RoySussex Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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The old adage about standards: "standards are wonderful - there are so many to chose from..."
More USB variants. Hard to get enthusiastic, but it could be worse.
And if you're one of the mugs who wanted to like the Surface Pro 2 (no "early adopting" for me) so much that they bought one and failed to return it within the grace period ("they'll sort out the OS/firmware, after all, it's Microsoft": memory lapse due to old age) it is worse.
The SP series cases (dunno about the 3) have sharply angled case edges. Fortunately this doesn't prevent a standard USB3 A cable plugging securely into the single socket even though the shoulder doesn't abut all round the connection, so it's subject to (inevitable) additional accidental strain on the socket. But it's not too bad. I expect that the overpriced MS accessory dedicated USB cable will be profiled to fit the case neatly.
The Mini Display Port - which I understand to be an Apple notion - is a different can of fish. The three 3rd party MDP adaptors (to HDMI) which I have tried have all been variously deficient. One made no connection at all as the male cable end failed to penetrate sufficiently deep into the case. One just, just, connected. The connection is so fragile that every time I use it I fear damage to the socket should the extremely stiff cabling get accidentally disturbed. So much so that I built up the cable end with Sugru to better fit the case edge profile.
Defeated, I ordered a £35 cable from the MS store. They sent me the mini-USB version (for the unlamented RT version and I believe the current "non-Pro" model. WTF). I just threw it in the corner and continued with my Sugru-special. Then my nerve failed and I tried to obtain a replacement from MS. It was too late for a return. So I decided I'd swallow hard and buy a second cable, making this one very expensive adaptor. But the MS store told me "not available"... Uh? It's essential if you don't want to destroy a product that cost close to £1k all told.
Now I send a letter to MS (US and UK HQ's) complaining about the innumerable deficiencies of both the product and their customer service - too extensive to list here. An email exchange ensues some weeks later. The only thing offered was a replacement cable, which I accepted, wearily. Oh dear, now there's "a problem with the Microsoft Store". Could this be why, a day or so later I heard that my CC had been "compromised" and had to be replaced?
Eventually the store was fixed. MS (Canada for some reason) informed me that a new cable was now authorised. I requested postal delivery rather than courier - a method that could easily end up costing me a couple of entirely wasted days - and in any case the package would easily fit through a letterbox. Er, no, not possible. I don't think that requires further comment. I will never buy any other MS hardware - they haven't got a bl00dy clue.
Roy
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