Also, the Surface is not “made” of magnesium. It has a magnesium surface coating. This might give a pretty sheen but is not “structural” hardware.

In regards to the Surface RT itself, I do not hold great hopes for it beyond its launch. Microsoft has a long history of launching things with great fanfare only to abandon them and let them quietly die through neglect. Seems pretty clear that their main emphasis is actually on the Intel version of the Surface. That one will get the majority of Microsoft’s post-launch support while the RT will be an after thought.
It’s already started. The RT gets a version of Office that is weaker than the Intel version (so much for no compromise – no compromise would mean there would be no differentiating versions of Windows or Office, just one version of each at a reasonable price). And Office is really the primary selling point of the Surface. Of course, why a person would need yet another iteration of the same app on yet another screen seems a rather limited use case since you could already run it on a cheaper and more powerful laptop.

It’s a fact that if Microsoft didn’t have the funds to save it’s blunders with the Xbox 360 hardware and all the flubs with the Zune line it would have been out of Business.

Ony because of the Billions that had been thrown into all those failures including the so called phone has Microsft been able to keep what it has, and turn around from colossal failure by reinvesting more and propagandize thoes failure as being a good product that keeps selling. (Xbox 360, Former Zune) etc.

Microsoft was In it’s time very good, problem is they have nothing to show for all those years only old thinking and they end up with past results, the failures with tablets 11-12 years ago and for hardware choices.

Software is a different story, then again Mirosoft has used the same old code for years, so afraid to move on and advance to the next generation and they wonder why they are faltering.

Here are a few examples:
CNN MONEY. JULY 12,2012
“Microsoft’s $6 billion whoopsie”

http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/02/technology/microsoft-aquantive/index.htm

“The software giant has never made money on its online services division, and it has lost roughly $10.4 billion since Microsoft began breaking out the unit’s finances five years ago.”

“Business Insider”
“Overall, the Xbox group has lost $4 billion for Microsoft”

http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-microsoft-losses-on-xbox-2012-6#ixzz29VZd3MyU

Now not to say something will happen, but all reports and then the pricing has shown this was a Jesus play, Microsoft doesn’t have the buildup of apps and also is pushing this proven to be non issue keyboard down the throats of everyone.

In reality we see a company putting out one of the biggest bets on the hopes it will fly, it will push billions of dollars into the Advertising it will gloss over issues and push more money into the market to push up the greatness of the device, but in the long run it won’t make a difference, this isn’t a tablet agianst Apple it’s a tablet to compete with all the others and its to big, When Micrsoft loses as it has done over the past 12 years with it so called tablets they won’t be able to save face, when it falls it will fall big and loud with Microsft standing in the wake pointing fingers at each other tring to find a Scape Goat.
That scapegoat will be Ballmer in the end, and then, Maybe then someone else that knows something about business will take over and by chance do something new for Microsoft instead of playing follow the leader and the last boy on the playground to be picked to play in the game.

You don’t see the difference between 24 SKUs and the “confused Microsoftian mess”?

The iPad SKUs have to do with color, capacity, etc. THere will be similar SKUs for the Surface. More maybe since there is ARM version, with and without keyboard, and Surface Pro, plus more color choices.

I mean who has to know about the SKUs? You just go in for an iPad and say, “I want the black 32GB one, with GPS and Cellular”. No problem.

No, the “confused Microsoftian mess” has to do with their whole handling of the Surface details, and what the true capabilities of RT actually are. It won’t run full Windows desktop apps, so there obviously is a difference. Fans are downplaying the differences. Others are saying that people are going to be caught out and disappointed…

It’s going to be a bit of a mess. And MS hasn’t helped itself. It blithely goes on talking about “Windows everywhere” as though that is going to smooth over everything and is the very epitome of innovation, while they have actually slapped a Touch interface on as an afterthought. The “mess” is that people may very likely find it all frustrating and compromised to have everything mashed up, not more “productive”.

It should have been called ZunePad, with a brown keyboard cover.

