Tech24h - Information Technology! Updates News Technology Fast!

iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait</span></h2>
<b>Out with the old, in with the new. That was the theme of last year's iOS update, known as iOS 7, which ushered in a flat new design.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDljRuwJ1VrGwSt_5wNZiU7SNI9hMIfzowV9TIVIrt_78HukZhlE3GnzyXJvvQFobxFj4jVluw1Me8qpAqui0as3ZZ14lo14kK_5c3BNXra_f8Hmlum_FUo1R2nZuq8lNFZsc2ZkPuksJi/s1600/iOS-8-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDljRuwJ1VrGwSt_5wNZiU7SNI9hMIfzowV9TIVIrt_78HukZhlE3GnzyXJvvQFobxFj4jVluw1Me8qpAqui0as3ZZ14lo14kK_5c3BNXra_f8Hmlum_FUo1R2nZuq8lNFZsc2ZkPuksJi/s1600/iOS-8-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">iOS 8 Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div>
Although Apple threw in some new functionality as well, it was clear the company was mainly focused on giving its mobile OS a face-lift and setting the stage for future updates -- the first of which is coming out tomorrow. iOS 8 builds on last year's software with a plethora of new features, including third-party keyboards, camera controls, widgets, home automation, health and fitness tools and the ability to interact with other apps. (Yes, it's hard to believe these are just arriving on iOS.) Here's what to expect.<br />
<br />
<b>PROS</b><br />
<br />
• Apps can now interact with other apps<br />
<br />
• Support for third-party keyboards<br />
<br />
• Manual camera controls<br />
<br />
• Continuity lets you easily move between devices<br />
<br />
• Family Sharing <br />
<br />
• Actionable notifications<br />
<br />
<b>CONS</b><br />
<br />
• "Hey Siri" command only works when phone is plugged in<br />
<br />
• iCloud Drive files should be easier to access<br />
<br />
• Developers still can't touch Control Center<br />
<br />
• Few improvements to Apple Maps</div>
</div>

iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait

iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait

iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait Out with the old, in with the new. That was the theme of last year's iOS u...

23:19

Nokia's Here Maps for Android

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Nokia's Here Maps for Android</span></h2>
<b>When Microsoft finally completed its €3.79 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year, the company took control of its smartphone business, but left behind a number of Nokia's other powerful and profitable properties.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjspCmGsIsrcJO9TujGNpJiZYMMWwcH_nteKDc6LAEyDx8XIYMWfQRSsuooOCtDUt47vrjnaUmRvUVSbdKZgoOxjREOJTbl_D93kYbMzN15vZslfPDtYTKn8xz1BhmLO7lJSbBsxK3I5mK/s1600/Nokia-Here-Maps-for-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjspCmGsIsrcJO9TujGNpJiZYMMWwcH_nteKDc6LAEyDx8XIYMWfQRSsuooOCtDUt47vrjnaUmRvUVSbdKZgoOxjREOJTbl_D93kYbMzN15vZslfPDtYTKn8xz1BhmLO7lJSbBsxK3I5mK/s1600/Nokia-Here-Maps-for-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nokia's Here Maps for Android</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div>
One such property was the company's mapping division, now called Here, which has become the de facto maps app for Windows Phone users the world over. Nokia tried to replicate the experience on iOS, but after poor reviews and the admission that things "went horribly wrong," the companypulled its iPhone app and went back to the drawing board. As for Android, it looked like Nokia would never deliver a real Google Maps alternative.<br />
<br />
Luckily, that's all about to change. Thanks to some marketing muscle from Korea, Nokia will soon give Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners advanced access to its maps app. While Nokia readies Here Maps for Samsung's Galaxy Apps store, which is expected to drop in the coming weeks, the company gave us an early preview of its new app, and it's good.</div>
</div>

Nokia's Here Maps for Android

Nokia's Here Maps for Android

Nokia's Here Maps for Android When Microsoft finally completed its €3.79 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year, the company t...

