I'm actually fired up about the Surface - but I just picked up an i3 touch screen Windows 8 ultrabook by ASUS for $450. At $599 with the Touch Cover, more with the Type Cover, the Surface is a difficult decision as an accessory device that compliments a traditional PC. I understand the tablet format expands the possibilities of the Surface - but as you point out, you need a SDXC memory card in addition to the tablet and keyboard to really be able to do anything meaningful unless you plan to leverage Skydrive for the majority of your storage.

There is no doubt in my mind that for "content production" RT devices give the most desktop-OS like experience of any ARM based tablets currently available. The build quality is incredible, and other than the inability to run native x86 code the OS is faithful to the features and abilities of Win 8 Pro. While I can see the value, I think the challenge is getting skeptics to discover what makes these devices worth the premium. The convenience of a consistent interface, tight integration across platforms and an innovative and intelligent approach to making a touch interface designed for touch devices is a solid combination. I think we'll see it catch on, but it might take awhile.