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yread

Check out the pictures in the article. Especially this one

http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDE1LzEwLzA3L2U5L01pY3Jvc...

it has 3 people using Surface on their (gasp) lap!

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I have the SP2 and it's almost impossible to use on your lap as a laptop it doesn't stay put.

The keyboard is not hard enough to type on comfortably and there aren't enough points of contact to prevent the damn thing from constantly sliding and tipping over.

The SP3 might be a bit better, the keyboard is supposed to be considerably better but as far as the SP2 goes the best way i found to actually use it on your lap is to lay it pretty much flat, using the kick stand never worked for me.

The SP3's continuous kickstand makes it a lot easier to use it in your lap. I upgraded from an SP1 to an SP3 (it hit a tile floor corner first), and while I know exactly what you're talking about, I don't think it's an issue anymore.

Could be, the biggest issue I have isn't with the angle of the kickstand (although if you don't sit a manner that allows you to have your thighs perfectly horizontal the SP2's angles are a huge limitations as there isn't an angle in which it won't want to tip over forward or backwards).

My biggest issue with the kickstand and I can't believe I'm using that word is the thigh gap... since there isn't a base and the keyboard isn't stiff enough to provide one the moment you move your your legs a bit either further apart or up / down the kickstand tilts and the surface slides down.

For me using the surface as a laptop pretty much means for me that i have to remain still and close my legs so much that I feel like I'm crushing my private parts, It could be just me but i got quite long legs and and if I keep the Surface closer to me i just can't type on it or see the screen without hunching over or breaking my neck.

It doesn't look very comfortable to me. I don't want to feel like I'm balancing the kickstand on my legs. And what if I'm laying down?

The only way I'll know for sure I suppose is to actually try it.

I own an SP3 and ran Arch Linux on it for many months of constant roaming use, sitting, at tables, in bed, etc. I do own the detachable keyboard. I can say from extensive experience that it is very awkward to use on your lap compared to a true laptop.

The problem is that the center of gravity is under the screen/kickstand, not the base. The new book looks like a much better option in that regard.

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