[Swordmaker]

Microsoft may have shot themselves in the foot.

Don’t they understand that when they compete with their own customers in the industry, their customers will STOP doing business with them? What other manufacturer is going to build a competing tablet/desk/something top when the supplier of the OS is competing with them for the same customers, and has an advance knowledge of upcoming improvements to the OS, and reference designs? It’s a no win situation for the competitors.

As for the keyboard in the cover. I had one for my iPad... I don’t use it any more. I found that when I wanted to use it, I had to find a table or flat surface to put it on. That was inconvenient, and got in the way of using the iPad. I have a folding prop cover for my iPad... I never use it either. It is not necessary. It also is not something one finds necessary in the way one uses a tablet. What I see in the Surface is that Microsoft is stuck in the notebook paradigm.

[q_an_a]

I would say you missed a few things as you wrote about the tablet - one the reason they put out a tablet is not to “sell it” but to show their partners what is possible. Two, the cover is the keyboard which was not available in the cover of iPad. Three, tablets are everywhere for MS field users - heck of a lot more than iPads. What business people need is a lightweight device that allows them all the features of their Office. There is a USB too, so loads of big files can be dropped on this for presentations.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

——Don’t they understand that when they compete with their own customers in the industry, their customers will STOP doing business with them?-——

Not if they maintain their prices, and allow other hardware manufacturers to undercut them. Some people will pay a premium for the MS model.

[for-q-clinton]

Well if that’s the case I guess Windows Phone is going to take off because Android bought Motorola. And honestly that’s what pushed Verizon to start wanting to push windows phone starting this fall.

So you do have a point. It appears if you make a major OS (Apple, Google, and Microsoft) you also need to make your own hardware of sorts.

[mlo]

"Don’t they understand that when they compete with their own customers in the industry, their customers will STOP doing business with them? What other manufacturer is going to build a competing tablet/desk/something top when the supplier of the OS is competing with them for the same customers, and has an advance knowledge of upcoming improvements to the OS, and reference designs? It’s a no win situation for the competitors."

Apple doesn't seem to mind that they don't have any customers making tablets with iOS. Apple makes the iPad. Microsoft makes Surface.