[rhogg]

I'm typing this on a Samsung Series 7 Slate running windows 8 connected through my windows phone. This is an ultrabook/MacBook level slate with a touch screen that accepts stylus, multi-touch finger, and keyboard input. Full size USB Micro HDMI and an SD slot if I needed it. 4g memory and a 128g SSD. It is my fulltime work computer, is 2 pounds runs an i5 quad core, I get a solid 5 hours of battery life in a work environment 6 if I stretch it. It boots from sleep in 3 seconds and from off in about 15. It is awesome.

The Surface, which looks like it is made by Samsung, takes this to a more refined level with a more integrated keyboard and stand, lighter weight and likely better battery with similar but also price point specs.

Windows 8 isn't perfect, takes some getting used to, but is a real integration of desktop and pad toy. The early win 8 apps are impressive in their greater simplicity and design, and I have my full Office suite to fall back on. All of this is integrated with my Desktop at home though skydrive. Microsoft really has a very good integrated productivity suite for mobile users. With Office 365 they have an integrated MS office available on an ipad spec level tablet.

I think MS's greater experience with tablets, rethinking of the phone OS and now integration really shows up with the new Surface. It looks like a winner.