The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Noel Young, Correspondent

November 12, 2012 | 1 min read

The new Surface tablet from Microsoft, designed to take on Apple's iPad has had a "modest" start, despite massive TV advertising in the US.

The reason is limited availability, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer told the French daily paper Le Parisien.

"We've had a modest start because Surface is only available on our online retail sites and a few Microsoft stores in the United States," Ballmer told the newspaper.

The Surface tablet was a central element of the Windows 8 launch last month.

More striking was the number Ballmer gave for upgrades to Windows 8 sold in the three days after its launch: 4 million.