I also find it funny how the 64GB version is still available in the Microsoft Store. Paying $100 more for double the disk space? It seems like Microsoft set this up for failure from the get go. What were they thinking? That's aside from the fact you have only 30GB or so of free disk space on the 64GB version.

In any case congrats to Microsoft on their hit.

53 minutes ago, DeathBy​VisualStudio wrote

I also find it funny how the 64GB version is still available in the Microsoft Store. Paying $100 more for double the disk space? It seems like Microsoft set this up for failure from the get go. What were they thinking? That's aside from the fact you have only 30GB or so of free disk space on the 64GB version.

The 64GB version isn't something I'd ever be interested in, nor would I be likely to recommend it to anyone, but the ridicule is unfounded. Microsoft isn't offering anything that everyone else offers as well, including Apple (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air?aid=AIC-WWW-NAUS-K2-CONFIGURE-MACBOOKAIR). Why are they not considered to have "set this up for failure from the get go"? There are people who buy these devices and are quite happy with the amount of storage they have.

14 minutes ago, evildictait​or wrote

30 GB is still a lot if all you want to do is install a few apps, browse the Internet and watch movies and videos streamed from YouTube and Netflix.

6 minutes ago, dentaku wrote
If they fix the problems people are having with getting SD cards to integrate into the OS more like an internal HDD or SSD (which they've promised) then the 64GB model might be OK because you could store all your large videos and photos on a 64GB SD card.

Wait, what problems? I put a 32Gb in my RT and it worked flawlessly.

53 minutes ago, dentaku wrote

*snip*

That's true, but realistically the reason for getting an Intel based tablet isn't for only those types of tasks. If you just want a consumption device you'd be better off buying the RT or a much cheaper Android tablet which should both have very good battery life.
People who buy the Surface Pro probably want it to do more than just that so the 128GB model is almost a necessity for them.

If they fix the problems people are having with getting SD cards to integrate into the OS more like an internal HDD or SSD (which they've promised) then the 64GB model might be OK because you could store all your large videos and photos on a 64GB SD card.

Again, there are other PCs with the same amount of storage, and people find uses for them. Put Office on there and a very large number of people would find they have everything they need/want. I think most people will want/need more, but that does NOT mean there's not a market for the 64GB model.

45 minutes ago, PaoloM wrote

*snip*

Wait, what problems? I put a 32Gb in my RT and it worked flawlessly.

It doesn't "integrate" with Libraries (and thus doesn't work with Xbox Music, for instance) without resorting to workarounds that you shouldn't have to use. Doesn't mean it's not useful for lots of things without workarounds, or that the workarounds don't exist for other cases, only that it really should be made to work better.

1 hour ago, Proton2 wrote

The 64GB are sold out now as well.

And they're back in stock again... canceled orders?

Http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-store-us-website-now-sold-out-of-64-gb-surface-pro 

5 hours ago, wkempf wrote

*snip*

The 64GB version isn't something I'd ever be interested in, nor would I be likely to recommend it to anyone, but the ridicule is unfounded. Microsoft isn't offering anything that everyone else offers as well, including Apple (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air?aid=AIC-WWW-NAUS-K2-CONFIGURE-MACBOOKAIR). Why are they not considered to have "set this up for failure from the get go"? There are people who buy these devices and are quite happy with the amount of storage they have.

So are you saying that you know these disk constrained devices sell well or are you suggesting that it's manufacturers are being benevolent in providing at least something for those who can't scrape together the extra hundred bucks for twice the disk space?

3 hours ago, wkempf wrote

*snip*

Again, there are other PCs with the same amount of storage, and people find uses for them. Put Office on there and a very large number of people would find they have everything they need/want. I think most people will want/need more, but that does NOT mean there's not a market for the 64GB model.

*snip*

And after a year's worth of Windows and Office updates where did all of those GBs go? Let's not forget Windows 8 store apps aren't the slimmest of applications. Sounds like a lot of regular hard disk grooming to me. Unless of course they're assuming people will upgrade these devices like iPads every year...

11 hours ago, DeathBy​VisualStudio wrote

*snip*

So are you saying that you know these disk constrained devices sell well or are you suggesting that it's manufacturers are being benevolent in providing at least something for those who can't scrape together the extra hundred bucks for twice the disk space?

No wonder MS is so far behind...

18 hours ago, magicalclick wrote

It is pretty much a mentality that, Surface RT is tablet only, and if they want to have ability to run desktop apps as a backup plan, they can still have that on Surface Pro.

I think once desktop apps get compiled for ARM, or WinRT gets ported to the desktop to make cross-platform desktop apps, it will change that.

@brian.shapiro: What do you mean by porting WinRT to the desktop?

C

Well, if the Desktop is really "here to stay" like Microsoft is saying it is, and its not just a legacy environment, I expect WinRT as an architecture will eventually replace WPF and standard COM development. Desktop apps could then be installed through the Windows Store, etc. 

We could see the end of little services that do nothing but ping for updates and nag. Get back in your hole Acrobat! I'll update when I'm good and ready!

11 minutes ago, kettch wrote

@brian.shapiro: Even better than desktop applications being sold through the store, is the idea of desktop applications being updated through system API's. (insert angelic choir/happy dance)

We could see the end of little services that do nothing but ping for updates and nag. Get back in your hole Acrobat! I'll update when I'm good and ready!

And my hope is if that happens eventually we might get rid of the distinction between Desktop apps and Metro apps, and just have both full screen versions and windowed versions of some apps.

13 minutes ago, brian.​shapiro wrote

*snip*

And my hope is if that happens eventually we might get rid of the distinction between Desktop apps and Metro apps, and just have both full screen versions and windowed versions of some apps.

