Get an Extra Microsoft Surface Touch Cover at $79 Starting August 30

I can't imagine that anyone who purchased a Microsoft Surface didn't also add a keyboard to their order. But, alas, there are those special cases. In the event you did somehow decide that a keyboard was not a requirement, Microsoft is lowering the price of the Touch Cover keyboards to $79 starting on August 30^th.

But, the true value of this price reduction on the Touch Cover is for those who would like to have a backup keyboard in the event the original purchase ages too quickly or something goes wrong. I'm in that camp. Being a long time gadget aficionado, I always like to have spares on hand. The original release of the Touch Cover saw issues right away where the covering around the "clickable" connector would pull away and wires would be exposed through normal use. I don't doubt that this will happen to every Touch Cover eventually. $79 is insurance.

A keyboard turns the Surface into much more than just a simple tablet. And, to be honest, even though the Touch Cover keeps the Surface's overall profile thin, a price reduction on the Type Cover is what I'm waiting for. The Touch Cover is nice, and innovative, but as a writer who relies heavily on a good keyboard, it's just not enough for me. My original purchase included a Touch Cover, but it wasn't until I snagged a Type Cover that I experienced the true worth of the Microsoft Surface as a complete laptop replacement. The Type Cover allowed me to dump my regular laptop and the Surface is now the only thing I travel with.

Originally $119, a $79 Touch Cover is worth having, but if you want the full Surface experience, dig a little deeper and get the Type Cover. It will change your entire Surface experience. Yes, it makes the Surface a bit thicker, but you'll decide to live with the extra bulk after using it.

Even at $79, though, I believe the Surface keyboards are still overpriced. $25 sounds like a better price point to me, and I'm sure consumers would agree.  

I know Microsoft has to make a little money off their investments, but just like the Surface hardware, they produced something they couldn't sell due to pricing. To sell, any tablet needs to sit below the $300 price range to be successful. Hopefully, Microsoft has learned something from the original Surface release and we'll see a much improved pricing strategy when Surface v2 releases.