Surface Pro 2 my everyday Device

As more and more time passes I seem to be using my surface pro 2 further and further! Sometimes I still fire up my laptop to work on the odd spreadsheet from the comfort of my sofa. That is one place I still feel the pro 2 falls down. Using it on your knee! It just doesn't quite have the stability.

Having said that apart from working on a long word or excel sheet I don't often need to rest a laptop on my knee! Plus when you are relaxing on the sofa really you should be watching YouTube or playing some flappy game ;)

But I have noticed a continuing trend in my tech life, one that has surprised me. Not only is the Surface Pro 2 replacing my laptop and desktop, it has completely replace my iPad as well. I also find that my phone gets left glancing at me from the coffee table for longer!

It has kind of taken on two personalities, it is my work horse consuming spreadsheets and work tasks for fun. Then opening up as a gaming tablet via steam or halo! I especially like the ability to play Fifa via a wired xbox controller!

I keep feeling more and more comfortable with it as well. I regularly plough up and down the east coast main line. Sometimes I get a treat in 1st class. I always catch people having a glance at my surface pro 2. They probably wonder what the heck it is as outside the tech world it is still relatively unknown. That is changing with all the adverts Microsoft currently have running around TV and the Internet.

The battery life seems to get better overtime as well. It might just be me but I am sure it lasts an hour longer than it used to. Maybe I am getting forgetful or maybe the latest software improved the battery life further still. I get over 10 hours fairly regularly when I am just working, obviously watching cats on YouTube will drag that down.

Anyhow if you are thinking about a surface get the pro 2! You won't be disappointed.

Microsoft Office 365 used in the field!

One of the great things about my job is that I get provided with a great number of gadgets and software to get things done.

One the main drivers to my daily work life is Microsoft Office 365. I have access to both the full version via my SurfacePro 2 and the mobile version via my Galaxy Note 3.

Firstly I should admit that I don’t often make use of the mobile platform. On the occasion that I do it is to quickly edit or view a document while travelling between jobs (tube not driving!). For this purpose it is very useful and enables quick corrections and adjustments a breeze. I wouldn't want to be writing full word documents or working on complicated excel spreadsheets via the mobile platform. But then it hasn't really been designed for that. It works perfectly for the purpose it was produced.

I am always using outlook on my surface pro 2 keeping in the loop with corporate emails is a must. My calendar is organised and synced via outlook within my employers system. It has been the bedrock of my emailing life for over a decade! While some of the 2013 features were not entirely to my liking I have got used to it.

Publisher is always useful for quickly editing graphics and images that I have collected. I don't really make full use of Publisher but then it isn't really a tool for the work I do.

I seem to spend an eternity working on spreadsheets and word documents. Forming reports and project plans is simple and well used/understood throughout my line of work.

My 9-5 routine is heavily linked into Office 365 and I wouldn't have it any other way. Microsoft has excelled in the production of software for more years than I care to remember. While it isn't always everyone’s cup of tea I appreciate the hours of development and resources that go into making a product that can best serve a huge spectrum of users/customers.

When you consider the flexibility Office 365 provides you can begin to understand why and how Microsoft have dominated for so long.

Thanks for reading MW.

EE Network Review from a frequent UK traveller

It seems like a good time to touch on the carrier I use to keep me connected both for work and at home.

I have used most of the main UK cellular carriers over the years and settled on EE via Orange. I had pretty bad experiences relating to coverage and signal quality from other network providers but have found EE to be first class.

More often all you find in reviews or Internet forums is peoples bad experiences, many satisfied customers just don't see the need to pass comment. But I wanted to offer up an honest and fairly constructive review from my experiences.

First up I travel the UK a lot, from the tips of Northern Scotland to the heart of London. I use road and rail lots, daily in most cases. I can confidently state that with EE I maintain a signal in areas I used to struggle, particularly in Northern areas and on the road network.

Along with just receiving signal I find that both 3G and 4G reception is more widely available with EE. I do still find parts of the rail network on both the East and West coast main lines to be lacking. I think this is a generic problem most of the UK carriers struggle with as much of those lines run through rural/remote areas.

