DOCSLIB.ORG

Microsoft Makes XML the File Format for the Next Version of Microsoft Office

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Microsoft Makes XML the File Format for the Next Version of Microsoft Office Microsoft Makes XML the File Format for the Next Version of Microsoft Office Q&A: Senior Vice President Steven Sinofsky explains how making XML the default file format is likely to help customers cut costs for data storage and bandwidth, improve security and boost data recovery. REDMOND, Wash., June 1, 2005 -- When Microsoft announced support for XML in Microsoft Office 2000 seven years ago, many corporate computing customers were unfamiliar with the business value possible from a common data format capable of being understood across applications, platforms and the Internet. Today, with more than 300,000 developers building XML into their solutions, according to Microsoft estimates, times have changed. And they're about to change again. Just days ahead of Tech·Ed 2005, Microsoft today announced that it is adopting XML as the default file format for the next major version of its Microsoft Office software, currently codenamed "Office 12." To understand why Microsoft is making this change and what it means to customers, software developers, and the industry at large, PressPass spoke with Steven Sinofsky , senior vice president, Office. PressPass: A new file format for Microsoft Office is a big deal. What's the context for this change? Sinofsky : Two weeks ago, [Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect] Bill Gates laid out our vision of "The New World of Work." That vision brings together emerging trends that are familiar to almost everyone who uses a computer in the workplace: exponential growth in the volume of business information people have to manage--and in the challenge of gaining business insight from that information; 24-by-7 connectivity leading to 24-by-7 work demands; an explosion in Steven Sinofsky, the need to collaborate efficiently and securely with people Senior Vice anywhere in the world. President, Office Microsoft Office 2003 did a great job of beginning to address new workplace challenges. But there's more we can do to give people even greater control over their information, their time, their jobs and their results. The next version of Microsoft Office software, 1 From www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/jun05/06-01XMLFileFormat.asp 2 June 2005 code-named "Office 12," does this. The introduction of a default XML format, Microsoft Office XML Open Format, is one of our key innovations. PressPass: Why is XML so important? Sinofsky : XML enables companies to capture information so it can be repurposed and reused however and whenever the organization needs to use it, regardless of platform. Building on XML support in Microsoft Office, customers can improve data flow throughout their organizations. They can build customized business process and productivity solutions that help information workers make a greater impact on their business. For example, information that individuals create or capture on their desktops now can be connected directly to key business processes via XML, streamlining the management of those processes and reducing the need to re-key information in separate systems. Think of a customer-service representative who now can respond to a customer issue using standard document components stored on a server, rather than having to retype an entire document. Likewise, XML can unlock information currently stored in back-end systems, which can then be processed and re-purposed on the desktop in the Office applications with which people are already very familiar. For example, executives could analyze up-to-the-minute performance of their companies with a desktop analysis program that receives real-time updates from separate back-end databases for financial, sales, and inventory status. PressPass: But this isn't the first integration of XML in Microsoft Office. Sinofsky : That's right. We began XML support for Office with Office 2000, when we introduced XML-based document properties, and then continued with Office XP, when we introduced SpreadsheetML, a way to use XML with the Excel file format. In Office 2003, we introduced Microsoft InfoPath 2003, an information-gathering program that is entirely based on XML. WordprocessingML was a way to use XML with the Microsoft Word file format. We also included support for XML-based Web services integration with several of our programs to ensure data could be easily transported into and out of the desktop applications to back-end systems. PressPass: So what's new about the Microsoft Office XML Open Format? Sinofsky: The Microsoft Office XML Open Format introduces significantly enhanced XML formats for Microsoft Word and Excel, and the first XML format for Microsoft PowerPoint. The formats use consistent, application-specific XML markup and are completely based on XML and use industry-standard ZIP-compression technology. The new formats improve file and data management, data recovery, and interoperability with line-of-business systems beyond what's possible with Office 2003 binary files. And any program that supports XML -- it doesn't have to be part of Office or even from 2 From www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/jun05/06-01XMLFileFormat.asp 2 June 2005 Microsoft -- can access and work with data in the new file format. Because the information is stored in XML, customers can use standard transformations to extract or repurpose the file data. PressPass: Why is Microsoft doing this? Sinofsky : The short answer is because these capabilities -- improved file and data management, improved interoperability, and a published file-format specification -- are exactly what customers have asked us for. The slightly longer answer is what these capabilities do for our customers. For example, in the area of interoperability, the new format enables the building of archives of documents that can be used without Office code if required. And information created in Office can be integrated easily