The IPad and Surface are both overpriced.

Something to note is that the 32GB internal memory is bit deceptive as around 12 of that is used by the OS. So you are left with around 20 GB. The positive is that it does come with micro sd support i think. The displays too are more comparable to Ipad 2 than Ipad 3. Just something to note.

Looking forward to how this plays out. I was more looking forward to windows phones but their bad and passive PR put me off. Also better to wait for their second or third iteration.

I definitely want to take that bet. Apple will win by far, just as they have outsold every Android tablet combined by far.

Reasoning:

- Apple's hardware will be better than all but Surface. OEM tablets will be flawed in various ways
- Pricing. Surface is the cheapest of the WinRT tablets announced, and true Win8 tablets will be up at like $700, $800 because of the OS demands and sell terribly.
- Inbuilt software. Apple's stuff just works, MS will rely on third party app makers to get a decent experience, and because it's not-real-Windows, no one will do it. In fact, I think Metro is so terrible that even Win8 will struggle to get app makers.
- Competition. Surface may be competitive with iPad 3 but now that Apple is feeling the pressure from $199 Nexus and this they will step it up shortly
- Hardware advantage. Apple has the best ARM SoC (for perf/watt) there will be for some time, because they designed their own. MS will not do this.

I believe non-Surface OEM tablets will flop completely, and that MS won't be making much on Surface itself.

I'm failing to see anywhere someone saying that the keyboard is the only differentiator for the Windows 8 tablet... You seem to focus too much on single and isolated details to make your "points" instead of looking at the whole picture... But anyways, I'm not going to argue with you about this. Waste of time.

It seems the keyboard isn't a differentiator at all, since it's an entirely optional peripheral. Similar peripherals already exist for other tablets.

So that leaves a kickstand and a "touch-optimized" version of Office which I've only seen poor reviews of. I get the sense that the Windows division and hardware division are fully invested in Surface, but the business division (still seeing healthy growth) is reluctant to compromise their position on desktops and laptops.

But I should give MS credit for their best trait: Tenacity. They know they need to get in the game, the sooner the better. Conventional PC sales have peaked. They might know that this generation of Windows tablets won't set the world on fire, but they'll keep iterating, investing, building their hardware expertise. They've figured out that the day when you can rule computing with software alone is gone, and whatever shape computing grows into in the future, it will require excellent hardware design and tight integration.

Everyone here is completely forgetting that at the same price as the Ipad, it does a lot more. IPAD is a surfer,video watcher and Facebook screen. Surface at the same price is a functional pc on the move. That's the difference. And that's the difference I see reviewers are seeing to. Youd be mad to choose Ipad.

The problem with all Tablets Android or IOS is they are just the phones but larger. Surface and other Windows 8 tablets are capable of so much more. In fact being able to do full Office for a start. Connect any device that you want, well basically as reviewers are pointing out. Surfaces functionality makes the IPAD  seem $300 overpriced.

Nobody expects Surface to outsell Ipad on it's own, not even Microsoft, but to be frank, it doesn't need to, if Microsoft can attain their 3-5M goal for the Q, well then they've just taken their revenue stream and added some 2 billion USD on top of that, and that's not even taking into account licensing fees from other companies making Win8 tabs.

I have heard all this before with Windows 7 tablet, the alleged ipad and android killer.

Now it's windows 8.

I unlike some of you don't have a crystal ball and don't pretend to know it all but i don't believe it will be an easy ride for MS, though I hope it is successful.

The big players for Windows 8 (apart from MS) are Samsung and Dell. HP tablets never really took off but who knows with Windows 8.
Samsung and Dell also produce Android devices so it will be interesting to see that inhouse battle.

I have no hate for android, iOS or Windows and I am bias to none.

As usual time will tell so I will wait for a couple months or so.

It's Q2, I have no doubt that Microsoft will achieve those sales, heck I think the silliest part is that the Surface Pro isn't launching in the holiday season. Sure the Pro is more aimed at the business sector but I would have bought myself one for Christmas without doubt.