In most cities reception and data speed connections are often 4G and at least 3G. Central London is normally always 4G and fast!

Moving away from signal coverage I have two lines on EE, one for business and one personal. I have generous data allowances on both (8Gb and 20Gb). I make good use of these allowances streaming (legal!) football matches and movies during hotel stays and keeping in touch with the office via skype and email etc.

I use my data allowance both directly with my handsets and via tethered connections to my surface pro 2. It has always worked really well and normally I can achieve at least a 3G connection which more than satisfies Email, Internet and social media. Even streaming is possible over 3G in most cases with increased buffering at times of course.

4G or LTE if you prefer is fantastic, I am a huge fan. Particularly for streaming films and music. I can listen to Internet radio whilst working or watch some sports and films whilst away from a WiFi connection. I cant wait until they get that percentage coverage figure up even higher!

I am hugely impressed with the speed EE appear to be rolling out the 4G coverage and often find upon revisiting places during the year that connection speeds have increased.

I guess it is the glue that binds the rest of my technological/gadget life together. Particularly when I am away from my BT infinity broadband!

I also make use of the EE swap policy, you can trade your handset in (for a fee) after 6 months of a contract. This helps keep me in the latest Tech! Check it out here

Fix it Dad

Well technically this is my 'technology blog' but as a guy and more importantly dad I often come home to some damage or urgent repairs!

Today was no different, my 3 boys appear to have re-enacted jet washing the car in our family bathroom. The kitchen ceiling below was ruined due to leaking water. Upon getting home I assumed the whole damage was entirely the result of over exuberant bath time fun!

But upon closer inspection my kids have dodged holding the blame.... This time! The hot water tap had worked loose from the main pipework under the bath. After much swearing and fiddling with my tap wrench the leak was fixed and order restored! Well for now...

I would love to have some amazing tech that fixes all the damage my wonderful family seem to enjoy delivering to our home. Perhaps a tazer that targets the culprits could work! Seriously I would love a robot that went around fixing taps, door handles, hinges, stair rails and our home broadband.

I am just thinking off the top of my head but during the last 6 months I have had to repair the following:-

1. UPVC door handles torn off the door X 2
2. Stair rail that had the baudstall smashed in half X 3
3. UPVC side door no longer locking due to damaged hinge X 1
4. Boiler failing to fire due to over pressure (caused by inquisitive child playing with the refill valve)!
5. Broadband router failure due to toddler using it as a makeshift hammer X 1
6. Leaking bath tap, Okay this one is down to general wear
7. Stair gates torn from wall due to teenager hurdling it X 2 (yes 2!)

I think I could probably extend the list but I wouldn't have it any other way. With 3 boys aged 15, 12 and 2 I have a wide spectrum of abuse to contend with.

It makes getting home from work exciting and keeps me away from gadgets long enough to say hello!

Back with some more tech stuff later in the week, so long as I get 5 minutes away from fixing stuff!

Samsung KNOX after a few months use

When I got my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in October 2013 one of the things I was most interested in was perhaps not top of everyone's list! It was KNOX and how I might use this to help separate my work and personal life.

We all live in a world of constant connection these days, how many times have you replied to or read an email relating to work on an evening via a smart phone or tablet? I know I have done hundreds maybe thousands or times! At times it is great to save a small task the next day and get a message out to colleagues, clients or even your boss. But I started to realise this kind of behaviour was getting more and more frequent.

My solution was to put my work or corporate emails and tasks on a separate smart phone and leave this turned off in my work bag once I got home. Not an ideal solution as I would rather use one device as my daily driver. Plus on occasion I would like to easily choose to send the odd email or catch up on some work in an evening.

What had been happening was almost everyday I would be picking up messages relating to work and responding in my own time each and every time. This wasn't healthy for my home life and I simply had to remove them from temptation!

KNOX offered up perhaps a solution to my situation from first inspection but has it really helped? Well in short the answer is yes.... a little! It does offer up the ability to place your corporate emails within a secure password protected area. This is also great news for the super paranoid IT geeks who seem to stress and worry about corporate connections via a 'normal' android device. For me this has some negatives and positive. Firstly I can have my social networks, personal email accounts and other apps in a standard android environment. Great news for my evening browsing and break time chatting!