18:28

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015</span></h2>
<b>Instead of announcing the next version of its iconic operating system in front of a massive crowd of thousands, Microsoft chose an intimate venue with 50 or so reporters to launch the new Windows, which it's calling Windows 10.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5kTsyDU3VGvgwkqj25gfATexsD26DK7c8wxRpmW2bOELezwo0p8nxEPIjPdwuhQyzqrbZ1aDOBCZNjSd3EV5GJy7TaS5dS2lTNjoG3qPcySxZhsS4Ocl2zi0ojxDJnmzsAED8VJxbRHy/s1600/Windows-9-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5kTsyDU3VGvgwkqj25gfATexsD26DK7c8wxRpmW2bOELezwo0p8nxEPIjPdwuhQyzqrbZ1aDOBCZNjSd3EV5GJy7TaS5dS2lTNjoG3qPcySxZhsS4Ocl2zi0ojxDJnmzsAED8VJxbRHy/s1600/Windows-9-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div>
<div>
The company looks at the new number (yes, it oddly skipped a number) as an indication of the direction it's taking with the OS; Microsoft says it'll be "the most comprehensive platform ever," featuring afull range of products that'll be placed under the Windows 10 umbrella as part of "one tailored experience." That means it will support everything from the "Internet of Things" to enterprise servers, taking advantage of responsive design.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHtNgNWODhEePurMVm0lm-OyXxpqyJqAITx3rLDdQLAz2vFY0JMDgLW1HyyrP15WVsPdPY3PiTJAOWbGjOa_yTPg2N7FdVMpKi3VJo_sasW419P-LV0QFAlajfzuMCr6IeLqptheDKmhz/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHtNgNWODhEePurMVm0lm-OyXxpqyJqAITx3rLDdQLAz2vFY0JMDgLW1HyyrP15WVsPdPY3PiTJAOWbGjOa_yTPg2N7FdVMpKi3VJo_sasW419P-LV0QFAlajfzuMCr6IeLqptheDKmhz/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Microsoft's Joe Belfiore showed off an early beta version of the new Windows on stage, which looks very much like the leaked screenshots we saw not too long ago; Belfiore says that the company wanted to bring the familiarity of Windows 7 and combine it with the functionality of Windows 8.</div>
</div>
</div>

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015

Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10, will ship later in 2015 Instead of announcing the next version of its iconic operating system in fr...

