Can Microsoft scratch the Surface of Apple’s dominance?

Posted by Dave Beesley, Senior Account Manager

Tech news was alive with a buzz of anticipation last month as more and more details emerged about Microsoft’s new Surface tablet. Could there finally be a tablet on the market to rival the iPad? Well after an epic fail during the opening demo, I’d say the jury is still out.

However, there are notable features that do grab the attention of even the most hardened Apple aficionados. The keyboard is a touch of inspiration and the sturdiness of the built in kick-stand has been well received. The size of memory puts the iPad to shame starting at 32GB on the RT version with an ARM processor going up to a whopping 128GB on the PRO version which has an Intel core processor. It also has USB capability which opens the door for additional devices emerging that can be compatible with the Surface. Not a bad beginning to whet our appetite.

Although, significant questions still remain such as how much the Surface will cost – Microsoft says it will be priced ‘competitively’, whatever that means! We still don’t know exactly when it will hit the shops, whether it will have 3G, the finer details of its processing power or – for me this is of crucial importance – its battery life. When I bought an iPad I feared the worst in regards to the battery life, but I was pleasantly impressed. This is where Apple has nailed one of the most frustrating features of mobile computing – can Microsoft match it?

First impressions tell me that the Surface has real potential. The specs are strong, it has cool features like the keyboard and visually it looks good – wait a minute…has Microsoft really beaten Apple at their own game and gone for style over substance? Only time (and the growth of available apps in the Microsoft Metro app store) will tell.

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