It will definitely be interesting to watch. And I’m looking forward to trying a Surface out. It’s so ridiculous to see the FUD here on MDN’s comment sections. So many of the ridicule leveled at Microsoft could easily be said of Apple by any Apple-hater.

For example, MDN post up an article on the iPad mini having 24 SKU’s, no criticism in the comments section. MDN posts up an article on how the Surface RT has 3 SKU’s + accessories available, and it’s suddenly a “confused Microsoftian mess”. I’d like to think that Mac users and Apple fans are a little more classy than the average MDN reader.

I think MS will need to do a really good job at educating users about Windows RT and how it is different from the Windows 8 tablets coming later that actually run Windows. And that Glee commercial they are launching with certainly doesn’t do that.

This will be interesting to watch.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/18/3095335/microsoft-surface-hands-on

The device is made out of Magnesium. If you actually followed any news in the Tech industry you’d know that the hardware is not the weak point in the Surface. It’s hardware is widely regarded as being very polished, and Apple-like if you will.

Hardware feature for hardware feature the Surface one-ups the current iPads at the same price point. And as for Android tablets, we all know the feature-set on the Surface tablets is more compelling. (I’m not including the OS or the ecosystem here)

Windows RT/8 shows well when put next to and iOS and Android device. A lot of consumers base purchase decisions on this alone. iOS is antiquated and mundane when put next to Windows RT/8. And Android looks way too complex.

Admittedly these aren’t super compelling reasons for individuals who are more tech-savvy. But those alone will convert or convince some to buy a Surface.

You said it yourself, nobody has a clue how good (or bad) this product is. It’s silly to see people saying this is going to be DOA. But honestly I expect this from most of MDN’s readers.

They are going to have a hard time convincing people that they are better paying the same amount to go with a Surface RT and Windows 8 versus a mature iOS ecosystem. And that first commercial sure as hell won’t do it.

What we see on state at Apple’s launches is a fully working product, exactly as it will be when it comes out, and in vast majority of cases, it comes out “today” or “tomorrow”, or within a few days. Apple usually delivers exactly what it shows on stage. When people dismiss Apple’s products, and somehow the product does well, this is NOT because something wasn’t right with the presentation; it is because of their myopic views.

Nobody has a clue exactly how good (or bad) is MS Surface, since NOBODY saw it actually working. The launch showed scripted demonstration, which could have been done with a very early prototype with zero functionality other than touch-screen hardware.

Fellow Apple fans, if there’s anything we all learned from the iPad’s launch, it would be that we should never dismiss a product based on what we saw on stage.

Just entertain the possibility that this might be a good product, and that it might sell well. I for one would rather see a healthy fight between Microsoft and Apple in the tablet space rather than Apple and Android.

What would motivate anyone to buy one of these over an iPad or less expensive Android tablet? Especially since it seems that the Android apps running on it via the Bluestacks tech will likely be the only way this thing has more than a few hundred apps at best at launch.

I like their strategy, I like it a lot.

They must be aiming to make good margins on those. I wonder what MS is trying to distract us from? Well, I like my Bluetooth Apple keyboard, which I use for both my iMac AND my iPad (AND my IPhone AND my iPod touch)! If need be I can slip it in a pocket of my backpack if I want to do extended writing. Otherwise, iOS works fine without it. How’s Windows RT without a keyboard? Way to innovate MS! More smoke and mirrors.

Hmmm, Apple keyboard — 69
Apple Smart Cover — 49
118 for more versatile and useable products. Plus no doubt better quality.

Or, any number of third party accessories made for iPads that integrate keyboards, stands and covers or cases.

So what does this one have? 1024 like the old iPads which are a full inch smaller? (Or the iPad mini at two inches smaller?)

If it’s wide screen and not 4:3, then it has less pixels than the first iPad three years old and an inch smaller!

The mini supposedly starts at $250-300

the Galaxy Note II starts at $300

The Surface and iPad start $499

The Nexus 7 and Amazon HD. $199

If I had to bet which ones would sell best, I would go with the iPad mini.

Either way I like their strategy, I like it a lot.

Balllllmer forever!

There is a strong chance that this will be almost as popular, and as massive a seller as the original brown Zune!