Could Microsoft’s Newly Announced Surface Tablet Finally Dethrone Apple’s iPad?
Posted by Zack | Posted in Consumer Electronics | Posted on 19-06-2012
Tags: Apple, Apple iPad, Apple iPad 3, ipad, iPad 3, Microsoft, Microsoft Surface, Microsoft Surface tablet, Surface, Surface tablet
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Well it’s happened, Microsoft has officially pulled the curtain on its much rumored tablet. Known as the Microsoft Surface, this tablet is already being seen as an iPad killer and it doesn’t even have a confirmed release date or pricing scheme yet. What it does have, however, is a full list of specs that make it easy to compare to Apple’s tablet juggernaut iPad.
Surface for Windows 8 Pro
- Windows 8 Pro OS
- 10.6″ HD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 1,920 x 1,080 resolution
- Intel Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor
- microSDXC, USB 3.0 and Mini DisplayPort Video ports
- 42 watt-hour battery
- 32GB, 64GB and 128GB variations
- 13.5mm thick
- 903 grams
Surface for Windows RT
- Windows RT OS
- 10.6″ HD display
- Nvidia Tegra processor
- microsSD, USB 2.0 and Micro HD Video ports
- 31.5 watt-hour battery
- 32GB and 64GB variations
- 9.3mm thick
- 676 grams
Third-Generation iPad
- iOS 5.1.1 OS
- 9.7″ display with 2,048 x 1,536 pixel density
- Apple dual-core A5 ARM processor with quad-core graphics
- Micro-SIM card tray
- 42.5 watt-hour battery
- 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variations
- 9.4mm thick
- 652 grams
Take away from the specs what you will, but one thing that the Surface tablet has over the iPad is the 3mm Touch Cover. The Touch Cover utilizes pressure-sensitive technology to sense keystrokes as gestures, allowing for faster touch typing than what is possible with an on-screen keyboard.
The Touch Cover attaches to the tablet with a built-in magnetic connector, which forms a “natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover,” Microsoft stated. In addition to that there is an option for a slightly thicker 5mm Type Cover that adds actual moving keys to give you a more traditional typing experience. Apple doesn’t have anything like that.
It is obvious that Microsoft is trying to bridge the gap between laptops and tablets with the Surface, something that Apple isn’t trying to do at all. When you boil it all down, the Touch Cover looks to be one of the best efforts to date to bridge this gap, especially when you pair it with the the high-performance Intel-based Windows * Surface tablet.
It sucks that we don’t have any information on pricing or availability yet but at least we have a confirmation of something that most people have been speculating on for the past couple of weeks. I am interested in seeing if the rumors about streaming Xbox Live is true. If so, I will definitely be swayed in favor of the Surface whenever I decide to buy a tablet.
Source: CNET – Microsoft Surface tablet, iPad spec check
