Microsoft Surface Tablet announced
- Thread starter Windu
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-Pyromaniac-
Member
lets all act surprised
also if the surface really is 200 I expect the surface pro to be 500.
My expectations have been set. Anything higher will be disappointment. I just really want to see LQX eat his own penis.
Shogmaster
Member
It's the smart thing to do. We need useful software that are supported well by the devs, not throw away software that just bolsters marketing numbers.
To me, it's should like XBox Live: $5 minimum.
It's funny seeing people here (and prolific blogs) just discovering things that were announced more than 8 months ago 
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/6/2616731/microsoft-windows-store-pricing-149-70-80-percent
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/6/2616731/microsoft-windows-store-pricing-149-70-80-percent
Too good to be true. I really doubt it too.
Hmm maybe it is $200, with a 1-2 year contract at $X/month, available only in MS brick and mortar stores.
Surface PRO at $500 is extremely unlikely in my opinion and I think there's a bigger chance it'll be closer to $1499 instead (with something like a 256GB SSD). I would LOVE to be proven wrong though
Surface PRO at $500 is extremely unlikely in my opinion and I think there's a bigger chance it'll be closer to $1499 instead (with something like a 256GB SSD). I would LOVE to be proven wrong though
Must be confusing me with someone else, I never said anything about 5x userbase
Shrug. You're not following the thread of conversation then. Why jump in on that conversation then?
So you're arguing that a smaller market, smaller software margins, and bundling of most expensive software for free, will somehow make selling loss-leading hardware profitable? That it is the opposite of what Apple is doing (even though they seem poised to make higher profit margins on software, and offer more content)?
Shogmaster
Member
Sir, the current S.O.P. is a penis bet. Please comply.
If MSRP (with no contract horseshit) for the cheapest model with one of them keyboard diddles is anything less than $379 I will place my erect penis into my George Foreman grill, plug it in, and wait 10 seconds before removing my penis.
I was gonna go with 12 seconds but I'm not crazy.
I was gonna go with 12 seconds but I'm not crazy.
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
I would love to see MS go full on xbox strategy on this. Take the losses to gain market share and build itself up to profitability.
You guys made a terrible mistake, Ballmer is like The Man from the South, but with penises.
I think you're right at $5. At just .50 higher the benefit doesn't seem to outweigh the negative perception.
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
The only way they could pull off $200 is with a service contract subsidy, but since Surface doesn't have any 3G/4G antennas it is unlikely to be the case.
They can't even do the Xbox 360 subscription contract deal because Xbox Live service is free on Windows RT and Windows 8.
There is no way the hardware that Surface uses could possibly be sold for $199 without a major subsidy of some kind so this rumor must be completely false.
They can't even do the Xbox 360 subscription contract deal because Xbox Live service is free on Windows RT and Windows 8.
There is no way the hardware that Surface uses could possibly be sold for $199 without a major subsidy of some kind so this rumor must be completely false.
Shogmaster
Member
Waitaminit... Do you even have a penis to bet with?
brotkasten
Member
Yeah, that Xbox Live price limit of min. $2.99 worked really well on Windows Phone. It was so great to see all those 2-3 year old iOS ports getting sold for 2.99 - 4.99.
It's funny seeing people here (and prolific blogs) just discovering things that were announced more than 8 months ago
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/6/2616731/microsoft-windows-store-pricing-149-70-80-percent
It's hard to blame them when most of the posts could be a chapter from LOTR. And come on, you don't expect bloggers to do actual research, right? That would be like ... I don't know, journalism? lol
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
I think $499 is the most realistic price.
They could barely sell the Nexus 7 for $199 and look at the enormous hardware differences:
Nexus 7 - $199
Plastic case
7" display
low-end 1.2GHz Tegra 3 CPU/ 416MHz GPU
1GB RAM
8GB non-expandable storage
No rear camera
No USB
No HDMI out
Regular Wi-Fi
No cover included.
Surface RT
VaporMag case & stand
10.6" display
higher-end 1.4-1.6GHz Tegra 3 CPU/ 520MHz GPU
2GB RAM?
32GB with expandable mSD storage
Front and rear facing cameras (8MP?)
USB 2
mHDMI out
2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi
Touch cover included??
*Assuming the Surface RT is using mostly the same internal components of the Asus Tablet 600. Virtually every component of the Surface is going to be more expensive than the Nexus 7. So I don't see how they could somehow match the price of the Nexus 7 without taking hundreds of dollars in losses on every unit sold.
Shogmaster
Member
Hence all the penis bets...
