June 21, 2012

Microsoft Joins Tablet Fray

Microsoft is not calling its new Surface PC a tablet, but in most meaningful ways it is. Larry Greenemeier reports

SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Tech

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Did Microsoft just climb back into the tablet market? The company's not calling its new Surface PC a tablet, but for all practical purposes it is.

Maybe the word "tablet" gives Microsoft painful memories. A decade ago, the company made a Tablet PC version of Windows and counted on companies like Dell and HP to make the hardware. Tablet PCs flopped at the time because they weren't any better than regular PCs or laptops for either producing or accessing content.

Apple finally found the right approach to tablets a few years ago. Instead of trying to shrink a PC into a tablet like Microsoft tried to do, the iPad is basically a bigger version of the iPod Touch.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

So Microsoft is giving it another go, this time making its own hardware to take advantage of Windows 8, which is touchscreen friendly.

With the iPad and Android tablets already on the market, Microsoft is counting on its appeal to business users. Their IT departments are already familiar with managing Windows, and the Surface PC comes with a cover that doubles as a keyboard. A touch screen still can't compete with a keyboard when it comes to cranking out Word documents.

—Larry Greenemeier

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]

[Also see "Tech Trends to Watch, from the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show"]

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American