00:24

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft Announces Windows 10</span></h2>
<b>This morning at an event in San Francisco, Microsoft announced the next version of its Windows operating system: Windows 10.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtStzCdgG6gS4_BQVLtqEncNrd-xr6TX4QHDQOFNE0ML-_pEsJrCDfcXXijk3y_qRO02xNOZxDMt_5uEcpIE5ypCQc-ysL16j7PHjFYSFsxjBcK7ogehd4rKGEzEhBd6yXy5kY-emLXbUF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtStzCdgG6gS4_BQVLtqEncNrd-xr6TX4QHDQOFNE0ML-_pEsJrCDfcXXijk3y_qRO02xNOZxDMt_5uEcpIE5ypCQc-ysL16j7PHjFYSFsxjBcK7ogehd4rKGEzEhBd6yXy5kY-emLXbUF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft Announces Windows 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The name is definitely not in line with expectations, but also comes on the heels of rumor talk that it could pick up another title. Happily, the last 943 people to cover the operating system got the name wrong.<br />
<br />
Starting tomorrow, Microsoft will launch a Windows Insider Program that will give users who are comfortable with running very early beta software access to Windows 10. This first preview will be available for laptops and desktops. A build for servers will follow later. Microsoft says it is opening up this beta process to get more feedback from more users early on, but also noted that this will be a learning experience for the company and that some experiments users will get in new builds may not make it into the final version.</div>
<div>
<br />
The company went on to detail that its new operating system will have a tailored user experience between different screen sizes — that’s to say that if you are on a smaller device, you will see a different sort of user interface. The code will run across all device categories: “One product family. One platform. One store.”</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHtNgNWODhEePurMVm0lm-OyXxpqyJqAITx3rLDdQLAz2vFY0JMDgLW1HyyrP15WVsPdPY3PiTJAOWbGjOa_yTPg2N7FdVMpKi3VJo_sasW419P-LV0QFAlajfzuMCr6IeLqptheDKmhz/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHtNgNWODhEePurMVm0lm-OyXxpqyJqAITx3rLDdQLAz2vFY0JMDgLW1HyyrP15WVsPdPY3PiTJAOWbGjOa_yTPg2N7FdVMpKi3VJo_sasW419P-LV0QFAlajfzuMCr6IeLqptheDKmhz/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
Microsoft is currently riffing on the following: Enterprise value, device management, the ability to customize the store to the device you are on, and a way to protect data. Or, to put it more precisely, there will be the ability of the enterprise to manage their devices, and “customize” their application store, and so forth.<br />
<br />
As expected, the company is bringing back a few features of Windows 7, too, including a redesigned start menu that combines the basic Windows 7 menu with the (resizable) tiles of the Windows 8 start screen. Windows 8 Metro apps can now also open in a windowed mode on the desktop, so you aren’t taking into the full-screen mode by default and you can use a “modern” Windows 8 side by side with a standard Windows desktop app. <br />
<br />
Windows 10 will also allow users to work with multiple desktops. Thanks to Microsoft’s new “Snap Assist” UI, the company is making it easier for these power users who need these multiple desktops to grab apps from multiple desktops and move them around.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe05f2JZhIow4P9UmtI2mrhJnREz737l3Ya-OZ0J0JEIceUkgPheFYzx-_hpMlddjMA62Wgjn_k4za8L0vS0FS76TaNyRRVmD4JUo2wW-M_ilSJ8O-ggAU14QYxLA5hitVMkC863ZeA5Bd/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe05f2JZhIow4P9UmtI2mrhJnREz737l3Ya-OZ0J0JEIceUkgPheFYzx-_hpMlddjMA62Wgjn_k4za8L0vS0FS76TaNyRRVmD4JUo2wW-M_ilSJ8O-ggAU14QYxLA5hitVMkC863ZeA5Bd/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
While Microsoft focused mostly on the regular mouse and keyboard combo for interacting with the operating system, the company stressed that it is not giving up on touch. Windows 10 will still have a Windows 8 like Start Screen for users on touch-enabled machines, for example.<br />
<br />
Some of the gestures will change a bit in Windows 10 (swiping in from the left now gets you a task view, for example), but the overall feature set seems to be very similar to that in Windows 8 and even the Windows 8 Charms bar is still available.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVFDtD9-XmzX9y2hkzRgSDVR3U3LCjJfBjy6l_xbECOZJK0vRmWtHUiCQZFSzG3dY1Qk1PNu_ZiMMpV3QVzQk5Lq5Z10lTuWP6heXMq6HH_k-aoXgZfWj251N5oWQDTOaXL0Y3FxoCEKF/s1600/Microsoft's-next-OS-is-Windows-10-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
One thing Microsoft did not show (at least so far), is any other consumer features in Windows 10. What the company did talk about a bit, however, is that Windows 10 for the phone will look and work almost exactly like the slightly pared down modern UI on Windows 10. One thing Microsoft clearly learned from the experience with Windows 8 is that if it wants to build a single operating system and user interface for every device, it can’t just optimize for edge cases. Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, for example, noted that while it was an obvious choice to combine the interfaces for tablets and phones, “the real rub comes in the middle.” This time around, he said, he feels “pretty positive about the outcome we are going to get.”</div>

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

Microsoft Announces Windows 10

Microsoft Announces Windows 10 This morning at an event in San Francisco, Microsoft announced the next version of its Windows operating sy...