Yes please!

Metro apps being able to be windowed and access to less 'gated' API calls for internal apps (saving files to more locations, some direct SQL/ADO.net calls and some additional stuff etc, and we will replace some of our internal business apps for metro ones. not saying there's anything wrong with current WinRT development for consumer apps, but it would be tricky to make some of our internal apps as productive in current WinRT methodologies.

Looks like they really want to make the business pitch.

When my code doesn't compile, I too want to randomly in the middle of the day break out in dance and throw my laptop around.

It's a complete farse of a launch and still no information for the UK. Cheers. 

Maybe the keyboard piece could contain the main battery and you could detach it and plug in from the other side, such that the keyboard+main.bat. pieces keys would face the back of the part containing the display, and the keyboards underside would be the bottom of the device when used as a tablet. To facilitate this transition, there would be a smaller battery inside the display containing piece than supplies power while you are switching the keyboard+mainbattery to the other side (laptop->tablet form). I haven't really deeply thought about this though so there could be some issues I haven't anticipated. I just noted eg. Anandtech complaining about the rigidity when used legs crossed, if the keyboard contained the main battery this would distribute the weight better and provided more rigidity.

1 hour ago, fanbaby wrote

...maybe i'm getting old...

 

I can only hope that is the case - If I had to base my purchase on that commercial alone, it would have been a "no sale"

...now get off of my porch

3 hours ago, androidi wrote

-snip-

Maybe the keyboard piece could contain the main battery and you could detach it and plug in from the other side, such that the keyboard+main.bat. pieces keys would face the back of the part containing the display, and the keyboards underside would be the bottom of the device when used as a tablet. To facilitate this transition, there would be a smaller battery inside the display containing piece than supplies power while you are switching the keyboard+mainbattery to the other side (laptop->tablet form). I haven't really deeply thought about this though so there could be some issues I haven't anticipated. I just noted eg. Anandtech complaining about the rigidity when used legs crossed, if the keyboard contained the main battery this would distribute the weight better and provided more rigidity.

 

If you read the Reddit AMA that the surface team did a few days ago, there were hints of new accessories for the pro coming soon. They have redesigned the magnetic keyboard clip on the surface pro compared to the surface with additional connection points so it can do more - battery power was one of the things mentioned.
I would be shocked if there's not a future accessory of a full keyboard with additional battery in it to convert it into a more laptop like device with double the battery power.

The question then becomes, if Microsoft did release this, when would it satisfy some of the biased IT press, or would they find more reasons to dismiss Microsoft and worship Apple?!

Type Cover WITH Battery... +£150

6 hours ago, Bas wrote

@androidi: Also make it produce solid gold bars at two-hour intervals, and have it foster peace and understanding througout the world. Then they'll have a hit.

Don't forget the ability to build you an island and transform into a jet to fly you there.

16 hours ago, MasterPie wrote

Looks like they really want to make the business pitch.

Why can' they just produce a decent ad that explains why your business might want this?

A bunch of people dancing about the office does nothing for me as a potential business buyer, and on a personal level, as an MS dev, I just find it embarrassing to watch.

3 hours ago, elmer wrote

*snip*

Why can' they just produce a decent ad that explains why your business might want this?

This was shown during the grammys.

Why does their detailed/feature ad need to go on tv?

10 hours ago, elmer wrote

*snip*

Why can' they just produce a decent ad that explains why your business might want this?

 

Do ads like those actually work? Especially during the Grammys?

48 minutes ago, magicalclick wrote

Surface Pro is a hit, and yet, this article is full of negativity without acknowledging its success and tried to hide his trolling with his conclusion. Will need Surface Pro to sell like a hot cake for few more months to put these anti people into submission.

Windows in general has been selling like hot cakes for the past 20 years. That doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who are willing to dismiss it as bloated, crap, buggy or "unusable".

Haters gonna hate.

58 minutes ago, magicalclick wrote

Surface Pro is a hit, and yet, this article is full of negativity without acknowledging its success and tried to hide his trolling with his conclusion.

Unless MS release some actual sales figures, there is no way to know if 'sold-out' equates to hit or lack of stock.

Will need Surface Pro to sell like a hot cake for few more months to put these anti people into submission.

I think that the last paragraph of the article, sums up the situation quite reasonably.

This machine is not what the Surface Pro could be, but it's a pointer to what it should be. The problem for MS is that they have a long history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and if they allow this opportunity to get away, you can bet others will quickly capitalize.

2 hours ago, elmer wrote

*snip*

Unless MS release some actual sales figures, there is no way to know if 'sold-out' equates to hit or lack of stock.

*snip*

Even if they did release numbers, what would you define as a "hit"?

1 million units? 500K units? 100K units? 50K units?

I think it's safe to say that no single electronic device with a price tag of $900 or higher has ever sold 1 million+ units over a single week, including anything that comes with a fruit logo on it.

It would be far-fetched to think the Surface Pro has achieved anything remotely close to 1 million units in sales. I would consider even 50K units sold over the past week huge considering the price tag.

One other factor; PC sales we down last quarter. I'd hope that at least some of that was people holding out for the Surface Pro.

Of course like everything said here all of this is purely speculation... I think the proof in the pudding will be to see Surface tablets showing up in the next 6 months/year at Starbucks, business meetings, and sporting events where people think it's cool to use tablets as big cameras. The Zune never reached that type of recognition and I'd have to throw WP7 & 8 under that bus too though I keep looking for the latter and hope to see it prevalent soon.

Sent from my lonely Windows 8 Build 2011 tablet at Starbucks...