but this thing is no competition for the iPad.
As I recall reading, MS doesn't consider it to be... more an alternative with features the iPad lacks... ie, multitasking, network printers, etc.
For mine, this is a good move by Microsoft and I hope it is well received in the marketplace. Yes, Surface may be a late comer in the pad arena by comparison, but that still doesn't make the iPad the best. In fact, several reviews rate the Samsung GalaxyIII pad very highly, and in some ways they say it's better than the iPad, which is why I guess Apple tried its very best through various courts in several countries to prevent Samsung from releasing it. Hehe, Samsung had the last laugh, though... and again I digress.
I've never ever been interested in an iPad, iAnything for that matter, but if I were ever in the market for a pad I think MS' Surface might just be the one I'd go with, given what I've read so far. I like the idea of the built in 'kickstand' and connectible keyboard that acts as a cover... for me, both those features give it the edge over other pads. Now I do not like Win 8 as a desktop OS with Metro as the default UI, but it would be a completely different proposition on a tablet device. It is where Metro belongs, on a portable/touch device, like Surface, and in that environment I would come to terms with it. However, given its extra features/options, I would have to go with the higher end model with Win 8 Pro... when the time came.
