You get a preview version of Home an Student with a free upgrade to the full version when it’s released.
Does that include Excel and Powerpoint?
I suspect they are break-evenish on the tablet and trying to make money off the covers only.
It’s not hundred(s) of dollars cheaper because it costs too much to make.
That said, I was really hoping for a cheaper price and thinking I would buy one for someone I knew. Instead I will only show up to one of their stores and play with it a little bit in all likelihood. I really was interested in the x86 version, but am now considering whether I 1000$ want to buy an x86 version…
If they are breaking even on hardware with that spec and that price, they need to get out of the hardware business instantly. Apple makes 30% margins on higher-end hardware at that price. Asus makes whatever its normal margins are on comparable hardware for $100 less. Yes, yes, VaporMg, whatevs. I’m sure it’s very nice. But again, if it’s causing them to have actual component costs that high, they are just idiots.
No I was imagining it’s R&D costs, vaporMG invention and all that. But also I know nothing! Still, this whole surface thing is intended as a marketing tool, I can’t imagine they are shooting for a 30% profit.
Still interested in the Pro (x86) versions, would never have been interested in RT versions barring unreasonable pricing for a high-end 10" tablet (like, $200, max).
Important to realize that while by looks the Pro Surface is competing against an iPad, in functionality it’s more competitive with the Macbook Air. It’s an Ultrabook, because it runs real Windows and not the mobile OS crap everyone’s been making do with for five years now. It just happens to have a detachable, touch-sensitive keyboard. If the Pro Surface comes out and it’s $800 or $900, that may be competitive and do very well against Ultrabooks for people really looking at it.
The Acer Iconia W510, for $499, is also running real Windows on x86. The Surface Pro will be faster (Ivy Bridge vs. Atom), but also heavier and hotter and bulkier and fannier.
Upshot is that the convertible tablet is practically the natural device form factor for Win8, and ultrabooks will probably be extinctified by convertibles.
That was exactly my thought. The Zune was better than the iPod in some ways, and it was sad to see it die because they didn’t price it lower than the iPod. I’m afraid he same thing will happen to the Surface.
No idea if this is official but this is a better ad for Windows 8 (which the Surface supposedly runs–we don’t know for sure since we’ve never seen the damn thing in action) in my opinion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyojsOwJ7Cg
Zune, Kin, Surface …
Was that game called … Salad Toss? Really?
According to MS:
Word 2013 RT, Excel 2013 RT, PowerPoint 2013 RT and OneNote 2013 RT designed for tablets.
If my tablet includes a preview of edition of Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview, how do I get the final edition?
After the final editions release, you’ll be automatically updated for free via Windows Update.
OK. I read somewhere you had to pay extra for office software.
It looks like the $499 Surface pre-order is sold out at Microsoft’s store. Maybe we’re all wrong.
So, I’ve narrowed the tablet choice down to just two: either the Asus Vivo Tab, or the Samsung Ativ Smart PC. They seem to be the only two that have all the things I want:
-clover trial chipset (no gimped WinRT)
-battery/dock
-digitizer pen.
-full resolution (for running split-screen aps)
I could be wrong- but it really does seem like everything else is missing one or another of those features- especially the pen. The only one of the two up for preorder is the Samsung, and it’s $749- though it seems like it comes with the dock? At least, it’s mentioned in every description, and not sold as an accessory anywhere. My google-fu seems to be weak- can anyone find any other info? Also, Samsung’s pen is their own proprietary thing, not the wacom- does anyone know how it stacks up?
It’s certainly possible. On the other hand, maybe they didn’t allocate that many to that channel. Or maybe people don’t understand what they’re buying.
Re that Verge link, it’ll be interesting to see what the return rate for the Surface is. I expect a lot of people are going to buy it, seeing “Windows” and “Office” – and even with screenshots of a desktop-style Office product that looks similar to regular Office – under the assumption that they can run regular Windows programs on it.
This Windows 8 x86 vs RT/ARM is going to backfire. Comment lifted from Slashdot since I’m lazy.
Macs Run OS X.
iPad Runs iOS.
x86 and ARM machines both run “Windows 8”.
Here is a perfect example of this SNAFU:
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/category/windows-tablets/31088.aspx?path=6d56ed26a8e2432d145864a8ee45cd37en01 [futureshop.ca]
This is the biggest Electronics retailer in Canada (does link work outside Canada?).
The First two tablets listed, both $599, Both look physically the same. Both have the exact same blue screen “Windows 8” logos on their screen.
There is absolutely no way that you can know by looking at any of the information at this level, that one of these tablets in x86 and will run legacy applications, and the other is ARM and won’t.
If you go to each product page you can find in the fine print of specifications that one runs Intel, the other Tegra and one is Windows 8 RT. Which is incomprehensible nerd speak to most people.
It is that fact that they look the same, are marketed the same with the same graphical “Windows 8” is going to confuse almost everyone that isn’t a hard core nerd.
google cache of review that broke embargo
That promo video is hilariously awful. It just reeks of corporate “We’re hip too, right guys? Guys?”
It’s on par with the Windows 3.1 rap video from years ago, IMHO.