Microsoft has unveiled two 10.6-inch Windows tablets and accessories.
One model will run on Windows RT and will be released with the general availability of Windows 8. The other tablet will be available about 90 days after and feature Windows 8 Pro.
Update 2 (1 March, 2013):
Microsoft has announced that beginning late March the rollout of Surface will continue over the next few months.
Surface RT with Windows RT will reach Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan.
Surface Pro with Windows 8 Pro will hit Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Update 1 (18 July, 2012):
Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky has just announced at its annual sales meeting that customers will be able to get Windows 8 on 26 October, 2012. This will be available both as an upgrade or on a new PC.
Microsoft finally joins the fray by unveiling its 10.6-inch Surface tablets.
The Windows RT Surface tablet will run on an ARM processor, while the Windows 8 Pro version will have a third-generation Intel Core processor.
The Touch Cover and Type Cover double up as keyboards.
Each Surface tablet will have a full-sized USB port, a microSD slot, and a 16:9 aspect ratio; with edges angled at 22 degrees.
The casing of Surface is created using VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), where metal and deposit particles are molded to create a finish akin to luxury watches.
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.
The VaporMg materials and processes has enabled the thin and sleek design of the Surface tablets.
This also enables an extremely thin built-in kickstand to prop the tablet up when watching movies or video conferencing with the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras.
The integrated, built-in kickstand removes the need for a separate accessory.
I like the idea and design of this integrated kickstand.
To transform the tablet into a “notebook”, a 3 mm Touch Cover uses pressure-sensitive technology to sense keystrokes as gestures, allowing users to touch type significantly faster than on an on-screen keyboard.
The Touch Cover will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. It clicks into the Surface tablet via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and doubles up as a protective cover.
The Touch Cover and Type Cover comes in many vibrant colours.
Alternatively, users can click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.
Retail pricing will be announced closer to availability but is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC.
OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
Oh and if you’re interested in a 40-inch tablet, check out the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface. (I haven’t heard anyone else calling THAT a tablet yet).
The main technical specifications of the two Surface tablets are tabulated below.
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