage space for a travel device - and I will run some side-by-side performance tests with our Surface Go devices.
I'm still thinking that the Surface Go with LTE represents a better size & cost vs. performance proposition for most fee and mass appraiser/inspector types. I'm not a big fan of black devices out in the field and I still think that a 13" screen is too large for optimal ergonomics. I've used the detached 13.5" screen from my Surface Books in the past, and while I appreciate the extra space afforded by a larger screen, I found it too unwieldy while traversing a typical property vs. an 8" - 10" device. YMMV...
Anyway, time will tell and I will report back with my findings as soon as possible.


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
FWIW, below is a "hands-on review" for the new Surface Pro X (hereinafter "SPX")

I have not seen or used this device as I was unable to attend the event this year. As with most of these early hands-on "reviews", they are very preliminary as the product isn't even shipping to reviewers yet. These are typically closer to "Initial Impressions" at a trade show/event and (understandably) have no "field use" element to the. If things go as they have in the past, MS will start sending out early builds to prominent reviewers pretty soon, but they will be under an NDA/Embargo until a certain date - usually a few days before actual release - before they can actually publish anything beyond generic info and pictures. That said, some writers have really honed their articles down to carefully walking that thin line, and the pictures sometimes reveal items which are important to certain user types. Additionally, many times, "demo" units can be found at MS Storefronts so you can "fondle" them, albeit under "lock down"...

I will endeavor to share my thoughts as soon as I get my hands on a demo unit and will follow up with more germane info once I am able to use mine a little in (my version of) real world inspection-type scenarios (i.e. I am no longer a practicing appraiser, so my thoughts are not perfectly in-line with everyone here. Still, I tend to look at inspection & reporting-related activities and am not so interested in how well Spotify, Adobe Creative Cloud or AutoCad runs, LOL. I'll try to run apps which relate to what most users here run, including whatever versions of popular appraisal suites I am able to within our licensing agreements, etc.)

I'll be particularly interested in how the SPX and Windows 10X fits in with respect to older SP devices, the new SP7, the Surface Go as well as similar new devices from others, including "ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo "

Hope this helps!



-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

[Edit] - added link to "similar new devices" reference

/end/
 
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Saw this article comparing the upcoming Surface Pro X with the current Surface Go - a sort of (preliminary) "which should you buy" thing. One thing to note IMHO is a price vs. performance metric. Basically, a fully loaded Surface Go with LTE, rugged case, pen, keyboard, accidental drop protection policy, etc. is way less than half the cost of a Surface Pro X with only basic add-ons. Sure, the SPX has a larger screen, probably a better pen/keyboard for some uses, etc., but I don't think that it is necessarily a better unit for most appraisers. I'll have to wait until mine arrives and I can put it through it's paces, etc., but I feel that a 13" device is too large for most residential inspection/appraisal work and the (likely?) higher overall performance of the SPX over the SPG will be underutilized for mobile inspection demands. I believe we'll find that the SPX is more of a "competitor" to a Core i5 Surface Pro 6 or 7 and simply overkill for most mobile scenarios. That said, some folks who still feel that they need (or just want, LOL) something that bridges the gap between a mobile companion device and a mobile friendly desktop replacement-level device, may end up finding a good compromise with the SPX. I will, of course, be testing the SPX with mobile software as well as some typical/suitable desktop software programs to get a feel how well the device might fill that gap.

In the interim, here is the link to the article, which I found to be reasonable in focus and I don't necessarily disagree with the majority of their observations/suppositions. Overall, I'd just say to keep in mind that nobody really has any real-world info (especially for the typical reader here) on the SPX and their take on things is not really along the lines of what most appraisers/inspectors would get the best bang for their buck.


Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
Noticed that MS is advertising their Surface Go (4GB/64GB) and Surface Pro 7 (Core i3/4GB/128GB) Christmas sale numbers, starting at $299 and $599, respectively.

