Going all-Microsoft - UPDATE: Got a Lumia 930; tis brilliant

[ethanfitz]

I got the Denim update on Friday too :thumbs:

Also i have found a solution to the slow charging problem in the car... Its the bloody wire!

I done a bit of reading up on the in car charger and wire etc and basically the wire i was using wasn't a fast charge wire, it was being sensed by the phone as a data wire, as a result it was only charging the phone at 2% an hour!
After reading this i kept my standard in car charger plugin in thing (1A output) and swapped the wire for my Girlfriends old Samsung S5 wire.... BOOM charging at 35% an hour now !!! I will probably replace the plugin thing at some point as it was a bit tatty and loose in places. At this charge rate the battery may still discharge while using the sat Nav etc (depending on what else you have on) but it will be a lot lower now.

Just though i would post it in case anyone else is having the same issue... check the wire. Apparently the difference between a fast charge wire and a data wire has something to do with a couple of pins being linked in one and not the other.... :roll: So even with a higher rated charger you could still have this problem if you don't have to correct wire!

 

[Neil]

Rob - how are you getting on with your Surface Pro 3? I'm contemplating getting one soon to take away when I deploy (which seems to be every five minutes at the moment). I had a play on the OH's original Surface RT last weekend, and it seems far more flexible than the iPad I usually take away with me - once I've loaded it with a few films and TV, it's full. I quite like the idea of a mini PC, especially as the Surface 3 runs Windows 8.1 and can be upgraded to Windows 10. Does it work the same way as a standard Win 8.1 laptop with connecting external HDD's etc? Is there any way of getting the keyboard cheaper too? £100+ for a flexible mushy keyboard seems like a toal rip off to me.

My phone contract is also up next month, and I don't think I'll be getting another iPhone. I've always liked Windows Phone, and especially with this new fangled integration across all devices, I think I'll be getting one. Any recommendations?

 

[evilrob]

I ended up selling my Surface Pro to my graphic designer friend who fell in love with it, and have been waiting for them to bring out new one to replace it with. Loved every minute with it.

If you're not going to be doing any CAD, fairly serious gaming or professional video/music work, the non-Pro Surface 3 will probably meet your requirements. Unlike the first two non-pro Surface generations, the Surface 3 runs proper Windows and is plenty fast enough for interwebs, emails, casual gaming and consuming media - with a much longer battery life, smaller form factor (thinner and lighter) and longer battery life than the Pro variant. It also functions as a proper PC - connect whatever you like via USB, it will work just as well or as badly as it would connected to anything else.

Quidco usually have good offers on Surface hardware - there's £100-150 off the Pro versions at the moment, for example. I'm not aware of any cheeky ways to get the keyboard cheaper.

As for phones, I'd wait until the new Windows Phones come out with Windows 10 circa October; they'll have the new chipsets that allow Continuum to work (basically allows you to hook up a keyboard and mouse and turn your phone into a small low-power PC):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oi1B9fjVs4[/youtube]

 

[evilrob]

I'm having a tech clearout which may or may not be of interest to you, all in perfect working order and in beautiful condition:

Inexpensive foray into Windows Phone:

White Lumia 920 and wireless charging pad, original box - £50
- currently running Windows 10 Insider Preview, and runs it very nicely; ideal punt to see if you can get on with Windows Phone for not very much money. Can put 8.1 on instead if you prefer.

White Lumia 930 and all the stuff it came with, two wireless charging pads, bluetooth speaker, treasure tag thingy, original boxes - £200
- probably one of the nicest screens (AMOLED) and best cameras on any phone (20MP). Currently running Windows 8.1 but can be updated to Windows 10 Insider if you like

Small and light computer with proper keyboard for Surface 3 money (not touchscreen, but similar battery life, and way more powerful):

13" Macbook Air Core i7 2.0ghz, 8gb RAM, 256Gb SSD with brand new screen, new battery, made to order $139 Waterfield Designs case (grizzly leather, minus the gay handle), no box (lost - I wouldn't have thrown it out, it's in storage somewhere - will forward on when it turns up) - £500
- Runs Windows 10 great, best trackpad of any portable computer but not touchscreen sadly

 

[evilrob]

Mind you, having seen the renders of the supposed new Windows Phones, I might skip this next generation and hold out for a 'Surface' inspired phone cos these are fugly:

The Lumia 920:

And 930:

Were both beautiful devices; if the above renders are true, Microsoft have apparently taken the Lumia design language and butchered it. :/

 

[Neil]

Hmmmm... tempting....

 

[Neil]

Rob, does the 920 take a micro sim card - ie, will my iphone sim bung straight in?

 

[evilrob]

Rob, does the 920 take a micro sim card - ie, will my iphone sim bung straight in?

No, it takes a full-sized one and will not play nice with a small-to-big adaptor.

The 930 takes a micro-sim.

Depending on which iPhone you have, your SIM card might even be a nano SIM!

It's pretty easy to get an appropriately-sized SIM card over the counter at your local phone shop.

 

[Neil]

5S, so I think it's a nano sim. Ah well, fancied a bit of a punt!

I'll probably wait until upgrade day next month and see what's about.

 

[evilrob]

You're right - 5S takes a nano SIM.

I think seeing what's about in a month or two is a good move.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Not a Surface or in any way as well spec'd as a Surface, but if you want to dip your toe before shelling out mega-bucks, the Linx 10 tablet is a worthy little thing.

And I'm not biased just because I'm selling one at the moment... https://www.gumtree.com/p/tablets-e...ablet-pc-linx-10-with-origami-case/1131720874 :wink:

 

[Neil]

Picked up a Surface Pro 3 the other day whilst away on exercise. First impressions are that it's a cracking piece of kit, especially as I got it tax free from the US Navy base exchange store

Better still, I managed to get Office 2013 through work using the Microsoft Home Use Programme for a tenner