-Pyromaniac-
Member
To be clear, I don't think anyone is confused about the possibility of pricing the Surface at 200 and actually profiting from it. There is the (small) possibility that they take a large hit on them just to penetrate into the market in a big way. Rather than just simmering on low. I still don't think it'll happen, but hey. Anything is possible.
LukasTaves
Member
Wasn't this announced ages ago along with the store itself? I though it was well known already xD
Damon Bennet
Member
a) yes it was
b) im cynical enough to point out, that you did not make a joke. there is no reason whatsoever to use that horrible "hi i am 13 and from europe" emoticon in this context.
That was the problem though.... the higher price could have been justified had they had good content (ms studios proper making good games) but charging more for ios retreads was just the worst possible approach.
I still hope they offer a "universal" game option for $5 more than the xbla version you get the xbla game and a win8 port (for those games that have both versions).
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
I think this would seriously piss off all Windows OEMs. Why even bother having Dell, Asus, Lenovo, and Samsung make Windows RT tablets if you are going to undercut them by hundreds of dollars?
Microsoft has already stated that they will not give themselves any OS licensing discounts on Surface over their competitors.
If Microsoft was going it alone in the Windows RT market then maybe I'd give some credence to them entertaining this idea, but not while they have a lot of partners who they could hurt with a move like this.
DataStream
Member
lunarworks
Member
Exactly. Undercutting them by that much and still charging $80 for a Windows RT licence would lead to an open rebellion.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Open rebellion to what? Linux? kekekekekekeke
ekekekekekeke
ekekeke
ekekekekekeke
ekekeke
LukasTaves
Member
Usually there's no reason actually, i just like to use that emoticon a lot... But some times, like in this one i use it so the other person knows that it wasn't my intention to sound arrogant (English is not my first language, so sometimes i have no idea if i'm passing the correct tone).
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
I want to know who is releasing the 15.6mm thick tablet and 1200g (2.6lb) tablet and how much crack they're smoking.
Gotta be either Dell or Lenovo. Can't see Asus or Samsung putting out something that thick and heavy.
My Samsung Series 7 Slate has a Core i5 and weighs less than 900g (2lbs) and it's 13mm thick. If you can't beat that with an ARM chip something is seriously wrong.
What are they going to do?
MS won't need them for tablets since they've got their own.
MS won't need them for phones because Nokia.
OEMs can't turn to Apple for product opportunities in the desktop/laptop/phone/tablet markets.
OEMs are already doing shit with Android for phones and tablets.
They have only two options:
1) Start selling laptops and desktops with Linux or Chrome OS.
2) Make good Windows products and sell them at a good price.
Even if OEMs responded and dropped Windows products, MS obviously has the capacity to put together their own laptops and desktops.
Windows RT devices in the form of a full laptop have already been revealed. Possibly the Lenovo Yoga, for one:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-5...yoga-tablet-may-surface-as-windows-rt-device/
2.6lbs for such a device would make plenty of sense.
Penguins&PolarBears
Member
The OEMs won't revolt against Windows 8 PCs, but they could revolt against Windows RT and tablets. And they can put all of their support behind Android tablets instead of Windows tablets.
Okay that makes sense. The chart posted just says "Tablets" which is confusing. If it's a full Windows RT laptop like the Yoga then 2.6lbs and 15.6mm thickness is good (competitive with Ultrabooks).
They would then be competing with Google, who is selling their tablet at a loss or for very slim margins. Or Amazon, who is selling their tablet at a loss or for very slim margins.
Damon Bennet
Member
im sorry, i just dont like that smily and was an ass about it. there was no need to apologize
on the contrary, i need to apologize, it was douchey
Shogmaster
Member
Just checking to be fair to the others...
The OEMs probably will just ignore RT like they did to UMPC tablets and (for the most part) WP7. Actually what Samsung will do is the most important part. Samsung made the best UMPC tablet and early WP7 phones.
Again, only Acer dude's comment is strange, the other OEMs are not acting strangely. Toshiba just said they are not doing RT for now, that's it.
saltywalrus
Member
True but Android is cheaper than Windows RT even after licensing patent crap. OEMs also have more control over Android than Windows RT.
lunarworks
Member
Plus, a mid-range spec 7" tablet for $199 is easier to compete with than an upper-mid-range spec 10" tablet for $199.
i wonder when the Building Windows 8 Blog Movie Trilogy is coming out.
Damon Bennet
Member
because in the end it boils down to developers losing interest in the platform, if it is not spread far enough (and surface alone wont be able to change the market that much), which means there will be less programs made for RT. which is worse for the user than a higher price.
id like a low price though
lunarworks
Member
Because the OEMs may just turn their noses up at it, and Microsoft alone can't make enough for everyone... especially if they're selling it at a loss.
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