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Microsoft Announces New Windows 8 Tablet PC: Surface

Post by Dan @ 09:38am 19/06/12 | 55 Comments

As had been heavily rumoured, Microsoft has today revealed a new entry into the hardware space, announcing Surface - the name originally used by their expensive touch-screen table now re-appropriated by a new pair of iPad and android tablet competitors designed around the upcoming Windows 8 OS.

Surface will come in two launch models, a 903g 13.5mm thick version that runs Windows 8 Pro and a 676g 9.33 thick version that runs the scaled down Windows RT for ARM processors.

Both models feature a 10.6" screen, and a nifty looking kickstand with an optional case attachment that doubles as a multi-touch keyboard. Check out the feature video below and hit up Microsoft's official site for the full spec sheet.

Pricing and availability was not confirmed, only that the cost would be "priced to compete" with other similar spec'd tablets and will obviously not launch until Windows 8 is available (which is currently expected to release to manufacturers in July).

microsoft windows 8 surface tablet

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simul
Posted 09:47am 19/6/12

YAY, finally apple has some competition, will kick their ass into gear.

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Eorl
Posted 12:15pm 19/6/12

Looks great, hopefully it doesn't cost any more than $800 and I'll be keen to grab one with my new Lumia 900. I like the two different versions, though I feel like the Pro might be the one I'd grab if it offers a larger variety of specifications and design.

The cover keyboard is awesome, very interesting idea that incorporates what my Asus Transformer Prime has which is tablet with a keyboard, gives the user more feedback and flexibility.

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tspec
Posted 11:15am 19/6/12

Looks nice, it'll be ace if someone makes a dock for it, would make a good work desktop replacement potentially.

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Dazhel
Posted 11:19am 19/6/12

Looks great, hopefully it doesn't cost any more then $800

I hope it doesn't cost any more than $400-$500 otherwise Apple will just laugh at how overpriced it is.

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Raven
Posted 11:27am 19/6/12

Come on, you have to allow at least $320 for Windows...

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Eorl
Posted 12:16pm 19/6/12

I hope it doesn't cost any more than $400-$500 otherwise Apple will just laugh at how overpriced it is.

The cheapest iPad 2 is $539 with Wi-Fi and 16GB, so hopefully the price tag isn't anything higher than that or they will indeed laugh.

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Bikkies
Posted 11:52am 19/6/12

So will it run flash then?

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tspec
Posted 11:54am 19/6/12

Yeah, Microsoft did strip flash out of Metro IE10 but I read somewhere recently they've somewhat backflicked opening it up to at least some major sites that only use flash like Disney.

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Vash
Posted 11:58am 19/6/12

Even if this is 10x better than the Ipad, it probably wont sell better because it isn't an Apple. I hate fanboyism :(

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deadlyf
Posted 12:09pm 19/6/12

I'm not sure it's really even worth comparing a toy like the iPad with something that has a real OS on it.

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Rhys84au
Posted 12:25pm 19/6/12

@deadlyf real OS is in the eye of the beholder. for many iOS will do everything they ever need. do your grand parents need to be able to go and tinker with everything? or do they simply need a web browser and email client.

fingers crossed for the ~500 mark. was going to buy a new ipad next month but will be keen to see pricing on this.

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Eorl
Posted 12:29pm 19/6/12

@deadlyf real OS is in the eye of the beholder. for many iOS will do everything they ever need. do your grand parents need to be able to go and tinker with everything? or do they simply need a web browser and email client. fingers crossed for the ~500 mark. was going to buy a new ipad next month but will be keen to see pricing on this.

That is why there are two version, the RT model which will be a slimmed down version of Windows 8 Metro, and the Professional version which offers the full Windows 8 OS at 32-bit and a Ivy Bridge i5 CPU.

CNet has a review of the specifications, including storage options and ports.

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deadlyf
Posted 12:36pm 19/6/12

@deadlyf real OS is in the eye of the beholder.

No it's not.

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glynd
Posted 12:37pm 19/6/12

my guess is the RT will be 500-800 and the Pro will be in the 1000s. This will be the upgrade from my Xoom.

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TufNuT
Posted 12:51pm 19/6/12

yeah i think i will get the win8 pro model as an upgrade to my transformer

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tspec
Posted 01:21pm 19/6/12

Oh, and Microsoft allow you wirelessly mirror the surface screen with an xbox (think airplay), that will be epic.

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Caveboy
Posted 01:43pm 19/6/12

USB and youporn.

Microsoft wins

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parabol
Posted 06:49pm 20/6/12

Looking good.

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DM
Posted 07:41pm 20/6/12

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copuis
Posted 07:44pm 20/6/12

bill had too much hair to launch a tablet, and the market knew this

after all (as someone said to me today, and cracked me up) "this will fail, I mean microsoft dont do hardware" (he was corrected)

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mooby
Posted 08:25pm 20/6/12

porting my winphone 7 app to this as we speak.

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Whoop
Posted 12:25am 21/6/12

Yeah, Microsoft did strip flash out of Metro IE10 but I read somewhere recently they've somewhat backflicked opening it up to at least some major sites that only use flash like Disney.

Every OS on the planet should remove flash support if only to punish those with the nerve to make their entire website out of it. Holy hell do I hate flash only websites.

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Nerfy
Posted 01:25am 21/6/12

Have we entered the apple-like fashion era where instead of actually explaining what the hell it does and what its specs are, we get a music video showing how stylish it looks?

/rage at useless video

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Tollaz0r!
Posted 07:42am 21/6/12

Part of what makes the Apple iPad/iPhone succesful is the clearly superior app store. As an Android user I cry myself to sleep at the precipice of the divide between Apple App store and Android slop store. I wish it wasn't so. I really do.

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3dee
Posted 08:39am 21/6/12

Technically Apple does show what they do and doesn't talk about specs because it shouldn't matter to most people.

Specs != User Experience.

I'm pretty curious about Windows 8 tablets.

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Eorl
Posted 08:45am 21/6/12

Part of what makes the Apple iPad/iPhone succesful is the clearly superior app store. As an Android user I cry myself to sleep at the precipice of the divide between Apple App store and Android slop store. I wish it wasn't so. I really do.

I've just bought a Lumia 900 and the app store for Windows is quite heavy, however not as big compared to Android or Apple. Though I'm presuming more will come when Windows 8 tablets and phones start appearing later this year/next year.

A lot of people are just so used to Apple and how it offers a simple experience that they will ultimately compare it to the iPad. While many of us here know otherwise, the vast majority don't know differences, and just go for style or because they think the iPad can do all they want. Microsoft have always launched with a piece of hardware, so hopefully this will be a well polished tablet that offers a huge variety of choice that the Windows OS has been known to do for years.

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3dee
Posted 08:48am 21/6/12

Microsoft has Apple and Android's few years of tablet design and development to work off as well. I hope they succeed, but it'll be tough. I know barely anyone who has a Windows Phone, myself, and most people either have Androids, iPhones or some "normal" flip phone or something.

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ctd
Posted 09:09am 21/6/12

The one with the proper OS sounds like something I would actually make use of. Hope it isn't shit.

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TufNuT
Posted 01:06pm 21/6/12

The windows 8 pro tablet will not need an app store, due tot he fact that its a full blown windows OS. for me thats the selling point.

I don't know much about the windows RT, but seeing as its running on ARM I guess a solid market place is important

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Khel
Posted 01:33pm 21/6/12

The windows 8 pro tablet will not need an app store, due tot he fact that its a full blown windows OS

You'll still need stuff to run on it that is designed to work with a touch screen interface though, just because it has a PC in its guts and a full version of Windows and can run anything, the majority of stuff isn't going to be particularly useable or friendly to that style of interface. So a store/marketplace type of deal where you can download stuff that is made to work specifically for those tablets is still a sensible idea.

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Eorl
Posted 01:43pm 21/6/12

You'll still need stuff to run on it that is designed to work with a touch screen interface though, just because it has a PC in its guts and a full version of Windows and can run anything, the majority of stuff isn't going to be particularly useable or friendly to that style of interface. So a store/marketplace type of deal where you can download stuff that is made to work specifically for those tablets is still a sensible idea.

Welll technically it comes with a keyboard so full blown touch support isn't needed for games etc, however I do understand that applications will at least need to support a tablet design, either via touch input or just how it runs.

I'm presuming the RT version will just have the App store similar to current Windows phones.

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Khel
Posted 01:56pm 21/6/12

Yeah, theres no mouse though, so immediately anything that requires mousing over things wont work (so menus, tooltips, etc). And a lot of buttons on Windows programs are made with a mouse in mind, not a finger, so thats going to get awkward. I wouldn't want to be trying to press little toolbar buttons with a finger.

I don't see the point in buying a tablet then using it like a PC anyway though, if thats your goal, buy a laptop.

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Eorl
Posted 02:05pm 21/6/12

There is a mouse however, the keyboards have a trackpad. I think with general tablet use people won't use the keyboard dock, so the OS will have to be touch friendly, meaning precise feedback when I go to touch something.

I think there are many people out there that would rather a tablet and use it like a PC, then getting a laptop. I specifically bought my Transformer Prime to use as a laptop, and it works perfectly. Sure it can't play Crysis, but I have my main desktop for that.