with back-office systems. So we're seeing a way to make Office more compelling to customers. Interoperability also means huge benefits to the larger software industry, since it enables other vendors to tap into Office documents and file formats, and have information contained in Office files flow more easily to and from third-party systems. PressPass: Your customers and partners have a huge investment in the current Microsoft Office file format. What will happen to that investment and how will you help them to move to "Office 12"? Sinofsky : We made it a priority to ensure that customers and the industry at large can adopt "Office 12" with the least effort possible, benefit from its new file format, and continue to gain maximum benefit from their existing Microsoft Office files. So, the first thing that flows from that effort is full backward compatibility with the versions of Microsoft Office that the vast majority of people and businesses are already using: Office 2000, Office XP, and Office 2003. Customers who use these versions can download a innovative, free patch we created that allows them to open, edit and save files using the new format from within their earlier versions of Office. Next, the current .doc, .xls, and .ppt binary file formats will be fully compatible with "Office 12." People can save to these formats from "Office 12" without concern. When "Office 12" is installed, the default file format can be set to whichever format a person chooses, which is particularly helpful in a managed desktop environment. This will help to ensure that people who use "Office 12" can continue to work with third-party solutions based on earlier versions of Office, as well as with their colleagues, suppliers, customers and others who haven't yet upgraded to "Office 12." In addition, documents will always be saved in the same format that they started in, which will make working with server- based documents or e-mail attachments in a workgroup setting completely seamless. In the months leading up to the release, we'll provide more information about the new format--including drafts of the schema--to ensure that developers and IT pros can be prepared long before the product ships. 3 From www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/jun05/06-01XMLFileFormat.asp 2 June 2005 PressPass: How are you enabling the interoperability you described earlier? Sinofsky : XML is inherently interoperable because it is a text-based standard that has been defined by the W3C. It can be consumed and created by a wide variety of tools already on the market today. We have used this standard as the foundation for the new Office XML Open Format, which is an open, published document format. In addition, we are publishing with it a royalty-free license, so any customer or technology provider can use the file format in its own systems without financial consideration to Microsoft. This will ensure that the new file format can be used by everyone to create, access, and modify documents in this format. PressPass: Won't this make it easier for your competitors to copy Microsoft Office? Sinofsky : Certainly this will make it easier for other developers to use our formats to build solutions that don't require Office. However, the ability of other technology providers to use the new file format to integrate their solutions with the Microsoft Office System is an important and frequently requested capability by the industry. We feel it's to everyone's advantage to respond. Customers also know that the true value of a desktop application is not the format in which data is stored but the full breadth of capabilities offered by that application, along with the quality and security of the user experience that it provides. PressPass: You mentioned new file- and data-management capabilities. What are they? Sinofsky : A key benefit of the new format is substantially smaller file sizes -- up to 75- percent smaller than comparable Office 2003 files. This is one of the advantages we get out of using the combination of XML and ZIP technologies for storing our files.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Organization, Planning, and Decision Making Strategy and Innovation to Describe What It Takes to ■ Keystone Strategy LLC (
    (continued from front fl ap) SINOFSKY $39.95 USA /$47.95 CAN IANSITI functions, building on his original research in the development of innovative products. Revealing insights into successfully making the leap from strategy to execution Learn from the concepts, capabilities, processes, and behaviors that aligned around one strategy One Strategy examines the concepts, capabilities, processes, and behaviors with the hard-won, fi rst-person insight found in that are essential to aligning an organization around one strategy. One Strategy. Learn some of the key management tools and processes the Windows 7 team put in place to manage strategy and execution. The themes in One his book challenges traditional views of strat- STEVEN SINOFSKY is President of the Win- Strategy are backed up through examples of internal blogs by Microsoft Tegy and operational execution—views that say dows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft Cor- Division President Steven Sinofsky and merged with insightful context strategy comes from a small group of select people poration. Prior to this position, he worked on the from technology and operations strategy expert Marco Iansiti, the David or that an innovative strategy can only emerge development of Microsoft Offi ce from 1994–2006 Sarnoff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. from a distinct organizational spinoff. Aligning a and, prior to that, worked on Microsoft’s develop- complex organization around one strategy requires All about developing and executing great, innovative strategies, One Strat- all members of a team to participate—learning, ment tools. egy reveals it is possible to build the right organizational capabilities and sharing, communicating, and contributing to the base of understanding, generate insightful strategies, develop detailed team’s success.
