Late last week, Microsoft said a huge announcement would take place Monday in Los Angeles. There was no hint what it was about…they didn’t even disclose the location until the the very last minute. The tech press had a field day all weekend guessing what was going to happen. Everything from a new phone to a new Xbox to a new application featuring Barnes and Noble. Finally, on Monday, most everyone decided it had something to do with a new tablet.
Bingo…that was it. Yesterday afternoon, Microsoft announced their own new Windows 8 tablet called “Surface.” In fact, they announced two tablets. The most unusual aspect is both will be Microsoft products, not manufactured by any of their partners. This is a huge change for them as they have always been in partnership with hardware manufacturers (except for a handful of items like the X-Box).
As for the two tablets, they both feature a 10.6 inch screen in a 16x9 ratio. Not a retinal screen like the iPad, but something called a high-def screen. The main difference in the two tablets is one is running Windows 8 RT on an ARM chip…the other running Windows 8 on an Intel i5 processor. You can read more about the specs of each in our first story, which includes a video.
Quite frankly, the new Surface tablet is intriguing. It comes in a case with a stand in the back and a keyboard in the front. Very clever. Both units weigh slightly more than an iPad. As for the price…well, Microsoft was not very forthcoming on that. The speculation is that the ARM version will come in around the same price as an iPad and the Intel version will be very expensive.
Will it succeed? Good question. It depends on whether people warm up to Windows 8. Remember, the Metro interface is made for tablets. If the tablet is glitchy, Microsoft will be in big trouble. And remember, Windows 8 is a first generation product…whereas the iPad is in its third generation. That could be significant. But it has the potential right now to be a winner for Microsoft. It all hangs on the success of Windows 8 in the market.
The ARM version will be released for sale at the same time Windows 8 comes to market…best guess is October. The Intel version will come out approximately three months later. Apple has a huge lead in the tablet market, but I think the Surface will be a big danger to the fragmented Android tablet market. As for me, I am happily sticking with my iPad. And if I had to make a decision in October, I would still choose the iPad.
There are some other very interesting stories in this edition, so make sure you take a good look. PS…I love the story called “Whatever Happened to Productivity,” by John C Dvorak. Make sure you read it. - JRC
Microsoft Surface RT Overview & Specs
The tablet wars are no longer a two-horse race between Apple and Google. At a press event in Los Angeles today, Microsoft unveiled Surface, a line of tablet devices running the company's next-generation Windows operating system (video included).
Microsoft Surface tablets: Reading the fine print
Here are a few more hidden tidbits about Microsoft’s new Surface tablets, launched in Los Angeles ysterday.
Hacker claims mass bank breach; releases Visa, Mastercard data
More than 79 banks have been breached, claimed a hacker on Twitter. Following a data release on Tuesday, he said he has more than 50 gigabytes of U.S. and foreign bank data in his hands.
Google finds 9,500 new malicious Web sites a day
Search giant details how much malware its Safe Browsing keeps away from users and hints at scanning Chrome extensions.
Gmail Custom Themes Personalize Your Inbox with Any Photo
Gmail has always had a number of cool themes for you to choose from, but they've finally added the ability to create your own, letting you customize your inbox even further. (with video)
Watch Out Where You Click on Download Sites or You May Not Like What You get
Many download sites now contain ads deliberately designed to trick you into clicking them by disguising the ads to look like actual download links. It's become a real hazard even on reputable sites. In this short article our tips editor shows you how to avoid getting yourself into trouble.
It's the end of books as you knew them: E-books out-sell hardbound for the 1st time
Get ready to bid adieu to your local bookstore - if you're lucky enough to still have one! - as e-books sales surpass hardcover book sales for the first time.
What Happened to Productivity?
Has anyone noticed that the computer revolution has turned its focus from improving productivity to wasting time on trivia?
Top 10 Digital Photography Tips
Whether you are a beginner or more experienced with photography, there are some tips that will benefit you and give you better results. Here are some common issues that you may have to deal with and some tips on how you can use them to your advantage.
NetSpeedMonitor (Free Download)
Simple and powerful utility NetSpeedMonitor keeps track of Internet connection speeds.
No comments:
Post a Comment