It has been a busy weekend for Microsoft (News - Alert) since the launch of the Windows Surface RT tablet and its new operating system, Windows 8. Microsoft has spared no expense in building hype for its new products and is reportedly spending over $1 billion on advertisements alone.

To get its new products in the hands of consumers, Microsoft has expanded its retail reach by opening up 30 pop-up stores in addition to its existing 34 outlets across the country for the holiday season While its pop-up stores have been flocked with people examining the Surface, we are yet to see substantial sales of the tablet that would make the extra effort worth it.


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The Surface tablet has a slick appearance and its kickstand differentiates it from other mainstream tablets. While this may be Microsoft’s first attempt venturing into the hardware design, it seems they did a great job. Microsoft’s employees have been busy teaching employees and interested consumers about the Surface hoping to garner interest as the holiday season kicks in.

The out-of-the-box experience that Microsoft is offering is designed to get buyers comfortable with the Surface before they make a purchase. While the tablet comes with a written tutorial, Microsoft also wants consumers to touch, play and feel the Surface before leaving the retail outlets. The Las Vegas store, for example, has eight stations set up for consumers to try out the tablet with employees offering help.

The Microsoft Surface will likely be the tablet of choice for people already familiar with Windows. While the iPad is not likely to be overthrown anytime soon, its lack of accepting industry standards for both software and hardware, such as the inability to play HD media other than MP4, makes it one-dimensional. The Surface, on the other hand, runs on Windows 8 and is expected to be a favorite for users who consume a variety of media outside of iTunes.