Microsoft gather the technology press to an event in Los Angeles on Monday to announce its new Surface tablet. The 10.6-inch tablet device comes in two flavors – a Pro version powered by an Intel Core processor and an ARM processor version with Windows RT. After the event, journalists were given a few minutes to handle the Surface tablet and they have shared their first impressions. Here is a quick rundown:
TechCrunch: “It’s a very ambitious effort that the company is making great pains to emphasize has been built by Microsoft from the inside out, from the hardware to the software.”
Engadget: “It’s impossible to weigh in on Surface when we only handled one of the two tablets, and when each hands-on opportunity amounted to a Supermarket Sweep-style tour of various demo areas. Still, even after some brief handling, we feel impressed, almost sobered by what Microsoft’s managed to produce after vowing to take the Windows 8 hardware-software package into its own hands.”
The Verge: “Here it is, Microsoft Surface, the all new, Microsoft-made tablet. We just had our hands on the sleek new device, and we must say — it does feel incredibly well designed.”
BGR: “But what I saw looked really intriguing, and Microsoft has at least in concept created a tablet computer that can also double as a PC. While this alone certainly won’t be enough to help Microsoft compete with the mighty Apple iPad, it does breathe some much-needed life into Microsoft’s mobile product line.”
Mashable: “Overall, this is a good try from Microsoft. Surface will be the PC-based touchscreen to beat, and other Windows tablet-makers have to be quaking in their boots right about now. But the company needs to answer a lot of questions, and let us kick the tires.”
Though Microsoft provided the details on the hardware, the company didn’t say when the tablets would go on sale, nor did it provide the critical launch price.
[Via Microsoft]