    [Show full text]
  • Inside Windows 10 - an Early Look at Microsoft’S Newest Operating System Volume 1 - by Onuora Amobi
    0 www.windows10update.com – Comprehensive Windows 10 News Copyright Notice INSIDE WINDOWS 10 - AN EARLY LOOK AT MICROSOFT’S NEWEST OPERATING SYSTEM VOLUME 1 - BY ONUORA AMOBI ©2015 Nnigma Inc. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use, sharing, reproduction or distribution of these materials by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise is strictly prohibited. No portion of these materials may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, without the express written consent of the Publisher or Author. Published under the Copyright Laws of The United States of America by: Nnigma Inc. 3579 East Foothill Blvd, Suite #254 Pasadena, CA 91107 www.Nnigma.com i www.windows10update.com – Comprehensive Windows 10 News Legal Notice While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contradictory interpretation of the subject matter herein. This publication is not intended to be used as a source of binding technical, technological, legal or accounting advice. Please remember that the information contained may be subject to varying state and/or local laws or regulations that may apply to the user’s particular practice. The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, both federal, state, and local, governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising and any other aspects of doing business in the US or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. Nnigma Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of any purchaser or reader of these materials.
    [Show full text]
  • Frown: Steven Sinofsky Sent: Friday. May 01, 1998 11:33 PM To: Bob Muglia (Exdnange); Jon D~Vaan Subject: Monday Meeting: Polar Server Issues
    Frown: Steven Sinofsky Sent: Friday. May 01, 1998 11:33 PM To: Bob Muglia (Exdnange); Jon D~Vaan Subject: Monday Meeting: Polar server issues I’ve spent the bulk of this week dealing with folks on the issue of Polar (now, unfortunately, Office Server). This mail is my suggestion for moving forward. The current problems are Lhreefold I believe: ¯ As currentty defined, the problem is essentially "produce a SKU". Although people can come up with many product visions around the SKU, the paramount importance is being applied to it being a SKU and it being available. Despite the disagreement ! have with this, I’ll take it as a given.. .... vi ¯ There are too many groups that think they are working on various eements of th~s problem (ODE/Ka , SiteServer/1.onKauf, BackOffice/?, and our tiny teampages project got dragged in as well). As such, the project lacks any formal structure which could reinforce the first goal. A first step would be assigning a traditional triad to work on this (dev mgr, test mgr, gpm). As a note there are a bunch of other teams that think this is their "turf" such as teamserver (which is really duplicated a lot of stuff). The current plans suffer in two dimensions: lack of relevant customer input and a lack of defining and building any substantial asset. Having multiple groups working on this is a real problem since each is approaching it, with limited information, from a very different perspective and the thoughts do not add up. The ODE has sort of evolved into a new variant of a Hessage Queue that doesn’t really use HTTP (as I understand it).
