Microsoft Surface

It's been just one week since Microsoft debuted the Surface , the first tablet that not only runs on Windows software but bears the company's branding. Now, reports abound that Google is about to make a similar move on Wednesday at its annual I/O developers' conference by unveiling a tablet called the Nexus 7. Though a slew of mobile devices from different manufacturers run on Google's Android operating system, this would be the first tablet to be produced partly by Google. Gizmodo Australia reports that it has seen a "training...

Has the shift from PC to tablet finally reached the point of no return? There's been chatter about the "post-PC" era for years, particularly after the introduction of the iPad. But recent data suggest that we may finally have reached the tipping point. Since the start of the year, the PC market has seen its steepest quarterly decline ever — 13.9 percent, according to a report from International Data Corp. That news comes on the heels of a Gartner report predicting the PC market will shrink as much as 3.5 percent over 2013 in...

Microsoft's Surface with RT tablet is getting mixed reviews from the first round of folks who've seen the device. Overall, reviewers seem to have lots of praise for the hardware, but it is — somewhat ironically — the software that's earning Microsoft the most criticism. Here's a look at what reviewers are saying about the Surface. The good: The hardware design on the Surface is solid, sleek and sensible, reviewers say, in way that's all its own. "Where the iPad is curvy and without any IO expansion, Surface is squared off...

Microsoft celebrated "amazing" response to its latest model of the Surface over the weekend, with the announcement that the tablet's 128 GB model had sold out online and in stores across the country. "We're working with our retail partners who are currently out of stock of the 128GB Surface Pro to replenish supplies as quickly as possible," said Surface product chief Panos Panay in a company blog post Saturday. The larger model of the Surface sold out almost immediately online, and some stores...

Microsoft has remained silent about the price of its forthcoming Surface tablet, but the company's CEO Steve Ballmer did recently discuss a price range for the new device. "If you look at the bulk of the PC market, it would run between, say, probably $300 [and] $700 or $800. … That's the sweet spot," Ballmer told the  Seattle Times in an interview yesterday. Previously, there were rumors speculating that the Surface Tablet would  retail between $600 and $1,000  for the two different versions.

Microsoft's announcement about its Surface tablets left a lot of unanswered questions. One key point that will help determine how the tablet does in the market has yet to be determined — the price. The Surface comes in two flavors: a version that runs Windows RT and a version that runs Windows 8 Pro. That means only the latter will be able to run all your Windows programs, meaning that it's likely, though not certain, to get a higher price tag. But even without all the details in place, it's clear that...

Microsoft on Monday unveiled its own tablet that features the Windows 8 operating system in a late attempt to take on Apple and Google who are dominating the white-hot space. The Microsoft Surface stands out from other offerings, with a built-in kickstand and keyboard cover. But the Redmond software giant didn't announce when the product would be available or a price tag, which left many questions surrounding the company's ability to woo consumers away from a flood of competing devices.

Best Buy will join Staples this weekend in selling Microsoft's Surface tablet, previously available only online and at Microsoft's own stores. The electronics retailer made the announcement Thursday, saying that it will start selling the device on Dec. 16. Staples began selling the Surface on Wednesday. That's good news for Microsoft, which is likely to benefit from more consumer exposure to the Surface and its tile-based Windows RT operating system. The Surface tablet costs $499 for a 32 GB...

This last Friday, a few of the developers behind Microsoft Surface took some time out of their schedules to meet with us and talk about what's coming in their Surface Service Pack 1, due to be rolled out today. Now, it's called a service pack for a reason ¿ as opposed to a fun pack ¿ this update is a response to the requests and concerns of the community using and developing for the Surface, so it's not about flashy new gizmos and eye candy, but usability.There are still a few new visible features,...

Microsoft's Surface burst on to the scene Monday, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the tablet. Here are five, basic and very practical things that we just don't know about the tablet yet. Price: For one, we don't know the all-important question of how much this tablet will cost. With two versions of the tablet unveiled, it seems like Microsoft could be going after the laptop replacement market and the high-end of the tablet market. The company wouldn't give pricing details, saying only...