18:51

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;">Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade</span></h2>
<b>By now, you should probably think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet as the Windows equivalent of a MacBook Air: an exquisitely constructed, premium tablet for those who aren’t worried about their next mortgage payment. </b><br />
<br />
The new Surface Pro Docking Station simply completes the experience. For thesuperlative Surface Pro 3 is already a tablet that is already almost a two-in-one notebook. When docked, the tablet provides enough horsepower to drive two other monitors, adding its own high-definition screen as a bonus. At that point, you may as well be working at a desktop PC.<br />
<br />
MICROSOFT<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbtQYfvVWYLEb6R7EmqIdWgV8BAKaWQv1BaUTRcurUxllPvtu9BB2aSsRV5Bgy_C2XET_s1gHJFPiABw0_F4r2CCIK1mLPdl4f_F3_UzBdguftJ9j4UzxOn9H7IxSlAK2smUr_-gBgXOy/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbtQYfvVWYLEb6R7EmqIdWgV8BAKaWQv1BaUTRcurUxllPvtu9BB2aSsRV5Bgy_C2XET_s1gHJFPiABw0_F4r2CCIK1mLPdl4f_F3_UzBdguftJ9j4UzxOn9H7IxSlAK2smUr_-gBgXOy/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One possible setup of multimonitor configurations, all connected to the Surface Pro 3.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The dock itself costs $199. Yes, $199. It's definitely pricier than tablet docking stations from the likes of Dell and HP, but also fancier, and a minor upcharge to the $1,200 or so you might pay for a midrange Surface Pro 3. If you’re going to spend that much already, you may as well go whole hog.<br />
<br />
Physically, the new dock looks very similar to the dock Microsoft built for the Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. Microsoft also stole a page from Hollywood and "rebooted" the name, calling it simply the Surface Pro Docking Station. Despite the moniker, however, only the SP3 is supported. <br />
<br />
MARK HACHMAN</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HVzfDqu6qrSdzXcw3TPu7iv1cnyKYG_V_oE_kraoPkumr2e-VveV5VNOR8fDhsTAPFDg9eXFje6btPE6V8j8rjfpqSzyV2nfqKkPIxBdqR4v6l9cLa-8fjeuGzm09T1zyyAhN9Hoc2vu/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HVzfDqu6qrSdzXcw3TPu7iv1cnyKYG_V_oE_kraoPkumr2e-VveV5VNOR8fDhsTAPFDg9eXFje6btPE6V8j8rjfpqSzyV2nfqKkPIxBdqR4v6l9cLa-8fjeuGzm09T1zyyAhN9Hoc2vu/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Like earlier models, the sides of the dock clasp the tablet like a vise, connecting power and I/O alike through the tablet’s charging connector. The Surface Pro 3 doesn’t dock as easily to the Surface Pro Docking Station as the Surface Pro 2 did to its own dock, though, because of the way the new Type Cover connects to the tablet.<br />
<br />
If you fold the Type Cover upward to provide yourself an angled typing surface, make sure you “unfold” the cover and lay it flat. Otherwise, the dock’s extended charging connector may miss the tablet’s port, possibly damaging itself or the tablet.<br />
<br />
You can either leave the SP3's stylus in its fabric loop, or attach it via a handy magnetic connector Microsoft has added to the left side of the dock.<br />
<br />
MARK HACHMAN</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPzuhjzjojqlyNfsz2Zx7bLvuON283eKH9tFXWZKA6WnxoxgyomG8DabCLhZuqMELb7e0RefbmqUNSigjzhuglgdw-E82otifDWY7uDb4uXHcOw4ZXSFCRejLCuRMGkBljlfK-whL81XY/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPzuhjzjojqlyNfsz2Zx7bLvuON283eKH9tFXWZKA6WnxoxgyomG8DabCLhZuqMELb7e0RefbmqUNSigjzhuglgdw-E82otifDWY7uDb4uXHcOw4ZXSFCRejLCuRMGkBljlfK-whL81XY/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
