Microsoft rumored to release 7-inch 'Xbox Surface' gaming tablet

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Microsoft reportedly plans to take on Apple's new iPad mini with its own smaller 7-inch tablet designed primarily for playing games.

Details on the so-called "Xbox Surface" were revealed on Tuesday by The Verge, which cited multiple sources familiar with the company's plans. The 7-inch tablet is expected to run on an ARM processor with high-bandwidth RAM designed specifically for gaming tasks.

The rumored tablet is said to run a custom Windows kernel that may support regular tablet functions. However, the focus of the hardware and software is said to be gaming.

Microsoft has allegedly locked down several Xbox-related development buildings at its corporate campus in Redmond, Wash., in an effort to keep a lid on the secret Xbox Surface project.

Microsoft is currently one of the "big three" hardware makers in the home gaming market with its Xbox 360 console. But the company has not opted to compete in the handheld gaming space, where Nintendo's 3DS and Sony's PlayStation Vita compete with Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Surface WiFi


Microsoft recently released its first Surface tablet, a 10-inch device designed to compete with Apple's iPad. Like the iPad, the Surface is an all-purpose computing device capable of browsing the Web and editing documents, in addition to playing games. But the primary focus of the rumored Xbox Surface will apparently be games.

Apple has chosen to market its iPod touch as largely a gaming device, even though it can run the same applications as the iPhone. The latest iPod touch is marketed with the slogan "Engineered for maximum funnies," while Apple used the slogan "Game on. And on. And on." in 2010.

Downloadable games also routinely dominate the most popular options on the iOS App Store for both the iPhone and iPad. For example, on Tuesday, seven of the top 10 paid iPhone applications were games, while eight of the top 10 paid iPad apps were games.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    moxommoxom Posts: 326member
    Xbox U?
  • Reply 2 of 44
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Microsoft has allegedly locked down several Xbox-related development buildings at its corporate campus in Redmond, Wash., in an effort to keep a lid on the secret Xbox Surface project.

     


    So now Microsoft is doubling down on security too. They figure if they copy everything that Apple does eventually they will discover the recipe for the secret sauce.

  • Reply 3 of 44
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member


    "Yay!"


     


    said no one.

  • Reply 4 of 44
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    Apple over the past 10 yrs work to consolidate the markets it to a single product and now we have MS trying to fragment it into market specific products. They we create all these variant to chase after each market in hope they will buy multiply products running M$ something on it
  • Reply 5 of 44

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post



    Apple over the past 10 yrs work to consolidate the markets it to a single product and now we have MS trying to fragment it into market specific products. They we create all these variant to chase after each market in hope they will buy multiply products running M$ something on it


     


     


    What you mean like buying extra parts for the 360?  when it first came out... base system, plus wireless unit, plus HD drive, plus...plus, plus... This way you spend more than the M$ stuff then you would on the competition’s that has everything built in already.


     


    Yep, make people think they are spending much less, and in reality spend way more than they had too… good old M$.  Why do they just keep reminding me more and more of a used car salesman?


     


    Should we start a betting pool on this... can they become paperweights faster than Zune???   :)

  • Reply 6 of 44
    Zune 2
  • Reply 7 of 44


    Ballmer/Microsoft: Once we see Apple is successful in a market we go after it. Sometimes it takes us six years to debut a product and sometimes four, but long after the puck has been there, you can count on us to skate there.

  • Reply 8 of 44


    Anything you can do, I can do, better.  


     


    I can do anything better than you.


     


    No you can't


     


    Yes I can.


     


    No you can't


     


    Yes I can.....


     


     


    Personally, Microsoft has to go all in at this point.  If Apple/Android/Amazon identify a niche, microsoft has to try to establish a beachhead, in order to prove to shareholders they are competing (not necessarily  competitive) on all form factors.   The question is, will this cannabalize their xBox line?

  • Reply 9 of 44
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MoXoM View Post



    Xbox U?


    Microsoft should call Windows 8, XBox OS, which is really what the GUI is.


     


    XBox Phone


    XBox Surface RT


    XBox Surface Pro


    XBox OS


     


    That's a little more honest.  Now it's an XBox tablet.

  • Reply 10 of 44
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    The latest iPod touch is marketed with the slogan "Engineered for maximum funnies,"


    'Funness', not 'funnies'.

  • Reply 11 of 44
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    I'm surprised MS didn't do that with the current Surface. The XBox brand is their most successful hardware program, it only makes sense to build on that.
  • Reply 12 of 44
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    [QUOTE="AI"]Apple has chosen to market its iPod touch as largely a gaming device, even though it can run the same applications as the iPhone. The latest iPod touch is marketed with the slogan "Engineered for maximum funnies," while Apple used the slogan "Game on. And on. And on." in 2010.[/QUOTE]
    Gee, you would think MS would be releasing a 4" Slate tablet to compete in this space then ... Oh that's right, the iPod Touch is being replaced by the iPad mini.
  • Reply 13 of 44


    Blah blah blah.


     


    Can we actually wait until they come out with something? Anything?

  • Reply 14 of 44
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    It's not really a box anymore at that shape. Maybe an eXyPad? :lol:
  • Reply 15 of 44
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Microsoft reportedly plans to take on Apple's new iPad mini with its own smaller 7-inch tablet designed primarily for playing games. ...

    ...


     


    What a horrible idea.  


     


    Microsoft is already confusing everyone with two almost identical yet completely incompatible versions of the "Surface," now it will be three.  


     


    This makes little sense as a strategy in that if it's ARM games we are talking about, then why not just use a Surface RT to play them? If it's intel games we are talking about then it will basically be a special version of the Surface Pro, cost $1100 or more, and again ... why not just use a Surface Pro? 


     


    Is this an admission that despite all the tweaking, a Surface Pro or a Surface RT won't have the horsepower to actually run games?  If this is true, then the Surface XBox, will sort of be a Surface Pro ... Pro?  And if that's the case, then why would you ever buy a Surface Pro or a Surface RT when you could buy a more powerful Surface XBox?  


     


    All kinds of crazy here.  

  • Reply 16 of 44
    Will Sinofsky dismiss it as a "recreational tablet"?
  • Reply 17 of 44


    It's not over until the fat bald guy tries to make an iPad mini...

     

  • Reply 18 of 44
    alfiejralfiejr Posts: 1,524member


    this is so pathetically typical of MS - announce ("leak") a vaporware product to try to distract attention from a rival's real thing.


     


    but there is a major problem with that strategy this time: the iPad mini is going to TOTALLY KILL the Surface before they ever get the chance. MS will sell a few million of them to their hardcore fans - all those Windows-addicted IT guys especially (i know a few). and then - zilch. yup, just like the Zune.


     


    you tell me what kids/anyone who open their Xmas present and find a Surface instead of an iPad mini will say? i know: after "oh shit," it will be "where's the receipt - i want to take it back and get a mini."

  • Reply 19 of 44

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    Will Sinofsky dismiss it as a "recreational tablet"?


     




    LOL


    /high five, my man.

  • Reply 20 of 44

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by island hermit View Post


    It's not over until the fat bald guy tries to make an iPad mini...

     



    The very instant Baller got the idea of a 7" Game device...


     


    image

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