Microsoft’s Top Secret Media Conference – Live!

Update: And wouldn’t you know it, Microsoft quietly launched the official Surface website while we were all paying attention to this event. Update: And that’s a wrap! Update: BTW, Baller i...
Microsoft’s Top Secret Media Conference – Live!
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  • Update: And wouldn’t you know it, Microsoft quietly launched the official Surface website while we were all paying attention to this event.

    Update: And that’s a wrap!

    Update: BTW, Baller is the one on stage now.

    Update: Win8 makes Surface a PC. Surface is a tablet. Surface is something new.

    Update: Release should dovetail with Win8. So yeah, probably this fall (?).

    Update: Surface for WinPRO in 64GB and 128GB; will be released 3 mos after the Surface WinRT model.

    Update: Surface for WinRT in 32GB and 64GB models. Prices similar to other tablets based on ARM.

    Update: Onto availability, pricing.

    Update: Do not taunt Touch Cover.

    Update: Touch Cover detects ever gram of force applied by your fingers, hands.

    Update: As thin as Touch Cover is, it has seven layers. Crazy.

    Update: Touch Cover’s accelerometer detects when it’s folded up, turns off automatically.

    Update: Built-in accelerometer in touch cover.

    Update: We wanted it to feel like a book.

    Update: Okay, gonna say it – those colors make this device an eye-catcher.

    Update: Surface will detect when the Touch Cover is attached.

    Update: Seamless design. Smooth criminal, even.

    Update: .7mm thick.

    Update: That kickstand is about as thin as a credit card.

    Update: (God is in the details, y’know?)

    Update: 200 custom-made parts make up the device.

    Update: Emphasis on how difficult the kickstand was while maintaining the streamlined look. Didn’t want it looking janky, in other words.

    Update: Whatevz, I still am excited about the versatility of the tablet. It’s the simple things that delight me. What can I say?

    Update: “Important to have the hardware fade in the background for this product.”

    Update: Despite those cool specs, still focused on Windows 8.

    Update: Video being shown on the design process, lots of prototyping.

    Update: Those slick keyboard covers come in assorted colors, too.

    Update: Panos Panay is up now.

    Update: Personal note: that’s thing looks rad.

    Update: Plus a touchpad.

    Update: Okay, demoing Surface Type Cover. Switches with 1.5mm travel.

    Update: USB 3.0 capability.

    Update: The tablet is smart enough to recognize that the screen shouldn’t move as he’s writing with the stylus, though. NEAT.

    Update: Stylus has a magnetic connector for charging.

    Update: Could that stylus be to the tablet what the mouse is to the PC?

    Update: Stylus stablizer at 600dpi

    Update: Digital ink support.

    Update: Neat ventilation design. The entire surface has a thin groove, “perimeter venting.”

    Update: 3rd gen Ivy Bridge i5.

    Update: Talking about how human eye won’t be able to distinguish between pixels on the screen. Sounds familiar…

    Update: Full HD.

    Update: Two different models announced. One with Windows 8 Pro, one with Windows RT.

    Update:Demoing photo-capture while sitting on the stand.

    Update: BTW, that cover is 3mm thick.

    Update: Rear and front facing cameras.

    Update: Holy smokes, Batman: That magnetic cover doubles as a keyboard!

    Update: Since it’s got a built-in stand, got me wondering if there will be a keyboard coming out shortly to go with this.

    Update: Tab has a magnetic cover that snaps on.

    Update: Neet – it even has a little kickstand built into the back.

    Update: 2×2 mimo antennas.

    Update: Optimized for Windows 8 (no surprise).

    Update: Access to lotsa Windows apps.

    Update: It’s comes with access to Xbox.

    Update: USB 2.0 port on board, full magnesium case, weighs 576 grams.

    Update: 9.3 mm thin!

    Update: Ballmer just gave the stage to Steven Sinofsky to explain more.

    Update: Tablet speculators earned their cheese today: “It’s ‘the new Microsoft Surface.”

    Update: There’s your confirmation: “Surface.”

    Update: We wanted to give Windows 8 its own hardware companion

    Update: In what sounds like a rebuke of Time Cook at the New iPad’s launch with his post-PC world comment, Ballmer says Microsoft will deliver more PCs in 2013 than ever before.

    Update: Cites Xbox as Microsoft’s most successful hardware.

    Update: Ballmer: Hardware and software work best when considered together. (That would explain that new Windows 8 Metro interface).

    Update: Rolling a video that highlights the evolution of Microsoft hardware, includes computer mouse, keyboards, Xbox, Kinect, etc.

    Update: Talks about how Microsoft first gained ground with hardware, not software – hint, hint.

    Update: “We want to add another piece to that Windows story.” Okay, so maybe not a break-up story.

    Update: Windows 8 was designed for the “computers we know,” citing today’s preference for portability.

    Update: CEO Ballmer talking about the advances of computing, calls Windows the “heart and soul” of Microsoft. It sounds like he’s about to break up with somebody.

    Update: Steve Ballmer just took the stage.

    Update: It appears that everybody has different times on their cards, suggesting this might be more of a hands-on conference than your regular cargo cult-theme that happens at these types of events. Maybe this will be more like Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery.’

    Image courtesy of engadget

    Update: In the auditorium, some house techno is playing for the audience’s entertainment. There are some screens with things that appear to be tablet-shaped.

    Update: Microsoft people are explaining the delay as something that will be explained soon. Ominous, no?

    Update: For anybody with lingering questions about the timing of this event, do you think Microsoft just didn’t manage to get the loose ends in order to present this maybe-Xbox product at E3?

    Update: While we wait, I might as well disconfirm at least one rumor: reports of Rip Torn attending this afternoon’s event appear to be false.

    Update: Everybody’s mumbling, perhaps rightfully so, about the delay with entering the venue. Seems to be some kind of loose agreement that this event was very last-minute for Microsoft.

    Update: So far, the only rumor that appears to be confirmed is that everybody has to wait a little longer.

    Four days was all it took for Microsoft to build up the hype for this afternoon’s grand media gala. What followed was a weekend saturated rumors ranging from a Windows 8 tablet to a purchase of a social networking site (because we need another one of those like we need a whole in the head) to an Xbox-integrated tablet to some kind of video-friendly e-reader. At any rate, many in the industry have estimated this event as Microsoft’s attempt to play a heavy domino in on the table of the tech world.

    We’re at the precipice of finding out what Microsoft’s set to deliver and if today’s leaked ‘Xbox Surface’ documents – a tag-teaming Xbox device that includes both a 7-inch tablet and some kind of “stationary computing device” – pan out, this could be a fun event (even though some tech journalists out there are already pooh-poohing the event as underwhelming before it’s even begun – seriously, go change your diapers, you bugbears).

    This page will be updated continuously throughout the presentation, so be sure to refresh your browser regularly to see the updates; all of the newest updates will appear at the top of the page.

    Oh, and one quick note: I have received an unconfirmed rumor from a reliable source that today’s announcement will somehow involve the Wonder Twins.

    Anyways, without further ado, it looks like it’s about time to shove off.

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