Search This Blog

Friday, October 25, 2013

Getting Started With Surface

 

My new gadget : Surface RT came at the right time for my VDI project.

2013-10-24 23.30.542013-10-24 23.30.30

Here is some guidelines that I do once I get my hand on Surface RT and the guide probably useful for beginner. Let get started:

1. Once perform initial setup by Windows, the recommend step is perform Windows Update. Update your Surface with latest windows Update. To do so, click Settings | Change PC Settings | Update and Recovery | Windows Update | Click “Check Now”

2. After complete Windows Update, go to Microsoft Store and select Update to Windows 8.1. It will take a while to download 2.1 GB of update. In case of any problem during update to 8.1, you can download the Microsoft Surface RT Recovery Image from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40810

3. Then, create a USB recovery Drive in case you need to reset it to factory condition. Go to Control Panel | Recovery | Click Create a recovery drive. Insert a minimum of 8GB USB drive into your surface RT. Once complete, keep it in a safe location

4. For ease of login, change it to pin rather than keying in your Live ID password. Go to Settings | Change PC Settings | Account | Sign-in options | select PIN or Picture Password.

5. Get a 32GB or 64GB MicrosSDHC Class 10. I bought SanDisk Ultra 32GB for RM89 at Digital mall. Well plan to get 64GB but it cost about RM200+. Temporary use 32GB first while waiting for my Seagate 1TB wireless Plus hard disk to arrive from United States. Just plug the microsd card. The microSDXC card slot is located behind of the surface stand. This provides a relatively cheap way to expand the tablet storage quickly. Before you use the microSD, perform the following steps

  • Reformat to NTFS

6. Learn some gesture from Microsoft Guide about Touch from here: http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US/support/touch-mouse-and-search/using-touch-gestures-tap-swipe-and-beyond?lc=1033

or you can learn faster by viewing video:

Using touch, mouse and how to navigate app side by side:- http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/getting-around-tutorial#1TC=t1

7. Download and study the Surface RT, Surface or Surface Pro user guide from http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-th/support/userguides

8. Install my favorite app by using Microsoft Store

  • Evernote Touch – for note taking
  • Lync – for messenger
  • Dropbox – for cloud storage
  • Kindle – for reading book
  • Google Search – for searching
  • Facebook – for social
  • Google Reader free – for social
  • Adobe Reader Touch– for reading pdf
  • Skype – for messenger
  • Twitter – for social
  • Box -for cloud storage
  • Where is My Water ? 2 – for relaxing (games)
  • My Country – for relaxing (games)

Built –in app on my surface RT:-

  • MS Office Word
  • MS Office Excel
  • MS Power Point
  • MS OneNote
  • MS Outlook

9. Configure email account by clicking on Outlook app. Add outlook.com, gmail and your Exchange email account.

10. Change Cloud Storage primary location to MicroSD card. Go to Windows Explorer | Right click Skydrive | Click Location | Select Move | D:\Skydrive.

This step will ensure that you have more storage space in primary drive.

Note:- Make sure you have complete Step 5 before change Cloud Storage primary location.

One thing i’m realized that my new Surface settings is sync with my laptop. That’s was great. If you encounter weird on keyboard. Do change the keyboard setting to English –United Stated rather than using English-United Kingdom. Some of key is reverse when using English-United Kingdom. Example for key:-

  • @ turned to “
  • “ turned to @

Hope this guide was able to provide some rough idea on how to get started using Surface.