Forget everything you know about Microsoft Surface as it is no longer an expensive coffee table with a touch screen that you could have expected to see in hotel lobbies. Microsoft Surface is now a 10.6” consumer tablet – much like the iPad – and it runs on Windows 8.
The details are too thin to compare this Windows 8 tablet with the iPads and the Galaxy Tabs but few things stand out.
Unique features
The Surface tablet runs on Windows 8 and hence you should be able to use any of your existing software on the tablet.
The included USB port will help you connect devices – like the external hard drives, USB microphones, digital cameras, or USB modems – without requiring “special” accessories. The touch cover (image) doubles as a keyboard with a built-in track pad.
Pen Input for Handwriting
The tablet editions of previous versions of Windows had excellent handwriting recognition capabilities. The Surface Tablet ships with a pen and features “palm block” meaning when the pen tip is touching the screen, it would ignore the touch of the palm and the fingers. Surface could turn out to be a great writing device albeit less heavy.
Availability
Microsoft says that Surface would be made available around the same time as Windows 8 so the release date is likely to be October or November this year. The units will initially be sold only in the Microsoft Stores in U.S. and there’s no word on pricing yet.
The Microsoft Hardware unit has so far limited itself to designing keyboards, mice, and other computer accessories but this is probably the first time that they have designed a consumer computer tablet in-house. The build quality of existing Microsoft hardware is top-notch and if these press photos are any indication, the new “Post PC” device should be no different.
The details are too thin to compare this Windows 8 tablet with the iPads and the Galaxy Tabs but few things stand out.
Unique features
The included USB port will help you connect devices – like the external hard drives, USB microphones, digital cameras, or USB modems – without requiring “special” accessories. The touch cover (image) doubles as a keyboard with a built-in track pad.
Pen Input for Handwriting
The tablet editions of previous versions of Windows had excellent handwriting recognition capabilities. The Surface Tablet ships with a pen and features “palm block” meaning when the pen tip is touching the screen, it would ignore the touch of the palm and the fingers. Surface could turn out to be a great writing device albeit less heavy.
Availability
Microsoft says that Surface would be made available around the same time as Windows 8 so the release date is likely to be October or November this year. The units will initially be sold only in the Microsoft Stores in U.S. and there’s no word on pricing yet.
So how much will Microsoft Surface cost?
The new Microsoft Surface tablets will ship around the same time as Windows 8 but how much will Surface cost?
How much will Surface cost?
Microsoft says that the new Windows 8 tablets will ship around the same time as Windows 8 but the big question in everyone’s mind is how much will this device cost?
Steve Sinofsky made the following remark (around the 43:30 mark) on pricing:
Speaking of Ultrabook PCs, Dell XPS 13 and HP Envy Spectre XT, both 13″ Ultrabooks, start at $1000 while the Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook is currently available for $800. The 13″ Toshiba Portege Ultrabook is priced at $900.
These prices could obviously change in the coming months but it looks like the Surface Pro tablets could also be in the same $900-$1000 range.
Steve Sinofsky made the following remark (around the 43:30 mark) on pricing:
Microsoft Surface with Windows RT will be available in both 32 GB and 64 GB model and will be priced like comparable tablets that are based on ARM.It looks like Microsoft will showcase the Windows RT based Surface tablet as an alternative to the iPad (the “comparable tablet”) while the Surface Pro running Windows 8 could be seen as a replacement for high-end laptops (or the “comparable Ultrabooks”).
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Professional will come in 64 GB and 128 GB storage models and will have a retail price comparable with competitive Ultrabook class PCs.
Ultrabooks and Tablets – The Current Scene
The iPad costs $500 for the 16 GB version while the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the ASUS Transformer, both 10.1″ Android tablets, are priced at around $400 each. Surface will probably target this segment and could carry a similar price tag.Speaking of Ultrabook PCs, Dell XPS 13 and HP Envy Spectre XT, both 13″ Ultrabooks, start at $1000 while the Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook is currently available for $800. The 13″ Toshiba Portege Ultrabook is priced at $900.
These prices could obviously change in the coming months but it looks like the Surface Pro tablets could also be in the same $900-$1000 range.
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