Microsoft enters the tablet market with new Surface hardware

During a secretive and much-anticipated press event on Monday, Microsoft introduced the Surface, a brand new high-end tablet line that looks to bridge traditional PC computing with the popular mobile market. Microsoft will offer two distinct versions of the game-enabled Surface hardware: A premium model running on Windows 8 Pro and another model running on the tablet-focused Windows RT. Both devices include a 10.6 inch display, making them just slightly larger than Apple's iPad. This new line of devices is particularly noteworthy for Microsoft, as the company very rarely produces its own consumer facing hardware. Outside of the Surface, the company's other hardware offerings have included only the Xbox, the Kinect, the Zune, the ill-fated Kin, and a few other assorted computer peripherals. During its presentation, Microsoft confirmed that the Surface would in in fact support games and tie in with its existing Xbox brand. Exact details on the device's game-focused features, however, remained scarce for now. In terms of the device's physical features, the Windows RT Surface will include an Nvidia ARM processor, while the more robust Windows 8 version will include an Intel i5 CPU. The devices will also include ports for USB, SD cards, and Micro HD Video. Microsoft also hopes to make the device function a bit more like a laptop with a built-in stand and a Touch Cover that includes an accelerometer, and folds out into a touch-based pressure sensitive keyboard. The company chose to stay quiet on pricing, but Microsoft said that Surface for Windows RT will come in 32GB and 64GB models, and will be priced on par with "comparable tablets based on ARM." The Pro version, meanwhile, will offer 64GB and 128GB models, and will allegedly be priced much like Ultrabook-class PCs. As for the Surface's launch date, Microsoft said the Windows RT version's debut will coincide with the release of Windows 8, while the Pro version will launch three months later.