No, I doubt it is "free" on Surface. Pricing was not mentioned... and there are several options on the keyboard cover: color, key travel, etc,. I assure you, you will pay for it, one way or another. TANSTAAFL.
2. then the apps cost $10 each
TANNSTAAFL, again.
you ware working in the Cloud - way cool, but that is not on your computer and the average traveling biz person does not want to be sitting in an airport or on a plane trying to get into the cloud. Don't believe me try looking at a few forums since the Surface was announced.
I grant you your plane situation... but that can be handled when you are on a plane by the inexpensive appropriate Apps... but, consider this, that Surface will not fit on the tray table! No way... I can't picture it fitting. Only the higher cost keyboard might have a chance of working. I cannot see it working on your lap. I think it might have a chance in business class.
600 million Windows7 users have a habit of using keyboards and having their application be seemless.
That's what a lot of iPad adoptees thought until they started using them... and then found they did not really need one. The habit got broken.
You make good points, but even here on Freeper land - some business people like a keyborad for long data points.
Not with anyone I ever met. I use an iPad. It is indispensible. But if I need to type much I wait until I get to my computer.