Microsoft to Unveil 7-inch Xbox Surface Tablet

[Mr. Laz]

Microsoft to Unveil 7-inch Xbox Surface Tablet at Today’s Event?

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Jun 18, 2012 | 1 Comment

Few days back, we reported that Microsoft had sent an invite for a media event today. However, Microsoft didn't provide any other details about the event other than saying "This will be a major Microsoft announcement — you will not want to miss it".

It is being widely speculated that Microsoft is gearing up to launch its own Windows 8 tablet to take on Apple's iPad.

According to LiveSide.net who claim to have received specs sheet from a source, Microsoft will unveil a 7-inch tablet controller along with Xbox hardware, which could be called Xbox Surface.

The purported tech specs reveals that the 7-inch tablet will be powered by an ARM processor from Texas Instruments for "Kinect workloads," as well as custom IBM engine for "scale out." According to the leaked specs it would come with a 1280x720 resolution display.

Microsoft was rumored to launch a Smartglass tablet at E3 show, but that didn't turn out to be accurate as Microsoft unveiled the impressive SmartGlass software that will provide users with additional information about a TV show, game, or other Xbox content on a second screen, like a tablet or smartphone. Microsoft has announced that it will be also releasing apps for iOS and Android.

We're assuming that in addition to being a controller for the Xbox, Xbox Surface or whatever it is called will also work as a full-fledged tablet. Experts believe that Microsoft is developing its own tablet to be able to compete with Apple's tight integration rather than entering the booming tablet market only through its traditional hardware partners.

Check out the leaked specs of the 7-inch tablet controller below, they look quite impressive.

[DaveNull]

So does that make Windows 8 a touch OS first even though it's being sold for traditional desktops and laptops?

The Transformer does look pretty cool. No Padfone...but still pretty cool.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by ILChief

this article paints a different picture:

http://www.biglots.com/search/product/8020

Um, the link to BigLots?

I check the ACTUAL data on this, not the crap that only counts the major manufacturers. Most of those research firms don't count whitebox manufacturers at all. Hell they don't even count smaller branded tablets... they look solely at guys like Samsung, Dell, HP, BN and Amazon. Which is fine if you realize that is only part of the overall picture.

A perfect example, last year in June 2011 what were most of the published figures saying about iPad market share? 76% or some such right? The actual figure was around 54%. (I think it ended up right at 50% by end of year)

It's important to distinguish between US and worldwide as well.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by DaveNull

So does that make Windows 8 a touch OS first even though it's being sold for traditional desktops and laptops?

The Transformer does look pretty cool. No Padfone...but still pretty cool.

There is absolutely no reason for an OS to not be capable of multiple UIs or GUIs. It's just silly to think otherwise. A perfect example is Linux. I can load up any number of GUIs some of which are touch centric.

I am NOT saying that MS got it right... I simply don't have enough info to make a judgment yet. They could have screwed the pooch.. but nothing so far says they did.

[007]

Originally Posted by QuikSsurfer

Nah. Android tablets were shit to begin with -- they'll (MS) be taking a lot more than a "small chunk".

If you say so. I'll take an android tablet over an iOS device any day of the week.

[QuikSsurfer]

Originally Posted by Guru

If you say so. I'll take an android tablet over an iOS device any day of the week.

That's not at all what I was saying.
I'll take a fully functional Windows over both.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by QuikSsurfer

That's not at all what I was saying.
I'll take a fully functional Windows over both.

Yup.

Honestly, a fully functioning windows tablet could blow the doors off the tablet market if done properly. Everyone says "I don't need that, I only use my tablet to watch videos or surf the web"... well , yeah of course.. because that's all the damn thing is good for. If we look at it a different way, if given the choice between a computer that runs 10% of the software in the world and one that runs 95%.. which would you buy?

Obviously Mac people will answer.. "the shiny one!"

[AustinChief]

Here is one HUGE problem i see with this...

I think the RT version will be $500 making it go head to head with iPad. It will probably have superior hardware and definitely a better OS... but is still too high on price IMO.

The PRO version will probably be MUCH higher.. like $1200.. which means that they had better have one hell of a strategy to get corporate buyers because the average consumer isn't ready to pay that.

