Editorials
5 Windows 8 Tablets That Beat the iPad Air
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Toshiba Encore 2 | ||||||
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Most Windows 8 hardware makers don't attempt to compete with the premium materials that Apple uses in its tablets. On one hand that's not great. Some Windows 8 tablets can feel cheap in the hand. That being said, without that expensive aluminum to pay for, device makers simply pass on that savings to consumers. The Toshiba Encore 2 is what happens when a hardware maker does that. It's just $269 and includes 32GB of storage, an Intel processor for running Desktop apps and a great 10.1 inch high-definition screen. A 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera are for all the picture taking users can throw at it. Unlike many of the Windows 8 tablets that are sold, the Toshiba Encore 2 comes with 1 year of Microsoft Office 365, saving users another $99. [ Buy the Toshiba Encore 2 Tablet from Microsoft for $269.99 ] | ||||||
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Vectre
09/01/2014 at 8:34 pm
The drawback you have decided to mention about the surface 2, “it’s one of the few Windows 8 tablets still being sold that doesn’t allow users to install apps to the Desktop”, shows a bit of bias. The bias, I fear, is not yours alone but shared throughout the tech press.
You should have heard this before, if you have, you really need to listen. The Surface tablets come in 2 basic variants, the RT versions and the Pro versions.
The Pro versions I and most would describe as a laptop inside the case of a tablet. This is because of the specs and the fact it is running a full version of Windows 8.x..
The RT versions are, tablets, just like the iPad is a tablet. You aren’t complaining that the iPad will not run Mac OX software, or are you?? The main reason I see for the RT tablets to have a desktop is for the Office applications and the full browser. When the touch versions of Office apps are available, RT might lose the desktop, I hope not.
If someone is looking for a machine that will allow them to browse the internet, check and answer email, stream video, basic gaming, etc.. the most basic things that most do on computers, the RT devices are perfect. A bonus is that you lose compatibility with all the old windows viruses, and have familiar interface for anyone comfortable with the windows interface.
Should there be more apps allowed to run on the desktop? I would say yes, that would increase further the versatility of the device in the realms of multitasking when it is already ahead of the iPad there.
Gordon Burgess-Parker
09/02/2014 at 1:15 am
Interestingly the Toshiba Encore 1 (which I have) came with Office Home and Student 2013 which has a permanent licence…
Vectre
09/02/2014 at 1:08 pm
That is the result of a more recent decision to allow Office to be included with devices with smaller screen sizes.. Originally the only device that included Office (since MSoft stopped bundling it with Windows) was RT devices..