Microsoft Surface arrives to challenge iPad, Android tablets

Microsoft choose Hollywood as the location to unveil Surface, a windows tablet computer designed and engineered completely by the guys at One Microsoft Way in Redmond, WA.

While the Surface is unique in appearance, with an integrated kickstand to help prop it up and a Touch Cover with a built-in keyboard, the big question quickly comes to mind. Is this tablet the iPad killer?

Various tablet manufacturers have been trying to build a serious iPad competitor since the Motorola Xoom arrived on the scene in early 2011. The Xoom wasn't it and neither were the Samsung Galaxy Tabs. The Acer tablets, Asus, the Amazon Kindle and a few others have gained traction, but the iPad remains on top.

Microsoft has probably thrown every punch they've learned in their 30-year history of building hardware and developing software to make the Surface attractive to savvy consumers. It even has a few strong point and features not found in the current crop of tablets and can one-up the iPad in a few areas.

Although Microsoft did not list physical dimensions, they did point out the Surface's 10.6-inch display with a 16:9 ratio. I'm afraid the iPad stops at 9.7 inches in the display size, while other tablets, such as the Xoom 2, Acer Iconia Tab and Asus Transformer Prime stop at 10.1 inches. So the Surface holds the top spot for display size.

The Surface is about the same thickness as the iPad and the weight is around 1.5 pounds, but that's iffy, depending on configuration and what Microsoft calls the "manufacturing process."

Perhaps the most "talked about" feature of the Surface will be the Touch Cover, which will be available in five colors. It will attach to the Surface with a magnetic latch, which reminds me of the iPad's magnetic cover. But the Surface has a keyboard on the inside of the cover, which could be a stroke of genius for Microsoft if consumers give it a nod.

I can't wait to get my hands on the VaporMg casing, which Microsoft is saying will feel like the finish of a luxury watch.

It seems that devices of late are all going with high-end materials on the outside. Apple likes aluminum and some of the Ultrabooks are even using glass, such as the HP Envy. A technique using Liquid Metal is being tossed around for the iPhone 5. So maybe the VaporMg technology, which has a dose of magnesium, will ensure Microsoft's Surface is in the game of hi-tech casings.

It's no surprise that the Surface will be powered by a couple of versions of the Windows 8 operating system, which has been on the market in preview form for desktop computers. You'll be able to choose between Windows RT for ARM processors or Windows 8 Pro for Intel processors.

I've been testing Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a desktop and it'll be interesting to see how this OS performs on a tablet.

As for ports, the Surface will have HDMI and a full-sized USB 2.0, along with a micro SD slot. That's not a bad start for a tablet, which will also be available in configurations of 32, 64 and 128 gigabytes. The latter is only for the Windows 8 Pro version.

If you're itching to try Microsoft's latest creation, you'll just have to wait awhile. They still have to figure out how much it'll cost. I imagine it'll be ready for the shelves sometime this fall, or surely in time for holiday shopping.

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New MacBook Pro certainly something to drool over

As of Monday, my MacBook Pro is no longer considered state of the art. I have only had it several months and I've been enjoying the all-aluminum body and snappy processor, along with the Snow Leopard operating system.

Now Apple Inc. has announced the very latest 15-inch MacBook Pro, which is a lot like my laptop in appearance, but it also has a Retina display and faster Intel Core i7 quad-core processors, along with flash storage. I can't compete with all that.

The new guy is sleeker, thinner, more powerful and certainly a looker. But is it better than what I have? Let's compare a few things.

It is powered by OS X Lion and can be upgraded for free to Mountain Lion when it's ready. I'll be sticking with the Leopard for a while.

Apple is also making a big deal about the two Thunderbolt ports, while I only have one. I'm left in the dust again.

The Thunderbolt port technology was developed by Apple and Intel to support "high-resolution displays" and "high-performance data devices." According to Apple, it's 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and up to 12 times faster than with FireWire 800. This is a serious I/O port for serious business. We're talking about plugging in big LED monitors, RAID storage devices in a daisy chain and high-performance video equipment.

My problem with the one Thunderbolt port on my old MacBook Pro is that I have nothing that needs it right now. No high performance peripherals or components. Apple is hoping this technology gains traction in the future, but in the meantime, FireWire and USB ports are serving me just fine.

While we're on ports, I am kind of puzzled by the lack of a CD/DVD or Blu-ray drive on the new MacBook Pro. I also didn't see any ethernet or FireWire ports. I'm thinking a built-in optical drive is still needed for software installation, especially if purchased at retail outlets. My last purchase of a major application suite was still on CDs.

After some digging around Apple's website, I found where there are Thunderbolt port adapters for ethernet and FireWire peripherals. If you need a CD drive, it's available as an optional external drive for one of the two USB ports that "are" on the new MacBook Pro.

The Retina display on the new MacBook Pro is all about pixels and there are a lot of them - over 5 million to be exact, which is 3 million more than a high-definition flat screen television. The display is supposed to be stunning and I'll let you know just how stunning when I get a chance to see it. In the meantime, the LED-backlit display on my old MacBook is just fine.

