Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Surface Pricing Goes Toe-to-Toe With Apple iPad
Nerval's Lobster writes "Microsoft has finally revealed the pricing of its upcoming Surface tablet to a small group of journalists, including Time's Harry McCracken, who wrote in an Oct. 16 posting that the device's 32GB version will retail for $499 (or $599 with the flexible keyboard cover) and the 64GB one for $699 (cover included). Preorders will apparently begin by midday Oct. 16. Microsoft unveiled Surface over the summer but kept the pricing a secret until now. That information vacuum led some to hope against hope that Microsoft would attempt something radical and price Surface extraordinarily low—$199, perhaps—in an attempt to undercut Apple's iPad. While that didn't happen, Surface at least matches its biggest rival's low- and high-end price points. The WiFi-only, 16GB version of the iPad retails for $499, while the WiFi-only, 64GB version costs $699 (iPads with a cellular connection cost a bit more)."
A related article at BGR explains why the Surface is Microsoft's latest attempt to re-invent itself.
Somewhere, a kid has been begging and pleading to get an iPad for Christmas.
Somewhere, a parent is thrilled to find that Microsoft's iPads are on sale for $100 off.
One day, both of them will relate the story to their therapists.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
Who's his co-workers?
Jack Mehoff?
Chuck Roast?
Phil Magroin?
Seymour Butz?
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
I've always wanted to pay over $100 for the pure pleasure of typing on one of those rubbery keypads with a lot of squish and almost no travel!
When your competitor has OWNED the market for several years, you don't MATCH their price, you blow it away.
Who would be dumb enough to pay the same price as a 3rd generation device to guinea pig a 1st gen device from a company that is known to suck at first releases?
And then there's Google's tablet for a dainty $199/$249
Microsoft really does suck at new things.
Finally, they enter the ballgame, just as Apple is set to debut the iPad Mini. Good luck with that, Microsoft.
I feel like this is the first product that finally removes the line. Even the best tablets before this didn't run the same OS and a laptop or desktop, and while the RT may be argued to not remove that difference, the Pro does. Not that the keyboard will be as good or the experience the same, but the product has finally arrived that removes the line. You can now install the same program file to your desktop, laptop, or tablet.
With the Metro interface we all love so much here on slashdot and of course being forced to use this wonderful browser!'
What is there not to love?
http://saveie6.com/
How does this tablet Zune squirt? Is it available in brown?
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
Have you even touched one of those keyboards to know what you are talking about? Or are you just assuming it is like other portable keyboards that have come before?
Read the specs. The Touch cover has no travel, it has no keyswitches that move to activate.
It is a flat piece of plastic with touchscreen like capacitive sensors, similar to a smartphone/tablet screen.
Start your bitching about how Microsoft is gouging for the extra SSD storage. ZOMG $100 for another 32 gig, I can buy 32 gig sd cards for $19.00! What a ripoff! ZOMG!
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
targeting the existing 1.3 billion Windows users.
I wonder how many Windows users will mistakenly buy a Surface tablet expecting it to run their "Windows" application/gaming software.
I can do that now. In fact I have had a windows 8 tablet for 6 months now at close to that price point.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834680442
Installed Windows 8 beta on it and have been playing for months.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
There is a Windows desktop in RT, but it doesn't let you run your own apps, only what comes with it (Explorer, IE, Office, PowerShell etc).
Mod parent down.
God; I was afraid it was a link to a browser exploit that would automatically add you to the queue to get a surface. After thinking that Goatse seems quite innocent.
=~ s,(.*),<sarcasm>$1</sarcasm>,g if any_point_you_wish();
Because these tablets are not x86 processors, there is ZERO chance to run any Windows Software on these things. Which means, it only runs Metro Apps, and exactly how does Microsoft's Metro Apps compete with iOS and Android? As well as HP's WebOS, and we all know how that turned out. I see another Fire-Sale around the corner.
-- By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.
"...or an ill-conceived also-ran like the Zune."
No. It is a delusional, strategic blunder.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
This Christmas I was hoping to get a Nexus 7 for my son and the Surface for my wife. At around $200 each, they'd be pricey but possible gifts. Now, cross off the Surface - may check in with the Kindle Fire 2 instead.
Probably quite a few. The "Overview" section does say "Surface with Windows RT works exclusively with apps from the Windows Store." This is all "planned obsolesence" moving forward with Windows technologies means the previous generations need to go away. Apps need to go through the Microsoft Store to be published to Windows Phone/Windows 8/Windows RT. Welcome to the "new".
Note that it does have an microSD card slot. With that in mind, the point of the 64 Gb version eludes me completely.
