Most people would acknowledge that the most recognizable tablet today is the iPad. The idea for tablet computing did not originate with Apple, of course, but the company was the first one to capitalize on the technology. Few predicted the current cla or in the market for tablets. Now everybody is playing catch-up with Apple including one of the original developers of touchscreen technology, Microsoft.
Microsoft has been developing some form of touchscreen device since the late 1990s without much success. With its latest product Surface, however, Microsoft is ready to compete in iPad territory.
Microsoft Surface runs various versions of Windows 8 with the ability to run app stalwarts like Office and Outlook. The hardware features a 10.6-inch ClearType display with 600dpi which means no pixelation when zooming in on objects. It also has a built-in kickstand, which is useful when watching movies or browsing.
But one feature Microsoft is touting as the game-changer is its cover/keyboard. See, Microsoft seems to dread virtual keyboards as much as the majority of people out there, so they built a physical, albeit a flat one. A couple of techies who were able to test it say it does perform better than virtual keyboards. But as to how the general public will feel about it, that one is up in the air.
