Crazy Talk: Surface RT Tablet May Cost $199

[frankpakdmys]

I know some care and some don't about the flash playability.
Will the RT or Pro be able to encode/run it?

 

[loops]

At $199-300 I will be a happy +PC consumer. Anything north of that, I start looking at a laptop...and I have one as is.

 

[bigdragon]

I bet Apple will sue if Microsoft does sell it at $199. Apple will make up some sort of anti-competitive argument. We live in this weird world where businesses are allowed to compete, but not too much.

Personally, I'm not interested in a Windows ARM ablet at any price. The x86-based Pro tablet does interest me though. I already have an Android tablet so there's no room for Microsoft in the ARM arena in my house any more.

 

[hannibal]

500$ is more like it... If it is very cheap... 399$ but even that would be guite cheap... so 199$ seems to be just rumour. Nexus 7 is cheap because it does not have sd card slot and it only has 8 Gb memory etc. and still it is very competatively priced! I don't wonder why it is selling like hot cakes!
MS has to do very console like aproach and sell these with huge penalty...
Just wondering how they could get the money back... In consoles it is the very expensive games, in Tablet... Very expensive aplications?
How about a program that allows you to use google maps... 70$. A program that allow you to play music with your tablet 70$, a program that woul allow you to play videos... 70$... Hmmm... not likely...

 

[scannall]

I doubt the $199 price. If MS wants to gain traction the first models have to really knock peoples socks off, and not be full of craptastic hardware. Not to mention, opening up with a race to the bottom means nobody will be interested in making them.

 

[wildkitten]

[citation][nom]phatboe[/nom]Why would partners ever want to sell hardware at a loss? It's does not make sense for them to do that. MS has good reason to sell at a loss; Push the new Windows 8 RT OS, garner interest in the entire Windows 8 ecosystem, motivate developers to make WinRT apps, boost MS Marketplace. MS will recoup any hardware losses in the long run, hardware partners will not if they sell at a loss.[/citation]
What partners? People keep saying this but it has been reported MS is making this tablet themselves so there are no partners to be asking to take a loss on.

 

[tapnick]

What partners? People keep saying this but it has been reported MS is making this tablet themselves so there are no partners to be asking to take a loss on.

Partners will be making other options using the OS. Because MS owns the OS they could potentially sell the hardware at a loss, however that would effect the sales of its competitors selling their devices with the windows 8 OS.

 

[roflmaonow]

[citation][nom]frankpakdmys[/nom]I know some care and some don't about the flash playability.Will the RT or Pro be able to encode/run it?[/citation]

When I last tested using the consumers preview IE explorer in UI mode, flash plugins were disabled. So unless that has changed for the later release, I doubt you can use flash in the UI mode whether it's RT or Pro.

 

[fb39ca4]

It would be advantageous for MS to drive OEMs out of the market, so W8 does not suffer from the same fragmentation problem as Android.

 

[Zetto]

[citation][nom]acadia11[/nom]I find even my ipad is too large.[/citation]
Fine for you, but all of us over 40s need large displays, and you will too, every ones eyes deteriorate with age sadly. A 15 incher would be my preference tbh.

 

[teh_chem]

[citation][nom]wildkitten[/nom]What partners? People keep saying this but it has been reported MS is making this tablet themselves so there are no partners to be asking to take a loss on.[/citation]
MS is partnering with only a few hardware manufacturers for making Windows tablets--IIRC it was ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung--here's the TH article: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Windows-RT-ARM-Tablet-600-IdeaPad-Yoga-Surface-RT,16853.html#t347859

MS will also be making "their own" tablet in addition to these four OEMs. The difference from all the previous releases of Windows is that instead of MS washing their hands of the hardware that their OS can be installed on and allowing any OEM to bundle their OS with (supported) hardware, MS is only allowing certain units from certain OEMs (my guess is to ensure better platform stability and support by not having to address a virtually-endless combination of hardware).

Anyhoo, I don't believe for a second that this rumor could be true. At least, not on a mass-scale (maybe like the first 100 pre-orders will be given at $200 for a marketing stunt and to bolster pre-orders). What possible gain would it give MS to even make a $200 tab? Unless they think they can (and would like to) displace potential ipad marketshare, it doesn't seem like they'd have problems selling their ARM tabs for $400 minimum without any accessories, much less at half that price.

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]rohitbaran[/nom]Well, as Acer boss said, Microsoft shouldn't price it so low that it undercuts its own partners. It will be a boon for the customers in the short run, but if the partners are gone because of undercutting, Microsoft will have a monopoly in Windows 8 tablets.[/citation]

Is it really a monopoly to have your own OS on your own tablets and not on any other tablets? They would both be your own products and there are competing tablets with different operating systems, so I have to disagree with that sentiment of yours. MS shouldn't be called monopolizing on their own products. That's like saying that McDonalds has a monopoly on Big Macs.

