Surface by Microsoft. Tablet PC.

[jmc]

I'm considering that windows 8 model, but it would honestly depend on price (like everyone else has said already)

Considering I'm looking at the intel based one, its gonna be expensive and I won't get it. lol

[Isiolia]

Considering I'm looking at the intel based one, its gonna be expensive and I won't get it. lol

They said it'd be comparable to an Ultrabook, which would pretty much park it where other non-Atom/etc based Windows slates have come in recently, in the $1000-1200 range. At least, that's my thinking.

[Pikarya]

Same, x220 here (picture is of a convertible tablet in case you guys were unaware). Still an exciting development though, since if microsoft can make x86 tablets, or at least MS software, somewhat mainstream in the tablet market, then you won't need to buy a huge convertible if you want pen computing that's worth a shit, and have so little useful pen/touch software for it. And MS aside, none of the OEMs and certainly not apple give a fuck about pen.

Works with Windows 8 dev also.

[Cantih]

Doesn't Google have a tablet coming out real soon too?

[hey]

Processor: Intel Core Ivy Bridge

I love those useful specs. How do they even manage to list 10 different things and not include a single thing that could be useful to determine what kind of performance to expect from it?

[dejet]

Doesn't Google have a tablet coming out real soon too?

Seems to be the Asus nexus. Priced at 199 rumors say. Quad core etc.

[jmc]

They said it'd be comparable to an Ultrabook, which would pretty much park it where other non-Atom/etc based Windows slates have come in recently, in the $1000-1200 range. At least, that's my thinking.

And I wouldn't pay that for a tablet sadly.

[TacoTaru]

I built my desktop for $1400. There's no way in hell am I paying $200 less for a tablet. Guess I'm not as excited for this thing as I initially thought.

[Isiolia]

I built my desktop for $1400. There's no way in hell am I paying $200 less for a tablet. Guess I'm not as excited for this thing as I initially thought.

The x86 model is a full fledged PC. It'll likely cost roughly what an Ultrabook does because that's essentially what it'll be, plus touch/pen. Again, that's what similar devices from the past couple years have cost. Price out an Asus Eee Slate EP121 or a Samsung Series 7 slate. A Lenovo X220 tablet starts at what, $1200ish? It's expensive relative to an iPad, but for a slate PC it sounds like it'll be about on par.

If you want cheap, the ARM based one should be priced similarly to other ARM based tablets, so I'd guess $400-500. It's running Windows RT, so no Win32 apps, but it'll be a lot more in line with iOS or Android offerings.

(edit: X220 direct pricing better than Amazon)

[Cadsuane]

I love those useful specs. How do they even manage to list 10 different things and not include a single thing that could be useful to determine what kind of performance to expect from it?

That's pretty indicative actually. It's a 3rd gen i3/i5/i7 with a HD4000 integrated GPU, either in the low voltage or full voltage variety. Incidentally that'd make it really powerful.

$1200 for the x220 was actually considered outlandishly cheap when it debuted, and it continues to be the most reasonably priced convertible tablet PC in its class when compared to the T901 or 2760p. It's actually pretty funny, expectations really changed with ARM machines. It'll probably hurt the x86 version of the Surface since the usage scenario that'll tend to be envisioned is... "iPad, but fancier." Kind of unfortunate.

[Antithesis]

The Windows RT tablet has to be priced competitively in addition to being marketed right. I do not want to see another Zune disaster. I've invested myself fully into the Microsoft ecosystem since I got my Windows Phone and the payoff is starting to happen. It's quite an exciting time.

[Omniyoji]

The Windows RT tablet has to be priced competitively in addition to being marketed right. I do not want to see another Zune disaster. I've invested myself fully into the Microsoft ecosystem since I got my Windows Phone and the payoff is starting to happen. It's quite an exciting time.

Go go WP 7.8!

[Purrrfect]

Is the "desktop replacement" they showed running Lightroom and such the pro version or can the RT do that too? I've been wanting an android app for some vehicle diagnostic software I have but they won't do it so I have to keep using my old pos laptop instead of a much more convenient tablet. As long as its not prohibitively expensive and can handle the usb device interface I'm all over this thing.

[Lucavi]

I love those useful specs. How do they even manage to list 10 different things and not include a single thing that could be useful to determine what kind of performance to expect from it?

This. If I can't game on it then why would I want it over a laptop? Touchscreen? Pfft.

Give me some real specs and we'll start talking.

[Isiolia]

Is the "desktop replacement" they showed running Lightroom and such the pro version or can the RT do that too? I've been wanting an android app for some vehicle diagnostic software I have but they won't do it so I have to keep using my old pos laptop instead of a much more convenient tablet. As long as its not prohibitively expensive and can handle the usb device interface I'm all over this thing.

The Pro version. At least for now.

I apologize in advance if this is telling you stuff you already know...

The "Metro" look stuff in Windows 8 is a new API called Windows Runtime, as opposed to the current API, Win32. It's not a skin or alternate interface, that's how applications written for that API are.

Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, the x86 editions, are able to run applications written for either API. They're meant to succeed Windows 7. Run all the software that does plus the new-fangled Windows Runtime stuff (I will refrain from ranting about Win8 on non-touchscreens). If you have a PC or VM to try it on, you can download the Release Preview and go to town. That's what the high end Surface is running - the full-fledged desktop OS. Because it's a full-fledged PC.

Windows RT, the ARM version of Windows 8, is restricted to only running Windows Runtime apps. Additionally, it can only acquire them through the Windows Store (I imagine there will be some way around this, but on paper that's the requirement).
Windows Phone 8 is also going to be very closely related, as it'll be running the NT kernel as well.

If/when something like Lightroom gets a Windows Runtime version, it could be compiled and released for both architectures. You'd have the same app on your $500 tablet as you do on your desktop PC, and even potentially on your phone (next gen XBox wouldn't surprise me either). Long term, Windows may become a very unified platform across a variety of devices. Or not. The approach is a bit of a gamble on MS's part.

[Dantrag]

If they charge more than $500 for the base model this thing won't sell like they want it to. They really cannot come even close to Apple price point if they want this thing to do really well. They're going to have to pull an xbox 360 and sell under cost.

[Caiyuo]

I'm not sure whether they tried to buy their way into smartphone market share with the Nokia Lumia or if that was on Nokia so I'm wondering if that'd be something they do in the tablet arena as well. For the price it would seem a little too high to subsidize since the market's well saturated with 10 and 7 inch tablets as is, but given this is really meant to be a tablet and PC, I still wonder.

[dejet]

MS cant really sell the system like the 360. The 360 has game sales bringing in the money(same thing was done with the ps3) What can MS do to make up the difference on a tablet?

app market on the damn windows phone blows as of now.

[TheDangerousDave]

Just found out that the i5 in the samsung series 7 is only 1.6ghz which makes me worry the surface will be the same, also seems it will be a long time til we see more than 4gb ram so it looks like my i7 2ghz 8gb ram x201 tablet is irreplaceable for a few years yet

[SephYuyX]

A way to cut costs perhaps; maybe they will have different tiers.