Cass,
It is really hard to beat the iPad right now - except for the price. I took a serious look at the 10 Inch Surface and did like it but you are very limited in terms of available apps right now. I took a thumb drive with my PDF lead sheets on it and they worked just fine on the Surface tablet. I have 2 iPads and don't need a third tablet so I did not buy the Surface. If you do not do anything but surf the internet and do email the Surface would work fine. If you are into the many Apps that run on the iPad you will not have them on the Surface.

Deane