Since this is a walled garden system, you might not be able to install software on the microSD storage.
I will probably buy one of these. They run Windows. They have a USB port. They will run a piece of software I want to run that will not run on IOS or Android, although it also has a version for OS-X.
No, they won't!
Windows RT is *not* Windows. It's a new operating system for ARM processors that is designed to look and feel like Windows, and shares some of the original code base. It has no backwards compatibility with existing Windows applications. Just in case I didn't make that clear, it will *NOT* run *ANY* existing desktop Windows applications. In fact, you can't even recompile or write new desktop application for WinRT. There is a desktop, but it's only allowed to run a few programs, such as Microsoft Office. (Why the FTC is letting them get away with that blatantly anti-competitive decision is beyond me.) Oh, and WinRT can't join domains either, so businesses won't be interested in using it.
If you want to run existing Windows software, you'll have to wait for the x86-based Surface *Pro*, which will set you back nearly a thousand bucks. *That* will indeed be basically a PC in a tablet form factor, and compatible with the usual Windows ecosystem stuff.
Microsoft is setting itself up for a massive backlash with this device. If Slashdot readers are thinking this way ("it's Windows, it will run my software") then how many ordinary users will make the same mistake? They will not be well disposed towards Microsoft products after that experience, I guarantee you.
The hardware design looks amazing, and would be very welcome when all non Apple hardware tends to be awful, with some notable exceptions like Asus.
The rest I don't understand. $500 and no retina/high ppi display? A 16:9 ratio on a device that is supposed to be meant for productivity? 10.1" is really pushing it for productivity, the wide narrow screen would just kill it. No stylus support. $100 buys you a crap keyboard - at least Asus docks include a big battery.
The Windows 8 tablets looks nicer but then the pricing gets ridiculous.
I had high hopes for the Surface...if only to keep Apple and Google and Amazon honest. But the $499 price is a complete non-starter. First of all, if you want the cover/keyboard you have to fork over an additional $100. Seems a little steep to me. $50 is more like it. Secondly, when you buy one of the other tablets you're buying into a vast ecosystem of apps. Microsoft? They have relatively little to offer. Sure they have Office but this is supposed to be a consumer tablet, not a corporate tablet.
Unless you are just a huge Microsoft fan to begin with I don't see any compelling reason to buy one of these. You can get an iPad with vastly more apps to choose from. You can buy an Android tablet for much the same reason, and cheaper to boot. You can buy an Amazon tablet for half the price and, if you have a Prime membership, access to tons of movies TV and books.
I was hoping that MS would price it at $399, including keyboard/cover. That would give them a fighting chance against the other guys. Even if they have to sell it at a loss at least they can get them in peoples hands and give developers an audience to write for. As it stands now, this will be Touchpad II.
Only the Surface Pro runs the Windows desktop. The Surface/WinRT machine mentioned is Metro-only.
-Dave Haynie
this last one is killer. it lets you use this as a servicable desktop or laptop replacement. jack in a real screen, KB, and usb disk and you have a desktop computer that is probably better than the 4 year old peice of dell junk your older relative is using now.
and 2.5 it lets you use your old applications.
No, it will only run Metro apps ('Windows Store apps' or whatever they're called now) and a tweaked version of Office. If you want to run Windows software, you'll need the 'Pro' models which look to cost about twice as much.
They should lose money on every tablet they sell initially to get the damn things out there!
This is falling into the same trap as everyone else who has matched Apple's price --- Apple has the mindshare, the apps and the cool factor. You have to undercut that at least until you are well established!
SurfaceRT has things that your company won't like.
1. No AD.
2. No GPOs.
3. No backwards compatibility.
4. Limited email functionality.
http://techpinions.com/windows-8-tablets-and-email-a-disaster-in-the-making/10360
5. Slightly limited Office functionality. (Scroll down a ways, they buried it)
http://blogs.office.com/b/office-next/archive/2012/09/13/building-office-for-windows-rt.aspx
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
Get the Transformer dude, all the advantages, none of the downsides. You get 9+ hours in tablet mode, 16+ in laptop mode, and more importantly its got all the Android apps whereas after devs got burnt on WinPhone 7 I bet its gonna be hell to get anybody developing for WOA. Oh and yes I know its called WinRT now, but I thought WOA was a better name as in "WOA bro, what do they think they are doing?"
Hell if you get them a Surface I have a feeling in a year its gonna be just as dead as WinPhone 7. with MSFT's history of abandoning mobile platforms that don't become hits its foolish to be an early adopter of anything MS Mobile, so get the Transformer.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
and 2.5 it lets you use your old applications
You absolutely cannot use your old applications on the Windows RT ARM-based device.
I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..