Shawn Blanc:

Microsoft needs a compelling reason for customers to see the Surface as a legitimate computing device. And since they don’t (yet?) have a gangbusters App Store, they built a keyboard cover instead.

But… what if the Surface for Windows 8 Pro’s ability to run classic Windows apps is akin to the iPad’s ability to run pixel-doubled iPhone apps?

Shawn’s on to something here but the problem I see with this analogy is that Microsoft isn’t positioning this as a transition. Running iPhone apps pixel-doubled was never meant to be a long-term solution (indeed, unlike the 8-year-old in our house, I wouldn’t be caught dead doing that now). But I think running full Windows desktop applications is meant to be permanent..

TOASTER-FRIDGE 4 LIFE.