We sincerely hope that it is fake or a wild speculation as a Sweden-based online retailer is selling the Microsoft's latest slate, Surface, starting at whopping $1,000.
WPCentral found that the Swedish website Webhallen.com is taking pre-orders for the ARM-powered, 32GB Surface tablet and charging 6990 krona ($1,000) for the tablet. The given price is $400 pricier than Apple's 32GB iPad with a Wi-Fi-only configuration. According to the listing in the website, the 64GB surface is 9990 krona ($1430) and the highest Pro 128GB is 14990 krona ($2147).
Microsoft, however, has not yet revealed any pricing details of the tablet.
"It's baffling. If it's true, what are they thinking?" a baffled Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy being quoted in PCMag. "When you have something like 1 percent of the tablet market, you don't break into it with a $1,000 product."
Microsoft launched its tablet in the last week of June and since then stirred the market with increasing expectations and hype surrounding the product.
While Apple again proved its dominance in the tablet market with its announcement of Q2 earnings, Microsoft's Surface apparently has the muscle to take on the leader. But the steep price, mentioned in the Swedish website, if true, might go wrong with the maker of the tablet.
Surface comes with a 10.6-inch screen. And, in the Windows 8 Pro version, the display will deliver a high-definition experience with 16:9 widescreen featuring ClearType HD Display technology. The Surface packs in a lightweight tactile keyboard that's a slimmed down version of a true keyboard with actual moving keys and a multi-touch track pad. The Microsoft tablet also comes with a 0.7-millimeter built-in kickstand that pops out from the back panel and holds the slate upright, letting the user enjoy media or type comfortably.
"No extra weight, no extra thickness, no separate add-on. It's integrated, just like the software and hardware are integrated into Surface," said Windows and Windows Live president Steven Sinofsky. In addition, the Windows 8 Pro version of the Surface tablet can accept stylus input and the company has shown how with the digital ink writing, highlighting and underlining on the tablet have become easy.
Moreover, Windows 8 OS, two USB ports and 128GB (Pro Version) storage options also give Surface an edge over its competitors.
