OSTC and Windows 8

[swissdiving]

Hi all,

Just purchased an Acer Iconia W510
Atom Processor
2 GB Memory
Win8 (not RT)
http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/series/iconia-tab-w

Plugged in my 2N nothing happend, so I checked the Device Manager and HURRAAAHHH
the USB Serial Converter driver was installed!!!!! I didn't even notice it happend.

So for the test.
Starting Diving Log and it finds the 2N.
I can download dives (though the numbers of the dives are a bit odd, once imported into the logbook they are ok)
It is a bit slow when loading the database, but then mine is rather large.

Changed the text on the 2N successfully.

It worked on both ports. The normal USB port on the keyboard and on the micro USB port on the tablet.

Now at long last I have what I longed for a long time. A tablet to which I can hook up my OSTC and download the dive and change CF's!

[heinrichsweikamp]

Hi,

Good to know. Win8 supports the FTDI-chips (We and many other use) by default. Some issues less here...

Btw., http://www.divemate.de can download the OSTC with many Android devices (Supporting USB OTG).

Regards,
Matthias

[Dahab Boris]

Hansjoerg,

How do you get on with the Acer ? Seem to be quite a few manufacturers making Tablets or Tablets with extra Keyboards, and some make Tablet / Laptop conversions

[swissdiving]

Hi DB,

Its one of those things. You buy yourself a new toy and it does all the things you need it to do (and more) and your wife thinkgs its great too, small, powerful enough and a perfect battery life for her own needs.
As quick as I got myself the Iconia W510p it's been appropriated by the "government"
X(

But seriously. I've taken the tablet/notebook on a couple of diving weekends, and its been great to download the dives from the 2N and have a closer look at the profiles and change CF's.
The relvant bit is not so much the Hardware but the fact that the OS is Win8 (or Win8 Pro) as there is no SW yet for Win8 RT. Whether the FTDI drivers can be installed under Win8 RT remains to be seen. Though, since the kernel is the same as Win8, it might just be possible but then it would have to be installed as part of the App.

As I mentioned before, the Iconia W510 hast an Atom processor, which is a bit on the weak side for a large Access DB in Diving Log but it still works, one just has to be a bit patient when starting Diving Log, once its up and running its no problem.
One flaw of the Iconia W510 I do have to mention. The mouse pad and buttons on the keyboard are a bit flakey. If you are not very precise when pressing the buttons the cursor jumps all over the screen and thats a real drag wenn typing. An additional USB port on the keyboard would have been neat too but I am complaining here on a hight level.
Oh, and btw. I am quite happy for my wife to have the Iconia as it is a lot lighter and has better battery life than her HP EliteBook (now I've got the EliteBook (which will now go to my mother))...


You just can't win.

[scubatinoo]

...so your'e better off with a cheap Ultrabook?

[swissdiving]

Hi Tinoo,

Yes and no. The Iconia has the advantage that I can remove the screen from the keyboard and use it as a tablet.
Ultrabooks usually have a an intel i5 or i7 processor and use more power. So the battery won't last as long. The Iconias battery lasts app. 16 hours even in the "Always On" mode.

I have my eye on the Lenovo Yoga, the 13 inch version with a i7 processor, but that is considerably more expensive than the Iconia (double the price).
For the really "heavy duty" computing, I have a PC anyway. So I struggle to justify buying myself another i7 processor Ultrabook.