It also allows my corporate emails, contacts and work documents to be placed within the secure KNOX area. So while I am out working I can sign into KNOX mode and keep my attention on work priorities and tasks. Another upside I found was that when I leave my handset within my work bag and scramble up some ladders doing my day job. I know nobody within my work team can be sneaking a peak at my emails or messages through KNOX.

A downside for me and this is how KNOX has been deigned to work its not a fault or bug. Is the ability to copy text, links or phone numbers within KNOX and then paste them within the standard Android environment. You can not copy anything from KNOX and then paste it outside of the KNOX area. This principle also applies to screen shots, it just wont allow them to be taken. I can understand why this has been put in place, to protect your data upon loss or theft of your device. It is a trade off but one I understand and work with! Details about setting up KNOX and the screenshot issue can be seen here.

I like the fact Dropbox can be protected within KNOX again this pleases the IT guys! It also allows files to be shared quickly and easily via emails etc.

You still get notifications that emails have arrived within the standard Android area so the temptation is still there. I know you can set times etc to retrieve emails and help stop things like this but that isn't a solution long term for me due to the shift patterns I work. But the fact you have to input a password to access those emails is kind of a reminder to me that hey this is your time now. Don't worry about site access arrangements for tomorrows work. Do something fun and watch some funny cats on YouTube or something!

The setup I have now is all my corporate emails and files are stored within KNOX, even down to contacts and phone numbers. Its another defence in the event my phone gets stolen or lost but also a mechanism for me to switch off from work.

Plus on the same device I have an area to enjoy all the many wonderful android features away from work keeping those things locked away until work time!

Do I think it is an ideal solution to my particular situation? Not really. But is it helpful and useful? Yes it is!

Those of you lucky enough to be able to switch out of work mode and just pass over those emails or messages without my kind of OCD I salute you. Those of you who don't mind or embrace working 24/7 great stuff. But for those of you like me who would find a barrier to such things useful check out KNOX and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3

More details direct from Samsung can be found here

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Daily Device

In a follow up to my last post and to prove I am not just a Microsoft and windows fan boy I am turning my attention to my Android devices! In particular my Samsung Galaxy Note 3. I have had so many devices over the years it is hard to keep track but I have owned and used all the Galaxy note devices. Each time the new version is released the performance improvements are industry leading and the range of features ever increased. But what of those features and how many do I actually need/use?

My Android History

My android experience started with a HTC device, the desire to be exact. I then went over to the Samsung galaxy note and S2. Ever since I have stuck with Samsung handsets occasionally playing with my wife's Nexus 4/5 and HTC one. The experience considering all the devices are based upon Android is quite different. From a performance perspective my Galaxy Note 3 still seems to be the fastest and more capable device. But all have their unique strong points, the HTC ones speakers and Android overlay are great. While the Nexus devices run raw Android and often have greater compatibility with apps and services, although the cameras on the Nexus line always disappoint me.

Note 3 Focus

I will refocus back on the Note 3 and the main features I make use of. This is not spec listing or a review blog, if you want detailed product information and reviews based purely on all the specs and features then plenty already exist from Engadgget or Techradar and alike. This is purely from a day to day usage point of view and how this device helps keep my work and personal life connected and shared!

Battery Life

The main feature I make use of is quite an important one for most field workers. It is battery life and the note 3 really stands out in this department. The note 2 would just about make a day with a single charge for me but the note 3 manages this with ease. I spend most of my time checking emails, taking in twitter, Internet browsing, G+, Tech blog reading and keep up to date with sports and news apps. The battery easily copes with my daily use, I suspect if I was to watch movies or youtube for extend periods the battery might need more regular topping up.

Screen

On top of the battery I love the screen, both brightness/clarity and size. The screen real estate is brilliant for me and it is still more than comfortable enough to carry in your pocket and use as a general phone. Side by side with many other devices I always prefer my note 3 display, simple.

