Microsofts Surface tablet is, for now, aptly named. We know what the product looks like, but dont know how it will perform, or sell, until it gets into consumers hands. Reviewers can only debate the features (USB port; kickstand; thin keyboard; whoop-de-doo) and analysts will resort to new forms of bet-hedging (execution will be key).眼下来看，微软公司(Microsoft)Surface平板电脑的名字很熟悉。我们告诉产品宽什么样，但在它到消费者手中之前，我们不告诉它的性能或销量如何。评论者不能辩论各种功能（USB模块；支架；厚键盘；诸如此类），而分析师将无可奈何可进可退的新套话（继续执行将是关键）。And the tablet has to perform beautifully because of an ugly catch 22: mobile devices become popular with consumers largely because of the available applications, but app developers only work on devices that are popular with consumers. The fact that it will run Microsoft Offices software suite, with which cubicle dwellers worldwide are sentenced to spend their days, does not mean Surface can crack this problem.这款平板电脑必需有出众的展现出，原因在于一对无耻的对立：一方面，移动设备能否受到消费者青睐，在相当大程度上要看可取得的应用程序有多少；另一方面，应用于开发者只针对人气较高的设备研发应用于。

虽然Surface将运营全世界白领员工被迫用于的微软公司Office套装软件，但这并不意味著这款平板电脑需要解决问题上述对立。Pricing will also be crucial. Microsofts Lumia smartphone, released with Nokia, proved that a solid product with differentiating features can still struggle with consumers, especially if it is too dear. Microsoft, because it is making the Surface under its own brand, will have complete control of price. So far, it has said only that prices will be competitive with existing products. Why not discount aggressively, to break open the market? Assuming a $400 cost for the lower-end Windows RT version, the company could sell 10m of them at $300 (a big discount over the cheapest iPad) while sacrificing all of 4 per cent of pre-tax income.定价也将很关键。微软公司与诺基亚(Nokia)合作打造出的Lumia智能手机指出，具有与众不同功能的杰出产品，仍有可能难以获得消费者的注目，特别是在是如果这款产品很喜的话。

由于微软公司利用自己的品牌发售Surface，因此该公司对定价具有几乎的控制权。目前为止微软公司仅有回应，Surface的价格与现有产品比起将具备竞争力。为什么不发售咄咄逼人的优惠来关上市场呢？假设低端Windows RT版本的成本是400美元，那么微软公司需要以300美元（比最低廉的iPad还低廉很多）的价格销售1000万台，同时壮烈牺牲全部4%的税前利润。Consumers tend to equate price and value, and Microsoft has a fledgling brand to protect. More important, Microsoft must consider the global PC makers, from Hewlett-Packardto Lenovo. They will not make Windows tablets if they are competing against a subsidised Surface. Microsoft will have to think carefully before alienating the partners who have helped make their software franchise one of the most profitable businesses of all time.消费者往往把价格和价值等同于一起，而微软公司也必须维护初生的Surface品牌。

更加最重要的是，微软公司必需考虑到从惠普(Hewlett-Packard)到误解(Lenovo)的全球个人电脑(PC)制造商。若要与获得补贴的Surface进行竞争，他们将会生产Windows平板电脑。在亲近那些让微软公司软件沦为史上盈利最可观行业之一的合作伙伴之前，微软公司必须三思而行。

本文来源：开云(中国)Kaiyun·官方网站，开云(中国)Kaiyun-www.alihock.com