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More on Microsoft Surface: The tablet features a 10.6" display, uses Corning's (GLW) Gorilla...

  • Monday, June 18, 2012, 7:39 PM ET
    More on Microsoft Surface: The tablet features a 10.6" display, uses Corning's (GLW) Gorilla Glass, and comes with Office built-in. Microsoft has also developed a cover that doubles as a keyboard with touchpad, thereby allowing Surface to shift into PC mode. One version will be sold with an ARM-based (ARMH) processor, while a somewhat thicker/heavier version will feature an Intel (INTC) Core i5 processor and support existing Windows apps. (live blog)
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This news story has 66 comments:

  •  
    Didn't Msft invent come out with a coffee table-sized Surface a few years back?

    Long before the IPhone and IPad ...
    18 Jun 2012, 07:44 PM Reply Like
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    Quite a few years back. I got to see the unveiling :-) It was at Siggraph, which happened to be in San Diego that year and I had free tickets to the exhibits. (Walked there from home, too :-)

    It was very cool. The engineers said it was all done using vision. There were several cameras positioned behind the screen to capture hand motions which were translated into visual gestures.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:24 PM Reply Like
  •  
    After looking at the specs, I think this is going to be the first serious competition for the Ipad. It will run anything windows can run, this is what I have been waiting for to buy a tablet. Java, flash, and a usb port.
    18 Jun 2012, 07:53 PM Reply Like
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    azreel,
    I've been waiting for this as well. plus the Lumia phone from the Nokia partnership. Both devises easily integrated with my PC. It's going to be like Christmas this Christmas.
    18 Jun 2012, 08:09 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I too have been waiting. I'm not convinced yet that I want to buy a Microsoft tablet, but I at least want to know all about it so I can finally make a decision on which tablet to buy. I bought my wife an iPad a short while ago, and it is indeed a slick little device. Still, certain limitations give me enough pause to wait and see what Microsoft has to offer, both in features and in price. We shall see.
    18 Jun 2012, 08:53 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Yes this looks awesome, was watching the live blog during the unveil on cnet, BUT, it might be too pricey for me. They said it will cost the same as an ultra-book, but that ranges from $699-1400, so thats a large range to speculate on. I am guessing at least $999 for the full windows version.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:14 AM Reply Like
  •  
    This is exactly what I have been waiting for. The only missing function is the phone feature unless camera feature is also missing. Hopefully Skype would provide the former.
    19 Jun 2012, 09:30 AM Reply Like
  •  
    if true and it lives up to expectations and specifications, then this could be a game changer . . .
    18 Jun 2012, 08:05 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Battery life? More importantly, price and release date?
    18 Jun 2012, 08:07 PM Reply Like
  •  
    you get ms surface tech, full usb, "vapor magnesium" casing, 10.6 inch full hd screen, keyboard and touchpad built into cover, camera, win 8, run all your usual win apps ... there goes the ipad market. anyone wanna buy a used ipad ? iphone next :)
    18 Jun 2012, 08:11 PM Reply Like
  •  
    the biggest potential 'gotcha' i worry about is whether Win8 lives up (or anywhere close) to the hype it's receiving. Micro$ track record here is not comforting . . . .
    19 Jun 2012, 01:43 PM Reply Like
  •  
    this is being written from win 8 release preview. i can tell you a few important things:

    1. it uses resources much more efficiently -- memory + cpu

    2. the tiles are actually neat ... no more static icons and tray icons -- this is what tiles get rid and i just need to glance at them to see what the app is up to without opening the app

    3. right click and select "All Apps" and you get access to all your usual windows favs -- control panel, notepad, cmd prompt, ... yep, it's the same ole windows you know

    i can tell you now that i will have zero problems upgrading from win 7 as far as usability (we know that existing apps will run, so this is not an issue).
    19 Jun 2012, 02:30 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Ictia, couldn't agree more about the performance of Windows 8. Fastest Windows yet!