If they could go as low as $400 for RT and $900 for PRO.. they could knock it out of the park.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Um, the link to BigLots?

I check the ACTUAL data on this, not the crap that only counts the major manufacturers. Most of those research firms don't count whitebox manufacturers at all. Hell they don't even count smaller branded tablets... they look solely at guys like Samsung, Dell, HP, BN and Amazon. Which is fine if you realize that is only part of the overall picture.

A perfect example, last year in June 2011 what were most of the published figures saying about iPad market share? 76% or some such right? The actual figure was around 54%. (I think it ended up right at 50% by end of year)

It's important to distinguish between US and worldwide as well.

My link didn't copy. It was a graph that had how many tablets per 100 iPads, and the highest one was 2

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Yup.

Honestly, a fully functioning windows tablet could blow the doors off the tablet market if done properly. Everyone says "I don't need that, I only use my tablet to watch videos or surf the web"... well , yeah of course.. because that's all the damn thing is good for. If we look at it a different way, if given the choice between a computer that runs 10% of the software in the world and one that runs 95%.. which would you buy?

Obviously Mac people will answer.. "the shiny one!"

Fortunately, with an RDP client I can do just about anything on an iPad or Android OS tablet. :P

It's even better with a VMWare View deployment.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Here is one HUGE problem i see with this...

I think the RT version will be $500 making it go head to head with iPad. It will probably have superior hardware and definitely a better OS... but is still too high on price IMO.

The PRO version will probably be MUCH higher.. like $1200.. which means that they had better have one hell of a strategy to get corporate buyers because the average consumer isn't ready to pay that.

If they could go as low as $400 for RT and $900 for PRO.. they could knock it out of the park.

Maybe my time in the office is in the stoneage, but I'm not real sure exactly how big corporate demand is. AFAIC the standard office monkey will still be using a PC with a large or dual monitor. I don't think it will replace a PC.

I recognize that executive types will eat them up like candy. Anybody that is even a little bit mobile is probably in too. I can also see some production type applications. I guess service type businesses would be all over them like stink on shit too.

That is a pretty significant market that could be served if a good product was out there, but some of them are already using Ipads.

The other side of getting larger corporations to adopt them is security. When I left Cabela's, there were only a couple people that could even get emails sent to their phone.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Maybe my time in the office is in the stoneage, but I'm not real sure exactly how big corporate demand is. AFAIC the standard office monkey will still be using a PC with a large or dual monitor. I don't think it will replace a PC.

I recognize that executive types will eat them up like candy. Anybody that is even a little bit mobile is probably in too. I can also see some production type applications. I guess service type businesses would be all over them like stink on shit too.

That is a pretty significant market that could be served if a good product was out there, but some of them are already using Ipads.

The other side of getting larger corporations to adopt them is security. When I left Cabela's, there were only a couple people that could even get emails sent to their phone.

Tablets are not meant to replace PCs. People aren't buying tablets so they can throw away their desktops. It's meant to be a highly mobile consumption device that can perform some limited PC functionality in a pinch. And the people higher up in enterprise environments are eating them up, despite the fact that most don't have a clear definitive use for it.

Security is certainly an issue with them though. Tablets and smartphones have piss poor security. People have been pretty lucky so far, other than the idiot celeb getting nekkid pics stolen. And people are storing more and more info on smartphones and tablets, including passwords and such.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Yup.

Honestly, a fully functioning windows tablet could blow the doors off the tablet market if done properly. Everyone says "I don't need that, I only use my tablet to watch videos or surf the web"... well , yeah of course.. because that's all the damn thing is good for. If we look at it a different way, if given the choice between a computer that runs 10% of the software in the world and one that runs 95%.. which would you buy?

Obviously Mac people will answer.. "the shiny one!"

Apple doesn't do "shiny"




---it does black or white.....

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by QuikSsurfer

Nah. Android tablets were shit to begin with -- they'll (MS) be taking a lot more than a "small chunk".

Yeah, because M$ is a consumer electronics juggernaut!

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

Apple does "shiny"

---it does Shiny black or Shiny white.....

FYP

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

Apple doesn't do "shiny"




---it does black or white.....

yeah, I thought of putting "the WHITE one" , but I didn't want to paint all apple people as racists...