Microsoft debuts Windows 8 with new Surface Tablets - PixelSense rebranding as the Dark Knight Rises to defeat PC World

Microsoft has embarked on a bold new adventure, which I must say, is surprising, knowing the nature of their Operating System Partnerships with Computer makers. But for me, a follower of Microsoft for years, this is the good ‘ole Microsoft that used to be run by CEO Bill Henry Gates III that I know.

Microsoft is pushing the envelope and breaking with tradition when on Monday June 18^th 2012AD they launched their own pair of Tablets Tablet running the touch-centric Windows 8, dubbed the Microsoft Surface Tablet as stated in the article “Microsoft breaks tradition with Microsoft Surface Tablets”, June 18, 2012 4:33 PM PDT by Mary Jo Foley, CNET News.

If deceased Apple CEO Steven Paul Jobs were alive today, he would have said, “Great! Now Microsoft is following us and making their own hardware”. True, but it’s a little deeper than just that, Steve!

But in a Twist of Fate, the design of the 10” Microsoft Surface Tablet, which includes a built-in Keyboard and Microsoft Productivity software, means that Microsoft’s Design may be better that Apple’s as opined in the article “Microsoft Surface shows Apple could be wrong”, published June 19, 2012 6:00 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News.

Again, I took my time coming around to this story which I had read back in June 2012 and followed on line during the live blog announcing the launch from CNET (thanks guys!), due to the fact that even to this date, no hard details exist on the specs of concern to me; the battery life and pricing.

Here’s what I know: Microsoft has launched two (2) Tablets that they themselves designed, which they christened with the name “Surface”. Microsoft already has an expensive Tabletop computer called Surface that was manufactured by Samsung Corporation, for those of us with good memories. 

So they rechristened that original device named “Surface” with a new name, PixelSense, as noted in the article “Microsoft renames its old Surface computer as PixelSense”, published June 18, 2012 7:20 PM PDT by Steven Musil, CNET News.   

PixelSense, unlike the new Microsoft Surface Tablets that have now stolen their thunder, has received lukewarm reviews, despite the technology being cutting edge in its conceptualization; camera(s) underside an opaque table tracks the placement of your hand or finger or other objects on a glass surface and projects an image unto that surface, making it a oversized touchable computer screen.

Version 2.0 Of PixelSense (formerly called Surface, try to remember that!) turns the entire screen into a camera instead of having a camera behind the screen! In essence, you are touching a gigantic camera lens, which also acts as a projecting screen for images from a connected computer. 

A whole new class of Screen Technology that differs from Capacitive Touch Screens. Microsoft, with enough marketing savvy, can now begin licensing this technology once they can get the screen thin enough to be used in other devices.

Meanwhile the new kids on the block, dubbed Surface, are a pair of Tablets:

1.      Windows 8 Pro Surface Tablet that supposedly use low-power, super fast Quad-Core Intel Sand Bridge of Ivy Bridge Processors, clearly geared towards Corporate and Enterprise Users

2.      Windows RT Tablets, using Windows RT, designed to use low-power ARM Processors, clearly geared towards Home and Residential Users

First the Specs that are known:

Windows 8 Pro Surface Tablet 

1.      Running Windows 8 Professional (hopefully not a trial version!)

2.      903g weight

3.      13.5 mm Thick

4.      42 Watt-hour Battery

5.      3 mm Touch Cover integrated Keyboard and Pen with Palm Block

6.      10.6-inch ClearType Full HD Display with 16:9 aspect ratio angled at 22 degrees

7.      Built-in Magnetic Kickstand with Vapor Magnesium Casing

8.      Supports micro-SDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae

9.      Comes in SSD (Solid State Drives) with sizes 64 GB and 128 GB

Windows RT Surface Tablet 

1.      Running Windows 8 RT Version (here’s hoping again that this is not trial!)

2.      676g weight

3.      13.5 mm Thick

4.      31.5 Watt-hour Battery

5.      3 mm Touch Cover integrated Keyboard and Pen with Palm Block

6.      10.6-inch ClearType Full HD Display with 16:9 aspect ratio angled at 22 degrees

7.      Built-in Magnetic Kickstand with Vapor Magnesium Casing

8.      Supports micro-SDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae

9.      Comes pre-loaded with Office Apps (which suggests it’s being marketed to Corporate world!)

10.  Comes in SSD (Solid State Drives) with sizes 32 GB and 64 GB

As I said before, no pricing info and no battery Life info! Even the great Eric Franklin, CNET News resident expert on Tablet Specs and Testing came up with no clues or leaked news on the pricing, with his prices being nothing more than stomach rumbling and guesses as stated in the article “Just how much will Microsoft Surface cost?”, published August 7, 2012 4:45 PM PDT by Eric Franklin, CNET News.

