Microsoft Surface Tablet... can it replace traditional laptops?

Technology giant Microsoft broke their tradition with the launch of their Surface tablets with innovative keyboards in Los Angeles, but will these tablets be able to replace the traditional laptops?

Monday saw a change of era for Microsoft, which launched their own branded tablets, making a foray into the tablet market from their primary licensing business. The new Windows Surface tablets will run the new Windows 8 and Windows RT.

The decision to have their own branded tablets, though the devices will be manufactured by a hardware partner with the Microsoft branding, will put them at direct competition with their hardware partners.

Will it be a new era for the tech giants or will it backfire remains to be seen. Pricing and availability information will be revealed later next month. With Windows 8 going into production next month, these tablets should be available in August-September.

The press release reports suggest, “The suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.”

The basic specs of the two versions of the Microsoft Surface tablets include:

- A full-size USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio angled at 22 degrees
- 10.6-inch, 16:9 widescreen HD Display
- Integrated Kickstand: Built-in kickstand lets users move Surface from active use to passive consumption
- Touch Cover: 3 mm pressure-sensitive Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures will come in different colors

One version will run the ARM processor for Windows RT and the other will run the Intel core processor for Windows 8 Pro.

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