In 2000,Microsoftco - founderBill Gatestook the stage at the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas , Nev. A field of operations occupy with reckoner industriousness experts watched as Gates made some big declaration . Among them , he proclaimed the era of the web browser had come to an end . He also allege that host - based computation – what we now believe of as cloud calculation – was a dead - final stage . And he impressed the crowd by reveal a epitome example of a tablet PC [ source : Arar ] .
It turns out that Gates was a small off target with his announcements . entanglement web web browser and swarm - based computation have become intrinsic role of our computing experience . We ’ve convey browsers on computers , smartphones , tablets , einsteinium - readers and goggle box . And as for the tablet microcomputer – the public was n’t interested .
The story change a X later on . In January of 2010 , Steve Jobs declare the iPad , Apple ’s pad of paper gimmick . Jobs win where Gates had fail – he energized not only the manufacture experts , but the general consumer . Suddenly , tablets had become a big story .
But what about the company that introduced its first PC - base tab to nifty acclaim back in 2000 ? Microsoft had no answer to the iPad . Other companies launched tablet devices – some running a variant of Windows with Microsoft ’s support – to strain and contend with the Apple steamroller . It was n’t until 2012 that Microsoft introduced updated tablets . The new line of machine took its name from a previous Microsoft product : The Surface .
What powers the Surface ? What sets it apart from other tablets ? And can Microsoft make up for lost time and carve out a space in the tab market ?
A Computer in Tablet Form
At the Microsoft case for the Surface , the representatives often look up to the twist as aPCrather than as a tablet . This is a fundamentally unlike approach shot than what Apple study with theiPad . Steve Jobs called the iPad a " post - PC gimmick that necessitate to be easier to use than a PC " [ seed : Rosoff ] . But when you see at how the Surface act upon , you may see the differentiation between personal computer and pill are n’t always clear .
Like a personal computer , the Surface has acentral processing unit ( CPU ) . It ’s the CPU ’s job to perform operations on data . This is how computers run program – the programs require the CPU to take selective information and perform some sort of performance on it and then demo the result .
The Surface also has computer memory like a PC.Memoryis where a estimator store information until it ’s needed for an operation . A computer ’s speed depends partly on the exponent of the processor and partially on how much computer storage the computing gadget has at its administration . With more memory , the computer can hold more data point in temporary reposition . This absent the pauperization for the CPU to pull data from a strong drive , which can be a dull process . The Surface has substantial state memory , which is like a PC ’s hard driving force . This is where the Surface stores app and files .
Another similarity between the Surface and a PC is the motherboard . Themotherboardis a especial type of circuit instrument panel . It allow the various electronic components within the Surface to connect to each other through dedicated pathway . This is what lets the CPU pull selective information from retentivity or hard drive space . It also creates the path for the graphics central processing unit to station selective information to the display . It ’s sort of like the nervous system for the gadget .
The Surface ’s tinge - screen interface sets it apart from an average computer . It utilize acapacitivescreen , mean that the information processing system detects when there is a change in the electric potential across the screen . When you stir the concealment , your finger interrupts a weak electric field . Circuits at the edge of the screen detect the decrease in electrical explosive charge across the screenland . The circuits key the location of your digit and record it as a touch , mapping it to a dictation .
Most tablets share these timbre . Does that mean all lozenge are microcomputer ? They ’re definitely all computing gadget gadget . Whether or not they qualify as a full PC bet more upon your personal definition of what makes a personal computer .
Specs on the Surface
WhileMicrosoftshared many details about the Surface pill at its June 2012 event , the troupe avoided resolve several questions . For case , Microsoft administrator did n’t give specific about the type ofprocessorsor memory the pill will use . The company also remained mute about the type of computer graphic processor the Surface would have . As of this writing , those details will become percipient a little later in 2012 when the products officially hit computer memory ledge .
Here ’s what we do know :
There will be two principal category of Surface tablet – one for chance consumer and another for professionals who need a tablet for productivity applications . Each category has two options for on - board concentrated - campaign space . The consumer model will come in 32- and 64 - gigabyte form while the professional manakin will be usable in 64- and 128 - GB interpretation .
The consumer model Microsoft read off was 0.37 inches ( 9.3 mm ) fragile and weigh 1.5 British pound sterling ( 676 grams ) . The professional model was a piddling duncical and large at 0.53 inches ( 13.5 millimeters ) and 2 pound ( 903 grams ) .
The consumer model will flow on Windows RT for its operating system ( OS ) . This is an offshoot of the Windows 8 OS for reckoner . Microsoft designed Windows RT to run on mobile equipment , which tend to have squiffy restrictions on central processor amphetamine and battery life compared to desktop and laptop computer computers . The Windows RT O lick on modern RISC simple machine ( ARM)-based central processor units ( central processor ) . An weapon system CPU eat up less magnate than a comparable x86 - based processor . The consumer model will also have a microSD slot , a USB 2.0 port and a micro HD picture port .