As you know, I believe that 4 GB of RAM is adequate for mostly mobile companion type usage, but most readers here tend to run desktop software on their Windows mobile devices, so they would benefit from having at least 8 GB of RAM. Hence:

For the $399 Surface Go is the better choice as it has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.. A Surface Go is a great mobile companion type device for those who wish to be able to run their regular appraisal and office software while out and about, but it is not a worthy "desktop replacement" type device due to the CPU, screen size, etc. The point is, you can run it if need be, but don't expect a sub-$500 device to perform like your desktop "beast"... ;-) Also, refer back to my posts showing the bottom-spec Surface Go powering the built-in screen + two external monitors, one of which is smoothly running at 4K! If you want something light weight for inspections (or just travel), remember you can easily hook it up to an external keyboard, mouse and multiple displays. I have always carried a Surface Go with me when traveling as my "go to" communication device. I am currently carrying a Surface Pro X, but that is mainly for testing, etc. and as I have noted, I do not think this particular device is the optimum choice for most mobile appraisers - a cool Gen 1 device, but too large and way too expensive given the pricing for the SG and SP7.)

Some may wish to go with the larger $799 Surface Pro 7, just for the larger screen and beefier CPU. That said, unless you are trying to configure your SP7 up to a viable desktop replacement level, I still believe that 128 GB of storage is adequate since both of these units have microSD slots and that storage is very inexpensive. I also consider a microSD card to be the better choice for storing appraisal data, etc. since it is removable - something to keep in mind in case of accidental drop/damage. If you have the (inexpensive & recommended!) damage protection coverage, you can get the device repaired (most likely replaced) quickly, but you'd want to get to your data immediately, so using microSD storage for your data files (i.e. D:\), is a smart thing to do IMHO.

Of course, having a cloud storage option is great (most all users get a healthy MS OneDrive allocation), but you'd obviously need to have either a WiFi or a 4G connection for that. The Surface Go is available with 4G ($679) but the SP7 currently has no 4G option. The SPX has 4G as standard, but $1,000+ and not the best choice for most appraisers IMHO. FWIW, I have user a simple phone tethering setup for many years and it is simple enough to do if you don't want to pony up for built-in 4G, additional data plan, etc.

Here are the links for the landing pages for the SG and SP7 devices reflecting sale prices
For the Surface Pro 7, the better deal is the $799 version with 8 GB RAM + 128 GB SSD. All SP7 models here include a Black Pro Type keyboard cover.. Remember to specify silver/platinum finish for the body - black shows fingerprints, etc!


Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

[Edit] - Corrections for typos, spacing, etc.

/end/
 
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Noted an article listing out 9 different cases for the MS Surface Go device. If you want/need a strap, then the UAG Plasma may work best for you (this is MY personal favorite but it is about $100), but I have also used the UAG Metropolis and the Kensington Black Belt cases at $70 and $50, respectively. If you are handy enough to attach it yourself, and can find a suitable strap, even the simple Youtec case offers adequate protection for only $30 and is available in several colors for both the Surface Go as well as the larger Surface Pro for $5 more...


Hope this is helpful!


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+
 
FWIW, I noted that MS has dropped $50 off the Surface Go with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD - from $549 to $499
www.microsoft.com

Meet Surface Go – Portable Power – Microsoft Surface

Surface Go is the smallest, lightest Surface 2-in-1 laptop yet. At only 1.15 lbs (522 grams) & a 10" touchscreen, Surface Go features a built-in adjustable kickstand for adaptability in any environment.
www.microsoft.com

Hope this helps!


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
I've been away for a bit but am back now, so I'm hoping I can start posting more regularly.
Yesterday, I noticed an article reporting that:
"Along with a slew of education news Microsoft announced this week, the company also debuted the first two PCs to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c platform. Both PCs are targeted at the education market, and the focus is on delivering durable PCs equipped with LTE connectivity at an affordable price."​

The two announced devices run $299 and $575. MS Also announced a partnership with T-Mobile (special pricing for people in "underserved areas") along with 3 educational tools and improvements to 14 "affordable" W10 devices aimed at students.
7cdevice.JPG​

I try to pay attention to the educational space since many times, they are a little (lot?) more rugged than regular "corridor warrior" devices and tend to be on the lower end of the price spectrum. Lower cost and being more rugged than the more stylish devices fits well IMHO into what a lot of people are comfortable with when looking at companion class field devices. As we move more and more into software which runs in a browser (on-line or not), we are seeing less and less need for heavy lifting in the field since most of the more complex number crunching, formatting, etc. can be done "in the cloud", so to speak.

Here is a link to the article I read: https://educationblog.microsoft.com...ing-and-boost-accessibility-in-the-classroom/

Hope this is helpful! I aim to start posting some performance type items using some lower-end devices later this month.


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/
 
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