Microsoft's newest device, the Surface with Windows 8 Pro, makes a big promise to consumers. It's unique form — a tablet-like touchscreen with a full, snap-on keyboard and touchpad — offers the specs of a light laptop with enough tablet DNA to make it attractive to those who prefer the more portable devices. In many ways, the Surface Pro fulfills that promise. It's a strong alternative for those who've held off on trading in their laptops because they can't do the work they need to do on a tablet.

Microsoft's follow up to the Surface RT tablet goes on sale next month: The company will begin selling its Surface Windows 8 Pro slate in the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 9 with a starting price of $899. Intel's Core i5 processor will power the device, which comes with 64 GB of memory at this price. The device will have a keyboard cover that snaps on to the tablet as needed. Unlike its predecessor, which runs on an ARM-based chip, the new Surface runs a full version of Windows 8 Pro in addition...

Microsoft followed through on quite a few of its New Year's resolutions in 2012, taking big steps to play in the mobile marketplace and revamp its Windows operating system. The company released new phone, tablet and computer operating systems and doubled down on the tile-based, touch-friendly formats of that it first introduced on its Windows Phone operating system. Here's a look at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of Microsoft in 2012. Windows 8: Microsoft completely updated...

Best Buy will join Staples this weekend in selling Microsoft's Surface tablet, previously available only online and at Microsoft's own stores. The electronics retailer made the announcement Thursday, saying that it will start selling the device on Dec. 16. Staples began selling the Surface on Wednesday. That's good news for Microsoft, which is likely to benefit from more consumer exposure to the Surface and its tile-based Windows RT operating system. The Surface tablet costs $499 for a 32 GB...

Microsoft Thursday released a bit more information about the price of its upcoming Surface tablet that runs a full version of Windows 8 Pro. The company posted on its Web site that the tablet will start at $899 and will be coming in January 2013. The starting model will have 64 GB of storage, while a $999 model will have 128 GB of storage. That puts the device more in the price range of ultra-portable laptops than with other tablets — making it clear that Microsoft is taking aim at consumers who want...

After seeing Windows 8 through development, Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky is moving on from the company. Sinofsky made his mark at Microsoft as the head of the Windows and Windows Live division, overseeing the operating system during its most radical shift in years. He often opened Microsoft events, taking the stage to introduce the system he shepherded to release as well as the company's tablet computer, the Surface. He took over the Windows division in 2006, after the company released the...

Microsoft on Monday announced the arrival of a tablet called the Surface, a device that aims to siphon market share from Apple and Google. Hayley Tsukayama reports : Microsoft on Monday unveiled its own tablet that features the Windows 8 operating system in a late attempt to take on Apple and Google who are dominating the white-hot space. The Microsoft Surface  stands out from other offerings, with a built-in kickstand and keyboard cover. But the Redmond software giant didn't announce when the product...

Microsoft announced Monday that it was launching a tablet called the Surface, a device it hopes will undercut the iPad's domination of the market. Columnist Joshua Topolsky outlines three things Microsoft needs to do to make this gadget compete successfully with Apple's: The first is that Microsoft needs to evangelize this product to developers and persuade them that there's an opportunity to make money on its platform. There is simply no way to get new users to buy without a stacked app catalogue, and Microsoft...

There are a lot of new tablets on the market this holiday season, but which one represents the most profit for its manufacturer? IHS took a stab at the question by estimating how much the hardware costs are for the iPad mini, Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Microsoft Surface. The analysis doesn't include other costs per tablet, but gives a strong baseline to work from when figuring out profit margins on devices. Apple has made a business model of making money off its hardware up-front even before...

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said Tuesday that the company has seen early success with its new operating system, Windows 8. Speaking at the company's BUILD developers conference, Ballmer said that there have been over 4 million upgrades to Windows 8 since the company unveiled the operating system on Friday. According to Ars Technica , that is faster than the upgrade rate for the company's previous operating system, Windows 7 — though the site noted that upgrading to the previous system was...