Microsoft released its Surface Pro tablet for sale nationwide on Saturday and was sold out almost immediately. Mostly the 128 GB models went first because the 64 GB model only gives you about 25 GB of storage capacity (the operating system takes up the rest).
The Surface Pro differs from the Surface RT in that it runs regular Windows software. But it is also double the price and only has just over 4 hours of battery life (compared to 9 for the RT). The main reason is the powerful Intel i5 chip. Construction wise, it’s a winner, but the battery life and high price (about $1,200 for the 128 model) is a deal killer for me.
Now Microsoft says they sold out the first day…and there were lines in some of the stores. But a well-respected tech writer says that most regular retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot, and others, only ordered a handful of each model based on the poor sales performance of the RT tablets. Microsoft stores obviously had many more, but there are not that many of those stores.
Anyway, he did some math, based on the conversations he had with retailers, he estimates they sold 15,000 Surface Pro tablets. Still a fair start for Microsoft’s latest gamble. It does prove that Windows users still want a real Windows tablet, which does not surprise me at all. But, if you are interested, I would sit back and wait to see what other manufacturers come out with in the near future.
Lots of interesting stories and useful tips here. Be sure and check out the two personal financial stories. Have fun. -JRC
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