    I am curious, though, how you've fared getting used to running some Metro apps and some desktop apps at once, and switching back and forth. I've found that to be the most unpleasant aspect of my experience with Windows 8, but I don't know how much of it is me still getting acclimated and how much is a genuine problem.
    19 Jun 2012, 02:36 PM Reply Like
  •  
    i have no problem switching. do you mean the act/steps to switch ? good ole alt-tab + win-tab works, or without kb hover on the corners to bring up the pull out menus. to me, they're all just the usual windows apps with some that provide a tile as well ... i think by the time win 8 is ready for release, there will be a lot of existing apps that will add a tile to replace ye ole icon and, of course, more to come afterwards as well ... eventually, the static icons will die off.
    19 Jun 2012, 02:52 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I would never use the left sidebar or win + tab, since that limits you to just Metro apps. It's nice that alt + tab includes both Metro and desktop apps, but I could really use a much bigger, more visual task switcher so I can quickly identify the choices rather than having to squint at the little boxes or press tab a dozen times trying to find the one I want.
    19 Jun 2012, 05:41 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I did not like Win8 on my PC, I reinstalled 7. It was not compatible with some of my games I play, and I did not like the fact it had to switch to a pseudo form of desktop just to run a web browser. It still needs a lot of work. It loads up in 10 seconds, maybe less, which is nice, but they should do away with the desktop altogether.
    19 Jun 2012, 06:22 PM Reply Like
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    On the browser side, IE works in Metro and if you go to the Chrome dev site, there is a Chrome Metro browser as well.
    19 Jun 2012, 07:45 PM Reply Like
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    I will wait for at least after the first service pack is realeased for 8 before purchasing.

    No anti-virus also scared me.
    19 Jun 2012, 07:50 PM Reply Like
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    Windows 8 has an antivirus built in.
    19 Jun 2012, 09:19 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Zune redux?
    18 Jun 2012, 08:13 PM Reply Like
  •  
    well, appl have had zero flops ... http://bit.ly/MjOIAb ... erm ... guess not. apple had their chance at wwdc last week to show us "something", possibly the ipad 4 or iphone 5, but ... zip. with *both* the ipad "3" and iphone 4s release ... they were nothing but rehashing the same product design. frankly, appl has run out of steam. this fall/holiday season ... msft handsets and tablets will be the beginning of the end for the "other two".
    18 Jun 2012, 08:46 PM Reply Like
  •  
    That's the problem, you have to understand the company to see the impact of their announcements. So it was with WWDC.
    So keep buying your HPQ, DELL and CSCO, oh yes and MSFT. Good luck with that.
    18 Jun 2012, 09:00 PM Reply Like
  •  
    @ictia I agree
    18 Jun 2012, 09:19 PM Reply Like
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    ictia, you're joking right? Why on earth would the new iPhone or new new (?) iPad be demonstrated at WWDC? And that rehashed iPhone 4S sold 4M in it's first weekend. That's 4M actual sales to actual customers. Not like Samsung's 9M S3 pre-orders to carriers.

    Consumers love Apple products. If and when they don't, I'm ready to drop AAPL like a rock. Until then, I'll keep riding it. It's the only way I can afford Apple's fancy toys anyways : )
    18 Jun 2012, 09:38 PM Reply Like
  •  
    @dab3z - why ? because the world no longer revolves around appl ? i.e. customers and investors must wait and trust what they've got while the competition is tossing goodies out ?

    that's exactly it. you're using the past "solely" as the basis for future success. the iphone has been a hit in the past several years ... so logic follows it will continue indefinitely ? yea, a lot of us have made money on appl, but another 800 lb gorilla just entered the ring and this one has a lot of leverage with consumers -- both business and personal.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:21 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Good luck to you. You know what my money is betting on.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:47 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Doesn't seem like you made a penny off aapl tbh.
    19 Jun 2012, 02:04 AM Reply Like
  •  
    No pennies. Just stacks.
    19 Jun 2012, 07:17 AM Reply Like
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    @dab3z - as i said, i've also made my share of $ on appl, but if all they all have to say is "people want appl products, end of story" ... well, that doesn't give me much confidence -- fyi - this is what nok/rimm used to say :) being the "only" player with the only thing good is the one thing they "had".

    good to luck to you as well ... keep your fingers crossed that people will continue to run after appl devices when the alternatives look pretty amazing -- looks-wise, price-wise, what-i-already-know-wise (windows). however, i already know people that have ditched iphone for high-end droids which sorts of defeat the argument that people will buy them "no matter what". anyway, let's see...
    19 Jun 2012, 11:14 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Great news, BRAVO !
    18 Jun 2012, 08:42 PM Reply Like
  •  
    this product looks very very very good
    18 Jun 2012, 08:48 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Add Nvidia (NVDA) to the list.

    http://vrge.co/PfmyXg

    Their Tegra ARM processor will be in the Windows Surface RT version.
    18 Jun 2012, 09:32 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Being able to run PC apps is huge. That's the only way MSFT can match the Apple ecosystem and it's number of apps. Add on new tablet apps developed for the Surface, leverage your X-box customers by using it it like Apple TV and stream from the tablet to your TV, tightly integrate it with PC networks, support more media formats than Apple does and this thing has a chance. If they can bring the Surface in for about $400-500 about the price of a cheap laptop, it has a really great chance.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:39 PM Reply Like
  •  
    No way its going to cost only $500...think $999 and up.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:17 AM Reply Like
  •  
    This product will give Apple serious run. I would expect future iPads to copy at least the keyboard and stand bits, perhaps not the USB. iPad is nice but a toy at the end of the day with perhaps some niche uses. It cannot replace the need for a pc, surface I think can easily substitute the need for a pc. Pricing is key, if msft subsidizes, apple is in for serious pain and so are android and playbook.
    18 Jun 2012, 11:00 PM Reply Like
  •  
    This is where you're confused. The iPad IS a toy. It's not meant to replace your PC. It's not priced that way either. It's a multimedia machine and no matter the power your tablet has, apple is betting it'll never be more than a movie watching Facebook machine.

