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Microsoft Surface


hinn888
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Reports around the Internet are surfacing that show an alleged leaked Microsoft press release about an Xbox-branded tablet.

Supposedly named Xbox Surface, the document details a tablet with 7-inch screen and impressive technical specifications that I'm not going to attempt to decode (you can see the full details below). It apparently also supports "up to 4 wireless game controllers", if it is in fact real.

Microsoft is holding a press conference today in Los Angeles, and speculation has been circulating for a while that it may unveil a Windows tablet device. TechCrunch reckons it will unveil an e-reader in partnership with bookstore chain Barnes and Noble, where MCV has rounded up rumours about a gadget capable of streaming Xbox Live content. If Xbox Surface is real - and there's no guarantee - then it might be announced later today, at 3.30PM LA time (11.30PM BST).

microsoftxboxsurface_techspecs3.jpg

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Ive been keeping an eye out for it for a while, now some details have been released, im really like the look of it, heard theres going to be a 32 & 64 GB version and around $700?

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So with minimal time and slow net connection in work, I wasn't able to keep up on when they announced it last night. Is there anything unique in it, or is it another touch-screen tablet?

I'd imagine it will tie to Xbox and Windows pretty well, but for me personally, it was difficult to justify an iPad, it's impossible to justify a second tablet. It'll be interesting watching from the outside to see how this all pans out.

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I've got halfway through the announcement conference video. I found it quite funny as Steve Ballmer went on about how Windows needed the mouse to complete it and now Windows 8 needs a new piece of tech to complete it - yeah, but mice weren't hundreds of dollars.

He also introduced it as something "totally new and unique" which is pushing the limits a bit.

From what I've seen, it's an iPad but with HDMI out as standard, a USB port built in so you can plug in printers, etc, and some improvements to the stand and cover design.

They call it a PC rather than a tablet and the beast version does sound amazing but you really are getting into millionaire territory where you buy a tablet as your uber PC rather than a normal one.

I don't know how the Android tablets are doing but I can see this troubling Apple if they get it right.

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It reminds me of that table that MS were pushing about a few years back. Does anyone remember that? It was like a coffee table that had a flatscreen sat in it.

I think that was actually called the surface too.

The main that stood out to me from twitter updates was everyone was about to take the piss out of the kickstand on it until they showed the removable cover/keyboard.

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Watched most of the announcement video and was really impressed, if I hadn't just got an iPad I'd be very interested. The pro one looks like it really could replace a desktop, but the price is going to be high. It's got most of the things that put me off the iPad sorted, the app store is still a big plus for apple, but there shouldn't be a shortage of apps on windows either.

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im actually very excited about this, more than i have reason to be and more than any piece of tech has made me in a long time.

if they can integrate 360 usage into it it could be real sweet, i could maybe finally ditch the desktop.

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  • 1 year later...

my dad has one, they're nice as a bit of tech, it's just Windows 8 is horribly unintuitive. I'm sure you'd get used to it, that things are hidden off screen and stuff, and I'm sure if my first go of android or ios had been the same day I'd have had the same complaints, but it certainly feels worse than them. Nice tablet though, and the keyboard is ok, not ideal, but sat on a table rather than your lap probably quicker than a touch screen keyboard

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yeah i use windows 8 all the time, you're right at first it's really annoying, once you know a few odd things (like how to shut down - which i had to google :awe:) and disable the metro stuff it's not much different to 7 imo. but i guess the metro stuff would be more useful on a tablet, so that would take some getting used to.

i really like the idea of full windows on a tablet with the stylus, there are some other (cheaper?) alternatives but they use atom chips so slower (no playing crysis on them i guess), and don't seem to have a pen so using desktop apps would be a right pain. although i haven't done much research so there might be better alternatives.

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  • 7 months later...

Im considering getting one of these, it would be super handy for my work, but id need to get the higher spec one for that to be a possibility. Im not sure if its just a fad or what, but I love the idea of being able to do all my work desktop stuff with a tablet that I can carry around in my coat or bag, that feels like the future to me.

I dont think I would bother with any of the i7s as it doesnt seem like that cooling is actually up to the Surface running at full whack on an i7 and ive read that it will just limit itself before it can even reach what the hardware is capable of.

Even though its still overkill, I would look at the i5 8gb RAM 256gb SSD version, which ive seen for 800 - 850 online.

The pros are that it will still be able to most things in a year or two, this is clearly a purchase where convenience is key rather than sheer power, so its not going to blow anybody out of the water but will still do things, and obviously its super super portable. If I pair this with a decent phone/data contract then im pretty much ready to go from anywhere. And of course the biggest pro being that it will literally do everything.

The cons are that its very expensive, especially when you compare it to either a laptop or a desktop, and you cant upgrade it in a year or two, when a new operating system comes along etc, and ive also not read glowing things about the battery life if I were to decide that I wanted to sit in a tree and do my work. Im still going to be paying this off for a fair few months.

So, kind people of the forum, please feel free to say that you think this is really shit or really awesome. I need to be either talked down from the edge or pushed off.

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You looking at the pro 3 Sam? Pro 2 was on sale recently for just over £400 for a i5 128gb, can't remember the ram, I was really tempted but doubt I'd use it enough to justify it. Seems like the future to me, I'd really like one but probably will be able to resist for now. Problem I think with doing work on them is I think you need a desk for the keyboard to work properly - if so - if the places you might want to work have a desk, and you're ok working on the smal screen, then your all good I guess. Not that I have one, or have ever used one so can't really offer any useful advice. Let us know what you think if you get one anyway.

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I totally agree, but what it doesnt get is the other stuff that the Surface does which is unique only to the surface, which is why they can get away with charging that for it.

I dont think id get the same sort of thing from the £200 range of laptop, but I do agree with what you are saying about upgrading.

Id say that its going to be a couple of years until spec wise a £200 laptop would match up to 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM with an i5. The premium really is the convenience of only needing one tablet sized machine on me all the time. Im only going to know if thats worth the premium once ive been using it for a while.

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