Microsoft in pursuit: The tech giant’s decision to make its own tablet computer is a bold gamble
Posted in: Mobile & Wireless at 25/06/2012 08:02
"Within five years, I predict it will be the most popular form of PC sold in America." When Bill Gates spoke at a trade show in 2002, the then chairman of Microsoft left nobody in doubt that what his firm called the "tablet PC" would one day take the world of personal computing by storm. His sense that an upheaval was coming was spot on, but his timing wasn't. Only when Apple launched its wildly popular iPad in 2010 did computing tablets at last take off. Now Microsoft is scrambling to gain a foothold in one of the hottest markets in the IT industry.
On June 18th the company unveiled Surface, a tablet that will bear Microsoft's name and is supposed to be a showcase for its new Windows 8 operating system, due to be rolled out in the autumn. The new device will be available in two models: a basic version with a processor designed by ARM (which also powers the iPad) and a souped-up one with an Intel chip for business users. Both models boast some innovative features, notably a built-in stand and a cover that doubles as a keyboard.
http://www.economist.com/node/21557345
