The Microsoft Surface Tablet thread.

[Red Storm]

Bump for an update. Used the surface last night to watch a game via NBA League Pass Broadband. There's no app yet so I had to try and see if the browser method via their main site would launch and surprisingly it did after a Flash install prompt (I thought this thing didn't have flash?).

This thing really needs apps though. My mom is happy with it as she can use Office and print, check email and browse the web so she's all set, but for someone like me I need stuff like a media player that supports a wide array of codecs, and a Dropbox app (though the website does work).

[TheStu]

Originally Posted by Red Storm

Bump for an update. Used the surface last night to watch a game via NBA League Pass Broadband. There's no app yet so I had to try and see if the browser method via their main site would launch and surprisingly it did after a Flash install prompt (I thought this thing didn't have flash?).

This thing really needs apps though. My mom is happy with it as she can use Office and print, check email and browse the web so she's all set, but for someone like me I need stuff like a media player that supports a wide array of codecs, and a Dropbox app (though the website does work).

Were you using the IE Metro or IE Desktop?

[Red Storm]

Originally Posted by TheStu

Were you using the IE Metro or IE Desktop?

IE Metro.

[arod]

Ie10 (both metro and desktop) have flash integrated.... they just use that whitelist to limit some sites from loading.

Also fyi dropbox has said an app is in the works for win8 (was announced last week at build).

[BladeVenom]

the 32GB version of Microsoft's tablet, without the Touch Cover, costs $271 to build.

IHS analyst Andrew Rassweiler estimates that the Touch Cover, which sells alone for $120, or $100 when bundled with a 32GB Surface, cost about $16 in parts.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/20135...r-profits.html

[darkewaffle]

Clearly the cost of a device is determined solely by the materials that go into it.

[sontin]

Originally Posted by Red Storm

Bump for an update. Used the surface last night to watch a game via NBA League Pass Broadband. There's no app yet so I had to try and see if the browser method via their main site would launch and surprisingly it did after a Flash install prompt (I thought this thing didn't have flash?).

This thing really needs apps though. My mom is happy with it as she can use Office and print, check email and browse the web so she's all set, but for someone like me I need stuff like a media player that supports a wide array of codecs, and a Dropbox app (though the website does work).

THE IE supports flash, but only with sites on a microsoft whitelist...

[HeXen]

Originally Posted by darkewaffle

Clearly the cost of a device is determined solely by the materials that go into it.

and the cost of research and development, engineering and design, manufacturing, paying employees, insurance, marketing, packaging, shipping and distribution, then a % markup so they can turn a profit from each sale.

[rockyct]

Originally Posted by HeXen

and the cost of research and development, engineering and design, manufacturing, paying employees, insurance, marketing, packaging, shipping and distribution, then a % markup so they can turn a profit from each sale.

I really think it came down to pricing it to be competitive against the iPad but not totally destroying their OEMs. I think if their OEMs can get a Surface tablet to under $400, the Surface will probably get discounted. You can only get it from Microsoft right now but supposedly they will eventually carry it at places like Best Buy.

Also, having Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote does add real value to the Surface.

[Zink]

For some reason, Asus is selling low end hardware with Windows RT for the same prices as their high end Android tablets. Metal construction and 1080p with Windows RT needs to be selling at $500.

[BladeVenom]

Originally Posted by rockyct

Also, having Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote does add real value to the Surface.

Not unless you're a student. It's only the home version. You can't use it for business, any for profit venture, not even at a charity organization. So Open Office or Google Docs are better.

[darkewaffle]

Originally Posted by BladeVenom

Not unless you're a student. It's only the home version. You can't use it for business, any for profit venture, not even at a charity organization. So Open Office or Google Docs are better.

Big business might care, every small business/ebayer/home office/garage startup in the world won't (and never have).

[podspi]

Originally Posted by BladeVenom

Not unless you're a student. It's only the home version. You can't use it for business, any for profit venture, not even at a charity organization. So Open Office or Google Docs are better.

I've heard that if you have a site license this won't apply. Anybody have more insight into this? Otherwise, what are those companies buying Surfaces doing?

[Kingbee13]

Originally Posted by podspi

I've heard that if you have a site license this won't apply. Anybody have more insight into this? Otherwise, what are those companies buying Surfaces doing?

