Microsoft has launched its first touch screen tablet computer ‘Surface’, as the software giant looks to rival Google in the fast growing market.
Microsoft’s latest innovation is a big change for the company which has relied on computer manufacturers to make and market machines which then run the Windows operating system.
The Surface boasts a thickness of 9.3 millimeters and will weigh about 1.5 pounds. It is configurable with 32 GB or 64 GB of storage.
Pricing was not revealed on Monday, except that it would be “competitive” with current tablets and Intel-powered Ultrabooks.
The RT Surface features a built-in kickstand and comes with a cover that doubles as an ultra-thin keyboard.
Contrary to expectations, Microsoft made no mention of integrating content and features from its top-selling Xbox game console into either tablet, or the Skype video calling service it bought last year.
The device will run versions of Microsoft’s forthcoming Windows 8 operating system, a system the company hopes will allow it to make up ground in mobile computing lost to Apple and Google’s Android.
Watch a video demonstrating how Surface works below:
