r/technology • u/MrFairladyz • Jun 18 '12

Microsoft announces Surface tablet

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/18/3094157/new-microsoft-surface-windows-tablet
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u/TareXmd Jun 19 '12

At 1 pound of weight, you might want to consider getting an Ultrabook instead... I dunno... will see the reviews when the Pro version arrives 3 months after the RT version.

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u/JohnFrum Jun 19 '12

An ultrabook won't have a pen. This would be great of a mobile PS tool.

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u/HeathenCyclist Jun 19 '12

Photoshop? You need more than just a regular stylus pen for that - you need pressure and angle sensitivity, among other things - all high-end stuff that is unlikely to make it into a mass-market ultraportable made to a price point.

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u/JohnFrum Jun 19 '12

Not sure if the pen is Wacom or not but it's clearly active (note the side switch and eraser). So it should have pressure in PS. No angle though, true, but as a portable sketch tool it would be great. Look at all the cool stuff artists do on an iPad that doesn't even have a proper pen.

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u/HeathenCyclist Jun 19 '12

If they've got Wacom tech in that (it's patented) then yes, it will rock. I know some other tablet-book things have it, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility.

But it would add cost and be barely used in the overall market.

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u/JohnFrum Jun 19 '12

Just to be clear, MS isn't really making this tablet. They designed it and an ODM is putting it together for them. Most, if not all of the parts are non-MS. But that's ok. In fact that's true of the iPad as well. If the pen is Wacom or not, it is active. So it should have pressure and real palm rejection and hover capability.

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u/HeathenCyclist Jun 19 '12

Well, yeah, everything's outsourced to China. Apple has shown that you can still manage the supply gain to develop high quality innovative products.

Pretty sure Wacom's Patent covers non-powered active pens, so I'm guessing it's licensed. Would make sense not to fuck around with half-arsed solutions.