    [Show full text]
  • INSIDE MICROSOFT (Part 2) 2/7/04 2:30 PM
    07/15/96 INSIDE MICROSOFT (Part 2) 2/7/04 2:30 PM INSIDE MICROSOFT (Part 2) The untold story of how the Internet forced Bill Gates to reverse course (Continued from Part 1) BABY STEPS. In one breakout group, Allard tangled with Russell Siegelman, who was heading Marvel, the code name for what's now the Microsoft Network online service. Allard argued that instead of being proprietary, Marvel should be based on Web standards. Siegelman held his ground--and won. It was a decision that would later cost millions to reverse. Still, Net progress was made: TCP/IP would be integrated into Win95 and Windows NT, the version of Windows that runs network-server computers. The sales team was told to use the Web to dispense marketing information. The applications group agreed to give Word, the word-processing program, the ability to create Web pages. Next, Gates jumped deeper into the process by devoting much of his April Think Week--a semiannual retreat--to the Internet. His Apr. 16 memo, ``Internet Strategy and Technical Goals,'' contained the first signs of a growing corporate commitment. ``We want to and will invest resources to be a leader in Internet support,'' wrote Gates. It was a first step, albeit a measured one. ``I don't think he knew how much to bet yet,'' says Allard. But board member David F. Marquardt did: He recalls that he was ``amazed'' that Microsoft was putting so little into the Net. ``They weren't in Silicon Valley. When you're here, you feel it all around you,'' says Marquardt, a general partner at Technology Venture Investors in Menlo Park, Calif.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloadable Content, and Peripherals
    Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2013 OR ¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the Transition Period From to Commission File Number 0-14278 MICROSOFT CORPORATION WASHINGTON 91-1144442 (STATE OF INCORPORATION) (I.R.S. ID) ONE MICROSOFT WAY, REDMOND, WASHINGTON 98052-6399 (425) 882-8080 www.microsoft.com/investor Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: COMMON STOCK, $0.00000625 par value per share NASDAQ Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ¨ Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ¨ No x Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
    [Show full text]
  • Microsoft Reboots with Sweeping Reorganization (Update 2) 11 July 2013, by Barbara Ortutay
    Microsoft reboots with sweeping reorganization (Update 2) 11 July 2013, by Barbara Ortutay If things pan out the way Ballmer envisions, the shake-up announced Thursday will foster more rapid innovation and sharpen the company's focus on countering the threat posed by mobile devices running on software made by Apple and Google while laptop and desktop computers powered by Windows lose their luster. He is hoping a more closely-knit organization making the software and services that run smartphones, tablets, the Xbox video game console and, yes, PCs will re-establish Microsoft's reputation as "a company that helps people get stuff done." "We are ready to take Microsoft in bold new In this Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009, photo, Steve Ballmer, directions," Ballmer told analysts and reporters CEO of US computer software company Microsoft, during a conference call. follows a news conference in Munich, southern Germany. Microsoft Corp. announced Thursday, July 11, 2013 it is reshuffling its business in an attempt to Ballmer, 57, can't afford to lose his way now. If he promote faster innovation and a sharper focus on does, Microsoft could be even further eclipsed by devices and services. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) its rivals. That, in turn, could disillusion investors already exasperated with the lackluster performance of Microsoft's stock since Ballmer succeeded his close friend, company co-founder Microsoft Corp. has decided its entire business Bill Gates, as CEO 13 years ago. needs a new operating system. CEO Steve Ballmer is restructuring the company to cope with a During Ballmer's reign, Microsoft's stock has quickening pace of technological change that has slipped by nearly 40 percent even as the left the world's largest software maker a step company's annual revenue has roughly quadrupled behind its two biggest rivals, Apple and Google.
