After nexus10 by Google its now Microsoft turn

After nexus10 by Google its now Microsoft turn

Microsoft surface

In tablets, the big guns have big names. Apple has its iPad 4 and Google has the Nexus 10. And, if Microsoft is to take on the might of Apple and Google in the tablet space with Windows 8, it needs a big name of its own.

So welcome Microsoft Surface. The new tablet isn't just the big poster boy for Windows 8, but  also for Windows RT too, the brand-new version of Windows 8 designed for ARM.

Description:

It boasts a distinctive design, helped by those unmistakable keyboard covers, enjoys a    10.6-inch widescreen display, and runs Windows 8, the most popular operating system on the planet.

Features:

1. USB port

Any look at the spec sheet will make this obvious, but the Surface RT has a full-size USB port. If you look at SRT as a Windows tablet then this is no surprise, but if you see it as a tablet-plus then USB is a sweet addition. Using it you can plug in a mouse, use any keyboard you want or, and this will almost certainly come in handy next time you are traveling, charge your phone.

2. A super smart keyboard

One of the reasons that the Surface RT feels so much like a laptop is that it doesn’t feel complete without a keyboard attached. Whenever Microsoft demoed it the tablet had the Touch cover (very firmly) attached and they don’t even make a non-keyboard cover for it. So when you take the Surface RT out and you actually want to use it like a tablet with the cover flipped back, what stops you from typing? The keyboard detects that it’s backwards and won’t accept a button press.

Another clever feature is that the space bar doesn’t end where you think it does. Microsoft’s design team noticed that people tend to hit the space key on the bottom edge, which is fine for a standard key, but doesn’t cut it for a no-movement one, like that used on the Touch cover. Their solution was to extend the useable range of the key below where it normally would be. 

3. Hidden, but accessible microSD slot

Much like a metal kangaroo pouch, the Surface’s kickstand has a bunch of storage hidden behind it. On the right side of the tablet, behind the kickstand cover, is a microSD slot that can take in up to 64GB of storage. It’s easy to access, but even easier to just put a card in once and forget about it forever — you still have a USB slot so it’s more like permanent expansion than it is removable storage.

With the price of a 64GB microSD card you can get the Surface RT up to 128GB of storage. That’s a lot of music, movies, Office docs, and apps… at least once there are some apps worth downloading in the Windows store.

4. Angled camera

If you do much reading about the Surface RT you’ll notice the term “22 degrees” come up a lot. Microsoft was quite impressed that they figured out that a 22 degree angle would allow the rear-facing webcam to work normally while the tablet was tilted into kickstand mode. Of course Microsoft didn’t angle the forward-facing cam so if you want to do a video conference the cam is pointed uncomfortably at your chest, but at least your companion will have a great view of the room you’re in.

5. Macho magnetic connectors

Microsoft must have identified one of the iPad’s weakness: the magnetic connector that holds on the smart cover (or any cover for that matter) isn’t strong enough. If you grab the iPad by the cover alone you’re liable to be stuck holding the cover a nothing else, but that’s not the case with the Touch and Type covers. These aren’t as easy to attach to the tablet, but they won’t come off unless you really, really want them to. The power connection is magnetic as well, and while it’s annoyingly tricky to get connected, it has quite a strong connection as well.