 

[bubbathaluva]

Everyone remember when MS announced that it wanted to throw its hat into the console market that already had Sega, Sony and Nintendo? No one thought they could do it. Windows Me was a joke and everyone figured if they can't get an OS right, how would they get a console right. In order to steal market share away from Apple and get a foothold on the app market MS CAN and WILL afford to take a loss on these pads. It is the ONLY way to succeed. They took a loss on the original XBOX console and they will do it here. If it chaps the other vendors, so be it, someone will stay in the game and improve on whatever they do. ASUS and VISIO isn't going anywhere. Acer and HP can cry about it.

 

[scannall]

[citation][nom]bubbathaluva[/nom]Everyone remember when MS announced that it wanted to throw its hat into the console market that already had Sega, Sony and Nintendo? No one thought they could do it. Windows Me was a joke and everyone figured if they can't get an OS right, how would they get a console right. In order to steal market share away from Apple and get a foothold on the app market MS CAN and WILL afford to take a loss on these pads. It is the ONLY way to succeed. They took a loss on the original XBOX console and they will do it here. If it chaps the other vendors, so be it, someone will stay in the game and improve on whatever they do. ASUS and VISIO isn't going anywhere. Acer and HP can cry about it.[/citation]


Different thing entirely. And the Xbox division really is pretty weak on NET revenue now. Microsoft has gone up against Apple in another area where Apple had a large headstart and failed miserably. Anyone remember the Zune?

 

[GreaseMonkey_62]

I can see MS selling it at this price for a short time (couple months maybe) to generate interest and get the tablet out there.

 

[Guest]

I am no fan of MS but if this were true then I would buy 1, in fact I would buy it like a shot and buy a few. Lots of so called 'experts' have all told us why this price would make no sense but here is why it DOES make sense. Firstly lets look at the RT surface. It will not run x86/x64 software. It's all about the apps, ie a direct rival to ipads and other tablets. This means that if it has no apps then it is otherwise useless. developers will only code apps for it if lots of people buy one or they think lots of people will buy one. If it is sold at about $500 or so then not many people will buy one and most people will stick with what they know...ie ipads and android tablets etc. If MS sell it at $199 then people will buy them in droves which shows developers that it is worth coding apps for and then they can make the money back from the apps, accessories etc. Also MS can sell it at a loss and not be too bothered, they sold the xbox at a loss for years and it did not make them bankrupt plus they made the money back later.

It looks likely that Apple are going to sell a ipad mini as well as an updated ipad 3. if this is true then MS could steal significant sales away from apple by selling a full sized full featured tablet for the same sort of price as the 'baby' ipad. It goes well with the recent fact that MS are offering windows 8 pro os for $40 as an upgrade for all windows xp, vista and 7 users. that is a price offer that would tempt lots of people to upgrade even if they are not fans, myself included and more windows 8 users means more chance that developers etc would code apps and make third party accessories for the surface thus making MS money. Lets not forget that Apple make loads of money from third party accessories let alone apps.

and as for oem's well it seems like a case of sour grapes, perhaps the likes of Acer (and others)should stop moaning that MS may do this and make their own devices and adapt a different and better pricing model. samsung make a 7" tablet priced at £249.99 yet they are not complaining about google because they have made their own 7" tablet priced cheaper.
at the end of the day you can either complain endlessly about a problem or you can do something about it.
I for one hope this price is true as if so it would be a master stroke for MS and will help to sell ship loads of surface rt's and make a dent in apple.
plus why is it or should it be MS's problem even if this did hurt their partners or put them out of business as the end of the day they maybe partners to a point but MS have their own business to run and are not in charge of running the likes of acer.

so fingers crossed for $199

 

[jabliese]

If it is $199, there will be a mandatory monthly subscription to something.

Probably just someone dreaming after reading news of the Nook price drop.

 

[blazorthon]

Different thing entirely. And the Xbox division really is pretty weak on NET revenue now. Microsoft has gone up against Apple in another area where Apple had a large headstart and failed miserably. Anyone remember the Zune?

I remember the Zune. They were great and the later versions that I used were better than the iPods of their time, although the software for the computer left much to be desired. iTunes kinda sucks too, so it's not like it was a major loss anyway.

 

[eddieroolz]

I won't hold my breath, but it's tangible that Microsoft take a loss on each unit just to bolster Windows 8 tablet's market share. Having a foothold is critical and Microsoft realizes that.

 

[Guest]

I'm not a fan of price fixing.