Surface Pro Tablet Sales: Catching On With Technology Execs

Microsoft’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Surface Pro tablet is starting to catch on with some technology execs, many of whom say they are buying the tablet as a single-device replacement for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPads and traditional notebooks. Indeed, The VAR Guy spotted growing Surface Pro interest at this week’s CharTec Service Operations Academy in Bakersfield, Calif. Here are the details.

Among the key adopters: TechSquad CEO Chris Wiser, a well-known IT services provider from Waukesha, Wis. Wiser is traveling with his Surface Pro and Type Cover. Sure, Wiser also is carrying an iPad on this trip. But Wiser says his iPad has been reduced to a movie player ever since he purchased the Surface Pro. He’s a true believer in using  the Microsoft tablet — which is actually a full-blown laptop — for both content consumption and content creation.

During several mid-hall conversations, peer MSPs and VARs asked Wiser about his early experience with the tablet. Partners are upset there’s no channel program for the tablet — but quite few sound like they’re preparing to open their wallets for Surface Pro.

Another early adopter is Adam Famularo, senior VP, AppLogic Business Unit, CA Technologies. During lunch with The VAR Guy earlier this week, Famularo said he was working toward making the Surface Pro his do-all device. But it sounds like he’s still defaulting back to a traditional laptop from time to time.

Microsoft has sold roughly 400,000 Surface Pros since launching the tablets on February 9, 2013. Still, some skeptics have expressed concern, suggesting that the overall Windows initiative (Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Surface Pro and Surface RT) has stalled. During a recent Staples earnings call, an executive said the retailer was disappointed by initial Windows 8 device sales — though Staples remained upbeat about longer-term opportunities for the operating system.

What’s The VAR Guy’s opinion? Microsoft has made some missteps. The biggest ones involved:

Still, it’s early in the Surface game. Anecdotal evidence says early Surface Pro adopters like the tablets. A lot…