Microsoft Surface tablets hit third-party stores

Microsoft has announced that its tablets will be available from third-party stores, starting in the US this week.
Australia will closely follow, and a number of other countries will be added in the coming months.
“The public reaction to Surface has been exciting to see. We’ve increased production and are expanding the ways in which customers can interact with, experience and purchase Surface,” said Panos Panay, general manager, Microsoft Surface.
The Surface will continue to be available for purchase at all Microsoft retail stores in the United States and Canada and online in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Based on the success of the Microsoft holiday stores, the company will extend all of these locations into the New Year. These stores will transition into either permanent brick-and-mortar retail outlets or specialty store locations.
“Our plan has been to expand the retail presence for Surface after the first of the year. Based on interest from retailers, we are giving them the option to carry Surface with Windows RT even earlier,” said Steve Schueler, corporate vice president, Microsoft Retail Sales and Marketing.
Although Microsoft did not state which stores will be stocking the Surface, Staples has separately confirmed that it will be stocking the tablet in its US stores as if today.

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