on the other hand its from the company that makes the switches that vast majority of mechanical keyboards are based on its less than half of what you pay for most other mechanical keyboards and judging by how well the g80s we have in the office are holding up there might very well be g80s from 1920 that still work just fine
Would love one of those in the feature when the prices settle some more.. So that's basically full Windows 8 OS, like on the desktop, with a touch screen also? I can like, connect keyboard and mouse and use photoshop?
It's running Windows 8 RT which is the version that runs on ARM architecture CPU's. Therefore it will not run the old-fashion x86 architecture type of applications (unless they are rebuilt with new versions of Visual Studio). I can't remember if it can't run desktop apps at all, or just not old ones. You do get Word 2013 for free on it which runs on the desktop enviroment.
And yes, it has USB ports so you can connect a kb and mouse (and a screen via the micro HDMI port) to make it a more like a desktop.
I don't think this one has enough power to run Photoshop, but the Pro version most certainly does. It's a i5 with 4GB of ram, but costs Ultrabook-kind of money (around 900 dollar I believe).
I just love the design of the Surface, and the way the keyboard clicks to it, it's a brilliant piece of technology. However I liked to have the Pro, this would be perfect to get used to a Windows 8 tablet (like the reason I bought a Lumia 520), and it would be cool at school for notes and just all the general stuff you do at school with a laptop.
But this 'hack' has to be applied after each boot, so it's worthless IMO. I wouldn't really mind though, the modern UI apps are fine for what I plan to do with it.
I had one (briefly) and I had a love-hate relationship with it.
I don't really like tablets (having had a fair few!), but the Surface feels much more like a traditional PC when browsing the internet than a tablet.
It's also nice that you get Windows "stuff" like networking, NTFS sym links etc.
However... it's a rubbish PC. You obviously can't run any apps on there, and a laptop is much nicer to use, and for "tablet stuff" like checking Facebook on the sofa it's rubbish as well.
iOS is still *the* tablet OS as far as i'm concerned.
On the plus side - at least my Surface was free!
EDIT - Don't get the type cover, it's rubbish - keys don't feel good, and the trackpad is just woeful compared to the touch cover.
Never really seen much point in Microsofts tablets, atleast the ones they've made so far. Desktop capable tablet is a nice idea on paper, but they haven't pulled it off with the first generation devices atleast. There needs to be a few more leaps in battery life and CPU power/watt ratio before they will be feasible all around gadgets.
Ontopic: Bought a bunch of O-rings from WASD for keycaps.