On the 'surface' Microsoft may have a winner

Mail & Guardian says that while Microsoft has managed to secure a significant market for its Xbox video gaming device, it has not been successful in developing proprietary hardware as its Zune iPod rival and its Kin telephones proved disastrous.

However, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive is extremely optimistic about the new device, launched in Los Angeles at a secret venue that was only disclosed to technology journalists a few hours before it was unveiled.

Analysts and journalists attending the event gave the Surface a cautious welcome.

Mail & Guardian quotes Carolina Milanesi of Gartner as saying that from a design perspective it "looks great" but whether it will be able to compete against Apple and Android devices will depend on its price and the number of applications that are available for it.

Independent On Line says that there is no price indication for the Surface tablets quoting Ballmer as saying the Surface is "part of a whole new family of devices" that are being developed by the company.

It will be available in two versions, one running an Intel chip and the other an ARM chip. Both units have a fold-out cover that doubles as a keyboard.

The Surface has a 10.6-inch HD widescreen display, is 9,3 mm thick and weighs less that a kilogram. A detachable keyboard and trackpad attach magnetically to the device.

No release date for the device was announced.

Independent On Line says that by launching its own tablet, Microsoft has gone into direct competition with its closest hardware partners including Samsung and Hewlett-Packard.

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