Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

microsoft.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 112 posts

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#3

Post by nirvana »

I applaud Microsoft for doing something new-- the new windows UI is very original. Further, they have managed to meet Apple in terms of pricing for a comparable iPad, something others have struggled with.

But the big take-away innovation here, and the center of their marketing campaign, is that it has a keyboard cover.

This seems to be about 5 years out of sync. 5 years ago, everyone expected the iPhone to fail because it didn't have a physical keyboard like the blackberry.

But after I got my first iPad, the original, I found that I could type at nearly the same speed (possibly faster due to autocorrect) on its on screen keyboard as I can at a regular keyboard... my finger just go to the place the key is, and while feeling a physical key would be nice, the end result on the iPad was about the same speed.

I think this will sell well into markets that are heavily invested in microsoft infrastructure... but I don't see how it is going to take marketshare from the iPad.

----

Edit to clarify, since several have responded on this point:

I'm not saying that keyboards have no use. I recognize that many people buy an extra keyboard for their iPad, and prefer that for significant typing.

The point I'm making is what is the differentiating feature here? The UI is different, true, but then its the keyboard.

There are two keyboard covers- one is flat, with no keys which I suspect would be much like typing on the iPAd screen (though of course, not actually on the screen... so a little different) and the other has keys, so similar to buying an external keyboard for the iPAd, only it is slightly more integrated.

Is that really compelling? Compared to buying a wireless keyboard for the iPad, the price is about the same (or cheaper for the iPad).... and the advantage of the Surface is that the keyboard connects to the tablet with magnets?

I just don't see that as being significant enough to really take significant share away from Apple. That's all I was saying.

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#6

Post by Bill_Dimm »

nirvana wrote: post #3

I applaud Microsoft for doing something new-- the new windows UI is very original. Further, they have managed to meet Apple in terms of pricing for a comparable iPad, something others have struggled with. But the big take-away innovation here, and the center of their marketing campaign, is that it has a keyboard cover. This seems to be about 5 years out of sync. 5 years ago, everyone expected the iPhone to fail becau…

I think this will sell well into markets that are heavily invested in microsoft infrastructure

These are the Windows RT tablets (ARM-based). Presumably a lot of Windows x86 software won't have ARM versions, so I'm not sure these will be popular even among the Microsoft shops.

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#7

Post by neya »

nirvana wrote: post #3

I applaud Microsoft for doing something new-- the new windows UI is very original. Further, they have managed to meet Apple in terms of pricing for a comparable iPad, something others have struggled with. But the big take-away innovation here, and the center of their marketing campaign, is that it has a keyboard cover. This seems to be about 5 years out of sync. 5 years ago, everyone expected the iPhone to fail becau…

Maybe its just you, I've seen so many iPad owners spend extra 100-200$ just for an extra keyboard and cover. Your needs are well-served by the inbuilt keyboard, so you don't need an extra attachment. But for many others, a physical keyboard solves various problems.

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#8

Post by ShabbyDoo »

davidacoder wrote: post #2

No 3G at all? Zune all over again.

I don't mind this so much presuming it can do Bluetooth tethering with my phone [vs WiFi due to power usage issues]. If I'm the device's user, I'll likely have my phone with me, so having a redundant radio in the device doesn't add value. And, if I let someone else use the device while I'm not around, the likelihood is that there will be an available WiFi source.

I'd like it-just-works connectivity between my phone and any other devices I carry with me. Right now, I have to hit a couple buttons on both devices -- a pain for short-term usage scenarios.

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#9

Post by jtoeman »

I think this is the nail on the already-likely-dead coffin of MS Surface. What's the market they are going after???

"tablet market"? nope - already dominated by iPad

"enterprise"? nope - 1) not a market, 2) already dominated by iPad

"budget"? nope - priced on par with iPad

seriously, how are they going to push this thing? they don't have a channel like Apple nor Amazon, so they need to rely on all their other paths.

they should've called this "XPad", made it a mobile Xbox, and sold through that channel - just like they did with Kinect.

fail fail fail.

Re: Surface Pricing Announced - $499 USD

#10

Post by eggnet »

nirvana wrote: post #3

I applaud Microsoft for doing something new-- the new windows UI is very original. Further, they have managed to meet Apple in terms of pricing for a comparable iPad, something others have struggled with. But the big take-away innovation here, and the center of their marketing campaign, is that it has a keyboard cover. This seems to be about 5 years out of sync. 5 years ago, everyone expected the iPhone to fail becau…

For anyone who types fast, a physical keyboard is far faster than the ipad on-screen keyboard.

I'm not sure if that will translate to marketshare for the surface, however.

Post reply on HN