Surface doomed?

[Tom]

I feel Microsoft may be shooting themselves in the foot with Surface. Whilst I think the product itself is pretty awesome, the marketing decisions behind it so far have been abysmal. First the idea to only sell it in Microsoft stores even in Europe, that failed. Then they got an exclusive with John Lewis, again fail.

Now with the Surface Pro, they're releasing it in the US & Canada for sale today. How about if they released it worldwide today, how about if they didn't release it today but released it a month on from now and they were able to release it worldwide? How many more sales would that get? I'd say a few million more because the marketing can be targeted everywhere, at the same time.

Are we going to see another Zune? Good product, fail marketing? Perhaps.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

It's going to be a bumpy start for Microsoft, I think, and that isn't going to help them try to win the crowd's support of Windows 8. But is the Surface doomed because of that? I don't think so.

[shockz]

It's going to be a bumpy start for Microsoft, I think, and that isn't going to help them try to win the crowd's support of Windows 8. But is the Surface doomed because of that? I don't think so.

It's doomed because it's marketed by Microsoft. The only thing they've nailed are Windows and Office. Both of which lately have also been suffering from an abysmal marketing campaign. Surface and Windows Phone are only held in high regard by geeks or people that know geeks. The general public couldn't care less.

[-T- Member]

I think the Surface Pro is an amazing device that in time with better battery, will be almost perfect. I'd love to use one of them when on a photoshoot for example and I'd like to see my shots and use Bulb exposures with my SLR tethered

[spaceelf]

Are we going to see another Zune? Good product, fail marketing? Perhaps.

From what I can tell they're selling as many as they're making. There really isn't much else to say...if they could go worldwide overnight I'm sure they would.

[Dot Matrix]

It's doomed because there is no Start Menu.

/s

[Sandor]

Still haven't seen one anywhere.

[peacemf]

will be like the original xbox, the second one will be much better and a better hit. windows 9!

[MorganX]

It's going to be a bumpy start for Microsoft, I think, and that isn't going to help them try to win the crowd's support of Windows 8. But is the Surface doomed because of that? I don't think so.

Surface Pro is going to do very well in the Enterprise. I think in the consumer space, Microsoft's ridiculously bad Music App, lack of syncing middleware (iTunes/Zune equivalent), have already doomed it with consumers. In the Enterprise it may actually help drive Windows 8 deployment. One area that may cause issues in the Enterprise, is the Modern UI search. That back and forth from Modern UI to Desktop environment when using search results plus it's overall clumsiness is not going to be a positive enterprise experience IMO. But the Surface Pro will do well as should form factors like the Yoga. They will be a successful Enterprise products where laptops were once purchased.

[Mulrian]

Saw my very first Surface out in the wild a few days ago. It looked really good and the guy loves it, but for some reason I could never picture myself actually buying one.

[Growled Member]

I'm on the fence about the Surface. It's an amazing product but Microsoft has shot themselves in the foot every way they turn with this product, and it's really pricey for the average user. It probably isn't doomed but I can't see it being a major seller.

[vcfan]

Surface Pro sold out everywhere,guess the doubters are wrong once again.

[Torolol]

there also Microsoft mis-campaign that keep telling to the masses:

"Tablet = PC and PC = Tablet"

With current Surface (pro) pricing masses will compare Surface (pro) with Laptop (PC),

and will find the fact that Laptop (PC) is:

- more powerful,

- flexible,

- can do anything that Surface Pro can do,

- AND cheaper than Surface (pro).

[Growled Member]

Surface Pro sold out everywhere,guess the doubters are wrong once again.

That doesn't mean much without knowing how many was produced to sell. A lot of times these days they used "sold out" as a marketing ploy.

[vcfan]

A lot of times these days they used "sold out" as a marketing ploy.

you have zero proof. people seem to make stuff up to suit whatever it is theyre trying to portray.

retailers sold out. Microsoft stores sold out. Microsoft online sold out, and there were long lines up outsides the stores. thats fact. Doomed?

[Growled Member]

you have zero proof. people seem to make stuff up to suit whatever it is theyre trying to portray.

retailers sold out. Microsoft stores sold out. Microsoft online sold out, and there were long lines up outsides the stores. thats fact. Doomed?

