Microsoft Surface and competitors' Windows tablets

[haven]

Today, Microsoft announced a new computing family called Surface. The Surface products combine state of the art hardware and advanced design with Microsoft Windows 8 software. Two products were introduced: Surface for Windows RT, and Surface for Windows 8 Pro. Also announced are a pair of innovative screen covers that contain keyboard and touchpad.

Some information can be found in this press release
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/...8announce.aspx

Here's my summary

Surface for Windows RT
-----------------------------
branded as Microsoft hardware (not HP, not Lenovo, etc)
ARM processor by nVidia (probably Tegra 3)
1 GB? RAM, 32 or 64 GB flash storage memory
10.6 inch display, resolution unspecified (guess: 1280x800)
HDMI, microSD and full size USB 2.0 ports
magnesium case
31 watt hour battery
9.3mm thick, 676 g / 1.5 lb
includes kickstand for desktop use

software bundle includes Microsoft Office Home and Student for Windows RT

ship date to coincide with Microsoft Windows 8 RT release
price to be "competitive" with Android and iPad



Surface for Windows 8 Pro
-----------------------------
branded as Microsoft product (not HP, Lenovo, etc)
Intel processor (unspecified, I'm guessing Core i5)
2 GB?? 4GB?? RAM, 64GB or 128GB flash storage
10.6 inch display, 1920x1080 (full HD) resolution
USB 3.0, DisplayPort video, microSDXC card slots
42 watt hour battery
13.5 mm thick, 903 g / 2 lb

optional digitizing pen for input, includes palm rejection software
pen (and the screen it requires) is not available for the Surface RT

ship date to follow introduction of Windows 8 by a few months
price not announced, but will be competitive with Ultrabook models
Microsoft Office in not bundled with this Surface model



Covers for Surface devices
----------------------------

"Touch Cover"
3 mm thick
keyboard and touchpad that responds to touch
keys don't have physical movement, like an onscreen keyboard


"Type Cover"
5 mm thick
has keys that move slightly when touched


no prices or ship dates were announced

[haven]

Random thoughts:

"Competitive" pricing will mean maybe $800 for the Windows RT model (top of the line iPad price), $1500 for the Windows Pro model (top of the line ultrabook price).

While the first Surface products are 10 inch tablets, there's no reason why Microsoft couldn't introduce Surface-branded all-in-one computers (think iMac), Surface computers built into tabletops, and so one.

It's possible a smaller tablet could be in the works, too. The limiting factor may be the space available for a battery. Surface for Windows RT is more efficient with power use, hence its smaller battery.

The digitizing pen for the Surface Windows 8 model will please graphic artists. This machine can run real Photoshop! (But of course so can MacBook Air.)

The Microsoft press release (link above) mentions OEMs, which I take to mean that Microsoft is counting on manufacturers like HP, Lenovo, Dell and others to develop their own products using the Surface software and hardware designs. How much the OEMs will like the idea of competing directly with Microsoft is another matter.

No mention was made of wireless communication options beyond WiFi. So one way that OEMs could differentiate their products would be through 3G and 4G options. Surface designs made for use with wireless data providers would likely include a GPS chip for location and navigation.

[haven]

A couple of Microsoft press photos

The Metro interface for Windows. The keyboard is available in a range of colors. I saw white, black, orange, magenta and a medium blue.


From the side

[nwoods]

The preview video is really pretty darn cool. Must watch full screen, with volume up!

http://youtu.be/dpzu3HM2CIo

[HillbillyfromAL]

Wow even in the commercial the tablet still took awhile to load or at least turn on it seems to have some really good hardware options, I just hope for MS sake their is an on screen keyboard so your stuck using that attachment. I did only watch the one video though. I guess showing up late to the party is better than not at all If the low end is $800 they've already shot themselves in the foot though. It'll be really hard to get people interested at $400 above an iPad

[reece146]

Oh, this looks pretty cool, but wait, what's this? No shipping dates?

More vapourware from the mind of Balmer?

