Overpriced Surface

[TrevorW]

Microsoft Surface RT ($679 RRP in Australia w/ Touch Cover)

How would you like a brand new convertible with a one-of-a-kind retractable roof for the reasonable price of $22,000? There’s just one catch. You must pay an extra $10,000 for the convertible roof you saw highlighted in all the commercials.


At its $559 base price in Australia, Microsoft’s first tablet costs a little more than the fourth-generation iPad, the well-established leader in the tablet market. The attractive Surface (http://www.laptopmag.com/review/tablets/microsoft-surface-rt.aspx) has a worse screen than the iPad, it lasts five hours less on a charge and, at launch time, had only a handful of decent apps for its nascent Windows RT operating system.


However, you may want the Surface because of its heavily advertised Touch Cover keyboard, a must-have accessory that will set you back an extra $140, even though it costs Microsoft only $16 (http://blog.laptopmag.com/ihs-isuppli-499-microsoft-surface-tablet-costs-271-to-manufacture-16-for-touch-cover) to manufacture. That’s $679 for a new, unproven tablet which trails the $539 market leader in most ways.

[Moon]

Whilst I like competition, I can't see who's going to buy these things. Not me for sure.
With touchscreens everywhere, the chromebook form factor is looking a bit out of date. Come on Google, your turn now!

[pluto]

Actually a 4th gen iPad with 32gb (same as base Surface) has an RRP of $649.
The Surface is the same price as the equivalent Nexus 10, which if you're comparing tech specs (which it looks like is the point of your post), out classes both the Surface and the iPad even in screen quality.

Obviously though we don't really care about tech specs too much when choosing one of these things so whatever works for you, has the apps you need, and fits in your budget is the "best".

[Tandum]

No need to complain. Market forces will fix it :)

http://bgr.com/2012/12/05/microsoft-surface-sales-q4-2012-est/

[Eggmoon]

Windows 8 tablets will kill the iPads and the androids in the business market. Not even talking about the cut down Windows RT ones... but the ones that run Windows 8 64-bit... on an Intel chip.

Now, I am not saying they are a superior system to IOS or to android... and not saying it is the Microsoft surface ones that will do it... but models like the ASUS Transformer Book... and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro that will dominate in business.

For the very simple fact.... they are a fully working PC. Business will fork out the extra $ because they don't have to develop new apps... and new ways of integrating the tablets into their business systems... can just load their Windows programs and go.

I would like one myself.... and I already own an iPad and an android tablet. But the appeal of the full Windows system... and USB ports for telescope control... is going to make me buy one.

Like I said... not saying Windows is superior... don't want to start a flame war... but the practicality makes them a good buy for business and geeks.

Just my opinion.

[naskies]

Intel Architecture tablets have already been around for a long time, and Microsoft has already tried it with their (unsuccessful) "Tablet PC" platform a few years back.

One of the big challenges with x86/x64 is that their instruction set isn't very power efficient when you want performance (lots of power hungry instruction set decoders, branch predictors, instruction re-writers, etc are needed).

The other problem is that user interfaces designed for users who are sitting at a desk with a keyboard and mouse tend to be horrible for people who are mobile and interacting with a touch screen. Anyone who's used the old Windows CE based smart phones can appreciate how dramatic a difference the iPhone's interface was.

That said, tablets are now "proven" mainstream technology so perhaps business users will be able to purchase x64 tablets with less justification than in the past.

[Eggmoon]

Agree with pretty much everything you said there Naskies.

I have at home, a "Tablet PC"... which was one of those ones that the screen swiveled around 180 degrees then folded back to cover the keyboard. Full touch screen tablet at that point... which pre-dates the iPad whatever Apple may say about inventing the Tablet, all they did was removed the keyboard entirely, make it thinner and reduce the processing grunt to lengthen the battery life. Very clever of Apple don't get me wrong... great hardware, great system... I have two of them (iPad's) in my house that I and the kids use. But... that's refinement... not invention. I digress...

The problem with the older "Tablet PC's" is they were still big and chuncky like a laptop. Not even like the modern "Ultrabooks" that are nice and thin and light. And as you point out.... interface woes were very woeful indeed!

But, Windows 8 has gotten around most of the bad user interface that was as a result of trying to impose touch abilities on the older mouse based interface... and the newer Intel chips, while still not as good as "Tablet" chips, are a lot more power efficient than they used to be.

The attraction wont be the power efficiency... but the processing power for the business community.

[alistairsam]

I agree, a windows tablet running a full OS has a lot of appeal to businesses who are already introducing the concept of Hot Desks, WiFi, print anywhere etc. as standard. imagine the space and power they'd save if they gave users these tablets and they wouldn't have to rewrite their web app or front end.
It'll just work. Wifi means drastically lowered cabling cost.
the tablets would cost far less than a PC with an SOE.

The appeal of taking your PC functionality in a lightweight efficient tablet is really good. but whether the surface delivers this or not, is to be seen.
I still prefer a mouse than a touch screen if I'm to use it at my desk. I wonder if they're available for ipads.
Then a teamviewer connection or RDP session on an IPad to the observatory PC becomes very convenient.

[Eggmoon]

I like the look of the upcoming Samsung offering way better than the surface. The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro if you want to look it up.

Detachable keyboard, so use as a laptop or a tablet. i5 processor. 4Gb ram. USB 3.0 port on the tablet portion.

And the keyboard is a proper keyboard... not the flimsy things that Microsoft are offering for use on the Surface. Having said that... I used one of the Suface keyboards the other day, and it was much better than I was expecting. But I'd still prefer the proper keyboard.

And yes, a mouse is still better than the touch... but when you go portable, touch works great. Can hold the tablet in one hand, work the screen with the other.