14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft rolled out the Surface two weeks ago and, despite its early success, the other hardware manufacturers on the market continue to criticize it.
An HP official, for example, claims that Microsoft’s Surface is nothing more than an unfortunate mix of two different worlds and not at all an innovative combination of laptops and tablets, as Steve Ballmer said.
“Because you may have a situation where you may need more options--the [Surface] might not be enough for you,” Mike Hockey, worldwide public relations manager for HP, told FastCompany.
“If all I'm looking for is a notebook, well, I might as well buy a notebook. If I'm just going to carry the Surface with a kickstand, what's the point? We've got notebooks that are down to 2.5 pounds now. I don't know what the Surface is with the kickstand--it's right at 2 pounds I think. If i'm going to have the kickstand and keyboard all the time, and that's really all I'm using it for, then why not just go buy a lightweight notebook or ultrabook?”
Steve Ballmer said during the Windows 8 launch and the Surface keynote that Microsoft’s first tablet ever comes with a completely new approach.
It mixes the best of two different worlds, so it’s the first tablet you can really use, Ballmer explained, while pointing out that Apple’s iPad and the Kindle Fire aren’t quite advanced as compared to the Surface.
Besides the touch capabilities, the Surface also comes with a so-called Black Touch Cover that plays two different roles.
First of all, it’s a keyboard, so it lets you input text just like you do it on a typical keyboard. Second of all, it protects the tablet, despite the fact that it comes with a Vapor Magnesium case that proved to be extremely durable in several moments.