There’s still no sign of the legendarily elusive Surface Mini tablet, but Microsoft has at least confirmed that a new wave of ultra-cheap Windows-based laptop PCs and tablets is on the horizon. So it’s becoming clearer by the day that the Microsoft Surface Mini tablet has either been trashed altogether or won’t be with us […]
There’s still no sign of the legendarily elusive Surface Mini tablet, but Microsoft has at least confirmed that a new wave of ultra-cheap Windows-based laptop PCs and tablets is on the horizon.
So it’s becoming clearer by the day that the Microsoft Surface Mini tablet has either been trashed altogether or won’t be with us for some time…as sad as it is plainly obvious. Despair not however as while an own-brand slate with the tiniest of price tags may be off the cards for the time being, there’s at least one 7-inch Windows slate heading our way that will set you back less than $100.
Only a buck less, but still…better than a kick in the rear.
Kevin Turner, as in the COO of the Redmond software monster, made the announcement on Monday at the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington D.C. Surface was of course off the radar entirely, but he did at least talk up a couple of new device ventures with HP, which would culminate in the launch of a new $199 laptop and a $99 tablet PC.
The laptop is seems is out to take a swipe at the growing Chromebook market, while the cheapo Windows tablet PC could see the OS find its way into the hands of the masses on a whole new level.
No official details were revealed as to the specs and features any of the devices will carry, though they made it pretty clear that the range in its entirety would hit the shelves in plenty of time for Christmas shopping sprees.
Mr. Turner also took the opportunity to highlight the many ways in which a Chromebook is inferior to a Windows PC – most of which you really can’t argue with. From offline work to peripherals to full versions of popular software suites and so on and so forth, it’s clear Microsoft and Co. aren’t taking any prisoners in the fight-back against the ongoing Chromebook onslaught.
Which of course bodes well for us folk on this side of the equation as it means Windows laptops and netbooks are set to become cheaper than ever before over the months and years to come.
Cheers for that, Google!
