The Surface appears to be a cross between a tablet and a PC, and Microsoft's challenge now will be to educate the market as to why different is also better.
Microsoft Corp put its Surface
tablet center stage at its Windows 8 launch event, hoping the sleek new
device will spark a fightback against Apple Inc and Google Inc in the
exploding mobile computing market.
With interest in traditional
computers waning, the world's largest software company is attempting to
reinvent the Windows PC in a new format and directly challenge Apple's
all-conquering iPad.
The
Surface is much taller than the iPad since Microsoft used a 10.6-inch
screen to accommodate a wider keyboard and to provide more horizontal
space for the software.
The Surface appears to be a cross between a tablet and a PC, and Microsoft's challenge now will be to educate the market as to why different is also better.
The device is equipped with kickstand that pops out of the Surface back that props it like a tablet and a cover that, when opened, acts as a keypad to switch into desktop mode.
It's twice the amount of storage
as a competing tablet for the same price," head of Microsoft's Windows
unit, Sinofsky said, comparing the entry level 32 GB Surface with the
cheapest 16 GB model of Apple's latest full-sized iPad, which both cost
$499.
A variety of Surface accessories are also available for purchase, including Touch Covers in five vibrant colors — black, white, magenta, cyan and red.
Panos Panay, head of the Surface
project, demonstrated the tablet's features, beaming video and music to
other screens, showing off the ultra-thin cover that doubles as a
keyboard, and hooking up a camera to the device's USB port. He even
dropped the device on the floor to demonstrate its durability.