Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First off, I need to say that I am fluent in both Macintosh and Windows environments. In my home there are two ipads, a mac, and a windows 7 laptop. I must say that I purchased this with no small amount of trepidation on 9/14/2013. I did not purchase it from Amazon, rather, I purchased from a reseller on ebay. After reading so many negative reviews, I was afraid to pull the trigger. But, I went on Youtube and watched RECENT reviews by ACTUAL USERS and they overwhelmingly seemed to indicate that this little tablet was a worthwhile investment. I knew going into this that Windows 8 "RT" was a "hobbled" version of Windows 8 and I couldn't use old windows 7 programs on this little guy. Only apps that can be downloaded from the Microsoft App store will work. But, if you think about it, this is very similar to the ipad. You cannot use Macintosh programs on the ipad - you can only use those apps which you can download from the Apple App store. It does help that Microsoft includes, for free, the Microsoft Office 2013 suite on the tablet! So, when I saw the refurbished 64gb model WITH soft keyboard for $279 shipped on ebay - I took the plunge. I AM SO GLAD I DID! The build quality is ALMOST on par with Apple standards. Very nicely designed and executed. Feels great in the hand, and the built-in kickstand is a wonderful touch. Stays absolutely cool to the touch, even when plugged in to the charger. The screen is quite bright, colorful and contrasty. NO, it's not a retina screen, but it's clear and crisp. The soft touch keyboard works surprisingly well, and you even get audio "clicks" when you type (I'm sure that can be turned off if it bothers you - but I like it) A lot has been said about the Microsft App store being a barren wasteland. Well, while it does not match the quality and quantity of the Apple App store, it certainly has a lot of great apps and I am very impressed with the growing selection. Anyways, it has been three days and I am thoroughly enjoying this Surface RT. It allows me to experience the Windows 8 environment at a reasonable price - and more importantly, it's just a lot of fun to use! If you can get one on the cheap, I wouldn't hesitate to do so. And, with Windows 8.1RT upgrade coming out next month, even more functionality will be added to an already amazing interface.