Microsoft throws in with tablets. Surface announced

Brian Ambrozy 19 Jun, 2012 at 12:19am ET Article published in

Microsoft held a press conference today to announce their play into the tablet space; the Surface name that has for years been associated with a tabletop computing experience has been given to a new 10.6″ tablet with some compelling features to compete with Apple and Android devices.

The new tablet does not have a price or date announced yet. One of the most compelling features is the option of having two types of keyboard built into the faux leather cover, both a touch and a more tactile “type” style. The cover is also apparently going to be available in a variety of colors.

Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky detailed the two hardware options: either Intel Ivy Bridge with Windows 8 Pro or ARM with Windows RT. The ARM system is thinner and lighter than the Windows 8 Pro version, but offers only 32gb and 64gb storage options, whereas the Windows 8 Pro version will offer 64gb or 128gb as well as USB 3 and additional digital ink support. Basically think “more horsepower = slightly bigger”. Both offer vapor-deposited magnesium cases and built-in kickstands. Whether or not fragmenting the platform is a sound strategy remains to be seen.

Comments

19 Jun 2012 ~ 12:53am CB Hmmm. I was considering an ASUS Transformer as a replacement for both my laptop and my tablet. Should I be considering this instead?
19 Jun 2012 ~ 1:02am MiracleManS Wait, are they getting rid of the tables that were called surface?
19 Jun 2012 ~ 1:19am PirateNinja I think they are unifying the Surface brand and leaving the tables as part of it for commercial usage.. but a part of it that doesn't yet have a place in this world's consumer mindset. Maybe this is Microsoft saying were sick of disloyal OEMs that don't go along with our vision, and we are out of time waiting on them.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 2:48am lmorchard @CB: FWIW, I have an ASUS Transformer TF101. Not the Prime. It's kind like a weird netbook that doesn't run most of the software I wish it did, or runs things with weird quirks.

I usually want to ditch the keyboard and just use it as a media reader for news & comics. Of course, the keyboard packs a battery that gives it like 16 hours uptime in constant use. But, it forces landscape rotation and has a weird trackpad that I always disable, because it triggers whenever you accidentally brush it while typing on the cramped keyboard.

Might just be me, but I've found Android much handier on my phone than on a tablet. Your mileage may vary, and the Prime may be much better.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 2:49am UPSHitman The cover/keyboard is a pretty cool feature.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 2:50am lmorchard I'm curious about that keyboard case for the Surface. Looks pretty, but gives me Atari 400 & Timex Sinclair flashbacks. Wondering what kind of key travel & tactile response it'll have.

It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised. Because after years of being a MSFT h8r, I'm really starting to get tired of where Apple is headed
19 Jun 2012 ~ 2:52am primesuspect The tactile keyboard looks far more compelling. Nice shout out to Atari 400 though. That was my first computer
19 Jun 2012 ~ 3:05am lmorchard Ah yeah, I read some more and the Type Cover seems Relevant to My Interests.

And yeah, the 400 was my first too. The keyboard on the Atari 800 vs the 400 has made me very critical of keyboard in general, ever since
19 Jun 2012 ~ 3:19am NiGHTS
Might just be me, but I've found Android much handier on my phone than on a tablet. Your mileage may vary, and the Prime may be much better.
You're not alone. I have ICS on my GNexus and on a hacked HP Touchpad. Since I got the GNex, I've hardly used the touchpad at all, and I find that the experience just becomes somewhat redundant on both devices for my use.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 3:43am Thrax I was very interested in the Windows 8 variant of the Transformer Prime Infinity, as detachables are an incredible form factor, but the shortlist has grown to two with the Surface Pro.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 4:14am Garg No price or date? No interest. I'm not going to wait around indefinitely to buy a tablet when there are proven options out there.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 4:47am Thrax It'd be silly for Microsoft not to launch it alongside Windows 8. By all accounts, that's October.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 3:47pm Kwitko I actually like where this is going. I'm guessing there's some seamless integration with the desktop version? Should be a very interesting 2013 in the tablet world.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 4:35pm MiracleManS From what I've read, It'll be the Windows RT version, then 90 days later the Windows 8 Pro version. So if that holds true from what @Thrax says, you're looking at December for the Pro.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 4:41pm AlexDeGruven IIRC, they said in the announcement that the RT version would ship at the same time as Win8 goes public (RTM will probably be August) with Pro to follow around the holidays.
19 Jun 2012 ~ 5:40pm PirateNinja By the way, with all the Metro docs and test hardware being thrown at developers for the past year I'd speculate the non-pro version runs 1366x768 @ 120 dpi. I hope I'm wrong.