Microsoft Sued For 32GB Surface Model Offering 16GB Free
Claims of software giant falsely advertising amount of storage space.
Microsoft has been sued due to the 32GB variant of its Surface tablet delivering half that amount of storage space.
California lawyer Andrew Sokolowski filed the lawsuit relating to Microsoft's misleading advertisement regarding the storage space offered by Surface. He states that he bought the device in order to receive 32GB of storage before finding out he'd get just half of that.
Microsoft's Surface is indeed advertised as having 32GB of storage but delivers 16GB instead. However, the firm clearly states the situation regarding the tablet's storage space on its website, with the firm saying that the device comes pre-loaded with apps such as Word and Excel, as well as Windows recovery tools, while the bulk of storage space is taken by Windows RT. As for the 64GB model, users are left with 46GB of storage space.
The software company also delivers advice on the same FAQ in regards to how to get more space, including the suggestion of using SkyDrive cloud storage, a USB drive or a microSD memory card.
"We believe this lawsuit is without merit," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET. "Customers understand the operating system and pre-installed applications reside on the device's internal storage thereby reducing the total free space."
Sokolowski's lawyers aim to obtain class action status with the Los Angeles Superior Court. The main purpose of the suit itself is to make the company change how it advertises its devices, as well as receiving damages for purported wrongful conduct.

Sometimes getting publicity backfires...
Their devices have 32GB of flash storage.
However, with such weight of pre-installed applications leaving only 16GB of space that can be used, still advertising the device as 32GB of storage is certainly dishonorable.
(Not that corporations have a problem with that.)
when in fact the actual storage on the machine considers 1GB = 2^30 bytes. That always gets people.
Plus add formatting it gets reduced even further.
Then we start to add the OS and most mobile devices it takes 1-2 gigs, but MS its closer to 10+ gigs.
32GB Android/iOS will get you about 28GB free, with MS you get 16GB, but MS is charging 16GB price I suppose for their 32GB model...
While I don't see the suit as having any merit (as the free space on the device is easily-obtained knowledge for anyone who read ANY review of it) I do think that, for a device intended for more serious use cases than angry birds, the Surface could certainly use more storage, especially given the tiny cost it would have added.
Besides, Microsoft could have just had it start at 128 GB, and used that as a marketing thing.
Actually, since 2000, IEEE defined a Gigabyte as 10^9. 2^30 is a Gibibyte (Binary Gigabyte). But yeah everyone still use Gigabyte for 2^30.
Actually, they would need a separate computer because the device wouldn't boot anymore.
Sometimes getting publicity backfires...
I believe that for that there would have to be a counter-suit by the defendant (MSFT). I have heard of penalties for frivolous lawsuits in the past, but don't know for sure how that goes.
But you'd be surprised by how many people buy a PC and can't fathom why there isn't as much space available as is stated on the drive. This lawyer is either trying to make an expensive point, or really shouldn't be anyone's lawyer since he can't read not-even-that-fine-print.
maybe not the average computer enthusiast, but most certainly the average consumer does expect the amount advertised. i actually think OEMs should advertise what they sell based on the free space available for use. this methos of advertising more space than the available space has gone since forever, but that doesnt necesarily make it right. the average consumer that isnt a computer enthusiast is always going to be misled.