Microsoft tackles iPad with Surface tablet
Microsoft
has introduced its own line of tablets, marking a major strategic shift
for the software giant as it struggles to compete with Apple and
re-invent its aging Windows franchise. The new tablet line, named
Surface, includes a consumer device aimed directly at the Apple iPad,
and another, larger machine designed to compete with lightweight
laptops. Both include a keyboard that doubles as a cover, and both will
be powered by versions of the new Windows 8 operating system.
The move
breaks with Microsoft's operating model of the past 37 years, which has
relied on computer manufacturers to make and market machines running
Windows. It could throw the world's largest software company into direct
competition with its closest hardware partners such as Samsung and HP.
The new software is the biggest overhaul of Windows in years, and
features a new touch-friendly interface dubbed "Metro". It is scheduled
to be available for the Christmas shopping season. The lighter, thinner
version of the Surface tablet, built on an Nvidia chip designed by ARM
Holdings, will be the first to market at the same time as the general
release of Windows 8, and will feature Microsoft's popular Office suite
of applications. It is comparable to Apple's new iPad, heavier but
slightly thinner. It has a 10.6 inch screen and comes in 32GB and 64GB
memory sizes.
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