Questions and Review for Microsoft Surface tablet
Just from many news websites, you may learn Microsoft has announced it’s newly tablet: Microsoft Surface tablet. It isn’t the first tablet pc of Microsoft, but it will be the most concerned one in these days, for its new feature.
It is new Windows 8-based Surface PCs/tablets, if you are interested in windows, take a look at this post about Microsoft Windows 8 release.The software maker introduced the new family of devices during an event inLos Angeles. Although the Surface won’t go on sale until this fall, you won’t be sad as this post will go on a complete review of this tablet. And several questions about this tablet many Microsoft products fans may be concerned too.
Tablet Review:
First, let’s take a look at the tablet. The cover is thin – about a tenth of an inch, or 3 millimetres. When covering the screen, its spine covers one edge and its outer fabric makes the whole package feel like a soft book. Where it attaches to the tablet, it’s completely floppy, so it can be whipped around to close over the screen or folded back like a magazine.
The removable cover comes across as a takeoff of Apple’s Smart Cover. Both snap into place perfectly with magnets. But instead of sporting foldable sections, Microsoft’s cover is rigidly flat and has a full keyboard imprinted on it. Microsoft’s cover seems central to the Surface experience, although it’s not clear if it’ll be sold separately.
The keyboard is imprinted on the inside of the cover and is covered with synthetic material that feels like a tennis racket handle or a high school running track, but not as grippy. So when you open it, you can lay the cover on a table and use it to type. The letters are separated by little ridges, allowing you to feel around somewhat as you type. I have found that typing doesn’t feel right on the iPad’s glass.
The keys themselves don’t depress as you type. Rather, there are seven layers of metal and other material inside that sense pressure and speed. When the cover is folded open entirely, covering the back, the keys stop being sensitive to touch.
Demonstrators from Microsoft told us they could type upwards of 50 words per minute, but I didn’t have access to the device long enough to test my ability to input “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.”
There was another keyboard accessory with depressible keys that was 5.5 millimetres thick, or nearly twice the regular cover. It felt more comfortable for typing but didn’t seem revolutionary. You can also type on the screen, the way you can on an iPad.
Running the length of the Surface is a thin, 0.7-millimetre metal flap called the kickstand. This is what transforms the device from a tablet that you can grip to a computer you can type at while sitting at a desk or table.
Microsoft made much of the fact that the sides of this thin device are cut at 22 degree angles. It’s no big deal until you realise that the kickstand positions the tablet to lean back at 22 degrees, making the bottom edge flush with a flat surface.
The front-facing camera looks up at you, while the back camera is angled so that it points straight forward when the kickstand is extended. The back camera angle also should make it easier to shoot video or take pictures while looking down at the screen held at an angle.
Questions about this newly tablet
I think most Microsoft fans may pay more contention to these questions, as I will list them below.
1. How Much Will It Cost?
Microsoft was short on details when it came to pricing the new Surface tablets. The company said the Windows RT version of Surface would cost about the same as comparable slates. Surface Pro, meanwhile, would be priced similar to comparable competitive Ultrabook PCs.
Let’s assume that comparable tablets for the Windows RT version mean the market leader, Apple’s iPad. So the entry-level Surface models should cost about $600 for the 32GB version and $700 for the 64GB model.
How much Surface Pro devices will cost is another issue entirely since Microsoft wants to compete with Ultrabook PCs. When Intel introduced the new class of portable laptops in spring 2011, they were supposed to be priced under $1,000. But that dream is only now becoming a reality with second-generation Ultrabooks.
2. When we can get the tablet?
The Windows RT version of Surface is due to come out during the general release of Windows 8, which is expected in the fall, around October. The Surface Pro is scheduled for release about three months later, meaning in early 2013. Microsoft did not offer any specifics beyond these general time lines.
3. Will the Surface Fulfill the Promise of Apple’s iPad?
When technology critics speculate about the future of the iPad, many wonder if it could one day replace the home PC for many users. In some ways it has already done that for users who just want a computer that can do casual Web browsing, e-mail, social networking, and video streaming. There are also some professionals using the iPad instead of a laptop at work, including programmers, journalists, and small business owners.
But while the iPad is becoming a popular choice for the road, many people are still holding on to their laptops. That could change with Surface and similar devices since they offer a familiarity the iPad doesn’t necessarily have.
The release of Microsoft Surface tablet is a good new for Microsoft products fans, the only way they can do is just to wait for the time when it arrive our hand.