Knox

I have actively used Knox since it was launched to separate my work and personal life. Keeping my emails and work documents secure and password protected is brilliant, well done Samsung for trying to tackle this modern conundrum of bring your own device policy's. The range of apps within Know is growing and many of the daily work drivers are covered, plus its simple to switch back into personal mode.

Camera

I also take a ton of pictures for my work duties and family events. The note 3 really impresses me with its range of camera settings and the quality of pictures. No it isn't going to replace a DLSR but it is more than adequate for most tasks.

S Pen

I don't make an awful lot of use of Samsungs own applications such as Story book and S health etc. So can't really comment on these, its just not something I use my mobile device for. The S pen is brilliant and it is also compatible with my Microsoft Surface Pro 2 and vice versa which is great. I regularly take screen shots with the pen or use the link to action feature. I don't reach for the pen every time I use the handset but it comes out a few times each day. Screen write is great to overlay comments on pictures I collect in my line of work and the S finder is a great short cut to find those emails and files. Pen window lets me keep up with whatsapp and hangouts from the front screen.

Connection

My note 3 is my daily driver and everything else links through it via my EE LTE connection and dropbox. Once the note 4 comes along it will be retired to one of my children but otherwise is staying firmly in my pocket. Wifi, GPS and Bluetooth work flawlessly and keep me connected out on the road away from my home/office.

Call Quality

One of the features that seems to matter less and less is call quality and the ability to make and receive calls. The note 3 is actually quite good on this front in my experience and it is worth pointing out to those that still like to talk to people or take business calls. I find signal quality and strength is always slightly ahead of my iPhone 5s.

Anyway that is about it from my initial thoughts on my daily use of the Samsung Galaxy note 3. I will look more closely into some of the specific features and apps I like best later on.

Thanks for reading MW

Surface Pro 2 an Office outside the Office!

Here I am on a Monday evening working from my hotel base in London. Today I was at a clients premises conducting my day job. Producing electrical audit information for future and current electrical maintenance works. I have used my surface pro 2 all day gathering information and data into my corporate program. Replying to emails and uploading image files relating to my work duties.

Now back at the hotel I have my web browser open penning this blog whilst listening to Spotify and checking in on twitter. I use the EE network for my cellular connection and am fortunate to have a generous data allowance which I can tether to my surface pro 2. The result is a full office environment and connection whilst away from the comfort of my desk or home.

My surface pro 2 copes easily with my media and web browsing during the evening. I plan to watch a movie later (superman for those interested!) on it. Once upon a time I would have my laptop, phone and perhaps tablet on work trips. These days I have my phone and the surface pro 2, all linked together working hard to make my daily life as easy as possible. This has helped reduce the number and weight of the bags I carry whilst working. Believe me when your on the train and tube small things like the size, number and weight of your bags make a huge difference.

Along with saving the weight it also saves me tons of time. I would regularly gather data whilst working and type it up on my laptop later in the evening. Now I can enter all that data whilst I work enabling my office and support staff to get stuck into all that data almost instantly. Also I have much more free time in the evening, time to write my tech posts, which I hope people are reading!

The other amazing thing with the surface pro 2 is the battery life, I easily get through a work day without worrying about reaching for my charger. I did suffer from the bad software update late 2013 and had to hang in their with the Microsoft team to fix the issue. It took a little longer than I would have liked but it wasn't a huge inconvenience and showed the desire from Microsoft to make the right update and make it once. Now things are back to normal which is great and even during the issue things were not so bad. I just had to remember to turn the surface pro 2 off overnight and charge it.

I am mentioning the software bug as I don't want people to think I am just a huge Microsoft fan. I use an iPad and have a Samsung Galaxy note 3 and iPhone 5s as phones. I like my gadgets and I will fill this blog out with further topics on Android and iOS. It just seemed like a good place to start with the surface pro 2 as I use it so much at the moment. Issues come up on all the formats at one time or another and Microsoft were great they even offered to swap my surface pro 2 for a new one! It shows strength to respond to issues in the right way and not just focus on sales targets etc.

The surface pro 2 has made an immeasurable difference to my working life and I am grateful such a wonderful device was available and I dug deep into my pockets to get one. After all for a desktop/laptop/tablet the comparative cost is actually quite good. The real one device.