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icewyrm
Posted 02:07pm 21/6/12

Hrm, I thought that little square on the bottom was a trackpad thing. What is it then?
Edit: beaten by eorl

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greazy
Posted 02:07pm 21/6/12

Part of what makes the Apple iPad/iPhone succesful is the clearly superior app store. As an Android user I cry myself to sleep at the precipice of the divide between Apple App store and Android slop store. I wish it wasn't so. I really do.

Hardly ever experienced this. Every app that I have wanted is on both systems. For a while the Applre store was shitting all over the andriod store but not any more.

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Khel
Posted 02:10pm 21/6/12

Oh, thats pretty cool then, I didn't realise there was a trackpad built into it too.

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Opec
Posted 02:12pm 21/6/12

Technically Apple does show what they do and doesn't talk about specs because it shouldn't matter to most people.

Specs != User Experience.

I'm pretty curious about Windows 8 tablets.

Sadly I agreed with this statement. This is why MS and the PC (non-Apple) industries with all its billions, market share and smart people could not get it right until Apple showed them how to do it right. And we have them to thank for it, props to Steve Jobs and Apple for pretty much disrupting the whole industry.

But unfortunately for innovator other people saw the way and use it to exceed their designs and this is what we are now seeing with the new Tablets from MS and others. Consequently Apple these days are just coming up with incremental updates at least in my opinion. Unless they have something else in store for iPhone 5, but I doubt that since iOS6 is pretty much more of the same.

The new Windows Phone 8 is also going to kick a lot of arse if it delivers on all the promises during the demo.

I might even shift to Windows Phone 8 as really there is nothing else on Android that keeps me there.

Exciting times ahead.

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Eorl
Posted 02:32pm 21/6/12

Opec, I've switched to the Lumia 900 due to my HTC Desire HD not getting as much use as it previously did. The Windows 7 Phone OS works flawlessly for me, it gives me my social feeds and doesn't feel bloated at all. Sure I miss some of the more customisable decisions that Android offers, but overall I just don't use my phone as if I was a power user.

My Transformer Prime tablet gives me those options that Android offers if I ever need them, so I'm not really missing out on anything by going Windows 7.5 for my phone. The app market isn't as big, but offers me things I need, and with Windows 8 coming out soon I'm sure the market will increase for my benefit.

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deadlyf
Posted 02:34pm 21/6/12

Yeah, theres no mouse though, so immediately anything that requires mousing over things wont work (so menus, tooltips, etc). And a lot of buttons on Windows programs are made with a mouse in mind, not a finger, so thats going to get awkward. I wouldn't want to be trying to press little toolbar buttons with a finger.

I don't see the point in buying a tablet then using it like a PC anyway though, if thats your goal, buy a laptop.

This kind of thinking is pretty much completely wrong. Clearly the best result for consumers is a tablet that can be used as a laptop if desired.

If you had a choice between a fully functional laptop or a full functional tablet or a fully functional tabtop or laplet which do you think most people would choose? The only way it would even be a choice worth considering is if you were sacrificing something significant between either a tablet or a laptop when picking up the hybrid, which excepting possibly some processing power compared to a high end laptop you aren't giving up a thing.

Also it has this magically device called USB that you can plug a mouse into, not to mention that Windows 8 is designed for touch screen use and most likely when it hits the market much of the windows based software available today will get touch screen make overs.

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Opec
Posted 02:37pm 21/6/12

Opec, I've switched to the Lumia 900 due to my HTC Desire HD not getting as much use as it previously did. The Windows 7 Phone OS works flawlessly for me, it gives me my social feeds and doesn't feel bloated at all. Sure I miss some of the more customisable decisions that Android offers, but overall I just don't use my phone as if I was a power user.

My Transformer Prime tablet gives me those options that Android offers if I ever need them, so I'm not really missing out on anything by going Windows 7.5 for my phone. The app market isn't as big, but offers me things I need, and with Windows 8 coming out soon I'm sure the market will increase for my benefit.

Yeah I am seriously considering MS' new mobile platform (Windows 8, Windows Phone 8) as my next phone as it looks to me like the most innovative platform out there. Plus Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 code base will be very similar so porting application from one to another will be easy for Devs so we should see an explosion and exciting apps coming to this platform once it's out in the wild.

Will be interesting what Google will be announcing during their Google IO next week.

Mean while Blackberry is pretty much dead in the water.

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ravn0s
Posted 03:06pm 21/6/12

incoming apple lawsuit.

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Opec
Posted 03:09pm 21/6/12

incoming apple lawsuit.

heh more like Apple LOLsuit.

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TufNuT
Posted 03:51pm 21/6/12

incoming apple lawsuit.

unlike Google, MS actually has a ton of patents relating to tablets, so i think they will be fine.

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Eorl
Posted 03:52pm 21/6/12

unlike Google, MS actually has a ton of patents relating to tablets, so i think they will be fine.

Considering they had a tablet in 2002.

