Jun 10, 2013

Windows Surface RT: There is a desktop?!

Last week i had the opportunity to use a Windows Surface RT tablet. For several month i am using a windows 8 laptop, which is equipped with a touchscreen. So i am used to the new tiles interface and i knew at least on laptops, you have the desktop-applications and the "tiles"-applications.
I was curious, how it feels to work without having "two worlds" of applications on a device...
But it was for me big suprise: If you install Microsoft Office on a RT device, you get the desktop back:
 On a tablet with a display size with 10.6 inches (27cm)? I tried to write a document and it wasn't easy to hit the right icons...
By saving the document it was astonishing, that i got a file chooser. From my Nexus 7 i was used to get no folder structures or similar things:
There are two problems with this desktop applications: If not in full-screen mode, you have to work with really small windows and resizing is very difficult and
 the applications are not shown in the application bar:
They are all summarized with desktop... There is no way to switch directly to your word application or powerpoint.  You have to move the desktop und then choose your Office application....