Microsoft to sell Surface Windows 8 Pro on Feb. 9
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - Microsoft says that the pro version of its Surface tablet will be available to purchase Feb. 9 in the U.S. and Canada.
Unlike the previous version that launched in October, the "Surface Windows 8 Pro" will use the full version of Windows 8, which is compatible with programs that run on earlier versions of Windows.
The tablet will be priced starting at $899 for the model with 64 gigabytes of memory.
The price includes the Surface Pen, which allows users to write or draw on the device.
It does not include the Touch Cover keyboard, which sells separately for $120, or the Type Cover, which has depressible keys, for $130.
Microsoft hasn't released sales figures for the earlier version of Surface, which runs on Windows RT, a slimmed down version of the operating system.
RT only runs apps bought on the Windows store and a modified version of Office that Microsoft included with the device. The pro version of Surface does not come with Office installed.
Unlike the previous version that launched in October, the "Surface Windows 8 Pro" will use the full version of Windows 8, which is compatible with programs that run on earlier versions of Windows.
The tablet will be priced starting at $899 for the model with 64 gigabytes of memory.
The price includes the Surface Pen, which allows users to write or draw on the device.
It does not include the Touch Cover keyboard, which sells separately for $120, or the Type Cover, which has depressible keys, for $130.
Microsoft hasn't released sales figures for the earlier version of Surface, which runs on Windows RT, a slimmed down version of the operating system.
RT only runs apps bought on the Windows store and a modified version of Office that Microsoft included with the device. The pro version of Surface does not come with Office installed.
If I had my wish list, it would be an iPad that runs flash, runs a full version of MS Office and has a Bluetooth mouse with a pointer for those times you want it.
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I know, it will NEVER happen - but if it did, it would be the best thing out there.
It's all clock-work; MS needs those adopters/first-movers to get the word out, before the price goes down and the features go up for all of us normal people.
 @31F ...but they messed up. They should have priced the RT at $359 with keyboard, then the word would have already been out. I definitely would have purchased one, but not at $600.
The Surface?
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More likely "the Flop"
Color me very underwhelmed.
$900? that's highway robbery. you could build a high-end PC with that kind of money, with much better specs and a better OS - Windows 7.
That is too much money for just a OS - 64GB of flash memory even is way too little especially when you get nothing else not even a keyboard bad move MS.... wifes mom needs a new laptop for her work - I will not be procuring one with Windows 8 on it... their is still way too many annoyances that I a seasoned computer user have to get around that I know my wifes mother will not be able to. .... Windows 9 anyone? | Surface I still see failing just like the Zune player...
Interesting that this mornings article that talks about Ballmer not being a forward thinking CEO( Yahoo News) from former MS senior executives and this product launch that really is too late to compete, has irony to it.
From not being competitive from price point to unproven Win 8, to late to market, where is the leadership that Bill G. had proven in the past?
Surface RT should have been priced at $359 with a keyboard. It would have sold like hotcakes. Microsoft out priced themselves out of the tablet market. Dumb. $1000 for the Surface Pro is WAY too much. I can get a nice i3 laptop for $350 right now from Dell. Sell these things cheaply to get a lot of Market share, then you can think about raising the prices a little bit.Â
The price point is way too high considering what you're getting. I've played with the RT models, and the keyboard will take some getting used to for the average user. Combine the high price and goofy keyboard with the ugly and unintuitive interface of Windows 8, and you've got a real winner. Monkey Boy must be jumping up and down.
"Surface Windows 8 Pro" will use the full version of Windows 8....
Why would anyone want to use Windows 8? What a mess, I have had the misfortune of having to use it several times, and hated it. They should punish sex-offenders by having them use Windows 8.
 @northwestsurfer "They should punish sex-offenders by having them use Windows 8" roflmao.
Cool product that nobody will buy due to the price.Â
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There is no "must have" program for Windows8. And that is where M$ really made a huge mistake. They have just reinforced the idea that Microsoft OSs offer nothing over Android and iOS anymore to the average user.
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The writing has been on the wall for years now, and Microsoft just doesn't seem to get it. The only things that Windows can do anymore that Android and iOS can't are run full games and business applications. But this Surface Pro doesn't have the graphics power to run those games either, and Google and Apple continue to make their products more business friendly while expanding gaming on phones and tablets.Â
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 And the great irony is that Microsoft's trump card for years has been the DirectX API, but they have basically killed off their own PC gaming industry by focusing on Xbox. So now there is no real compelling reason to even play games on the PC anymore. So honestly Microsoft...why should anyone buy Windows8 on a tablet? Makes no sense at your price point.  Â
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 @lakeview As soon as the term "M$" gets used in a post, it becomes clear that the remainder of the post has nothing useful to say.
 @lakeview This could be useful in the business world due to being able to join it to a domain, which you can't reliably do with android or ios tablets.  Tablets are handy for people doing inventory in the field for one use case example.
 @quidproquo my slim laptop can also join a domain and it is $400 cheaper....and I get at least get a keyboard with it...a usb accessory to make a standard screen a touch interface is also WAY cheaper!
 @quidproquo  @lakeview
Not for the asking price of 899$...I have to agree with Lakeview. I think its a little too late in the ball game for MS. Sadly the OS is had potential, but it so user unfriendly imo....
 @Icecreamjones  @quidproquo  @lakeview I tried Windows 8 on my desktop machine and hated it, but I got a Surface as a gift and found Windows 8 to be much more user-friendly with the touch screen. I found it easy to adapt to the keyboard and now prefer the Surface to my laptop for work. The touch screen makes it easier to work in Office and the portability and battery life are great. I wouldn't have paid $600 for it before I'd used it, but now I think it's well worth the money.Â
@Icecreamjones @quidproquo @lakeview Agreed.