While it takes my old MacBook Pro a minute to boot up, the new MacBook Pro is pitched as having instant-on response due to the flash hard drive. But I have to wonder if a 250 gigabyte flash drive on the new MacBook Pro is better than my 750 GB hard drive. In this case, I don't mind waiting a little longer for the desktop to appear on the latter.

My old MacBook and the new MacBook have the same glass Multi-Touch trackpad, so I'm still in the game with trackpad technology.

The one advantage my old MacBook Pro has is in the price. When I made my purchase several months ago, I was at around $400 less than the $2,199 starting price for the new MacBook Pro. If you want to get fancy with more memory and flash storage, get ready to shell out around $3,000. That's an "ouch" factor for a laptop.

I think I'm fine for at least another year with my current setup, but the new MacBook Pro is powerful and has the resolution for an impressive display. It's also pricey and seems to be targeted for high-end computing.

But I'll still go out to the Apple Store soon and drool over it.

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CTIA Wireless show technology a glimpse into the future

As the International CTIA Wireless show was winding down, I left New Orleans with a feeling that I experienced the future of technology. It was happening all over the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and let me tell you, that is one big place.

I didn't take long to run into bumper-to-bumper traffic as I tried to make my way home and I had plenty of time to think about all the cool gadgets and software applications as I snaked along the interstate past the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

This was an international show and the guys from Japan, China, Germany, South America and other locations certainly had good technology to show off. I think their 20-hour-plus flights were worth the time and effort to share their innovative ideas with us.

I didn't know much about them before, but I am now a fan of international tech companies like NTT Docomo and Huawei.

I have an avatar coming via email, which was created by a couple of sharp guys with Docomo, whose 3D modeling application took a photo of my face and added the ability to make my image smile or wink. It was awesome and a glimpse of what's to come in the 3D modeling space.

The representatives from China also caught my attention with a built-in retractable headset for smartphones. The headset is incorporated into a phone case that also has a 1500 mAh battery. This technology is their solution to limit radiation from mobile phones when talking with the device held up to your ear. You also can't loose it or leave it at home or in the car. If you have your phone, you'll have your headset. I need one of these.

Several CEOs from Visa Inc., Mozilla Corporation, Electronic Arts and Spotify left the audience pumped with their visions for the future of their industries. Their keynotes certainly had the "wow factor" and I now want to play more games, after listening to Electronic Arts' John Riccitiello and watching his demonstration video.

A few other things stood out from their presentations to a quiet and attentive audience of tech gurus and buffs from all over the world.

HTML 5 is the future of the mobile web, so embrace it.

In the "you probably didn't know this" department, people spend more time playing games on their mobile devices than talking and this industry will grow even larger in the years ahead.

Mobile payments are going strong in developing countries as a money transfer solution, such as in Uganda and Nigeria and it's just around corner for us in the states. Visa and Mastercard, along with partnering banks, have big plans for our smartphones to be used as wallets.

I learned that Spotify, a mobile music technology with European roots, is gaining traction in the U.S. after being on the scene for about a year. CEO Daniel Ek says they are here to stay and offer a vast library of songs and playlists.

The Sony engineers have been hard at work developing their contactless IC cards technology, which can be used for e-tickets, mobile wallet transactions and tracking your healthcare through an online healthcare management system. By using NFC technology, devices such as Pedometers, blood glucose monitors and thermometers can transfer information to your NFC enabled mobile phone or a PC with just a tap.

But my favorite at the Sony booth was the One2Touch wireless keyboard that works with your smartphone. During a demonstration, a Sony representative just simply placed the phone on​ the slim keyboard and started typing, with no charging or pairing. Sony says the keyboard can be folded to pocket size. This technology falls in the "I've got to have that" category.

There will no shortage of smartphone choices, as more handset manufacturers enter the market. Two heavyweights that you'll hear more about are Unnecto and Plum, who both have offices in the U.S. They offer low-cost dual SIM devices in variety of styles, including touchscreens and QWERTY keypads, that'll work on GSM networks.

At the LG booth, I was attracted to the LG Optimus Vu smartphone, which is only available in Korea at the moment. It'll have a 5-inch display, a unique 4:3 ratio and note-taking features with a stylus. This device will attempt to combine tablet and mobile phone features in a size that'll slip into your inside jacket pocket. This one will likely compete with 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note and will be worth checking out when it hits these shores.

The automobile industry was in the house with a slick, black Porsche, sporting the QNX Software Systems integration, which is a subsidiary of Research In Motion, or RIM. We'll also find QNX technology and features in the upcoming release of BlackBerry 10 devices this fall. Around the corner, Ford Motor Company showed off an electric Ford Focus with their Sync technology.

There was much more technology and almost too much to see throughout the gigantic convention center that made your feet hurt after all the walking back and forth.

I think that Gary Kovacs, the CEO of Mozilla Corp. and the maker of the popular Firefox browser summed it all up by saying "the future is always sooner."

That was certainly the case at the International CTIA Wireless 2012 show in New Orleans.

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