In a report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week, Microsoft has revealed that upcoming Windows RT-powered Surface tablets will become available on the same day as Windows 8: October 26, 2012. These tablets are dubbed "a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices" and will presumably tide people over until the arrival of more powerful Intel-based alternatives with Ivy Bridge. The Microsoft Surface tablets built on ARM are generally expected to be more affordable than those that are built on Intel. However, Microsoft hasn't released any final pricing information yet.
What Else You Need To Know:
- Microsft Windows RT is a tablet-only version of Windows 8 that features support for the ARM architecture.
- Intel-based Microsoft Surface tablets are expected to arrive about 90 days after the ARM-based ones, which means some time in early 2013
- In its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week, Microsoft makes it clear that it is aware of the need to actively push for mass-market adoption of Windows 8. To that end, it expects to "incur substantial marketing costs in launching Window 8 and associated services and devices" and have absolutely no qualms about reduced "operating margins." What this means simply is that Windows 8 better work, because otherwise, Microsoft may be in trouble.
Other sources
If Windows 8 is not relatively successful, this may fuel doubts about Microsoft's viability in the age of the iPad and Android.- Brooke Crothers, CNET
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