Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet started shipping just a couple of weeks ago, but despite initial success, it seems it is off to a slow start.

Speaking in an interview with a French daily, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer described the sales as “modest,” but argued that they are limited by channel constraints. He does have a point. The Surface is still plagued by limited availability in many markets.

However, Ballmer stopped short of revealing any sales figures and Microsoft is not commenting.

We got a Surface RT sample a couple of days ago and our first impressions are largely positive. It has potential, but it’s hard to say whether it can truly be competitive at current prices.

More here.