Luis Alvarez and Rebecca Costa talk about the Windows Surface computer running the Windows 8 operating system. Tune in and listen to Luis and Rebecca’s conversation here.
Alvarez Technology Group president and CEO Luis Alvarez sat down with Rebecca Costa of the Costa Report to talk about Microsoft’s new tablet offering called Surface and what affect this new device could have on the tablet market.
Although he’s not thrilled by the moniker Microsoft chose for its new tablet computer, Alvarez is excited about the device itself. Microsoft Surface will have many of the same features functionalities as Apple’s iPad, with which it was created to compete. For example, the two devices weigh about 1.5 pounds and have an app marketplace that people can visit and download desired apps. But it will also have features that the iPad lacks such as a USB interface, which provides a cost-effective means of uploading photos, videos or music to the device.
Another feature that Alvarez particularly likes is the tablet cover that Microsoft offers with Surface. Where the iPad’s cover folds over into a stand that props the tablet up, the Surface’s cover doubles as a fully functional keyboard with a mouse pad. Alvarez welcomes this new feature because he — and he believes many others, too — found working with the touch screen keypad awkward and frustrating.
Alvarez pointed out that by venturing into the developing business – an area that, except for creating the Xbox video game system, the company avoided – Microsoft will put itself in direct competition with partners HP and Samsung, which also plan to release tablet computers that will run the Windows 8 operating system.
Whether or not Microsoft will be able to effectively compete with Apple, HP, Samsung and even Google’s Android devices in the mobile market remains to be seen. Alvarez believes that there’s plenty of room for all contenders and suspects that business professionals will respond well to mobile devices that carry the Windows 8 operating system because they will function much like desktop PCs.
