Microsoft to launch its own tablet: Microsoft Surface

https://allthingsd.com/20120614/microso ... oom-large/

http://www.thewrap.com/media/article/mi ... ider-44271


MS has scheduled an event for Monday in LA, at which it promises to make a "major" announcement.

Speculation is that it is due to announce it is entering the tablet market directly, by actually making its own tablet instead of just providing Windows RT (the ARM version of Windows 8 ) for other manufacturers to stick on their own tablets.

Risky, but if MS gets it right it could pay off.

Android is still struggling in the tablet market, with its best selling tablet still only selling 1/10 as many units as Apple sells iPads. Android's fragmentation doesn't help either, nor does the lack of a decent ecosystem like Apple has with the iPad.

MS though could potentially do better. Like Apple, it would control the software *and* the hardware, and like Apple it would have the content, the ecosystem.

It would still take a lot to take on the iPad juggernaut, but MS may well have a better chance than those that have failed before. Hell, maybe it could give it an Xbox branding...

[Phlashman]

They certainly should make their own tablet. Metro looks great, it's just a shame they didn't go all in and release windows RT as a totally separate product. Android tried the approach of letting everyone do something different with their hardware and look what happened. Android on tablets is a complete clusterfuck,

The tough thing is what hardware do you go for? A clone of the iPad, why it's obvious that that's what people want, why would people choose a windows tab over an iPad? Is windows 8/metro really that good? Would of been a good idea 18 months ago. They'll need a killer app or a really good price to go that route.

The other directions for hardware is either bigger, which seems kinda stupid, or smaller, which hasn't gained any traction in the market so far.

It'll certainly be interesting, but as we've discussed before the iPad market is a lot more like the iPod market than the iPhone market. iPad has already established itself as the standard. Like the Zune or windows phone, it may actually be pretty great, but too late. People, devs and businesses have already bought into other ecosystems which are much stronger.

Re. my comment of "MS though could potentially do better. Like Apple, it would control the software *and* the hardware, and like Apple it would have the content, the ecosystem."... there are of course a few examples that show that's not necessarily true

The HP TouchPad and RIM PlayBook both failed, while although Amazon's Kindle Fire has done fairly well against other non-Apple tablets, it's not been the success people thought it might be.

[Phlashman]

Is it an Xbox Tablet?

http://goo.gl/ofjDG

Not long until the reveal.

Engadget liveblog: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/micr ... t-livelog/

[Born2beSlicker]

It's cool. We now have a new meme.

-----------------------

Microsoft Surface. Shock, horror...It's some sort of tablet!

[Born2beSlicker]

Mega Ballmer!

That surface cover/keyboard is a pretty sweet idea.

If this allowed for xbox controller connectivity, this could fuck shit up.

It looks and sounds like it could be expensive.

[Phlashman]

Looks pretty cool.

Price and battery are going to be big questions. It so far looks like the best iPad competitor so far.

[Phlashman]

So no concrete price or date.

Very interesting though, certainly a decent option for all the apple haters. Indeed it's great that there's someone who looks like they're ready to try and innovate rather than just copy.

Can't wait to see more.

Watching the video on the surface site makes me want one.

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en/us/default.aspx

I'm still sure the price will be able to put me off.

[Born2beSlicker]

Very interesting piece of hardware. I like the Metro look a lot, so I hope that Microsoft can use this to drive sales of Windows phone. Then iPad and iPhone will have some serious competition.

They haven't completely learned their lesson though. It's a press event, give us DETAILS. A price or date would have went down big on the momentum they were generating.