On Monday, personal computer giant Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced their venture in the tablet market but prior to their announcement, they alerted their partners in the personal computer market about their project.
The new tablet computer is called Surface and will feature Windows 8 software. The first version to be launched is the ARM version and the second will be a Pro model with Intel chips. Unfortunately, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) forgot to mention the important details like battery life, prices, and release date.
Microsoft’s chief executive officer Steve Bllamer was interviewed by Ina Fried of All Things D right after the press event. Although Ballmer didn’t share much in regards to the new tablet, he did say that they alerted their PC partners beforehand, “Our PC partners knew in advance we were announcing something today in this space.”
He also predicted that while most computers they will sell next year probably won’t be the new Surface tablets, he does expect to have a sizable market and he also says that although the new tablet is an exciting part of the Windows 8 family, there is much more to the lineup.
Although Microsoft has partnered with other computer and technology companies to create various versions of a tablet PC, none of them have been as successful as the Apple iPad nor have they taken on Google’s biggest Android contends the Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet.
Later on this month, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is expected to release a new tablet computer that, as the company’s chairman Eric Schmidt, elaborately stated “a tablet of the highest quality”.
Everyone wants to compete with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and create the ultimate iPad competitor. Will they ever succeed? Only time will tell but I think it’s quite a long shot to even compare a future tablet with a tablet that has already exceeded expectations.