You are correct it falls under volume licensing, if the company is using office already its perfectly fine to use it. To be fair its not like people are going to care anyway, buy it use it for whatever, MS isn't going to go RIAA on you regardless.

I really doubt Microsoft cares about small organizations anyway, this limitation is probably to prevent some big corporation from buying RT devices and not licensing office. For example ,if someone prints a flyer using an RT device for a small business, I would tell them not to loose sleep over it.

Edit:
Here is the complete rundown if anyone really cares about the licensing of office on windows rt

http://www.zdnet.com/how-much-do-you...rk-7000006844/

[HeXen]

Originally Posted by rockyct

Also, having Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote does add real value to the Surface.

With Office products, I always feel i'm missing out on something, cause I've never once needed them or learned how to use them, yet seems so many people do. I dunno what I could even do with those that I would be interested in.

[podspi]

Originally Posted by HeXen

With Office products, I always feel i'm missing out on something, cause I've never once needed them or learned how to use them, yet seems so many people do. I dunno what I could even do with those that I would be interested in.

Pretty much any sort of document editing. If you don't read/edit documents, I guess it would make sense you wouldn't need it. If you don't have an Office job, you probably won't need 'Office'

[IlllI]

this thing is way overpriced. they should have included that keyboard cover for free.

scroll down to price and then screen resolution http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/...ft-surface-rt/

[dagamer34]

Originally Posted by IlllI

this thing is way overpriced. they should have included that keyboard cover for free.

scroll down to price and then screen resolution http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/...ft-surface-rt/

What world do YOU live in where R&D is free? Did you know what CPUs are basically just made out of sand, does that mean Intel should sell its $1000 CPUs for $10?

[s44]

Originally Posted by HeXen

With Office products, I always feel i'm missing out on something, cause I've never once needed them or learned how to use them, yet seems so many people do. I dunno what I could even do with those that I would be interested in.

Heh. In any case, Microsoft is porting them to iOS and Android.

[ultimatebob]

Rumor has it that sales of the Microsoft Surface have been slow so far...

This sucker might start dropping in price even faster than I predicted!

[Puddle Jumper]

Originally Posted by ultimatebob

Rumor has it that sales of the Microsoft Surface have been slow so far...

This sucker might start dropping in price even faster than I predicted!

I guess most people don't agree with the people defending Microsoft's absurd pricing after all.

I think $399 including the touch cover would be a fair price and allow them a reasonable profit margin.

[ultimatebob]

Originally Posted by Puddle Jumper

I guess most people don't agree with the people defending Microsoft's absurd pricing after all.

I think $399 including the touch cover would be a fair price and allow them a reasonable profit margin.

I would have started at $349 just to get sales quickly. Once a few million of them are out there, it won't be as hard to get developers to port their applications.

It sure beats unloading them for $199 after the platform has failed in the marketplace like the HP and Blackberry tablets did...

[dagamer34]

Originally Posted by ultimatebob

I would have started at $349 just to get sales quickly. Once a few million of them are out there, it won't be as hard to get developers to port their applications.

It sure beats unloading them for $199 after the platform has failed in the marketplace like the HP and Blackberry tablets did...

That would only make sense if developers were building apps specifically for the Surface instead of Windows RT and Windows 8 in general, which are almost assuredly going to sell 300-400 million copies in the next year. In which case, the motivation already exists, so there is little reason to sell their tablet for $349 or $399 (don't confuse the price you would pay for the appropriate price of the product).

[Puddle Jumper]

Originally Posted by dagamer34

That would only make sense if developers were building apps specifically for the Surface instead of Windows RT and Windows 8 in general, which are almost assuredly going to sell 300-400 million copies in the next year. In which case, the motivation already exists, so there is little reason to sell their tablet for $349 or $399 (don't confuse the price you would pay for the appropriate price of the product).

What is the appropriate price of it then?

[quest55720]

Originally Posted by Puddle Jumper

I guess most people don't agree with the people defending Microsoft's absurd pricing after all.

I think $399 including the touch cover would be a fair price and allow them a reasonable profit margin.

Yeah that would of been a great price because any lower and you hurt the OEMs out there. At 399.99 with cover I can see the value in the surface over a Ipad 2. How ever if it would of had a 1080p screen and a better SOC I could see the current pricing. It was just dumb of MS to price this so high considering how well weak the hardware is SOC and screen. The awesome build quality gives me high hopes for the surface pro to be kick ass.