[KevJ]

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...ctID.257929400

[TheBigM]

Disappointed to see only white, black and cyan colours for the UK.
Pricing is acceptable, had hoped for a bit better.

Not sure whether to buy this or wait for Surface Pro. Main pros of the RT are free Office, lighter, connected standby.

[Stig]

It's cheaper than the equivalent iPad, but faces competition from the (lower spec) iPad mini from next week.

I would have gone for this instantly a couple of years ago, but as I have a couple of iPads now I don't feel moved to order one.

I might go for a Surface Pro to replace an ageing notebook PC, but it won't be cheap as it's aimed at the business market.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by Stig

It's cheaper than the equivalent iPad, but faces competition from the (lower spec) iPad mini from next week.

I would have gone for this instantly a couple of years ago, but as I have a couple of iPads now I don't feel moved to order one.

I might go for a Surface Pro to replace an ageing notebook PC, but it won't be cheap as it's aimed at the business market.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Half the reason I delayed buying an iPad was I thought it would discourage me to move to Windows 8/RT.

Selling the iPad (a sure thing but boring) and buying the Surface RT (lots of potential which may go unfulfilled and take a long time to reach ecosystem maturity) is a hard sell. Especially as work gave me an iPhone 5 which I am now enjoying more than my Lumia 800.

If Lumia 920 operates a lot faster on the app opening, improves the multitasking, gets a great official twitter client and more top apps then I will stick with a Windows Phone as my personal phone.

[IvanIV]

I'll try to get Surface RT for development at work and buy the Pro as a laptop replacement.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

I'll try to get Surface RT for development at work and buy the Pro as a laptop replacement.

How will you use the RT for development work? Are you just going to use it to RDP into a Win7 machine or something?

There's no Visual Studio on RT?

[IvanIV]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

How will you use the RT for development work? Are you just going to use it to RDP into a Win7 machine or something?

There's no Visual Studio on RT?

I develop Windows Store apps (WinRT) in Windows 8 with Visual Studio 2012. I test in VS simulator and then try it on a real tablet. At the moment I have W8 tablets (upgraded from W7) to use, I'd like to try it on a real RT tablet as well.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

I develop Windows Store apps (WinRT) in Windows 8 with Visual Studio 2012. I test in VS simulator and then try it on a real tablet. At the moment I have W8 tablets (upgraded from W7) to use, I'd like to try it on a real RT tablet as well.

Ah cool, how do MS allow the sideloading of apps to work for developers?

[IvanIV]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

Ah cool, how do MS allow the sideloading of apps to work for developers?

You install a developer certificate on the device, which is for free, you only have to sign in with Live Id and then you can deploy the app. The certificate is valid for one month, then you have to get another one. That's W8, I wonder if this will work with RT. It must, there must be a way to test on these as well.

[MassiveDynamics]

According to ZDNet the Surface RT will come with Office Home & Student 2013 RT - not for use in commercial, non profit or revenue generating activities.

http://www.zdnet.com/businesses-cant...ts-7000005882/

I guess Microsoft really do see RT as consumers only.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by MassiveDynamics

According to ZDNet the Surface RT will come with Office Home & Student 2013 RT - not for use in commercial, non profit or revenue generating activities.

http://www.zdnet.com/businesses-cant...ts-7000005882/

I guess Microsoft really do see RT as consumers only.

Yes, Home & Student has a non-commercial license but there is an option to buy commercial licenses for it too. (See Tom Warren's tweet - https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/258315527519338496)

[IvanIV]

It would be silly if they thus locked out RT devices for enterprises. They are just giving it for free for everybody else.

[DotNetWill]

Well I'm going to totally against the theme and say the pricing is all wrong. They've tried to compete with the iPad but with poorer features and a crappy appstore. They're going bomb hard.

They should have went for about £249 and made the keyboard cover about £49.

At the rumoured £199 I would have bought one out of curostity at twice that, good luck. And no, office is not a killer feature when you're targeting consumers.

