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What is Microsoft’s New Surface Tablet?
Today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the release of Microsoft’s newest product,
the Microsoft Surface tablet, designed to compete with the iPad. Microsoft Surface is
a soon to be released product from Microsoft designed as a software and hardware combination
technology. The Surface will allow a user to manipulate digital content by the use of
natural motions, hand gestures, or physical object. The product provides effortless interaction
with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.
However, the Surface is more than just a tablet; it also has many of the features of a computer
as well. According to Gadget Box, the following are some of the features of the new Microsoft
Surface:
“…the Surface won’t just be on the NVidia ARM processor, like the iPad. There will also
be a Surface that runs on Intel-based processors, to run a full-blown version of Windows 8 Pro.
The ARM-based Surface tabs will come in 32GB and 64GB configs, and will ship around the
time of Windows availability. They will be priced to compete with other ARM tablets (presumably,
in line with iPads.) The Intel-powered Windows 8 Pro Surface tablets will come 3 months later,
in 64GB and 128GB configs, priced to compete with ultra-books.
The Surface has a 10.6-inch screen, thickness of 9.3mm, ”just wide enough for a full-size
USB,” says Windows chief Steven Sinofsky, who joined Ballmer to show off the goods.
The tablet is tough, with a Gorilla Glass 2.0 screen. Like iPads, it has a magnetically
connected case, but this “Touch Cover” actually has a full multi-touch keyboard,
too. It’s 1.8 lbs., and has a kickstand that pulls out when you want to watch a movie.
It also has dual-antenna Wi-Fi.”
Microsoft Surface Specifications: According to www.ProgrammerWorld.net, the following
are the Surface’s specifications:
Dimensions: Surface is a 30-inch (76 cm) display in a table-like form factor, 22 inches (56
cm) high, 21 inches (106 cm) deep, and 84 inches (214 cm) wide.
Body and Build: The Surface tabletop is acrylic, and its interior frame is powder-coated steel.
Installed Memory: 2 GB
Display Type: Flat panel display
Network Support: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista
Input Devices: Touch-screen
How Does Microsoft Surface Work? At a high level, Surface uses cameras to sense objects,
hand gestures and touch. The intuitive user interface works without a traditional mouse
or keyboard, allowing people to interact with content and information by using their hands
and natural movements. This user input is then processed and the result is displayed
on the surface using rear projection.
1. Screen: A diffuser turns the Surface’s acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal “multi-touch”
screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also
recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded “domino” tags.
2. Infrared: Surface’s “machine vision” operates in the near-infrared spectrum, using
an 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the screen. When objects touch the
tabletop, the light reflects back and is picked up by multiple infrared cameras with a net
resolution of 1280 x 960.
3. CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop computers — a
Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256MB graphics card. Wireless communication with
devices on the surface is handled using WiFi and Bluetooth antennas (future versions may
incorporate RFID or Near Field Communications). The underlying operating system is a modified
version of Microsoft Vista.
4. Projector: Microsoft’s Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in many rear-projection
HDTVs. The footprint of the visible light screen, at 1024 x 768 pixels, is actually
smaller than the invisible overlapping infrared projection to allow for better recognition
at the edges of the screen.
So, what do you think of Microsoft’s new Surface Tablet?