Windows 8 shines on a touch screen laptop. I was in the market for one over the black Friday and not many were available at a decent price. If that picture changes then I am sure the adoption will accelerate.
Many ideas have been tried out, some having an always-forward screen and a keyboard that "slide-and-rotate" out from underneath. Others have a screen which rotates vertically inside a frame, allowing it to flip over and cover the keyboard.
Surface basically takes the motherboard & battery and fits them behind the screen, instead of under the keyboard. The keyboard itself can become just a detachable accessory. This arrangement isn't new -- it's been used in many mobile devices for more than 10 years.