The professional model will pack a bigger processor punch . It will have an Intel Core Ivy Bridge CPU and will use Windows 8 Pro as its group O . This translation of the Surface will also have a microSDXC calling card slot , a USB 3.0 embrasure and a mini DisplayPort for video output .
Both model will have a exhibit quantify 10.6 inches along the diagonal ( about 27 centimeters ) . Both also have a kickstand that can click into billet on the back of the tablet or be draw out to support it on a vapid surface . Both categories have antennas to connect to WiFi networks . And both have double raiment microphones and dual speakers .
Surface Peripherals
Both versions of the Surface have a stain along the fount where a cover can snap into seat using magnets . The cover behave as a screen protector , although the Surface has Corning ’s shekels - resistantGorilla Glass . Microsoft added an extra bonus with the back : When overt , it can also serve as a keyboard .
There are two savour ofkeyboard– Touch Cover and Type Cover . The Touch Cover keyboards are flat with pressure - sensible keystone . The Type Cover keyboard has physical , lift keys that sink in when you type on them . Both plug in physically to the Surface with magnets and use Bluetooth to communicate with the machine .
At the unveiling case , Microsoft representatives allege that aesthetic intent was an of import consideration in the Surface ’s expression . That might explain why the company will offer different color blanket when the Surface hits stores later in 2012 .
The Windows 8 Pro poser of the Surface will have another remark twist selection : a stylus . The stylus will also attach to the Surface with a attractive feature . you’re able to use the style to draw off and write within various applications on the pad . There ’s also a feature called Palm Block that observe when the stylus is near the screen . Whenever the Surface notice the stylus , it modifies how the capacitive screen works . It will only answer to the touch of the style . That fashion , the Surface wo n’t start scroll , zooming or otherwise activating commands as your hand move on the screen while you endeavor to pen or withdraw .
Because both versions of the Surface have a USB port – 2.0 in the consumer version and 3.0 in the Windows 8 Pro version – you ’ll be able to attach other peripherals to the pill well . This could include anything from additional speakers and microphone to a printer . You could also use the tab to charge other devices over USB if you wanted to .
The Journey to the Surface
For the Surface to become a reality , many factor had to coordinate within Microsoft . The party had a bouldery history withtablet computer . Despite the enthusiastic response Bill Gates had at the 2000 Comdex effect , the 2002 launching of the tablet PC did n’t inspire consumers to come out in drove and adopt a new form component . And though other manufacturers built tablets that swear on various versions of the Windowsoperating system , none of them did particularly well in the market .
But the companionship maintained an stake in developing innovative hardware , particularly around touch - screen interfaces . In 2007 at the All Things Digital group discussion , Steve Ballmer introduce the Surface table - top PC . It could detect multiple touches and even recognize specific machine rate on top of it . The enigma was in the photographic camera scheme inside the mesa – it could track and identify object on the Surface ’s Earth’s surface .
In 2009 , an internal Microsoft video leak out out to the connection at big . It picture off a two - CRT screen tablet machine visit the Courier . have what looked to be a customized exploiter user interface , the Courier allowed user to see content on one screen door while creating content on another . click between the screens let user integrate the two , act annotation to one page or the other . The WWW buzz about the hypothesis of this tablet .
In 2010 , Apple launched the iPad unopposed – there was no Courier to be seen . Microsoft representatives refrained from commenting about the messenger , instead pointing out how Microsoft worked with ironware manufacturers like HP to bring Windows to tablets that way . By April 2010 , news broke that Microsoft had delete the Courier project [ source : Johnson ] . The team behind the Courier had approached tablet design much in the same way as Apple – it was a gadget that complemented PC but was n’t an phylogeny of or replacement for a figurer .
Microsoft ’s goal was to create a tablet that stand its flagship mathematical product – Windows and the Office suite of app . And the companionship designed Windows 8 with touch - screen interface in mind . Microsoft optimise Windows 8 ’s Metro fashion for touch - silver screen displays . It seemed like only a matter of time before Microsoft incorporated these features into a tablet of its own .
Whether the Surface succeeds in the market stay to be ascertain . Microsoft is betting that there ’s a market for a tablet designed to support productiveness software program . Do hoi polloi want a tablet that can act as a replacement for a laptop ? And will they be willing to pay the price ? Only time – and the market – will secernate .
As soon as I get a line the user interface for Windows 8 I began to anticipate a Microsoft tablet equipment . It was obvious that Windows 8 would turn on the company to move into the market . I think it was potential that Microsoft would step back and let other company produce the hardware . But the company had sample that with other version of Windows and those lozenge did n’t lure consumers . Part of that may have been because early interlingual rendition of Windows were n’t idealistic candidates for a touch - covert equipment . But while Microsoft ’s announcement in June 2012 was out of the blue sky , it still was n’t a surprise .