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Jayman
Posted 03:57pm 21/6/12

The real problem I see for this is the ARM and x86 running the same OS.

Do developers have to code for both or does windows somehow handle that? Will my x86 version be able to run all the apps brought out for the ARM version? I assume there's no way ARM can run legacy x86 stuff either. If Microsoft gets this right it could be great. But if end users have to think about that kinda crap I can see it backfiring.

That said... I could see this and the iPad co-existing quite nicely. MS filling the need of corporate / business / education / tech types the iPad isn't filling, regular users happy with the iPad.

I see this hurting Android more then Apple.

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Opec
Posted 04:10pm 21/6/12

The real problem I see for this is the ARM and x86 running the same OS.

Do developers have to code for both or does windows somehow handle that? Will my x86 version be able to run all the apps brought out for the ARM version? I assume there's no way ARM can run legacy x86 stuff either. If Microsoft gets this right it could be great. But if end users have to think about that kinda crap I can see it backfiring.

That said... I could see this and the iPad co-existing quite nicely. MS filling the need of corporate / business / education / tech types the iPad isn't filling, regular users happy with the iPad.

I see this hurting Android more then Apple.

Not sure how it will work but I'm assuming that building for ARM And X86 will be pretty easy depending on the tool they give you. If it's .NET based (CLR) then it'll be a piece of cake for most apps (unless you need hardcore optimised code to access the low level chipset thing like games etc) then you'd normally choose the build platform target, build, and done.

i.e.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-NZ/netfx64bit/thread/1f37a827-9463-4db2-b5c6-636086496614

So yeah looking after developers,developers,developers,developers and making it easy has always been MS' top agenda, this is how they pretty much owned the desktop market for so long. I wouldn't be at all surprised it'l be as simple as installing framework for ARM aaaand that's about it for 99% of the apps.

Like I said, exciting times ahead if MS delivers the seamless SDK to devs.

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Eorl
Posted 04:27pm 21/6/12

Doesn't Apple do something similar where certain apps are locked out of iPhone because they are suited to the iPad?

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Dan
Posted 04:50pm 21/6/12

Considering they had a tablet in 2002.

The tablet Gates was showing off in 2002 was a Conpaq. MS haven't made their own Tablet hardware in the past, only tailored their software for tablets made by other manufacturers like Compaq, Lenovo, Toshiba, Fujitsu etc.

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glynd
Posted 04:56pm 21/6/12

Yeah I am seriously considering MS' new mobile platform (Windows 8, Windows Phone 8) as my next phone as it looks to me like the most innovative platform out there. Plus Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 code base will be very similar so porting application from one to another will be easy for Devs so we should see an explosion and exciting apps coming to this platform once it's out in the wild.

Will be interesting what Google will be announcing during their Google IO next week.

Mean while Blackberry is pretty much dead in the water.

speak of the devil

As much as I love android, I think my next phone will be a windows phone. I'll see what google comes up with at Google I/O

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Opec
Posted 05:00pm 21/6/12

glynd have you seen the whole presentation as well? That's pretty much shifted my whole opinion on my future mobile platform choice.

Can't wait to see Windows Phone 8 in the flesh and reviews etc. Will have to wait until August :/

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mental
Posted 05:02pm 21/6/12

Mmm, my contract runs out in August and I do enjoy using Windows 8 on the comp, I'd planned to play around with it for a couple of days then go back to 7, but I can't be bothered I like it upgrade ahoy.

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glynd
Posted 05:13pm 21/6/12

glynd have you seen the whole presentation as well? That's pretty much shifted my whole opinion on my future mobile platform choice.

Can't wait to see Windows Phone 8 in the flesh and reviews etc. Will have to wait until August :/

nah i don't sorry. I just cruised past lifehacker after seeing your post.

-Multi-core chipset
-Removable SD cards
-IE 10 built in
-A common underlying platform with Windows 8 (DirectX and graphics drivers)
-NFC Support
-Nokia/NAVTEQ mapping inc turn by turn
-Encryption

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/06/the-new-features-coming-to-windows-phone-8/

*edit* here you go http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/06/20/announcing-windows-phone-8.aspx

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mongie
Posted 05:12pm 21/6/12

I wonder if MS will release a Phone as well...

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Opec
Posted 05:19pm 21/6/12

^^^ Yeah also true multi-task support etc. The biggest I reckon is the core of the OS will be similar between Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.

Seems excessive but it'll support up to 64 core chipset lol. I think that's because the code is similar to Windows 8 which is desktop so that's why the WP8 will also scale.

Check out the demo of the 8 highlight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmdRfJuq96s&feature=relmfu

This one is awesome from 5:30 minutes on wards, regarding the shared core.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsvnZPU6iWo&feature=relmfu

Lots of related vids from there.

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Khel
Posted 05:18pm 21/6/12

And the battery will last about 2 hours

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