Microsoft took a bold step into the tablet market on Monday with the unveiling of a computer aimed squarely at bettering Apple’s market-leading iPad.
The computer, called Surface, will be available in two versions. One will run the Windows 8 Pro operating system and the other will be based on Windows RT, a new version of Windows designed to run on the ARM family of processors that are predominant in the tablet market.
“It’s something new, something different, a whole new family of computing devices from Microsoft,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, at a Los Angeles news conference.
The machine has a 10.6-inch, widescreen, high-definition display and comes with a 3-millimeter-thick, pressure-sensitive cover that doubles as a keyboard.