If you’re buying a docking station, you’re buying connectivity, which is one of the slight deficiencies of the Surface line in general. Each Surface Pro 3 tablet, by itself, includes just a miniDisplayPort and a USB 3.0 connection. The docking station does not obstruct those ports, and it adds five more USB ports—two USB 2.0 and three USB 3.0. (That’s a slight step up from the Surface Pro/Pro 2 dock, which had three USB 2.0 connectors and a single USB 3.0 connector.) There’s also another (replicated) miniDisplayPort connector on the back, plus Gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack and Kensington lock. Microsoft removed the mic jack from the Surface Pro 2 dock, probably because no one was using it.<br />
<br />
Microsoft doesn’t make it clear whether you can daisy-chain two DisplayPort monitors together, as its documentation refers you to a support site where that question wasn't addressed. Microsoft has said previously that you can, however. (I lacked the appropriate miniDisplayPort adapters to test this properly.)<br />
<br />
MARK HACHMAN</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby5-02rPCNod21_uWic27nDXx7tMawmZNhlMbC6kzozhgqPsynTtYCknqzMb6-2gludOJR6sim9aa1QGsjxwCKa6yupdzMjKaYY-9M6UaskfyWQ6LklwysPI_7tvGBWyi8coKXjdnGHvA/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby5-02rPCNod21_uWic27nDXx7tMawmZNhlMbC6kzozhgqPsynTtYCknqzMb6-2gludOJR6sim9aa1QGsjxwCKa6yupdzMjKaYY-9M6UaskfyWQ6LklwysPI_7tvGBWyi8coKXjdnGHvA/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
One slight annoyance is that the pitch at which the dock reclines is fixed, which takes away from the nearly limitless pitch options that the SP3’s flexible kickstand delivers. You’ll probably end up using the desktop monitor as your primary display, however, which means you’ll be staring at the Surface display a lot less than you might have otherwise. <br />
<br />
Finally, a true left-handed gaming tablet<br />
<br />
Right-handers blithely move through the world, failing to appreciate that everything from desks to golf to the way we write has long favored a right-handed approach. While the world's somewhat kinder to southpaws these days, gaming remains biased. I'm left-handed, and I can’t effectively game on a PC without access to a keyboard’s number pad—which compact keyboards like the Surface’s Type Cover sacrifice to save space.<br />
<br />
That’s not a dealbreaker, of course. A game like Trine or the Batman Arkham series work well with gamepads or an Xbox controller. But with the dock, I can finally connect a mouse and keyboard and game as I choose. <br />
<br />
MARK HACHMAN</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wrh98UeMqlveoxYcCeKfJEC_1cLKM2AQ0kiJ_YlTfihSGzT8ppM7_LfI9cHPaZcl45BkO-IW7ZyjqImfDhALEBQz4Ti7ppkryqKlNbAV1WesCJQ0qGOHSSRc_h9hMskN96y5IzvkE-EY/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wrh98UeMqlveoxYcCeKfJEC_1cLKM2AQ0kiJ_YlTfihSGzT8ppM7_LfI9cHPaZcl45BkO-IW7ZyjqImfDhALEBQz4Ti7ppkryqKlNbAV1WesCJQ0qGOHSSRc_h9hMskN96y5IzvkE-EY/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-Pro-3-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
That said there are other options. Consider spending $199 for the Surface Pro 3 dock, versus $19—yes, $19—for a powered four-port USB 3.0 hub that can plug right into that USB 3.0 slot. You're sacrificing the option of an extra monitor connection, but saving yourself $180. The weight of that hub, plus the miniDisplayPort, might be enough to topple an undocked Surface Pro 3. But I doubt it.<br />
<br />
With Microsoft’s Surface Pro Docking Station, you have a fairly simple decision to make: Do you need that extra connectivity? Most likely, you do. But I also think you could probably find a cheaper alternative.<br />
<br />
If money’s no object, however, you won’t regret it: Microsoft’s Surface Pro docking station is a well-engineered, robust piece of hardware that looks great and makes your Surface Pro 3 even more useful than before. </div>

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Docking Station is a capable, costly upgrade By now, you should probably think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro ...

01:35

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Populars
Archive
FaceBook

Top