If you were looking to get your hands on one of Microsoft’s brand new Surface with Windows RT tablets on launch day, you’re going to have to make the drive to your local Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store website in the US is now showing a delay of one to two weeks for the 32GB and 64GB models with the Black Touch Cover. The 32GB standalone device, of course, started showing a delay of three weeks less than 12 hours after the Surface went up for preorder on Tuesday.
While the Surface won’t be available for another six days, Microsoft promised release day delivery for the first batch of preorders. As a result, you can expect the first wave of devices to begin shipping soon in order to make it to customer doorsteps on time. If you held off on preordering your Surface online, you might have to wait a bit longer than everyone else.
It’s unclear if the shortage is due to demand or an artificial preorder limit, but Microsoft has almost certainly reserved a number of devices for its retail stores. With an estimated 3-5 million Surfaces being manufactured this quarter, the Redmond-based devices and services company appears to be off to a great start.
[Microsoft Store via Neowin]
I think the new chromebook rendered this obsolete,
I’ll have to agree with you on this. I’m just hoping people who buy this are aware that Windows 8 RT cannot run all the same applications you would be able to run on other flavors of WIN 8.
I would much rather have a device that runs a version of windows, with full office support (and whatever other apps Microsoft can pull out of their sleeves), than a stripped down web browsing machine. If you want pure web browsing functionality, i guess you could get a chromebook. But I think that chromebooks are (or were, as they just dropped the price on some of them) remarkebly overpriced. Then again the MS Surface(s) are ~$500 which is pretty darn expensive.
Exactly. If surface rt was say $300 then it would make more sense. For $500 I can get a chromebook and next 7. Right now have an IPad 2 and iPhone 4S. Planning on switching to android so getting those 2 for $500 is good deal compared to $600 iPad 2 I bought last year. My upgrade is in January so I will probably get a nexus 4 if it has enough storage space 32/64gb. If not then I’ll get galaxy note or some other high end android phone. So for price of a $700 64gb IPad, I can get instead a chromebook,nexus 7, and a new phone. Also 100gb of google drive storage which is $100 something alone for free.
Then again the hardware is tempting… But this isn’t apple so people won’t buy it. Maybe the pro.
If it’s got full office support, like access, thanks for getting to three party late. I’ve wanted this for years
That was quicker than I thought they would
Wow I thought they would be popular but sold out already is impressive.
I’m gonna wait and see how much the pro version costs
I would take a wait and see attitude when it comes to new MS products.
Definitely waiting for the first reviews to come out. This thing is either going to be revolutionary or a dud.
It’s nice to see Microsoft hardware selling out. Miss you zune!
I’m not sure what will be more of a problem, the OS or the fact that its an underpowered laptop (from what I’ve read so far) for close to the same price
Given that it’s a tablet, the limitations of the OS are understandable. People don’t expect iPads to run software designed for Mac OS X, for example. And since Surface with Windows RT can’t run traditional desktop apps, the device’s power isn’t as important. It can run all Windows Store apps quite well, and Office (which comes preinstalled) won’t have any issues either. It’s not like you’ll be playing Crysis on it.
Very true.
However, I think Microsoft will have to be careful how they advertise the Surface. I have not seen a lot of advertising around here yet for it, but if they are seen to advertise it as a “tablet with windows 8″ people may get the wrong impression of its capabilities.
Like, Apple always said the iPad had iOS, and people understood what iOS’ capabilities are. But since Windows 8 is new, and the RT version is completely different to what people know, Microsoft will just need to be a little wary of how it all will go down.
Indeed. Good advertising will be very important so as to avoid consumer confusion.
hope they have a good return policy
i want one. next givaway for pocketables? haha