I’m going to start out by saying that I was wrong about Windows RT.  While I didn’t outright bash it, I did allude that it didn’t have a purpose.  Well, I am officially an RT convert.  I love my Surface RT and they can pry it out of my cold dead hands if they want it.  What is gathering dust however is my Samsung Pro tablet that I don’t touch anymore.

If you have been following my blogs you know that I am a huge fan of Windows 8 and the hybrid tablet designs on the market.  My first foray was a Samsung Ativ Pro tablet that is basically an ultrabook with a detachable keyboard.  This is a great piece of tech and worked perfectly.  I got it because it runs full Windows and I can install and run any programs that I want on it.  The problem is that I didn’t.  Everything I needed the tablet for I did via the Modern interface.  Not once did I need to go to the desktop and run something that I could have theoretically installed.

If I was wanting to replace my desktop, a laptop, and a tablet, the Ativ would have blown me away.  It could do everything I needed.  This however wasn’t what I was doing.  I just needed a companion device that I could take to meetings and effectively use while traveling and integrated easily with our Windows network.  The Ativ fell short a bit here.  Being something to replace a desktop/laptop it’s got a larger screen, as one would want.  It’s 11.6″, which made it awkward to carry and use.  There isn’t a case for it that would prop it up on a conference room table, so I either had to lay it flat on the table or hold it in my lap.  I could have attached the keyboard dock, but that adds to the weight and thickness, and makes it a complete ultrabook and not a tablet, defeating the hybrid design.

So what’s a guy go do?  That’s right, I went shopping!  I went to a local retailer and checked out the Surface RT.  It’s the right size, right weight and has that nifty Type cover that works spectacularly.  Another thing it has is the kickstand that props the device at a convenient angle for viewing and typing.  This small touch in design solved my largest frustration with the Ativ.  Ok, so for something to haul around, it seems to fit the bill, but what about that RT operating system and it’s (supposed) limitations?

I am happy to say it does everything and more than I expected.  What I need in meetings and on trips is email, calendar, web and Office.  Oh yeah, something people seem to forget in reviews is that the RT comes with Office built in.  Think about that for a second.  Probably the #1 productivity tool most people use…..right there, and something you can’t get on the iPad.  My expensive Ativ didn’t even have Office.  Secondary applications for me are Skype and RDS.  Both work perfectly fine on RT.  With these tools I can do 100% of my work on this device.  Now, I wouldn’t really want to for extended periods, but the same can be said of working from an iPad.  Since this is an ARM device, I also get twice the battery life of my Ativ, around 10 hours or so.  Surface RT is an ideal Windows based companion device and is actually usable as a creation and productivity platform.  The key to finding the right device to fit your needs is to take a long, hard look at what you are trying to accomplish.  I didn’t do that and over-bought with the Ativ, when the Surface RT actually fit my needs much better.  As more and more of these devices start hitting the shelves it’s going to get extra confusing, which makes it important to check-in with your IT department to help you narrow down the perfect device for your needs.

-Chris Nichols, Virtual Chief Technology Officer