Microsoft Announces 'Surface' Tablet

MrSeb was one of several submitters to write in about Microsoft's foray into the tablet hardware market. From the article: "At its much-discussed 'big unveil' this evening, Microsoft did indeed launch a tablet — but rumors that the device would showcase a Barnes & Noble partnership were misplaced. Instead, Microsoft showed a ... device that integrates a better keyboard option than typing on the screen without adding size or weight. That's where the new keyboard — which doubles as a screen cover — kicks in. At 3mm thick, it adds virtually nothing to the device's size, but it opens up a world of inputs. There are two covers available — the Touch Cover (very thin) and the Type Cover (with proper, tactile keys). Microsoft is touting the device's magnesium body, vapor-deposited construction, full PC functionality, and additional features like being the first tablet to showcase a 2×2 MIMO wireless antenna. Windows RT (ARM) and x86 versions are both in the works, with the x86 version apparently having a higher quality screen. No word on hardware specs yet; Microsoft is claiming it 'rivals the best ultrabooks' and uses less power than the Core i5." Microsoft has a launch site with a few pictures. There is a vague spec sheet: the x86 version is slightly thicker and has a larger battery (and comes with a pen) than the ARM tablet, but that's about all it reveals. Update: 06/19 16:06 GMT by T : Nick Kolakowski at GeekNet's SlashCloud says this may be Microsoft's best chance to compete in a cloud-centric mobile computing world.

Comments

Re:Wait, Surface?

[squiggleslash]

I'm guessing they've looked over at Google, and noticed the only really, really, good Android devices are those with Google's name on it (or, more specifically, the word "Nexus".) Even Google's decision to be careful about who it gave Honeycomb to didn't result in an actual useful tablet coming out.

I think Microsoft wants an official Windows tablet, one that says "This is our vision of how this stuff is supposed to work", rather than see dozens of Galaxy Tab clones with Android swapped out with RT introduced.

Let's face it, tablets suck. Really suck. I have two of the things, a Kindle Fire, which is a nice games console, and a generic 10" Honeycomb thing, and the latter only started to actually become useful (and even that's a stretch) once I found a case with a built in keyboard. The concept of a general purpose computer sans keyboard is utterly stupid.

And this is Microsoft's attempt to rectify that. Put something out that's not another 10" slate. Give it a secondary touch surface that's tactile enough to be used as a real keyboard.

If they can get Windows RT to be decent (and I think the biggest problem right now with Windows RT is the name - seriously, "Windows", coupled with a failed IBM RISC PC from the 1980s?), they might be the first out there with a useful 10" tablet.

Those of us in the FOSS communities might want to ponder whether we actually want to give the "serious tablet" market to Microsoft, and the "Toy tablet" market to Apple.

Re:Zune or Xbox?

[Blakey Rat]

At the end of the day,

I've never met anybody who says "at the end of the day" and isn't a total douche. You should have put that in your original post and I wouldn't have bothered replying.