Many thanks for your replies guys! Apologies for my late response. Somehow the forum notification emails are arriving sporadically or not at all lately.

I'm surely going to try the iPad suggestion, thanks Glenn! I've already bought Splashtop Remote a few years ago, almost forgot about that way of communicating between iPad and desktop PC.

Michael, I've read a lot of cool things about the Surface Pro, but I'm fed up with Microsoft to be honest — particularly since the hybrid UI mess of Windows 8 — and longing for a complete Apple eco system. Love my iPad, iPhone and Apple TV.