In in a press event in Los Angeles on Monday, Microsoft unveiled its take on Windows 8/RT tablets called Surface. When it arrives this fall, it will be the company’s latest stab at hardware manufacturing, which to date has included the Xbox, a line of PC peripherals and the ill-fated Zune. Today’s announcement also signals […]
In in a press event in Los Angeles on Monday, Microsoft unveiled its take on Windows 8/RT tablets called Surface. When it arrives this fall, it will be the company’s latest stab at hardware manufacturing, which to date has included the Xbox, a line of PC peripherals and the ill-fated Zune.
Today’s announcement also signals that Microsoft isn’t too concerned about upsetting OEMs that are planning Windows tablets. In fact, the company paints the Surface as its “unique contribution” to ecosystem, with devices from other manufacturers sure to follow.
If Surface sounds familiar, it should. Surface was once the name of the company’s touch-enabled, big screen systems for commercial settings like retail kiosks. Now the technology is called PixelSense.
With Windows 8 just a few months away, Microsoft is thinking on a smaller, tablet-sized scale for the Surface brand.
Two versions of the tablet were shown off at the event, Surface and Surface for Windows 8 Pro. Surface runs Windows RT for ARM processors while Surface for Windows 8 Pro will be powered by Intel processors. Both sport a magnesium enclosure, an integrated kickstand, front and rear webcams and a Gorilla Glass fronted 10.6-inch screen with a 16:9 ratio.
Surface for ARM is 9.3 millimeters or 0.36 inches thick — just shy of the current iPad’s 0.37 inches — and weighs 676 grams or 1.49 pounds. Onboard storage options boil down to 16 GB and 32 GB, although the device does support microSD expansion and USB 2.0.
As previously reported, Windows RT tablets will ship with Office 15 apps. Microsoft expects to launch the tablet alongside the Windows 8 operating system at Microsoft Stores, at “competitive” prices.
The Intel-flavored Surface, which won’t arrive at retail until roughly 90 days after the Windows 8 launch, is slightly thicker, at 13.5 millimeters or 0.53 inches. It’s heavier too, tipping the scales at nearly 2 pounds. Both 64 GB and a 128 GB models are planned with microSDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) expansion support and USB 3.0 connectivity.
One of the most surprising aspects of the device is its display cover. Similar to iPad’s smart cover at first glance — down to an Apple-like assortment of colors — the 3-millimeter thick Touch Cover for Surface folds open to reveal a multi-touch keyboard with an integrated trackpad.
Touch Cover clips to the side of the device with a magnetic connector and closes shut like a book cover to protect the display. For users that want the feel of moving keys, a 5-mm Touch Cover with mechanical keys and trackpad will also be available.
Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.
Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: Driving Greater Equality
FEATURE | By James Maguire,
December 16, 2020
AI vs. Machine Learning vs. Deep Learning
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
December 11, 2020
Huawei’s AI Update: Things Are Moving Faster Than We Think
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
December 04, 2020
Keeping Machine Learning Algorithms Honest in the ‘Ethics-First’ Era
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 18, 2020
Key Trends in Chatbots and RPA
FEATURE | By Guest Author,
November 10, 2020
FEATURE | By Samuel Greengard,
November 05, 2020
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 02, 2020
How Intel’s Work With Autonomous Cars Could Redefine General Purpose AI
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 29, 2020
Dell Technologies World: Weaving Together Human And Machine Interaction For AI And Robotics
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 23, 2020
The Super Moderator, or How IBM Project Debater Could Save Social Media
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
October 16, 2020
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
October 07, 2020
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
October 05, 2020
CIOs Discuss the Promise of AI and Data Science
FEATURE | By Guest Author,
September 25, 2020
Microsoft Is Building An AI Product That Could Predict The Future
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 25, 2020
Top 10 Machine Learning Companies 2021
FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
September 22, 2020
NVIDIA and ARM: Massively Changing The AI Landscape
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
September 18, 2020
Continuous Intelligence: Expert Discussion [Video and Podcast]
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 14, 2020
Artificial Intelligence: Governance and Ethics [Video]
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 13, 2020
IBM Watson At The US Open: Showcasing The Power Of A Mature Enterprise-Class AI
FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 11, 2020
Artificial Intelligence: Perception vs. Reality
FEATURE | By James Maguire,
September 09, 2020
Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to Datamation, eWEEK, and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.
Datamation is the leading industry resource for B2B data professionals and technology buyers. Datamation's focus is on providing insight into the latest trends and innovation in AI, data security, big data, and more, along with in-depth product recommendations and comparisons. More than 1.7M users gain insight and guidance from Datamation every year.
Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved
Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.