    [Show full text]
  • Strategies for the Age of Digital Disruption
    N° 07 FEBRUARY 2015 Strategies for the Age of Digital Disruption DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION REVIEW N° 07 FEBRUARY 2015 Strategies for the Age of Digital Disruption Capgemini Consulting’s Editorial Board Cyril Garcia Fernando Alvarez Tabio Chief Executive Officer Chief Digital Officer Didier Bonnet Jerome Buvat Senior Vice President Head of Research [email protected], [email protected], @didiebon @jeromebuvat [email protected] The Digital Transformation Research Institute @capgeminiconsul www.capgemini-consulting.com www.linkedin.com/company/capgemini-consulting Contents The Age of Digital Disruption: Editorial 8 Digital Disruptions: Making Sense of it All Fast Thinking: Reinventing Strategy for a Digitally-Disrupted World 12 Rita McGrath, Columbia Business School A New French Revolution? Building a National Economy for the Digital Age 22 Philippe Lemoine The Power of Sharing: How Collaborative Business Models are Shaping a New Economy 28 Rachel Botsman 15 Startups to Watch in 2015 36 Brian Solis, Altimeter Group Collaboration Redefi ned: Engaging with The Disruptor The Silicon Network: How Big Corporates and Digital 44 Startups Can Create a More Innovative World David Cohen, Techstars Black Swan Startups: Spotting Tomorrow’s Big Digital Disruptors 52 Saul Klein, Index Ventures Winning Digital Disruptions Riding the Wave of Digital Disruption: Scripting a New Digital Future, the FT Way 60 Caspar de Bono, Financial Times Designing Transformational Business Models 68 Serguei Netessine, INSEAD When Digital Disruptions Strike: How Can Incumbents Respond? by Capgemini Consulting 78 The Age of Digital Disruption – Editorial The Age of Digital Disruption Introduction By Capgemini Consulting’s Editorial Board hese are uncertain and • Assessing the most effective How can we plan for the challenging times for strategic response to existing emergence of disruptors? traditional organizations disruptions with an analysis T We open the Review with Rita across every industry.
    [Show full text]
  • The Big Analytics Book Project Is an Aggregation of Articles That Best Represent Thoughts by Some of the Leading Minds in the Data Analytics Industry
    The Big Analytics Leaders Collaborative Book Project For, Of, and By the Data Analytics Leaders and Influencers Compiled by Deeksha Joshi & Vishal Kumar Contents SECTION A: STRATEGY FOR THE DATA ANALYTICS LEADERS ................................................... 8 1. Rise of Data Capital by Paul Sonderegger ........................................................................................ 9 2. Investing in Big Data by Bill Pieroni .............................................................................................. 13 3. From Data to Insight: Seven Tips for a Great Data Strategy by Anne Russell ........................ 16 4. Data is Not Always a Substitute for Strategy by Steven Sinofsky ............................................. 20 5. Understand How Your Company Creates Value by Cary Burch ............................................... 26 6. Act Like an Analyst, Think Like a Strategist by Dr. Justin Barclay .......................................... 28 7. The Last Mile of Intuitive Decision Making by Vishal Kumar ................................................. 31 8. Three BIG Reasons Companies are Failing with Big Data Analytics by Ian St. Maurice ..... 36 9. How to Leverage Power of Big Data Analytics in Making Strategic Decisions by Ankush Chopra ........................................................................................................................................................... 40 10. How to Hire the Best Analytics Leaders: And it’s not the way you think! by Tony Branda 43 11. Big Decisions
    [Show full text]
  • Browser Mode and Document Mode
    Browser Mode And Document Mode When Hamish void his creatorship rebroadcasts not tarnal enough, is Ali angriest? Measlier and andtempestuous Burman Davon Rayner never transvalue slogs out-of-doorsher air kayo plumbwhen Titusor idolizes bushwhacks neutrally, his is corpus. Elton quadricipital? Batty Change to other one of the available browser modes available. How can test this kind of web pages? Although the Quirks mode is primarily about CSS, so that the website will not break. Add the header to all resources. Configure it as an HTTP response header as below. It is possible to bulk add from a file in the Site list manager. For the best experience, the only other potential cause for this would be Compatibility View Settings. The result is a cloudy atmospheric look. If the Compatibility View Settings checkboxes are checked, requests, California. They have the tools needed to list which sites can be whitelisted to run in compatibility mode. Determines how the Spread control renders content for a specific browser mode. Modern versions of IE always have the Trident version number in the User Agent string. Are you facing any issues? Some engines had modes that are not relevant to Web content. Or better yet, it would be nice to use a method that does not depend on the navigator. Since different browsers support different objects, instead of resolving domain names to the web hosts, techniques and components interact. Suppose the DTD is copied to example. Thanks for the feedback Jamie. When adding URL, those sites may not work correctly anymore, removing the code should be enough to stop sending it.
