I prefer the Surface over the iPad. Someone do some drop test videos.....
I own both devices "new iPad" and Surface. Hands down barebones without any cases the Surface I am sure would win ever time over ruggedness over the surface. I do not worry about the Surface like I do anytime my child comes by even with an Otterbox case on the iPad.
The Surface is great with either keyboard but just as good without. I was able to type very fast just on the face of the surface device.
I think the browsing experience is much better on the Surface with a full IE 10 browser. iPads acts only as a mobile browser or you have to use the Atomic Web app or I am sure other non-safari browsers to get a better experience. The integration with Twitter and Facebook is tight and a great experience.
I don't see the lag that the author describes or if it is there it isn't enough to matter much at all. iPad and iPhone apps hide the delay a bit with putting fake screenshots as the cover of the app just to make it appear to load faster. Not a bad trick but I'll have to do some testing more on my own to compare the 2 devices in other apps.
Options for free streaming music, connecting with the Xbox 360, plugging a Xbox controller into the USB port to play games...come on that is hot, standard micro-HDMI cables for connecting to your TV or second monitor, micro-SD card adapter for 32GB of extra storage for my ripped DVD's and regular USB port for transferring anything else needed....all that = not possible on the iPad. (ok I'll give you Airplay)
There are things that are missing, but having Android, iPad, and Surface all at my finger tips. I will grab the Surface anytime I need more power than my Lumia 920 Windows Phone. My kids seem to get the iPad to play with.
