This is not only old 'news', but is inaccurate (though you're far from the only outlet to get this wrong). As someone who received the apologetic email from Microsoft as well as the £50 personally (and already spent it on a W8 Pro upgrade for my desktop), I can tell you that it was specifically offered as an apology for the confusing emails, NOT for the delay in Surface's delivery. The advised delivery date for Surface pre-orders in the UK was 26th - 30th October, and it seems that, by and large, that timescale was met.