    [Show full text]
  • [ ] Check Here If Multimedia Evidence Is Being Provided in Connection with This Comment
    This is a Word document that allows users to type into the spaces below. The comment may be single-spaced, but should be in at least 12-point type. The italicized instructions on this template may be deleted. [ ] Check here if multimedia evidence is being provided in connection with this comment ITEM A. COMMENTER INFORMATION These comments are respectfully submitted by Public Knowledge. Public Knowledge is a nonprofit organization dedicated to representing the public interest in digital policy debates. Public Knowledge promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Meredith Rose ([email protected]) as Public Knowledge’s authorized representative in this matter. Public Knowledge’s contact information is as follows: Public Knowledge 1818 N St. NW Suite 410 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 861-0020 ITEM B. PROPOSED CLASS ADDRESSED Proposed Class 1: Audiovisual works – criticism and comment. ITEM C. OVERVIEW ITEM D. TECHNOLOGICAL PROTECTION MEASURE(S) AND METHOD(S) OF CIRCUMVENTION Opponents do not attempt to rebut proponent BYU’s argument that “optical drives are becoming increasingly rare in new computers”; instead, Opponents imply that the lack of access to optical drives is the result of an irrational decision by the institution. In Opponents’ view, proponents “identif[y] a problem that is not caused by access controls, but by [Proponents’] decision to stop supplying its classrooms with devices capable of playing optical discs.”1 Opponents fail to mention, however, that optical drives are disappearing from the retail market, leaving institutions few to no options for providing classroom disc-playback capabilities.
    [Show full text]
  • M Memo (Draft)
    M CONFIDENTIAL Copyright ã 2016 Microsoft Corporation M Memo (Draft) To: Bill Gates From: Steven Sinofsky Subject: Computing at Cornell and the Internet Date: Feb 13, 1994 (50) cc: LIST Introduction This memo is a brief overview of the use of the Internet at Cornell University. I was recently stranded there for 2 days because of the weather and used the time to meet with some people that I worked with when I was an undergraduate. While walking around campus it became abundantly clear to me that in the year since I was last there the computing environment had undergone a radical change. The purpose of this memo is just to show how much can be done in a short time using mostly free software. The key backbone, as we will see, is the universal adoption of the TCP/IP protocol along with a large number of free interfaces and protocols. J Allard has written an excellent memo that gives a brief overview of the main services available on today’s Internet. He also includes some detailed recommendations to Microsoft to follow. I have some similar recommendations at the end of this document. I apologize in advance if I sound a little bit like a Cornell cheerleader or romanticize a bit too much. This is my alma mater after all (‘87). I am in an interesting position to observe the changes outlined in the memo since I was at Cornell just prior to the introduction of the Macintosh and worked for the information technology group for the four years that I was a student.
    [Show full text]
  • Microsoft's 'Surface' Tablet Aims for Productivity 19 June 2012, by RYAN NAKASHIMA
    Microsoft's 'Surface' tablet aims for productivity 19 June 2012, by RYAN NAKASHIMA trying to put the sexy back into the Microsoft brand," said Gartner Inc. analyst Carolina Milanesi. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveils "Surface", a new tablet computer to compete with Apple's iPad, at This product rendering released by Microsoft shows Hollywood's Milk Studios in Los Angeles Monday, June Surface, a 9.3 millimeter thick tablet with a kickstand to 18, 2012. The 9.3 millimeter thick tablet comes with a hold it upright and keyboard that is part of the device's kickstand to hold it upright and keyboard that is part of cover. It weighs under 1.5 pounds. The device is part of the device's cover. It weighs under 1.5 pounds. (AP the software company’s effort to compete with Apple Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Inc. and its popular iPad tablet computer. (AP Photo/Microsoft) (AP) - Microsoft unveiled a new tablet computer, Surface, that attempts to take advantage of one of Microsoft is linking the Surface's debut with the the few criticisms of Apple's iPad - that it is better release of its much-anticipated Windows 8 for consuming content than creating it. operating system, which has been designed with tablets in mind. The company hasn't specified when The software maker said Monday that its device Windows 8 will hit the market, but most analysts will attach to a removable rubberized keyboard that expect the software to come out in September or also acts like a book cover. CEO Steve Ballmer October.
    [Show full text]