The Great War: The Microsoft Surface vs. Apple’s New iPad - Review

Yesterday in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced the new Surface tablet. Look out Apple! This new Microsoft tablet is thin like the iPad, but has many more user-friendly features. The iPad's keyboard is fairly difficult to use. The onscreen keyboard is cumbersome to use if you are typing more than just a quick text message. It really isn't a laptop computer and has never claimed to be. It's mostly for entertainment. However, the new Microsoft Surface tablet is a fully functioning laptop-tablet that you can actual get some real work done on. The Surface features a handy-to-use keyboard that is actually the touch cover for the tablet. The iPad is compatible with third-party keyboards, but they aren't light-weight nor part of the case like the Surface's keyboard. According to an article by Nick Bilton, New York Times’ Bit, “The Surface tablet also comes with built-in applications from Windows 8 that will allow people to write or create fun spreadsheets. (O.K., maybe not fun, but spreadsheets nonetheless.) The tablet also comes with a USB 3.0 port for what Microsoft says can be used to hook up a printer or to charge your phone.” Apple’s iPad doesn’t have the USB support.

Microsoft has delivered the new Surface tablet after keeping it under wraps for three years with no leaks! The Surface isn’t loaded with a bunch of crapware and demonstrates just what an OEM machine should be. According to Ed Bott, ZDNet, "The ARM-powered Windows RT model is one-tenth of a millimeter thinner than the latest iPad. It has a 10.6-inch screen with a 16:9 HD resolution, compared to the iPad’s 9.5-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The larger display on the Surface means more weight—24 grams extra, to be precise, or just under an ounce more than its rival from Cupertino. A second model, built around an Intel Ivy Bridge CPU, runs Windows 8 Professional. Compared to its Windows RT cousin it’s slightly less thin (13.5 mm instead of 9.4 mm) and heavier (903 g, or a sliver over 2 pounds, compared to 1-1/2 pounds). And both models have 2 full-size USB ports (USB 2.0 for the Windows RT model, USB 3.0 for the Windows 8 Professional version)."

By far the coolest feature to me is the built-in keyboard-cover combo. It will come in two styles. With the Touch Cover, it is magnetic and is only 3 mm thick. The Type Cover is a bit thicker (5 mm) and has slightly raised keys (pressure sensitive) and a touchpad. Both of the covers/keyboards come in an assortment of bright colors. Of course the Surface also has a kickstand as part of the case so you can easily snap it open to set the tablet at a 22 degree viewing stance, perfect for watching videos or movies or doing video chatting.

The Microsoft Surface is powerful! According to Doug Gross, CNNTech, "The Windows Pro model will run on an i5 Intel processor and come with up to 128 gigabytes of internal memory (the iPad currently goes up to 64)."

The Xbox SmartGlass is going to be a major selling feature for the Surface tablet. According to the article by Doug Gross, "It will connect a Smartphone or tablet with the Xbox, which in turn will be connected with the television. By connecting the devices, users can watch a movie on their television while getting bonus material on their tablet. They could also start enjoying a game or movie on the tablet, then transfer it to a TV -- or vice versa. If the feature is front and center on the Surface, it will be one more step in Microsoft's push to bring all of a user's devices together within the flexible Windows 8 system."

All in all, Apple has some stiff competition with the new Microsoft Surface tablet. The real question people are asking is how much will the new Surface cost. According to John Dvorak, PCMag, "I suspect the low-end tablet with keyboard will go for $499 and the high-end machine will tip the scales at $799 or more." That is well within the competition range vs. the iPad.

I think I want one—what about you?

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