    Id bet apple is right. I don't see anybody using the current android tablets for productivity suites so I don't see msft changing that anytime soon. I can't see how ms office will knock people's socks off.
    19 Jun 2012, 01:47 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Make that watching just some movies and videos.
    Apple does not have flash player, which is very annoying.
    This in itself makes the "Surface" appealing.
    19 Jun 2012, 08:32 AM Reply Like
  •  
    i suspect there is (or would be) serious pent-up demand for a true tablet that does real windows and can securely work within the standard professional networked environment. i know of several major corporations who have fooled around with ipads only to discard them as toys simply because there was 1) no reasonable way to secure data and 2) there was no convenient way to transfer data between the tablet and the desk/laptops on the corporate network.

    my bet would be that the first one who can shed these stupid independent 'apps' which are largely standard-less for serious applications which already run in the windows business environment will ultimately garner the largest share of the tablet market.
    19 Jun 2012, 01:47 PM Reply Like
  •  
    The Intel version is an abomination.
    18 Jun 2012, 11:11 PM Reply Like
  •  
    no way Apple incorporates a "kick-stand" into the iPad. This would go completely against their design aesthetic. It looks cheap and clunky.

    As for the keyboard flap. I don't think they will go this direction either. Lets see how people like typing on a hard piece of rubber with little to no travel. I don't think it will be a pleasurable experience.

    I commend Microsoft for finally admitting the key to competing with Apple is controlling the hardware and software. This is a good effort, I wish them luck.
    18 Jun 2012, 11:33 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Please look at the device before writing its obituary. There are two styles of keyboard available: the "Touch" style which is a multitouch surface, and the "Type" style which features real keys with travel.
    19 Jun 2012, 10:31 AM Reply Like
  •  
    The attachable keyboard doubles as the case cover, it also lights up when it's connected properly, they went into intense detail about the new type of alloy used for the shell and the 9 layers of some exotic blend of plastic and silica to get the keyboard down to like.9mm thick, the presentation was a nerds wet dream
    19 Jun 2012, 12:51 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Maybe, MSFT is targeting the iPad, but inadvertently, they might push their oem customers into the Android camp.

    They should have unite their oem customers such as HP, Dell, Samsung, Acer, Asus......etc. into one camp to battle iPad, instead, they will have to battle Android and iOS in both fronts now. I don't think this is a good idea.

    Maybe, MSFT is eying a bigger eco-system like the one Apple has. But, aren't they a few years behind?

    Anyway, I guess MSFT has enough money to do a little bit of experience as they please. However, personally, I think they should come out with the reference design and help their oem customer succeed, pretty much like what INTC is doing.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:05 AM Reply Like
  •  
    I saw the press release of the Acer version, its a clunky piece of junk. 11.6" with a gigantic dock contraption thing, I am waiting to see what other OEM manufacturers offer up, the MSFT version is the nicest I have seen, but it will cost as much as a high end laptop.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:18 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Hope the re-start button is easily accessible.
    19 Jun 2012, 01:22 AM Reply Like
  •  
    One did crash during the reveal in typical microsoft fashion :)
    19 Jun 2012, 02:18 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Oddly enough, my iPad did a mini crash when I posted my last comment!
    19 Jun 2012, 08:35 AM Reply Like
  •  
    "Oddly enough, my iPad did a mini crash when I posted my last comment!"