And no launch date either since its debut on Monday June 18^th 2012AD. Hence the reason for my not even penning a launch article for this product until now; I’ve seen many a contender too numerous to list come along that have tanked against the Apple iPad. Their graves litter my personal Blog as well as the Geezam Blog as epitaphs of their folly; trying to sell a Tablet instead of using the Tablet to sell customer low cost high merging Apps.

One thing is for sure though; their Wintel (Windows OS – Intel Based Machines) partners are not pleased at all. Already, details have trickled out regarding the impending launch of this product in the Fourth Quarter of 2012AD. Already graffiti ads have begun appearing on walls in New York City on select streets promoting the concept as stated in the article “Microsoft Surface Art ads pop up in NYC”, published Friday August 24^th 2012, by Lance Whitney, CNET News.

It’s a style reminiscent of a secret, quiet teaser launch possibly to be twinned with AR (Augmented Reality) Advertising and anchored with QR (Quick Response) Codes as described in my blog article entitled “Daqri combines QR Codes with Augmented Reality - Ads and PR Minority Report Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “QR Codes and Shopping in South Korea - My Science Project for A Virtual Supermarket”.

These ads from Microsoft will most likely build to a crescendo with a series of even more vague Television and Radio spots! The Microsoft Surface Tablets are most likely to be launched in the Fourth Quarter of 2012AD, specifically on Friday October 26^th 2012AD, the same date as the launch of Windows 8 in a bid to take advantage of the Christmas Rush.

Already, the PC World vultures have begun circling…….and their pronouncements are protectionists at best.

Lenovo, one of Microsoft’s Major hardware partners, criticized Microsoft's product at their Quarterly General meetings for Stockholders on August 2012ADas stated in “Lenovo dings Microsoft Surface: We'll provide better hardware”, published August 15, 2012 9:42 PM PD by Brooke Crother, CNET News.

Their CEO Yang Yuanqing bitterly criticized the Microsoft’s strategy with some very hard words, quote: “Although we don't like Microsoft providing hardware, for us, it just adds one more competitor[s]. [They're] just one of our many competitors. We are still confident that we are providing much better hardware than our competitors including Microsoft. They are strong in software, but [we] don't believe they can provide the best hardware in the world. Lenovo can.”

PC maker Dell is also feeling pretty confident about its chances against Microsoft’s new strategy, again criticizing Microsoft on their apparently lackluster hardware and the fact it’s a Tablet. This time, Dell CEO Michael Dell commented during his company’s Quarterly General meetings for Stockholders, also in August 2012AD as stated in “Surface Tablet less than 2 percent of market, says Dell”, published August 21, 2012 3:57 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News.

Dell CEO Michael Dell criticism seemed to center mainly on supply chain issues, hence his prediction of low level of penetration of this hardware affront by Microsoft, quote: “I think there's an understanding of the number of units that they're likely to sell is a relatively small percentage. Maybe in the 1 [percent] to 2 percent range of total PC units during next year”.

His CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Brian Gladden seemed to respect Microsoft’s strategy more, due to the unknown scope of pricing and Dell’s own lack of a solid Tablet strategy thus far. His quote is quite respectful of Microsoft as a genuine competitor, quote: “[About] Microsoft entering the space - we've spent time speaking to Microsoft and understanding how they're thinking about it. There clearly are opportunity for us as Windows 8 comes through and how we differentiate our products. At the same time they've announced the Surface product that will be in that space and we'll have products in there. I think you'll see a diverse set of offerings that take advantage of what Windows 8 brings to market”.

So with no actual news leaking out of Redmond-based Microsoft, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. Using the above specs, clearly one can reason that the Windows RT Surface Tablets is for Consumers, with the Windows 8 Pro Surface Tablet being for Corporate and Enterprise users, their bread and butter.

Due to the expensive professional finish consisting of a built in Touch Cover integrated Keyboard and its Vapour Magnesium Casing, it’s clear that the Windows 8 Pro Surface Tablet is tailored towards the Corporate and Enterprise Markets. It’s likely to be an expensive deal, especially for the Corporate and Enterprise crowd looking for quality, due to the fact that these Tablets are clearly built to get work done and not purely as Media consumption devices, the main failure of previous Tablet attempts from other Tablet Challengers.

