Microsoft will launch the Surface tablet together with the new OS

Oct 20, 2012 17:01 GMT  ·  By

As most geeks probably know by now, the self-proclaimed devices and services company based in Redmond will unveil both the Surface and the brand new Windows 8 operating system next week during a New York press event.

While using the same launch party to present two different products may not be such a bad idea after all, it might actually turn into a huge fiasco for Microsoft. And the Redmondians don’t seem to get it.

But let’s take everything one at a time.

The Surface is already alive and kicking

First, the Surface. It seems to be a great tablet (since it’s not yet generally available, nobody can tell for sure if it’s that great or not, so it just “seems” for the moment) and it doesn’t even matter if it’s better than the iPad or not.

Who cares? It comes with Windows RT and although it won’t provide support for x86/x64 apps, it still looks like a very nifty way to get your work done wherever you are.

I will definitely buy one, not because I need it, since my iPad, the New iPad to be more specific, was barely used for more than 10 hours since I bought it, but simply because it could be one of the products that may lend you a hand exactly when you need it. It has a helpful keyboard, Office and, more importantly, Windows which, to be honest, looks more familiar to the average Joe than any other operating system out there.

Microsoft hasn’t said it loudly, but the Surface is great. So great that the 32 GB version, the cheapest one, was sold out in less than 24 hours. And it’s not even launched!

Windows 8 is… uhm… confusing

Second, the Windows 8 operating system. Steve Ballmer, the monkey man who’s still at the helm of Microsoft, says Windows 8’s debut is at least as important as Windows 95’s. “Why?” you may ask. Well, it brings such a long list of improvements that it should clearly change the way you work on your computer.

Or, at least, that’s what Ballmer hopes.

Fortunately, tech savvy users had the chance to get a taste of the new Windows 8 thanks to a couple of preview versions rolled out by Microsoft a few months ago. Sadly, on the other hand, some people actually criticized the new OS for dumping traditional Windows elements, such as the Start Menu and a Start button.

“Hey, but what about our brand new Start Screen?” Microsoft said every once in a while. “It’s too confusing,” users replied every time, trying to figure out a way to shut down their computer.

For many, Windows 8 doesn’t seem such a great product, despite the fact that Microsoft periodically emphasizes the significant list of improvements it comes with.

Is Microsoft backing the wrong horse?

So, let’s see. We have two different products developed by the same company and slated to see daylight at the same moment. One is surprisingly successful, but Microsoft doesn’t say a word about it, the other one is still drawing criticism but the parent company continues to brag about it.

Two different marketing strategies for two different products. Out of the two, Windows 8 is going to be the more important product, or at least that’s what Microsoft is trying to suggest. Only that so far, Surface seems to be the one that deserves all the praises.

It may sound a bit weird, but Surface could be a fatal mistake. People may be so excited with the new Microsoft tablet that Windows 8 could fall in the background. Although it might be an extraordinary product.

Or maybe it only lands at the wrong time. It all comes down to Microsoft’s marketing strategy. It doesn’t even matter too much, but the Surface could very well be the in-house Windows 8 killer.