Surface lands in stores as Microsoft boosts production
By Reuters
Posted on 12 Dec 2012 at 09:12
Microsoft has stepped up manufacturing of its Surface tablet and will introduce it to third-party retailers this week.
The moves suggest Microsoft is seeing some demand for the Surface RT in the crucial end-of-year shopping spree, although it has yet to divulge any sales figures.
"The public reaction to Surface has been exciting to see," said Panos Panay, general manager of Microsoft's Surface project, which forms part of the company's Windows unit.
The public reaction to Surface has been exciting to see
"We've increased production and are expanding the ways in which customers can interact with, experience and purchase Surface," said Panay, but gave no details of how many extra units were being produced.
Panay did not mention names of retailers that will sell the Surface or specific plans for the UK, but retailer Staples said it would stock the tablet from today in the US.
Panay said the Surface would also be on sale at retailers in Australia from mid-December, with more countries to follow in the next few months.
Since launch in late October, the Surface has only been sold by Microsoft itself, in its own brick and mortar stores in the US and Canada and online in Australia, China, France, the UK and Germany.
The only Surface model available now - Surface with Windows RT - runs a version of Windows created to work on the low-power chips designed by ARM, which dominate smartphones and tablets. The Surface with Windows 8 Pro will be introduced in January, running on an Intel chip.
Good news
Looking forward to trying out a Surface for myself. The first thing I'm going to do is pick it up and see how heavy it is. I watched a BBC click report over the weekend that said the machine was incredibly heavy (they even had people in a gym bench pressing with it just to emphasise the point). Looking at the specs (I know I shouldn't form a view based on actual facts) it's only approx 20 gramms heavier than an iPad! Not sure how that small a value makes the machine feel that heavy.
By ish44 on 12 Dec 2012 
So... not landed in stores then!
I thought from the headline that I would be able to go to John Lewis and have a play with a Surface.
But no.
By Grunthos on 12 Dec 2012
@ish44
I know what you mean about that article, some might think it was a pro Apple, anti MS piece. Me? I just think it was very poor journalism.
We have both devices (Surface & iPad) in the house & you'd struggle to notice any difference in weight between the two.
By bronven on 12 Dec 2012
@ish44
Please do yourself a favour and stop taking any notice what advice Click or the BBC have to offer about anything that is not Apple. Poor, biased and just ignorant journalism.
As bronven mentioned, you'll find it very difficult to notice the difference in weight between the Surface and the iPad.
By vikarmo on 12 Dec 2012
re BBC and apple
I couldn't agree more.
they only recognize android due to its market share.
By nickallison on 12 Dec 2012
With all the (highly visible) Apple gadgets I see in the hands of BBC presenters nowadays I always wonder if they either have some sort of agreement with Apple, or if our licence fee might be halved if they switched to a brand that offered better value and functionality. Solid aluminium unibody construction is all well and good, but I would prefer my hard-earned cash to be spent on lighter, hardier plastic materials, thanks.
By TheHonestTruth on 12 Dec 2012
Agreed that weightlifting piece on BBC Click about Surface was very unfair. It's a mere 28.4g or 4% (http://tinyurl.com/cn2rc98) heavier than an iPad4.
If the Beeb think RT's heavy, they'll have Surface Pro in a crane!!
By brendan on 12 Dec 2012
Its the 'Left wing bias'!
Yes, its true....
By wittgenfrog on 12 Dec 2012
@brendan
OFF a crane...
Nick the pedantic steel erector.
By nickallison on 12 Dec 2012
Word
I've been using a 64Gb Surface for two weeks now and it really is a nice device. Sure, of course, the Surface Pro will offer the open world of 'applications' but I knew what i was buying on the day.
P.s. I have the Touch keyboard which is acceptable but would love to try the 'type'.
By rhythm on 12 Dec 2012
20 grams - half a slice is better than none
Diet obsessed at the moment and happen to know that 20gms is the weight of half a slice of bread, and believe me, you hardly notice you have eaten it. It also has its charms, especially if you spread it with bitter orange marmalade. Anyone tried that with the Surface?
By PeterMcIntyre1 on 13 Dec 2012
Nothing to use it for
Looking forward to trying it in a store then deciding I don't need it. I don't have an ipod ipad or iphone either. I do have a payg 'blackberry like' phone for texting home once a month.
By tyronet2000 on 13 Dec 2012
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