Surface Tablet Now Available To Order In The US

[landzw]

http://surface.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/Content/pbpage.Surface?ESICaching=off&WT.mc_id=FY13WinHH

 

[bigboss]

Well priced too! :cheer:

 

[fr0g]

Well priced too! :cheer:

It's too expensive if you ask me. The full-fat version with the proper OS and i5 will be even more expensive. ;(

The UK price for this will be at least £500 for the version with the KB case and you can get A LOT of laptop for that. Sheesh I could get a netbook and a Nexus 7 and still have enough money to go for a nice meal and a drink.

 

[bigboss]

It's too expensive if you ask me.

Really? Have you compared with similar 10-inch 32GB offerings from Apple, Asus & Samsung? It's cheaper than the iPad by $100 & has microSDXC card expansion & full size USB port, making it much more functional than the iPad. Microsoft Office is the killer app.

The full-fat version with the proper OS and i5 will be even more expensive. ;(

The UK price for this will be at least £500 for the version with the KB case and you can get A LOT of laptop for that. Sheesh I could get a netbook and a Nexus 7 and still have enough money to go for a nice meal and a drink.

Realistically, who still buys a netbook? If netbooks offered "better value", why are tablets eating into its sales? I've got a Nexus 7. It's no more than "look I've got a tablet too" gimmick. It's next to useless for professional use. You can't even connect it to a projector or TV for office presentations. The screen is too small for me to write reports and assignments.

Don't forget that ultra thin offerings of small laptops are quite expensive (like Vaio Z series). There's a price to pay for mobility. There's a big market out there for full fat tablet version.

 

[fr0g]

It's too expensive if you ask me.

Really? Have you compared with similar 10-inch 32GB offerings from Apple, Asus & Samsung? It's cheaper than the iPad by $100 & has microSDXC card expansion & full size USB port, making it much more functional than the iPad. Microsoft Office is the killer app.

The full-fat version with the proper OS and i5 will be even more expensive. ;(

The UK price for this will be at least £500 for the version with the KB case and you can get A LOT of laptop for that. Sheesh I could get a netbook and a Nexus 7 and still have enough money to go for a nice meal and a drink.

Realistically, who still buys a netbook? If netbooks offered "better value", why are tablets eating into its sales? I've got a Nexus 7. It's no more than "look I've got a tablet too" gimmick. It's next to useless for professional use. You can't even connect it to a projector or TV for office presentations. The screen is too small for me to write reports and assignments.

Don't forget that ultra thin offerings of small laptops are quite expensive (like Vaio Z series). There's a price to pay for mobility. There's a big market out there for full fat tablet version.

The point is, Apple have the market. MS needed (IMO) to release it as a loss-leader. They haven't the apps yet and this version will rely on it.

And while I agree Office IS a killer app, it will not be FULL office on RT AFAIK. ie will it be any better than Office365 which I can access on my phone?

Don't get me wrong, if I had the money to spend frivolously I'd probably go for it over the equivalent Apple or Samsung, but how many will? (not many imo).

And yes, I think the full version could have a large market, but then there will be cheaper, bigger alternatives available before that even arrives.

I will be getting a Win8 device, but I think they have missed a trick as far as pricing goes.

 

[bigboss]

According to this, MS Office RT should be sufficient. I don't think the excluded features are that useful. Certainly more functional than Office 365:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_2013
MS Office is included in the price of the tablet.

 

[bigboss]

Personally, I think the competition will be more internal. I'll probably buy a hybrid Windows 8 ultrabook (not the RT version) with detachable touch screen, to replace my laptop. THIS can affect iPad's sales more than Surface tablet itself. If I get both tablet & a fully functional laptop in one, why not?

 

[fr0g]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/16/surface_pricing_details/

I am afraid I tend to agree.

 

[bigboss]

Only time will tell. The original iPad's reaction wasn't spectacular either when it was announced. I strongly feel MS Office is the dark horse here & should propel its sales in the enterprise community much more than a Blackberry or HP could ever achieve, as long as iOS & Android versions aren't launched.

XBOX music should appeal a large audience too:

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/features/1636029/xbox_music_spotify_or_itunes_which_is_the_best_for_you.html

There are some compelling features to prevent it from being a failure.

 

[professorhat]

I strongly feel MS Office is the dark horse here & should propel its sales in the enterprise community much more than a Blackberry or HP could ever achieve, as long as iOS & Android versions aren't launched.

I think the problem with Windows RT is the lack of central management control - it can't join a domain and apps can only be installed from the Windows Store (i.e. from what I understand apps can't be deployed from the likes of SCCM). It's not clear yet if there will be easy ways for companies to manage Windows RT devices, but I think x86 based tablets are more likely to find themselves being offered within larger corporations rather than RT devices like the Surface because of the above.

 

[bigboss]

I strongly feel MS Office is the dark horse here & should propel its sales in the enterprise community much more than a Blackberry or HP could ever achieve, as long as iOS & Android versions aren't launched.

I think the problem with Windows RT is the lack of central management control - it can't join a domain and apps can only be installed from the Windows Store (i.e. from what I understand apps can't be deployed from the likes of SCCM). It's not clear yet if there will be easy ways for companies to manage Windows RT devices, but I think x86 based tablets are more likely to find themselves being offered within larger corporations rather than RT devices like the Surface because of the above.

I agree. I don't think Windows RT will attract businesses as much as full Windows. It'll be Windows Surface Pro for that.

http://www.theverge.com/products/surface-for-windows-8-pro/5800

 

[landzw]

Orders now available in the UK, though still a waiting list

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/productID.258666000