The state of art of David Boger in October.
2012 David Boger looks back at the Surface that Microsoft will launch in October. 26.
How would you like to move into an amazing mansion on a cliff overlooking the sea? in Somalia?
Or do you want a chance to have a new Ferrari?
Every three miles?
Will you accept a job with an annual salary of $1 million?
Cut the football field with a toenails Clippers?
This is Microsoft\'s choice that requires you to make with a beautifully designed, controversial Surface tablet.
Now, for the first tablet it made (
Actually its first computer)
Microsoft could have done another copy of the iPad.
But the goal is higher.
It wants to make a tablet that is as good at creating work as it is at organizing work.
Microsoft has achieved great success in hardware.
Read the specs and try not to drool on the keyboard.
Advertising surface with full-share some measurementssize iPad (1. 5 pounds, 0. 4 inches thick). But at 10. 8 by 6.
7 inch, it is a wider, thinner rectangle that is more suitable for movie play.
It has stereo speakers instead of Mono.
The front and rear cameras are 720 p HD.
AdvertisementIt has ports and jacks that iPad owners can only dream of: Memory-
Card slots, video output jacks, and USB 2 for extended storage. 0 jack.
You can connect almost any USB device: keyboard, mouse, flash drive, speaker, hard drive, etc.
Each surface model has twice the same storage-price iPad.
For example, the $500 Surface provides 32 gigabytes; the 64-
Gig Surface costs $600.
There are some disappointing things on the spec sheet.
Battery life is 8 to 10 hours less than the iPad.
No mobile version; it’s Wi-Fi only.
The screen is sharp (
1,366 by 768 pixels)
But it doesn\'t have the clarity of the retina screen close to the iPad (
2,048 by 1,536 pixels).
You can only charge the surface from its wall adapter
Not the USB jack of the computer.
The reason for Microsoft is that you won\'t have a computer to charge because the day you bring your tablet and laptop is over.
In addition, the wall socket charges much faster than the USB can.
The front is touch screen.
The edges of the black magnesium body are tilted and clear, just like the props in the Batman movie.
Then the bracket.
The lower half of the back is a hinge panel that remains magnetic until you pop up with your nails.
It captures a 22.
Angle, ready to support the tablet firmly and upright.
The smaller bracket adds weight, volume, or ugliness.
But this is a razor.
It will disappear completely when you don\'t use it.
You did use ads, though.
Especially when you open the optional keyboard. Yes, keyboard.
Do you know Apple\'s magnetic hinge iPad cover?
That\'s what Microsoft\'s Touch Cover thinks.
Same magnet hinge
In addition to the interior, there are some key shapes, even trackpads formed from slightly raised fuzzy materials.
Open the lid and flip out the holder and boom: you have something equal to 1. 5-
Lbs pc set up anywhere.
This is completely different from the Bluetooth keyboard case of the iPad.
First of all, the Touch Cover is much thinner, 0.
13 inch, thin cardboard.
Second, not Bluetooth,
No settings, no battery hit.
When the magnet clicks, the keyboard can type.
Third, the keyboard is flipped on the back when you want a tablet.
Surface automatically disables its buttons and displays on-
Screen keyboard when that type.
You can buy this cover for $100 or for $120.
The idea is very clever, but the key does not move.
You\'re banging on a flat surface.
If typing is too fast, the keyboard skips the letters. (
\"If you type 80 words a minute on the keyboard, 20-
30 on glass, you should be in your 50 s on the Touch Cover, \"said a Microsoft representative. )
Fortunately, Microsoft also offers the Type Cover ($130)
There are keys to real travel. At 0.
24 inch thick, not as eye-catching as touching the cover, but Microsoft says it\'s the thinnest move-
The key keyboard on the Earth, typing very well.
Please click on the box to verify that you are not a robot.
The email address is invalid. Please re-enter.
You must select the newsletter you want to subscribe.
View all New York Times newsletters.
This is the magic hardware.
Now heartbreak: software.
This computer runs Windows RT, which is a variant of Windows 8, and Microsoft hopes it will run on all computers from now on.
RT is very different from the old window.
Depending on your preference for change, you will be thrilled or shocked.
In this window, the Start screen is pieced together by colorful interactive tiles.
You click one to open an app, swipe one down to \"right click\" it and slide down to show more pages.
Each tile is also a small dashboard that shows your next appointment, the latest Facebook posts, the weather today, and more.
Fast, smooth and fun to use.
Brushing in from the edge of the screen will summon useful hidden panels.
Swipe from the top or bottom to display the menu of the app;
Switch applications from left side;
View important controls such as sharing and settings from the right.
Unfortunately, Windows RT is not a full window.
Surface comes with a 2013 preview of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint-
Feasible, but sometimes slow.
Otherwise, however, Windows RT will not be able to run any of the 4 million regular Windows programs.
Or the 275,000 iPad app.
Or 17 Android tablet apps. (That’s a joke!
There are actually 19 Android tablet apps. )
Instead, it needs all the new apps.
They are available only from the online Windows app store and are not much to choose from;
There are no Facebook, Spotify, Angry Birds, Instagram, Draw or New York Times apps, for example.
So far, the total number of applications in the United States is about 3,500; many are bare-bones or junky.
In some ways, the more interesting prospect is the Surface Pro tablet, which Microsoft says will be available within 90 days.
It has a real Intel chip inside that can run real Windows programs.
That\'s right: Photoshop, iTunes, Quicken, and classic PC games on your tablet.
Pro will Heavy (two pounds), thicker (half an inch)
And more expensive (around $1,000).
Of course, you can buy a slim laptop for these sacrifices --
But the Surface\'s keyboard cover and touch screen make it more flexible.
But whether it\'s the Surface tablet or the Windows 8 itself, there\'s an incredible split in personality.
Under the colorful edgesto-
In the edge world of RT applications, menus, icons, taskbar and overlapping windows for traditional windows desktops still exist.
On the surface, the old desktop is frustrating and unnecessarily present in the view whenever you use an Office program. (
My full review of Windows 8 will be published in The New York Times on Thursday. )
Windows RT is not all the problem either.
No speech recognition, not to mention Siri. no app folders;
There is no automatic instruction on the map.
The control panel offers features like typing advice and auto-correction, but I can\'t get them to work anywhere.
Sometimes in-
The screen keyboard should not pop up when it appears.
There is a lot of inconsistency everywhere.
For example, Word keeps telling me the way \"there is not enough memory or disk space. ” (
Well, gee, Microsoft-
Whose fault is that? )
Look, this is the case.
When you first see the surface, you have to keep your pulse fairly calm: its beauty, its potential, its instant shift from tablet to PC.
How incredible this bold envelope is
The design was driven by Microsoft, which for many years has only slightly imitated new ideas from other companies.
What is disappointing is Microsoft\'s expertise: software.
Maybe the Windows RT app will show up in time.
Difficulties may be solved.
Maybe people will solve the stacking problem of Windows RT and Windows 8.
Before that, the surface was a beautifully conceived machine, and its hardware would surprise you --
But whose software will make you lose patience. E-
Email: pogue @ nytimes
The coma version of this article was printed on page B1 of the New York edition on October 24, 2012 with the title: stylish tablets, but clumsy software.
Order reprint | today\'s newspaper | subscribe we are interested in your feedback on this page.
Tell us what you think.