Oh, I'm done said I didn't think it was doomed in a post above. I've said it was a amazing product. I am not a hater. But you have no proof of how many they had on the shelves to sell. Wal-Mart has 5 or 10 of each product they have to sell on Black Friday for major sales attraction and they sell out too. That means nothing to me. Give me some sales figures Microsoft.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

you have zero proof. people seem to make stuff up to suit whatever it is theyre trying to portray.

retailers sold out. Microsoft stores sold out. Microsoft online sold out, and there were long lines up outsides the stores. thats fact. Doomed?

How would anyone ever have proof of this? Company use every tactic they can to draw attention to their products and not having a sell out on launch will get you less press coverage in the days immediately following launch. With that pressure in place it is reasonable to assume that MS shipped a small number at launch to ensure this could happen.

It would be reasonable for the inverse to be proven, which is what people usually expect. The rebuttal to this is usually with confirmed sales numbers that show they shipped more than expected and still sold out.

[vcfan]

How would anyone ever have proof of this?

exactly, therefore don't use it as a possible explanation for why things aren't going your way. its like also saying maybe Steve Ballmer bought all those tablets himself to make the sales look good. Or all those people in line were paid to stand in line.

And you want sales figures? So people can do the same with their BS exaplanations like when they got the windows 8 sales figures?

[+Warwagon MVC]

It's doomed because there is no Start Menu.

/s

Incorrect. The lack of a start menu works great on a tablet.

[Osiris]

This is a first gen release of a new piece of hardware from MS it was always going to be a bumpy start - as any first gen device usually is - but the era of the Tablet PC has returned, windows and Tablet PCs arent going anywhere. I have a good feeling MS will take the lessons learned from the this launch, development and teaming that up with the power of Haswell or (a third way) Bayfield / Temash we are going to have some great gen 2 surface products.

Point being, this is just the start of the surface story. Click in and stay tuned.

[123456789A]

For a new/first gen product, it's not bad. Personally, I'd like to see it $100 cheaper than it is now, with 256 GB standard.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Surface Pro is going to do very well in the Enterprise. I think in the consumer space, Microsoft's ridiculously bad Music App, lack of syncing middleware (iTunes/Zune equivalent), have already doomed it with consumers. In the Enterprise it may actually help drive Windows 8 deployment. One area that may cause issues in the Enterprise, is the Modern UI search. That back and forth from Modern UI to Desktop environment when using search results plus it's overall clumsiness is not going to be a positive enterprise experience IMO. But the Surface Pro will do well as should form factors like the Yoga. They will be a successful Enterprise products where laptops were once purchased.

This.

I happen to know the mobility division of my IT department at work, which is an enterprise customer with over 10,000 employees (this is just one division of the entire corporation), had a full day meeting with Microsoft directly two weeks ago in New York City. The meeting was all about the Surface Pro. The rumors from that meeting are Surface Pro's are going to be picked up for a pilot over the next couple of months.

Although the home office also uses them, currently the sales force of approximately 2600 salesmen use the iPad. I know our IT department would love for nothing more then to be able to switch to a Microsoft based tablet. The Surface Pro could be that tablet. So could the Lenevo IdeaPad. Or maybe there is something else out there. The bottom line is the iPad has infiltrated WIndows based infrastructures in corporate america as they are appealing for mobile sales forces, and although many IT departments have done what they have needed to do in order to implement the iPad into their networks and systems, they are not happy about it. So once a capable Windows based tablet comes out and proves itself, I believe they will be adopted.

[dvb2000]

I happen to know the mobility division of my IT department at work, which is an enterprise customer with over 10,000 employees (this is just one division of the entire corporation), had a full day meeting with Microsoft directly two weeks ago in New York City. The meeting was all about the Surface Pro. The rumors from that meeting are Surface Pro's are going to be picked up for a pilot over the next couple of months.

No surprise there - the geeks in your company want to get a free surface pro to play with.

Next big "no" surprise, they will find it is no benefit in the enterprise and won't be considered for deployment.

[dead.cell]

I'm not a hater, but it's hard to argue counterpoints that I totally agree with from the consumers. I understand why Microsoft is making certain moves, but customers have rolled their eyes when they find out they're paying more for the Surface "Pro" which doesn't include Office or a keyboard.

Just my input from what I've seen at work today.

[phunkymunky]

Incorrect. The lack of a start menu works great on a tablet.

man...I hate this argument. there is a start menu, it's just now it takes up the whole screen. I know this wasn't what you were saying, just hate hearing it continuously.

anyhoo, I'm replying to this on a surface RT, and I have to say I love it. really not interested in taking x86 on the go with me. battery life, and the office apps, plus a citrix receiver suit me just fine.

personally I don't think surface I doomed at all, think they'll do just fine.