Dear MS, these presentations are only useful when attached to products about to ship.

[Honu]

you think MS would have learned this design factor failed some ten years ago with the removable keyboard etc..

187063-01_ms-tablet-intro_slide.jpg

573px-Tablet.jpg

and a bit late to that design !

http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_...sformer_TF101/

[reece146]

To be fair, what MS has shown is much more elegant / designed than the Transformer. I'm primarily an Apple guy (crusty old UNIX admin that gave up on Linux for home use ~2002) but I really want to see MS succeed just for the joy of seeing good design and alternate takes on problems.

What I think we need to know is when will this device ship, how well integrated is the hardware with the software, what is the battery life?

If the software and hardware integration is as clunky as their previous efforts shown above they will be laughed out of the room.

If the battery doesn't last at least last 6-8 hours under light usage (email, text usage, non Java/flash browsing) there will be real complaints from users.

If this doesn't ship in 3-6 months it will be mostly forgotten like past MS efforts.

What they've done is merge the iPad with the Air but made it run Windows.

I think it is pretty cool.

I wish them luck.

[reece146]

The other issue with the presentation is that it lacks focus given they previewed an ARM and an Intel version.

They want to play both ends of the same stick. That's Balmer to a tee it would seem - lack of critical decision making.

They should have focused on ARM only for this device. What they've done is create confusion in the buying populace. "Which is better? Which should I buy?" ARM is out there and has been accepted by the buying public. It is the right tool for the job currently.

What they should have done is focus ONLY on the ARM/RT device.

Yes, Intel is getting more efficient, smaller, suitable for embedded devices but it isn't there yet. If this was a real product and had a few years of sales under its keel and Intel caught up that would be the time to make a full switch to Intel (much like Apple did with PPC to Intel). If the product is good enough to generate loyalty the users will follow. You can be certain that if the time comes that ARM trails Intel signifigantly Apple will dump and switch without issue.

2¢

[haven]

Now that we've had overnight to think about the announcements Microsoft made, the thing that stands out is how little concrete information is available about the product. Major questions include price and ship date. Technical details like battery life, processor speed, RAM amount, graphics coprocessor, and screen resolution on the Windows RT model are missing. It seems that the purpose of Microsoft's announcement is to sew uncertainty and doubt into the minds of consumers while we wait another three or four months for the release of Windows 8.

Surface is Microsoft's tablet for Windows 8. Other companies have plans for their own Windows 8 tablets, including these announced at the recent Computex conference:

Tablets without keyboards
Lenovo Thinkpad -- Clover Trail processor, 10.1 inch 1366x768
Acer W700 -- 1920x1080 display, innovative dock/stand

Tablets with keyboard dock (also called hybrid or convertible tablet)
Toshiba
Asus Eee Pad Transformer Book
Asus Tablet 810
Samsung
Acer Iconia W510

Tablets with keyboard sliders
MSI S20
Acer
Toshiba

Of these, the Acer W700 and Asus Transformer Book look like the best challengers to Surface for Windows 8.

Samsung already ships a device that is quite similar to the Surface for Windows 8 tablet. It's called the Series 7 slate, or XE700. Starting at $1200, the XE700 offers a touchscreen tablet that runs Windows 7, is usable with a digitizing pen, and ships with a keyboard and stand for desktop use. The XE700 weighs the same 2 lb, and has an 11 inch display. Here's a quick look
http://liliputing.com/2011/12/samsun...irst-look.html

So I expect Samsung to be another strong competitor in the Windows 8 tablet race.

Microsoft's announcement will have all these manufacturers taking a close look at their products under development.

The notion that Microsoft will wait three months after the release of Windows 8 before shipping the Surface for Windows 8 tablet must give manufacturers pause. Is Intel developing a better processor that won't be ready until early 2013? Is Microsoft planning Windows 8.1 that adds support for new features? Or is this delay a concession to the OEMs, giving them a head start in selling their own Windows 8 devices? Ready or not, here I come!