By Scott Austin
Microsoft on Monday unlocked the mystery of the secret device it is making, unveiling the Surface tablet at a fancy press event in Hollywood.
But while it showed off the new device and revealed some of its specs (see a comparison with iPad below), there are still many unanswered questionseven if CEO Steve Ballmer wants us to know that the "Surface is a PC, the Surface is a tablet and the Surface is something new that we think people will really love."
Here are some of the biggest questions:
What will it cost?
Microsoft's Windows chief simply said the Surface will "be priced like comparable tablets." Some analysts expect Windows 8 tablets could be priced higher than the iPad, which starts at $499 for 16 GB. The Surface comes with 32 GB or 64 GB of storage, so a comparable iPad would be $599 and $699 respectively. If the Surface is as expensive or more, Microsoft will have the Herculean task of impressing consumers enough to convince them it's worth more than the iPad.
When will it arrive?
Microsoft didn't release any dates, but the Windows RT version of the Surface is expected to come out with the launch of Windows 8 due out in the fall. The more powerful Surface Pro version is scheduled to come out a few months later in early 2013.
Where will it be sold?
Microsoft said it will sell the Surface on its website and at its handful of retailers but the company didn't say whether any other retailers will be selling the Surface. In addition to its website, Apple has built a formidable retail channel, with more than 300 of its own stores, kiosks in most Best Buys and its products in hundreds of AT&T and Verizon Wireless shops.
Will it have 3G/4G connectivity?
No word from Microsoft on how it would connect wirelessly. That may mean Microsoft is still forging partnerships with carriers. It'll most likely have WiFi capability, but given the iPad has 3G/4G connectivity, consumers will demand it especially if the Surface is higher-priced.
Where will the components come from?
Microsoft boasted in a press release that the Surface was "conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees." But a big question is where Microsoft will get all of its components from, and how much it is paying. We can't imagine longtime PC manufacturing partners like Dell and Hewlett-Packard are happy that Microsoft is making its own tablet, though Ballmer tried to soften any issues by saying "those partnerships are essential to the reimagination of Windows." What we do know is that the Surface running Windows 8 will run chips from Intel and the versions running Windows RT will be powered by Nvidia.
What is the battery life?
At first glance this is a curious omission on the specs sheet. But Microsoft is still developing Windows 8 so it probably doesn't want to estimate battery life until the OS is finished. Microsoft did say the RT model will have a 31.5 Watt-hour battery, while the larger Pro version will have a 42 W-h battery (the same as the new iPad). Much of it will depend on how much battery life Windows 8 hogs. And the screen will have an effect toowhile it's larger than the iPad (10.6 inches to the iPad's 9.7), it has less pixels which could mean battery savings. Apple says the iPad can last up to 10 hours while surfing the Web on Wi-Fi, watching videos and listening to music, and up to nine hours on a 3G network.
What apps will the Surface have?
Apple's success with its various devices hinges on its app ecosystemthere are more than 600,000 apps across the iPad, iPhone and Mac, and more than 225,000 specifically for the iPad. But Microsoft has fallen way behind Apple and Google (and even BlackBerry) in the apps department. Its Windows smartphones have only about 70,000 apps, compared with a half a million or more for Android phones and iPhones. Microsoft will need to continue subsidizing apps in order to court developers who are tied to Android and iOS. Microsoft does have an army of Windows programmers who could get behind this, and also is creating a Windows Store, where developers can sell both desktop and mobile apps. One plus: Microsoft is pre-loading its Microsoft Office applications on the Surface.
Have other questions? Let us know in the comments section.
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