>>>There are some fundamental differences between the two products.
>>>
>>>Phones are really built by third parties and branded by them. HTC, Samsung, etc. Then co-branded for the carrier. Microsoft only makes the OS. How many times have you seen a Google ad for an Android phone from HTC or Samsung?
>>
>>A zillion. Heck just go to the google website.
>>http://www.google.com/nexus/
>>
>>or the google store
>>https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=galaxy_nexus_hspa
>>
>>>With Surface, both the hardware and OS are Microsoft branded. You won't see a Surface tablet from Dell or HP. (That's not to say they won't copy the design, but the name "Surface" is a Microsoft hardware product) So, Microsoft will have to do some marketing. This is the Apple strategy.
>>
>>Agreed. And this formula has resulted in Apple having a rather small portion of the market until recently.
>>
>>>I've heard some reports (MaryJoFoley, for example) that Barnes & Noble will not only sell books, but will also feature a Microsoft store inside. That could bolster sales of both Windows tablets and phones.
>>
>>Really? off to a brilliant start I see!...after all you know how stable, solid and growing all those brick & mortar book stores all. Great idea - lets open up some shops inside some stores that are dropping like flies.
>>
>>>>Hopefully their marketing strategy will be better for this new toy (which looks really cool) than for the phones.
>>
>>I keep looking for some more detailed specs on this thing but I guess none released yet. This thing better have a webcam to two built into it or I'll be really pissed..ha
>
>According to reports it has front and rear webcams. Looks like 64Gig for starters.

That's good news.

>Supposed to be an ARM platform in the first release, then Intel.

Yep - I of course will wait for the Intel one.
In the meantime - Tainell U-Touch 500 :)
http://www.dynamism.com/top-notebooks/u-touch-500.shtml