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Adinnieken said:
Soleron said:

Pissing off all the OEMs by making a Surface tablet and selling it in Best Buy, without the $100 fee they charge the OEMs for WinRT.

This will have a SERIOUS effect on the Windows monopoly, just watch.

It won't be, because it isn't monopolistic.  If it was then Apple would be a monopoly which, consequently, it isn't.

The Surface is, when compared to similar hardware, reasonably priced.  It isn't notably less expensive, and it notably more expensive.  As a corporation, Microsoft, even in its products, has to justify costs.  It can't offer a zero cost to Windows 8 RT/Pro, when in another part of the business they've calculated the an actual cost. 

That said, the actual cost isn't $100.  That's a flat out factually inaccurate.  The price is $50 for Windows 8 RT, $65 if Office 2013 is included.  That prices is the top tier price, with the fewest number of licenses being purchased.  Increase the quantity of devices and that price goes down.

The $100 price you cite is for Windows 8 Pro and Office 2013. 


Microsoft and monopoly go hand in hand, but I will admit that the Surface is reasonably priced if you're  into tablets. Ipad is still either on par price wise or cheaper if you're willing to go down a couple Gb. Theres also plenty of older models on the secondary market that are used.