Trying to erode on Apple’s market seems to be ill-fated. While there are MS fanboys out there, they’re nothing compared to the might of the iSheep.

But more importantly, MS seem to be out spec’ing themselves due to focus in the wrong area. They can’t rely on a unified software platform (i.e. OSX apps, in general terms, still need to be ported to an iOS platform whereas Windows 8 apps… exactly the same platform – No porting to be done) to attract users. A crappy battery life, high prices and no real incentive to move in that direction given the other options out there leads me to think that they’ve got a non-user-centric focus.

So they’re relying on business users – except given MS’s Beta testing seems to be done sometime before SP1 and/or SP2, without the consumer market, the platform is unlikely to stabilise to a point where it’s vaguely usable in mission critical situations.

Also, following the law of 2nd’s….. Windows ’95 bad, ’98 good, Windows Me bad, XP good, Vista bad, Windows 7 good, Windows 8….. Wait another version before shifting perhaps?

Here are the numbers. PC sales have dropped ~25% every year for the last few years including this year (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/pc-market-sees-biggest-sales-drop-since-2001-2012-10-10). Including Apple’s PC sales. So the whole PC market (Not just Microsoft) is dying. Where is that marketshare going? Smartphones and tablets. This is not a point of contention or debate. These numbers are not opinons. They are cold hard facts. Look it up anywhere online. No amount of denial will change those numbers.

So to say “the Surface PRO doesn’t compete with the iPad” is wrong.  The Surface pro is a thin PC. The iPad is a tablet. Tablets are devouring PC marketshare. If you were able to follow that logic chain, congratulations, you are now able to understand why the Surface is being compared with the iPad. 

Everytime I read comments on tech blogs online, I get dumbed I swear. 

Surface Pro would compete with an iPad that could also run the same Mac OS programs you can run on an Air. But such an iPad does not exist.

I happen to own an Air and an iPad. If Windows were my preferred platform, it seems to me that a Surface Pro could be seen as a viable and cost effective alternative to that pair of devices, and that’s where their market advantage–if there is one to be found–will be.

For $1149 (128GB model + keyboard,) you could get a really decent i5 or low end i7 notebook AND an iPad Mini or 10″ Android tablet.

But the price isn’t the real issue; according to Microsoft, the Surface Pro only gets HALF the battery life of the RT! (i.e., only about 4 Hours)

So lets see, what exactly IS the Surface Pro value proposition:
- It’s too heavy and thick for comfortable tablet use
- the specs are wimpy for a Windows laptop (at this price point.) 
- only half the advertised ram is actually available to use
- It has to be used on a flat desk. (tray tables and laps are out because of the screen stand)
- It has half the screen resolution and battery life of the iPad
- oh, and the keyboard isn’t even included.  (nice touch, M$)  ;)