Microsoft's US$499 version of Surface tablet faces three-week delay

Less than a day after pre-orders began for Microsoft's Surface with Windows RT tablet, new orders for the US$499 model of the device face a shipping delay of up to three weeks.

The $499 Surface, with 32GB of storage, doesn't include Microsoft's Touch Cover, a touch-sensitive keyboard and trackpad that doubles as a screen protector. But it does offer more flexibility than pricier models with bundled Touch Covers.

Both the $599 (32GB) and $699 (64GB) Surface models come with a black Touch Cover, and Microsoft is still promising delivery by 26 October for those models. If you want a different colour cover, you must buy it separately for US$120. That is also the case if you want a Type Cover, which has a mechanical keyboard; it is sold separately for $130.

Unfortunately for Kiwis, ordering online from the US or Australia and having the tablet delivered to an overseas address may be the only way to get a Surface in the near future. Microsoft has yet to release details on New Zealand availability, or whether the tablet will be available here at all.