My Surface RT Report: January 2013

Well the new year has come (thank you very much pseudo-Mayan doomsayers, too bad they were wrong).  It's been a while since my last "report" so let's see what has been going on.

* Connection Issues: None

* Available Apps (February 1, 2013 11AM-ish): Total/Free
- Games: 2,953 / 2,173
- Social: 405 / 348
- Entertainment: 2,554 / 2,293
- Photo: 455 / 329
- Music/Video: 773 / 416
- Sports: 585 / 520
- Books/Reference: 1,560 / 798
- News/Weather: 897 / 847
- Health/Fitness: 606 / 488
- Food/Dining: 456 / 370
- Lifestyle: 794 / 715
- Shopping: 126 / 114
- Travel: 775 / 693
- Finance: 253 / 181
- Productivity: 982 / 704
- Tools: 1,835 / 1,565
- Security: 111 / 80
- Business: 298 / 234
- Education: 2,884 / 2,311
- Government: 76 / 62
There is a CBC hockey app? Why? 

* The Surface Pro (Windows 8 not RT) is supposed to launch this month (February).  This is supposed to start from $899.99. 

* Regret: the only regret I have is that I paid $125-225 more than I wanted to for the Surface
* Come on MSFT, pre-paid cards (preferably Xbox Points) - I would buy more apps if it were available (like Skulls of the Shogun, etc.)

* I got a few new apps since last time: Where's My Water, Where's My Perry, Monster Island (had to refresh system to fix issue), ilomilo +, Microsoft Solitaire, Microsoft Mahjong, Gravity Guy, Gunstringer: Dead Man Running.  I am also trying out trials on a couple of others

* Baseless Speculation: I (for no reason at all) expect the second generation Windows RT devices to hit in about June or July and come without Office 2013 Home and Student.  I foresee the prices coming down by about $100.  I guess coupled with some smaller form factors.  A 7-8" Barnes and Noble Nook RT for under $300 would be interesting.  So that's how "business analysts" do it. 

Xbox on Windows Surface App Stuff:

Available Games:
- Gunpowder (haven't tried yet):
- Skulls of the Shogun ($10)
- Cut the Rope (recently added achievements)
- Microsoft Minesweeper
- Pac-Man Championship Edition DX ($10)
- The Gunstringer: Dead Man Running
- iStunt2
- Monster Island
- ilomilo + (controller enabled, easier to manipulate camera with wired controller)
- Wordament
- Gravity Guy
- Shark Dash
- Rocket Riot 3D
- Angry Birds: Star Wars
- Hydro Thunder Hurricane
- Angry Birds Space
- Jetpack Joyride
- Fruit Ninja
- Reckless Racing Ultimate
- 4 Elements 2: Special Edition
- Taptiles
- Adera (Chapter 1 is free, Chapter 2 is $4.99)
- Pinball FX 2
- Microsoft Mahjong
- Microsoft Solitaire

- Bejweled Live may be adding achievements

App Issues:
- 4 Elements SE 2: crash.  I try to replay from a level but it crashes out when I hit the play button
- Fruit Ninja: Arcade Mode: it crashes (program shuts down) at the end of arcade mode when it is displaying the score