“Sales of Microsoft’s new Surface tablet have been ‘modest,’ according to the software giant’s CEO Steve Ballmer,” James Rogers reports for TheStreet.
“Microsoft began selling the ARM-processor-based Surface RT tablets in late October, but plans to launch a more advanced Intel-powered version of the device, running Windows 8, in early 2013,” Rogers reports. “Ballmer described the new tablet as a ‘top of the range’ version of the product, which also offers a higher-definition screen, during his interview with Le Parisien.”
Rogers reports, “The Microsoft chief reportedly attributed the slow Surface start to limited availability on the company’s online retail sites and a few U.S. Microsoft stores.”
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, riiight, like it wasn’t the reviews:
• Microsoft Surface Touch Cover splits within days, exposing wire; early users complain – November 9, 2012
• Slate reviews Microsoft’s Surface tablet: Too slow, mercilessly buggy; why is it so bad? – November 6, 2012
• Microsoft’s bloated Windows RT eats 16GB of Surface tablet – November 5, 2012
• InfoWorld reviews Microsoft Surface RT: A disappointment; you’re better off with Apple’s iPad – October 31, 2012
• Acer delays Windows RT tablets; adopts ‘wait and see’ approach after poor Surface RT reviews – October 30, 2012
• Gizmodo reviews Microsoft Surface RT: Do not buy; inferior to Apple’s iPad; the worst of both worlds – October 25, 2012
• The Verge reviews Microsoft Surface RT tablet: ‘The whole thing is honestly perplexing; who is this for?’ – October 24, 2012
• Analyst: Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet priced too high, could be the next Zune – October 18, 2012
• Dvorak: ‘Microsoft’s Surface tablet isn’t the Apple iPad, so it shouldn’t be priced like one’ – October 18, 2012
• Microsoft inexplicably claims Surface RT tablet lower resolution screen beats iPad with Retina display – October 17, 2012
• Microsoft’s Suicide, er… ‘Surface’ – June 19, 2012
• ZDNet Sr. Tech Editor Perlow: Microsoft’s Surface has catastrophe written all over it – June 19, 2012
• ZDNet’s Kingsley-Hughes: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is an awful, horrible, painful design disaster – June 8, 2012
• Dvorak: Windows 8 an unmitigated disaster; unusable and annoying; it makes your teeth itch – June 3, 2012
• The Guardian: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is confusing as hell; an appalling user experience – March 5, 2012
Rogers reports, “Microsoft shares dipped 1.86% to $28.30 in Monday trading.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Zune.
