Microsoft could be about to unleash a branded tablet, taking the fight for slate supremacy directly to Apple.
The Redmond-based software monger has scheduled an event for Monday, at which it will be making a 'major' announcement that the company says "you will not want to miss".
According to The Wrap, which cites an individual with knowledge of the company, Microsoft will use the event to launch an own-brand tablet.
There's no hint as to what such a gadget would look like (the image above is just Windows 8 stuck on an HP TouchPad), but the report claims that Microsoft will manufacture the new toy itself.
I'd rather see Nokia building Microsoft's flagship tablet, having allied with Microsoft closely over Windows Phone and proving it has the hardware chops to make a desirable bit of kit.
As for the operating system, if the tablet proves real then Windows 8 RT (the version built for tablets) would be all but guaranteed.
Personally I think a Microsoft-branded tablet would be a smart move. It's fair to say that Microsoft isn't exactly regarded as the coolest of brands (thanks Clippy), but a tablet bearing the Microsoft logo and running Windows 8 would at least be easy to explain to shoppers.
Less tech-savvy buyers would likely find a branded slate easier to wrap their heads around than, say, an Asus device that's running Microsoft's operating system. One potential obstacle for anyone looking to buy an Android tablet is the sheer number of devices out there.
Microsoft could be getting protective over its new operating system, with recent reports suggesting that the company has blocked HTC from the first round of Windows 8 devices, deeming the Taiwanese phone flogger too inexperienced.
Would you use a tablet running Windows 8? Is making a tablet the best way for Microsoft to battle Apple? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
Original Report | CNet 15 June 2012