[flynn]

Originally Posted by DotNetWill

Well I'm going to totally against the theme and say the pricing is all wrong. They've tried to compete with the iPad but with poorer features and a crappy appstore. They're going bomb hard.

They should have went for about £249 and made the keyboard cover about £49.

At the rumoured £199 I would have bought one out of curostity at twice that, good luck. And no, office is not a killer feature when you're targeting consumers.

El Reg agrees, and so do I - it's not a product I'm interested in anyway, but going head to head with the iPad seems.... ambitious.

[MassiveDynamics]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

Yes, Home & Student has a non-commercial license but there is an option to buy commercial licenses for it too. (See Tom Warren's tweet - https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/258315527519338496)

ZDNet have posted another story - you have to buy Office Std/Prof Plus 2013, Office 365 or have a volume licence to use it commercially - still the same software, no additionally functionality.

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-offic...se-7000005893/

[Helbore]

Originally Posted by DotNetWill

Well I'm going to totally against the theme and say the pricing is all wrong. They've tried to compete with the iPad but with poorer features and a crappy appstore. They're going bomb hard.

It depends on what you mean by "poorer features." The Surface has a lower screen resolution than the iPad and if having that sort of PPI is the most important thing to you, then that's a deal breaker on Surface. The only other details that the iPad has and is conspicuous in its absence on Surface is a model with LTE - but being that most iPad sales are wifi only, its fair to assume that isn't a major selling point anyway.

However, if 1366x768 is acceptable to you, then its possible having a USB port or MicroSD slot would make the Surface more desirable than the iPad. If you need a keyboard for a tablet, then that touch/type cover option is far more convenient than a separate dock/wireless accessory. Office is still a big selling point to many consumers, too. Being able to run two apps side-by-side could be a massive advantage to some.

The Surface isn't "poorer in specs than the iPad." It is weaker in some areas, but the iPad is weaker than the surface in some areas, too. What details matter to you will come down to personal needs. Saying it has poorer features is just wrong.

[Stig]

Some interesting facts about Surface RT:

Surface supports Xbox 360 USB controllers for gaming
USB will recognize almost all devices, including cameras and will charge your phone
32GB device will have 20GB available for storage for apps/games; SD card is for movies, pictures and music

From http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-f...ng-reddit-iama

[Helbore]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

Disappointed to see only white, black and cyan colours for the UK.

I think this might actually be because certain colour touchcovers are selling out. Only white is available as an option on there now!

[Stig]

Surface Pro pricing has been announced in the US:
64GB $899
128GB $999

This would run full Windows 8 and not RT, so it can run most PC software.

It might sound pricey, but its cheaper and lighter than a MacBook Pro.

Full specs here: http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-...specifications

[IvanIV]

That's acceptable I think, given the specs, cheaper than ultrabooks I was considering to buy before I saw the Surface.

[smcbeath]

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/11/2...9ab7ff4f000006

The Pro will be available in early 2013, and comes in a 64 GB model for $899 and 128 GB model for $999.


So probably looking at £700 for the 128gb, once you add on some tax. Price wise it was what I was expecting. Still cant decide if I will pre order this or wait for haswell, I really want to buy a tablet, but will probably end up waiting.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by smcbeath

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/11/2...9ab7ff4f000006

The Pro will be available in early 2013, and comes in a 64 GB model for $899 and 128 GB model for $999.


So probably looking at £700 for the 128gb, once you add on some tax. Price wise it was what I was expecting. Still cant decide if I will pre order this or wait for haswell, I really want to buy a tablet, but will probably end up waiting.

That is a lot of money just for a glorified laptop and I thought Apple made over priced machines,.

[subversive]

i wanted to buy a surface tab...however looking at the pricing..they have f**ked up again..should have under cut apple big time

[neo_wales]

Lovely 128GB for me please

[Stig]

Originally Posted by subversive

i wanted to buy a surface tab...however looking at the pricing..they have f**ked up again..should have under cut apple big time

You need to make sure you are comparing like with like.

The Surface RT is comparable to the iPad being priced at £399.

The Surface Pro is more an ultra-light notebook like the MacBook Pro.