    You want to see crashes? Just wait until MSFT starts producing tablets.
    19 Jun 2012, 07:49 PM Reply Like
  •  
    MSFT is always playing catch up to Apple ... and they keep losing.
    19 Jun 2012, 11:58 AM Reply Like
  •  
    LOL....I guess you forgot about the early MAC vs the PC!
    19 Jun 2012, 12:17 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Really? You do know that MSFT and AAPL were created at the same time, and during the last 3 decades its taken AAPL to grab 6% of the PC market. AAPL is only the most valuable company, not the biggest, and they do it through enormous margins, and they only have 3 hits out of dozens over the years. AAPL has never invented anything we need, MSFT did. We use it at work, school and home.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:56 PM Reply Like
  •  
    As of 12:15 est Nasdaq up 1.18% MSFT up 3.43% AAPL up .38%, I guess there are a few investors who think this is a game changer.
    19 Jun 2012, 12:21 PM Reply Like
  •  
    axreal: You're joking right?
    19 Jun 2012, 02:17 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I'm joking because I've been watching AAPL shares sell hard every time the Nasdaq rally's today? Or because AAPL is under perfoming the Nasdaq today after Microsoft unveiled the new tablet contrary to AAPL outperforming yesterday beforehand? Or am I kidding that MSFT is up over 3%? Can you be more specific Skippy, what exactly did I say that wasn't a fact?
    19 Jun 2012, 03:14 PM Reply Like
  •  
    What I mean is are you joking that you're reading that much into 1 day's trading of Apple? How long have you been watching that stock, a week or two?
    Reading in 1 day's worth of MSFT is silly too considering it hasn't hardly moved in a decade.
    If you're a newbie in the market, forgive my brashness. Otherwise you need to take a broader look at trading activity before making investment decisions and comments.
    Good luck investing.
    19 Jun 2012, 03:30 PM Reply Like
  •  
    @skippy09 - depends on what kind of watching you're doing, but i get your drift. however, as shown by the recent nokia buyout rumor ... the stock jumped the next day. so, yes, critical events can make a stock turn within a day, but these are usually less frequent ... example, buyout/m&a rumor, new product/acquisition, etc.
    19 Jun 2012, 03:38 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I've been watching AAPL for two years, and the fact that in your own words "MSFT (hasn't hardly?) moved in a decade" exaggerates my point that the new tablet was well received by investors. If the stock moved 3% every day I wouldn't think much of it, but considering it doesn't I think it may mean something. Apple under performing isn't all that new, but as my writing this the Nasdaq is up 4 times what AAPL is today, maybe all of that means nothing, but I don't think noticing the performance difference between two tech stocks on an up day for the broad market is all that insignificant. Good luck to you.
    19 Jun 2012, 03:46 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Point taken az but after making your statement today you should know full well that tomorrow AAPL could be up 12 points (like yesterday btw) on its way back to a new 52 week high i.e, irrelevant to what MSFT does.
    I'd feel kind of silly after making such a broad claim about today's movement in AAPL based upon MSFT's announcement.

    See my point?
    19 Jun 2012, 04:23 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I agree ictia....but what many people just don't get about AAPL is that MSFT gets more and more irrelevant to the company every day. As long as analysts refuse to admit that they're going to keep looking like fools come earnings day and investors are going to keep missing the opportunity that is Apple.
    19 Jun 2012, 04:32 PM Reply Like
  •  
    well, there are too many "angles" to investing ... but the golden rule is (I think we all know) ... never ever get personal with your holdings. so, for all the ifans ... your positions should be based purely on what appl "will do", not what they have done ... the past, and that opportunity, is gone (same goes for msft). investing is entirely about the future. so, if you believe that none of these announcements or recent changes in the maket -- eg. lumia phones and so on, mean nothing, then you have your answer -- stay the course. of course, there are others that see potential in what you see as meaningless and will place their bets there. however, both sides should have "valid" reasons for their positions ... you should always be able to explain why you're picking a particular investment as opposed to just following the herd.
    19 Jun 2012, 04:51 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Believe it or not, it's possible that MSFT could soar and AAPL still retain its current growth trajectory. For all the "iPad killer" hype, this is really a very different device aimed at a very different demographic.
    19 Jun 2012, 05:43 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Well, I will agree that AAPL could be up 12 (or more) tomorrow, I am more interested in MSFT and the new tablet, simply because I want one that can run java and flash so I can run Etrade pro instead of the app. I like Office also, and I am more familiar with Windows. My fiancee has an Ipad and it is nice, but to me (only my opinion) it is a toy. I want Office and I like the usb port. As far as the stocks go, if AAPL goes up tomorrow I will be trading calls if I get an entry point, just like yesterday. To me the products and the stocks are Apples and oranges, pun intended :)
    19 Jun 2012, 09:23 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Will somebody PLEASE buy some GLW shares?
    19 Jun 2012, 01:22 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Do you mean someone besides you and Cramer?
    Sorry TT, couldn't resisit.
    19 Jun 2012, 04:27 PM Reply Like
  •  
    lol...now that is funny!
    19 Jun 2012, 09:05 PM Reply Like
  •  
    azreal, ictia, sean.p, TwistTie....nice talking to you and funning with you all....wishing you all good trading or long term investing whatever you do.
    til later
    19 Jun 2012, 10:03 PM Reply Like
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