But large orders from Corporate and Enterprise customers, effectively Economy-of-scale in purchasing, should make their adoption seem like a sweet deal; Tablets, lightweight and professional looking built for Work, not play and coming built-in with Microsoft Productivity Apps as stated in the article “How to Trade a $200 Microsoft Surface Tablet”, published 22-08-2012 by Benzinga Editorial, Forbes Magazine.

However it's very possibly and highly likely, as a means of breaking into the consumer market, where the Apple iPad clearly has dominance, that Microsoft may be going to use the Razor Blade Strategy.

Microsoft may be willing to cut prices for the Windows RT Surface Tablet to as low as US$199, which is the MPP (Magical Pricing Point) that is critical to igniting a Fire Sale for this products debutante debut. The Windows RT Surface Tablet will most likely twinned with a two (2) year subscription of their Cloud-based Services. 

This according to EnGadget anonymous informant in their article “Microsoft Surface for Windows RT Tablet coming October 26th for $199?”, published August 14th 2012 11:27AM By Tim Stevens, Engadget.

Analyst IDC is already predicting this too, with Microsoft allegedly ramping up to unveil a three million (3,000,000) Tablet Strong push into the market come October 2012AD as stated in their article entitled “Microsoft to build more than 3 million Surface Tablets, says IDC”, published August 17, 2012 2:46 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News.

IDC analyst Bob O'Donnell in a phone interview with CNET News Brooke Crothers, waxed upbeat and optimistic with his predictions, quote: “Probably a little over 3 million, both [Intel] x86 and ARM.  If they build a few million units there's no way they can sell it through Microsoft store only. So I think that they'll sell it through traditional retail also. You can't build that many products without having a much wider distribution strategy. They just haven't shared that [strategy] yet”.

If the above is true, Microsoft would clearly be preparing for a massive run or on their product, thereby suggesting a lower priced product and possibly bundled with Service Subscriptions to make up for lost revenue.

This pricing Strategy, reminiscent of the Xbox Strategy used by Microsoft to make it big in the Gaming and Console Market. A Gaming Console Market now still ga-ga over the Microsoft Kinect which was a success as stated in my blog article entitled “Nintendo Wii vs Microsoft Kinect - War of the Worlds in Jodine Spark's BattleField”.

This past adventure with the Xbox has gone well for Microsoft as stated in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Nintendo and Sony vs Smartphones and Tablets: Post – Portable Gaming Era”, which is now reaping rewards from Xbox Gaming Subscriptions, making enough revenue for their sacrifice to be seen as a commercial success. 

However, it’s estimated, based on the cost of components and manufacturing of the Microsoft Surface Tablets, Microsoft stands to lose about US$50 per Tablet were they to sell the Windows RT Surface Tablet for US$199 as pointed out in the article “Microsoft Surface RT Tablet for $199? Let’s Be Realistic”, published August 16, 2012 By Jared Newman, Time Magazine

Even with Economy of Scale and low Cost outsourced Chinese Manufacturing from Foxconn…...

This is a lot steeper than the losses of US$2.70 off each Amazon Kindle Fire that IHS iSuppli estimated it took Amazon to make their 7” Tablet, placed at about US$201.70 and which Amazon sold at US$199 as opined in my Geezam blog article “Amazon Kindle Fire vs the Apple iPad – The Stats Wars worth Reading About”.

So clearly if Microsoft goes this route, they’ll have to salve the wound with a bevy of attractive subsidies in the form of Subscription Services for the strategy to work long term. A crib of Amazon Online Store and Apple’s App Store Strategy and a strategy that makes sense for them as the Amazon Kindle Fire is effectively a storefront for the Amazon.com as noted in the article “Why a $200 Surface Tablet makes sense for Microsoft”, published AUGUST 21, 2012 BY SIMON HILL, DigitalTrends.

What’s Microsoft’s Strategy to address distribution remains a mystery. But Microsoft may choose to retail their products online stores with large customer bases such as TigerDirect and Amazon as well as through the traditional Brick and Mortar Distribution via Staples and Best Buy to catch the Christmas 2012AD rush.

Especially around Black Friday, as at that price for a Tablet’s, that’s a steal and “Kindle” wood for a Fire Sale!

