Monday, June 18th 2012
Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows
Today at an event in Hollywood, Microsoft unveiled Surface: PCs built to be the ultimate stage for Windows. Company executives showed two Windows tablets and accessories that feature significant advances in industrial design and attention to detail. Surface is designed to seamlessly transition between consumption and creation, without compromise. It delivers the power of amazing software with Windows and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience.
Advances in Industrial Design
Conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees, and building on the company's 30-year history manufacturing hardware, Surface represents a unique vision for the seamless expression of entertainment and creativity. Extensive investment in industrial design and real user experience includes the following highlights:
Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. From the fast and fluid interface, to the ease of connecting you to the people, information and apps that users care about most, Surface will be a premium way to experience all that Windows has to offer. Surface for Windows RT will release with the general availability of Windows 8, and the Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores.
Contributing to an Expanded Ecosystem
One of the strengths of Windows is its extensive ecosystem of software and hardware partners, delivering selection and choice that makes a customer's Windows experience uniquely their own. This continues with Surface. Microsoft is delivering a unique contribution to an already strong and growing ecosystem of functional and stylish devices delivered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring the experience of Windows to consumers and businesses around the globe.
Conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees, and building on the company's 30-year history manufacturing hardware, Surface represents a unique vision for the seamless expression of entertainment and creativity. Extensive investment in industrial design and real user experience includes the following highlights:
- Software takes center stage: Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio - the industry standard for HD. It has edges angled at 22 degrees, a natural position for the PC at rest or in active use, letting the hardware fade into the background and the software stand out.
- 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.
Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. From the fast and fluid interface, to the ease of connecting you to the people, information and apps that users care about most, Surface will be a premium way to experience all that Windows has to offer. Surface for Windows RT will release with the general availability of Windows 8, and the Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores.
Contributing to an Expanded Ecosystem
One of the strengths of Windows is its extensive ecosystem of software and hardware partners, delivering selection and choice that makes a customer's Windows experience uniquely their own. This continues with Surface. Microsoft is delivering a unique contribution to an already strong and growing ecosystem of functional and stylish devices delivered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring the experience of Windows to consumers and businesses around the globe.
125 Comments on Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows
Furthermore, this is more of an extremely overpriced laptop than a tablet.
It's not a tablet, it's an overpriced laptop that Windows fanboys get a hard on about.
And it is a tablet that can be used to do work on like a laptop.
Ipads and other tablets are nothing but toys. The OS and programs and functionality of those tablets do not work to well when you want to get work done in a seamless fashion. While the Surface will have a PC OS on it that all corporations have on their desktops and such that will work the same way so they can get things done. The Surface is built to allow people to get things done, while other tablets are just toys. I know so many people who have Ipads and such and use them only to play games and mess around on. It might sounds bias but its the truth.Wait but you didn't show us that you could find that so called "better laptop." Because you won't be able to find a 3rd gen i5 proc with a 128gb SSD for under $1000
Also go use a touch screen laptop that can be put into tablet form and tell me that Metro UI is a PoS for it. Because honestly Metro UI yeah it sucks for desktops, but it is a great UI for tablets.
However, if prices are RT 250-350 and Pro 450-550 then I'm shorting Apple stock.
Now I wait to be called a fanboy.
That took all but 2 seconds. These are somewhat high prices too due to the thin product line.1099$ for a macbook air with better gpu, better processor, and same ssd.
That's besides the point were talking about windows products.
I think they have been updated to include Ivy Bridge processors (I think HD 4000 is only in Ivy Bridge):
www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html
Surface Pro has to be cheaper but the question is: how much?
FordGT was the one talking about the macbook air and I correct him on the price.
See you don't get it. This is a WORK TABLET. Reps want tablets now. Not laptops.
I just today spoke to a multi-billion company(oil and gas) about remote deployment, and guess what software they want to run, and guess what hardware?
And guess what type of interface they wanted? TOUCHSCREEN.
No laptop has touchscreen. Because then it is a tablet. You keep coming up with failed alternatives to surface, because none of them are TOUCHSCREEN.
Why touchscreen? EASE OF USE.
Companies want to limit the functionality, to limit error, but at the same time, offer a wide variety of functionality that isn't limited by processing power. The Surface was designed with those characteristics in mind.
Yes, many companies, including healthcare, want tablets. TOUCHSCREEN TABLETs. And yes, many of them, right now, are using iPads. The number one complaint? LACK OF HORSEPOWER.
So, find a TOUCHSREEN LAPTOP for less than the Surface, as Mailman said, with similar specs, not alternatives that don't offer the same functionality.
It is a good alternative to Windows7 for power users? NOPE. I never made that claim, but Windows 8 does have a very specific purpose in the market, and Surface very neatly targets part of the ecosystem that Windows 8 is all about.
2. The fact you keep bringing up laptops vs tablets shows me you are out of the loop. Most reps in the field are in sales. This is why they are IN THE FIELD. They don't need or want a laptop. They do very light data entry for PO's and such and need to be SEAMLESSLY connected to a corporate infrastructure. They also need to present well. This is something ALL tablets do leaps and bounds better then any laptop. If is was about being "cheap" Levono would have been out of business years ago.