All Microsoft Surface RT Models Are Now Sold Out
Only way to get one in time for launch is to visit a Microsoft store on Friday.
Microsoft's inventory for pre-launch supplies of its Surface RT tablet is now completely sold out. In the United States, both the $599 32GB and $699 64GB models that come equipped with a Touch Cover are now shipping one to two weeks after ordering.
The Surface RT's $499 32GB model, which is the least-expensive variant of the tablet and excludes the cover/keyboard add-on, has been sold out since last Wednesday. A day after Microsoft commenced pre-orders on the device, its shipping status was delayed to three weeks.
Elsewhere, Microsoft's Canadian, French, German and U.K. stores have also sold out of Surface RT models. Both the Canadian and U.K. online stores list a delay of one to two weeks for the two more expensive versions that come after the $499 variant, which is "Temporarily sold out." The French and German stores, meanwhile, confirmed all models have been back-ordered by one to two weeks.
If you now wish to obtain a Surface RT model without waiting for the delay, your only option is to pop into a Microsoft store on Friday.
While pre-order buzz doesn't necessarily showcase a device's commercial breadth in the long term, Microsoft has reportedly placed orders ranging from 3 to 5 million for Surface for the rest of 2012.

These things aren't so bad.. Microsoft is venturing into a field they have little experience in (even though they previously released tablets that didn't succeed with) but this time around, there is a lot of hype around this particular technology.
People want what is current, what is "now".
Businesses want convenience, productivity and they want it cheap.
This delivers on both fronts, you get a full office suite, a robust tablet that's easy to use and launches out the doors with accessories and it's below $1000 per unit.
Welcome to 2012 my friend. I'm not sure where you've been but upper end tablets have been between $499 - $899 in price for a while.
Now to touch on your comparison to a notebook. These are considered ultra mobile which means no bulky laptop in your hands / lap. The battery life is WAY better on a tablet, they're lighter, have a mobile OS and not a real bulky OS. APPS! Think of them more as very large smart phones vs a computer. I have a Transformer Pad Infinity and absolutely love it. It's great to take to a restaurant or to my gf house, read in bed, use at work discretely O_O, and my favorite is the ability to take to the gym and stream netflix while I run. Can't do that with a laptop and a phone is too small. Point is, don't hate on tech just because you don't see a use in it for yourself.
Enjoy your evening!
Can't think of a use for these other than looking cool walking down the street and getting jacked.
These things aren't so bad.. Microsoft is venturing into a field they have little experience in (even though they previously released tablets that didn't succeed with) but this time around, there is a lot of hype around this particular technology.
People want what is current, what is "now".
Businesses want convenience, productivity and they want it cheap.
This delivers on both fronts, you get a full office suite, a robust tablet that's easy to use and launches out the doors with accessories and it's below $1000 per unit.
Welcome to 2012 my friend. I'm not sure where you've been but upper end tablets have been between $499 - $899 in price for a while.
Now to touch on your comparison to a notebook. These are considered ultra mobile which means no bulky laptop in your hands / lap. The battery life is WAY better on a tablet, they're lighter, have a mobile OS and not a real bulky OS. APPS! Think of them more as very large smart phones vs a computer. I have a Transformer Pad Infinity and absolutely love it. It's great to take to a restaurant or to my gf house, read in bed, use at work discretely O_O, and my favorite is the ability to take to the gym and stream netflix while I run. Can't do that with a laptop and a phone is too small. Point is, don't hate on tech just because you don't see a use in it for yourself.
Enjoy your evening!
I do agree with you. Tablets make little sense to me. I have not seen a person yet who hasn't picked up a tablet and slapped on a keyboard to it. What is the point of buying a tablet at this point? At that point there's little sense in paying for a tablet when you can get a good laptop, possibly even an ultrabook, that does more and costs the same or less.
But, I will admit that there are those who likely see some use in it. I won't bash them, but I will tell them their choice makes no sense to me, and please tell me why you made that choice.
You mean the bricks and mortar stores right? I pre-ordered mine online, even if I was close to a MS store I would have gone the on-line route, just easier.
Lets not forget that Ballmer was, and is, a salesman first.
Then start building that Star Trek Enterprise. Do it now!
Yup I was at my local microsoft store and they told me you can only preorder online