Microsoft is clearly aiming to make money from a pent up demand for a Tablet designed to actually get work done as opposed to just being purely for Gaming and Media consumption, as is the case with the Apple iPad. It’s also a partner to their Windows 8 Phone and is the start of building an ecosystem of products which can allow regular consumers, Corporate and Enterprise peeps to get work done while having fun, in keeping with the mantra of their Windows Phone advertising.

So clearly, just like the Asus Transformer, which Microsoft’s Surface Tablet mimics as can be noted in my blog article entitled “Asus Transformer vs Apple iPad 2 - X-Men First Class for Ludacris' Numba' One Spot”, the Microsoft Surface Tablets are geared towards a specific market: Working People needing a practical Tablet. 

And unlike the bravado of Dell and Lenovo, Asus has not only a clear Tablet Strategy but also strength in numbers as well as stated in my blog article entitled “Asus Transformer & Asian Tablets vs Apple iPad - Vybz Kartel's Straight Jeans & Fitted Big Trouble in Little China”.

Asus has set out to define it’s Tablets as being geared towards Gaming with the their twinning of their hardware with Nvidia’s Quad-Core “Kal-el” Tegra 3 Processor with the debut of the Asus Transformer Prime in November 2012AD as announced in my blog article entitled “Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime to debut on November 9 2011AD - Nvidia Kal-El invites Apple iPad to Game On”.

This adoption of Nvidia quad-Core Processor I’d predicted in my Geezam blog article entitled “Nvidia and the Quad-Core Kal-El CPU – Android leaves A5 Dual-Core Processor in the Dust”.

Unlike Microsoft, Surface Tablets, their Tablets run on a variety of OS including Google Android, Windows 7 and possible Windows 8. Clearly, they are on the move to grandfather customers away from Laptops toward Ultrabooks and Tablets and thus provide a variety of Tablets for consumers, from regular households to Corporate and Enterprise to choose from. 

Asus, it seems, sees the Tablet as the future form factor of the PC, an opinion I had expressed in my blog article entitled “Intel and the UltraBook -  Stephen King's MacBook and iPad Thinner Hex” as a means of PC Makers to survive in the coming “Post-PC Era” as predicted by deceased former Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Microsoft is clearly thinking the same way too, as chasing the Apple iPad is clearly not the only thing on their agenda despite the rhetoric spouted at the launch on Monday June 18^th 2012AD as stated in “Why the Microsoft Surface probably won't be an iPad killer”, published June 22, 2012 11:23 AM PDT by Eric Mack, CNET News.

It’s just that Microsoft cannot wait for the PC Industry to catch up as a combination of the trend towards Mobile Computing and smartphones promulgated by the Apple iPad and the Apple iPhone and its ilk are slowly making them extinct as noted in my blog article entitled “Apple deeply integrating Facebook into iOS 6.0 - The Penguins of Madagascar Microsoft and Apple save the Devil in the Blue Dress” may make them extinct in both the PC and Tablet markets. 

This is further made plain with the recent launch of Apple iOS 6.0 at Apple’s WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference) held earlier in the year on Monday June 11^th 2012. During that product launch, it was announced that Facebook is now integrated into iOS 6.0.

Effectively, this is Facebook’s tacit acceptance of Mobile Computing and smartphone usage as stated in my blog article entitled “Apple's WWDC heralds the Return of the Mac and iOS 6.0 - Future Hunt for Red October Amazon and Samsung in Mini-Tablets and IPTV” .

Thus the debut of these Microsoft Surface Tablets is a clear awakening by Microsoft and a slap in the face of the PC Industry and a Wake-up call to them all; move toward Mobile Computing with compelling products and low-priced high-quality hardware to regain market-share lost to the Apple iPad, the Apple iPhone and it copycat brethren.

If you don't, reasons Microsoft via their actions, then we’ll move you ourselves via competing with our own Tablet Design and Strategy as opined in the article “Why Microsoft's Surface Tablet Shames the PC Industry”, published July 09, 2012 by Ashlee Vance, Businessweek.

This now officially puts the PC Industry on notice, as with the rebranding of the product originally named Surface to PixelSense, Microsoft is become Batman: The Dark Knight Rises (2012) to challenge the Apple iPad

Indirectly, the Microsoft Surface Tablets will also coax the PC World to do better with their designs for Tablets and develop an actual Tablet Strategy as the future is indeed populated with UltraBooks, Tablets and Smartphones.