back to article Surface RT now on sale in 13 more European markets

Continental Europeans who can't think of anything to get that special someone for Valentine's Day might condsider a Surface RT fondleslab, which Microsoft made available in 13 additional markets on Thursday. Until now, the ARM-based tablets running Windows RT have only been available in Australia, Canada, China, France, …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm not sure what it's like in other Scandinavian countries but at 38%-40% income tax (Across the board) and 25% VAT it's not unusual for things in Denmark to cost more.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It's the new Zune I tell you, the new Zune!

      1. GBL Initialiser
        Facepalm

        @ AC 22:18

        Of course it is *Pats*.

      2. Euripides Pants
        Joke

        Re: It's the new Zune

        Well, it zertainly zucks...

  2. Quxy
    Facepalm

    "Wonderful PCs"?

    LOL. What *is* hard to imagine is how consumers who buy the Surface RT "because it's Windows" won't be sorely disappointed when they discover that it can't run any of the programs they use on desktop Windows.

    Scoff all you like at Apple, but at least they called their tablet an "iPad" instead of confusing their customers with a "MacBook Tablet".

    1. GBL Initialiser

      Re: "Wonderful PCs"?

      I agree with this to a certain extent but I have little sympathy with people who spend that much on something without researching it properly.

    2. Jordan Davenport

      Re: "Wonderful PCs"?

      I agree to an extent and gave you an upvote, but to be fair, they've been marketing it as the Microsoft Surface, not as Windows itself. At least in the US, their ads have... not really shown much of Windows at all, to be honest. Just people jumping around and clicking things together with the occasional shot of the start screen. I'd say Microsoft's biggest mistake was not releasing it with compatibility for existing Windows Phone 7 apps.

      I checked the Windows Store today from a Windows 8 PC at work and saw barely anything in the way of apps that people want. I deleted my Facebook account (for a reason), but given its popularity, I decided to check for a Facebook app in the store. Sure, there were a few third-party apps, several of which cost money, but there wasn't an official app from Zuck & Co themselves.

      Like it or not, people with mobile devices want apps, not websites, even if that app is only just an HTML5 wrapper for the website. I'm not sure if there's a Facebook app for Windows Phone 7 either (pretty sure there is, if I recall correctly), but nevertheless, support for its apps would've brought about an instant cache of software available to the platform.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Surface != Surface

        But the Surface Pro *does* run Windows desktop programs. And identifying the two mutually incompatible tablets with the same product name ("Microsoft Surface") is going to create confusion even among somewhat knowledgeable consumers.

        1. Jordan Davenport

          Re: Surface != Surface

          You are indeed right, but the Surface Pro is a new player to the game. The only thing distinguishing the two is the "Pro". Microsoft is betting its money that that's all that's needed. Maybe it is, but I doubt it. This will probably end up like the Vista Capable kerfuffle.

          1. Anonymous Custard

            Re: Surface != Surface

            Maybe they should rename the Surface RT the Surface Amateur? Or the Surface Crippled?

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              So a tablet then.

        2. Rebajas
          FAIL

          Re: Surface != Surface

          Especially where Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro do run the same apps & applications on the desktop.

    3. RT tablet

      Re: "Wonderful PCs"?

      I am not sure if you are understand concept behind Surface.

      You might not like any product from Microsoft but Surface RT and Surface Pro make a lot sense.

      However it is difficult to start for MS. Lots of people that don't know much about technology are influenced with those who thinks they poses great knowledge about the technology.

      To me you don't sound like someone who was using Surface RT at least for the week.

      Not having Windows "old" application on RT is good thing. Now you might argue that there is not enough apps in MS Store. That is not true. However if you compare them with Apple and Google, yes they have less applications.

      Thing that I like about RT are:

      Battery life

      Kick stand

      Keyboard/cover

      USB port

      microHDMI port

      microSD card

      Build

      Live tiles

      Apps that runs on it.

      Touch screen browsing in IE

      Excellent travel "mate"

      You can connect pretty much any device(cameras, printers etc) via USB

      I like the screen as well (and yes, maybe it should be more pixels but in all honesty is good as it is).

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    Oh ho ho ho.....

    Reading what a marketing disaster this is so far....

    Mark ups, mark downs, and then wiping 33% off the price in the companies country of origin....

    All in the same day.

    I so much want one.

    I hope I can pick up a pallet load of them from the junk yard for like $20.

    Then I can run the automated sprinkler system in the front yard.

    LOL

    Pissed myself laughing.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Translation:

    Microsoft couldn't sell them in the initial countries with typically loads of disposible income, instead they are trying to offload them elsewhere instead....

  5. Herby

    Remember the marketing saying:

    The first markdown is the cheapest and easiest!

    Microsoft should take note. Of course, with all those dancing and keyboard clicking people that appear in the adverts what is it really good for? Promoting dancing lessons?

    1. PaulR79

      Re: Remember the marketing saying:

      I think it's designed to appeal to the "Glee" generation who are obsessed with all things dancing now. I say that with confidence knowing someone who likes that 'show' and said she played with a Surface (only RT was out at the time) and that it was great. Incidentally this was after she'd seen the dancing, clicking advert. I still find it funny that the end of the advert is where they could start to show what it can do but since they're very, very limited that's where they stop. If there was an extended cut perhaps you'd see the guy flick along and see nothing familiar then go to the store and find a small selection of apps before he gives up with it.

  6. Neoc

    I use WIndows7 and Linux. But if I'm going to fork out for a walled-garden tablet where a company decides what I can and cannot use, I might as well buy an iPad and limit the proliferation of those companies.

    Disclosure: I actually had an iPad for a couple of years until the wall-garden we-know-better-than-you-what-you-want-to-do attitude - and a lousy Windows version of iTunes - had me drop the iPad and buy an Android tablet. Frankly, there's only one App I miss from my iPad and that was a bloody nice comic-book reader.

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

  8. Richard Bijster

    How to ensure failure?

    How to ensure failure? Make european customers pay a 28% premium. It's going to be great fun watching this overpriced junk from Micro$oft crash and burn. Overpriced and overrated by it's makers Micro$oft. This thing is dead on arrival: RT and Pro.

    1. Al Jones

      Re: How to ensure failure?

      There is no 28% premium - the Euro price includes VAT, the US price is before Sales tax.

      $499 + 20% VAT =EUR450. At 23% VAT, it's EUR459.

      If you used the exchange rate from mid-November, the Surface RT would actually be cheaper in Europe!

      ( $499 * 0.7834 * 1.23 = 480.82)

  9. druck Silver badge
    Devil

    Valentine's Day Break Up

    Continental Europeans who can't think of anything to get that special someone for Valentine's Day might condsider a Surface RT fondleslab

    Only if they are the sort that is too cowardly to break up by text message, and are hoping on that someone will ditch them once they try out the dismal was-metro only experience.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    What was MS marketing drinking when they set release dates?

    Frankly, releasing now the RT affter the bad sales performance in the other countries, and when the Pro is getting much more coverage, and shows - when compared to the RT - far better performances (but battery life) is a suicide. They can just deceive the less informed customers, while those who really want a Windows "tablet" will probably wait for the Pro (I'll probably buy one to control my camera through EOS Utility on the field). This kind of marketing could have worked if and only if MS had an extremely good product, which it hasn't. The price moreover, after the unfavoureable reviews is really too high, of course they can't lower it because they will play the same game with the Pro later that could sell a little better, but IMHO this release is going to be a real disaster.

  11. tony2heads
    Linux

    valentines day

    my first word connection is 'massacre'

    Could that be the fate of RT?

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