Microsoft Surface REVIEW

   

   This week Microsoft through press conference held in Los Angeles, United States, Microsoft officially introduced the new tablet “Surface”. announced a new entry into the tablet market with Surface promising to be different. It has two variants one with windows RT and other one with its new windows 8 PRO, Microsoft Corp is taking up the competition with Apple Inc. and its iPad by borrowing a page from Apple's playbook. It is keeping both software and hardware development under the same roof With Surface

    Microsoft is clearly straddling the uncomfortable divide between the old world of mice and keyboards, where it dominates, and a future ruled by touch screens, where Apple and Android devices prevail. Although the Surface won't go on sale until this fall, I had the chance to spend a few minutes with some devices in a group demonstration after Microsoft unveiled them in Los Angeles on Monday. 

    Microsoft faces the challenge has a challenge of  selling the Windows 8 to PC makers who want to make tablets, while at the same time selling tablets directly to consumers. 

 

Accessories for Microsoft Surface Tablet

•  A 3 mm thick cover that features a full (albeit super-slim) keyboard, just like the Smart cover of iPad. I mean, it acts like a Cover-cum-Keyboard for this tab. The surface is smooth and rubbery, and the keys don’t compress while touching. Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard. It will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. Touch Cover clicks into Surface via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover. You can also click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.
•  Moreover, this cover doesn’t bend like iPad cover, b’cos it acts as a keyboard also. It comes in different colors and Microsoft has successfully given this Surface Tab a Bookish feeling.
• According to Microsoft, the buttons of the Surface keyboard are faster and quicker than onscreen keyboard of other tabs available in market.
•  VaporMg: The casing of Surface is created using a unique approach called VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), a combination of material selection and process to mold metal and deposit particles that creates a finish akin to a luxury watch. Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65 mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.
•  Integrated Kickstand: The unique VaporMg approach also enables a built-in kickstand that lets you transition Surface from active use to passive consumption – watching a movie or even using the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras. The kickstand is there when needed, and disappears when not in use, with no extra weight or thickness.
•  Touch Cover: The 3 mm Touch Cover represents a step forward in human-computer interface. Using a unique pressure-sensitive technology, Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard. It will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. Touch Cover clicks into Surface via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover. You can also click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

   Built quality: Built quality is good, as par with iPad. Microsoft has categorically told that Surface will be priced comparable with Tablets and Ultrabooks. 

 

Features for Surface Windows 8 Pro OS

• Windows 8 Pro OS
• 903 g weight
• 13.5 mm thin
• 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 16:9 aspect ratio included with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 technology
• Intel Core Ivy Bridge Processor
• 42 W-h battery energized
• well-connected with microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae
• Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block productive
• VaporMg Case & Stand, edges angled at 22 degrees
• 64 GB, 128 GB

Features of Surface for Windows RT

• Windows RT OS
• 676 g weight
• 9.3 mm thin
• 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 16:9 aspect ratio, included with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 technology
• ARM-based by NVIDIA Processor
• 31.5 W-h battery energized
• well-connected with microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae
• Office ‘15’ Apps, Touch Cover, Type Cover encompasses its productive attributes
• VaporMg Case & Stand, edges angled at 22 degrees
• 32 GB, 64 GB configuration

 

The approximate price for both the models will be :-

Microsoft Surface Window RT: US$ 500

Microsoft Surface Window 8 Pro: US$ 800

Apple is the clear leader in Tablet market, both from quality and price point of view. It seems like Microsoft Surface Tablet may not be able to eat Apple’s market share in short term, but in long term, might be!


   Computerworld - Microsoft's new Surface tablets may not match Apple's iPad on battery life, according to estimates made by Computerworld based on comparable devices.On Monday, when Microsoft unveiled its Surface tablet line-up, it revealed the watt-hour (Wh) capacity of the batteries, but made no claims about how long those batteries would keep each device running under various conditions.The omission was noticed by virtually every observer, blogger and analyst alike.



Availability: You have to wait till the Official launch of the OS Windows 8. Most probably by end of November or Early December 2012.

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