{{Short description|Hybrid tablet computer developed and manufactured by Microsoft}} {{Infobox information appliance | name = Surface | logo = File:Microsoft Surface Logo.png | image = File:Surface RT on Boeing 733-800 (Virgin Australia) - cropped.jpg | caption = The original Surface RT with Type Cover attached | image_size = 260px | developer = Microsoft | family = Microsoft Surface | release_date = October 26, 2012 | discontinued = July 18, 2013<ref name=Disc>{{cite web|last1=Foley|first1=Mary Jo|title=Microsoft's $900 million Surface RT write-down: How did this happen?|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-900-million-surface-rt-write-down-how-did-this-happen/|website=ZDNet.com|access-date=14 February 2023|date=18 July 2013}}</ref> | type = Hybrid tablet | os = Windows RT, upgradable to Windows RT 8.1 | power = Built-in rechargeable Li-Po 31.5{{nbsp}}Wh<br/>24{{nbsp}}W power supply | dimensions = W: {{convert|10.81|in|cm}}, H: {{convert|6.77|in|cm}}, D: {{convert|0.37|in|mm}} | system_on_chip = 1.3 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 | display = {{resx|1366|768}} (16:9) px 10.6" LCD | memory = 2{{nbsp}}GB DDR3 SDRAM | storage = 32/64{{nbsp}}GB eMMC<br/>microSDXC card slot | sound = Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack | successor = Surface 2 | weight = {{convert|1.5|lbs|g}} | online_services = Microsoft account services * Windows Store * OneDrive * Outlook.com * Xbox Music * Xbox Video * Xbox Live | input = {{ubl| * 5-point multi-touch digitizer * Accelerometer * Ambient light sensor * Gyroscope * Magnetometer }} | connectivity = {{ubl| * Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) * Bluetooth 4.0 * USB 2.0 * HD video out (Micro-HDMI) }} }} {{surface models}}
The first-generation '''Surface''' (launched as '''Surface with Windows RT''',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-20054674 |title=Surface tablets start shipping ahead of Windows 8 launch |date=24 October 2012 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |accessdate=31 August 2015}}</ref> later marketed as '''Surface RT''')<ref name=verge-notrt>{{cite web |title=Microsoft admits Surface RT naming caused 'some confusion' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/13/4833408/surface-rt-naming-caused-some-confusion |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=13 October 2013 |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=29 August 2015}}</ref> is a hybrid tablet computer developed and manufactured by Microsoft. Announced in June 2012, it was released in October 2012, and was the first personal computer designed in-house by Microsoft.
Positioned as a competitor to Apple's iPad line, Surface included several distinctive features, including a folding kickstand which allowed the tablet to stand at an angle, and the availability of optional attachable protective covers incorporating a keyboard. Surface served as the launch device for Windows RT, a limited version of Windows 8 designed for devices based on ARM architecture, with the ability to run only Metro-style Windows applications developed for it and distributed through the Windows Store.
Surface was met with mixed reviews. Although praised for its hardware design, accessories, and aspects of its operating system, criticism was directed towards the performance of the device, as well as the limitations of the Windows RT operating system and its application ecosystem. Sales of the Surface were poor, with Microsoft cutting its price worldwide and taking a US$990 million loss in July 2013 as a result. It was succeeded by the Surface 2 in 2013, with the newer Windows RT 8.1, which was also made available for the original Surface. Support for the OS ended on January 10, 2023.<ref name=WinRTSupport>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Support Lifecycle|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/lifecycle/search?sort=PN&alpha=Windows%20RT%208.1&Filter=FilterNO|website=Microsoft Support|publisher=Microsoft|accessdate=3 December 2015}}</ref>
== History == The device was announced at a press-only event in Los Angeles and was the first PC which Microsoft had designed and manufactured in-house.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-surface-based-windows-tablet-announced |title='Microsoft Surface' Windows 8/RT tablets announced |date=18 June 2012 |accessdate=30 August 2015 |publisher=Neowin |last=Callaham |first=John }}</ref> The Surface only supports WiFi for wireless connectivity, with no cellular variant. The tablet went on sale in eight countries - Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Surface Pro was launched later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-surface-to-be-sold-in-eight-countries |title=Microsoft Surface to be sold in eight countries |date=16 October 2012 |accessdate=30 August 2015 |publisher=Neowin |last=Callaham |first=John }}</ref>
== Features ==
=== Hardware === The Surface tablet has a display of 1366×768 pixels on a five-point multi-touch touchscreen. The device measures {{convert|10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37|in|cm}} and is made from magnesium. The kickstand, USB port, and a magnetic keyboard interface give the Surface ability to add a wireless mouse, external keyboard, or a thumb drive. There is also a slot for a microSD card to add up to 200 GB. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="3" |Technical specifications<ref>{{Cite web |title=Surface RT Specifications |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-rt-specifications-dcc757dc-b4ab-c33f-d3b3-352cf5d2e637 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725023139/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-rt-specifications-dcc757dc-b4ab-c33f-d3b3-352cf5d2e637 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=Microsoft Support}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Surface with Windows RT |url=http://surface.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/Content/pbpage.Surface?ESICaching=off&WT.mc_id=WinHH_PreOrder_DisplayAd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028221711/http://surface.microsoftstore.com:80/store/msstore/Content/pbpage.Surface?ESICaching=off&WT.mc_id=WinHH_PreOrder_DisplayAd |archive-date=October 28, 2012 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=Microsoft Store}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" |System-on-chip | * Nvidia Tegra 3 ARM SoC ** 4× ARM Cortex-A9 cores @ 1.30 GHz clock ** 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM |- ! colspan="2" |Storage | * 32 or 64 GB eMMC internal storage offerings * Expandable microSDXC card storage |- ! rowspan="4" |Display !Size |10.6" LCD |- !Aspect ratio |16:9 |- !Screen resolution |1366×768{{nbsp}}px (96 pixels per inch) |- !Touch |5-point touch digitizer |- ! rowspan="6" |Exterior !Height |{{convert|6.7|in|cm|2}} |- !Width |{{convert|10.8|in|cm|2}} |- !Depth |{{convert|0.37|in|mm|2}} |- !Weight |{{convert|1.5|lb|kg|2}} |- !Casing |VaporMg |- !Color |Dark Titanium |- ! rowspan="2" |Cameras !Front | rowspan="2" |1280×720p (0.9 MP) camera |- !Rear |- ! rowspan="2" |Audio !Speaker |2× stereo speakers |- !Microphone |2× microphone |- ! colspan="2" |Sensors | * Ambient light sensor * Accelerometer * Gyroscope * Magnetometer |- ! colspan="2" |Ports | * 1× USB-A 2.0 port * microSDXC card slot * 3.5mm headphone jack * MicroHDMI port * Proprietary touch/type cover attachment |- ! rowspan="2" |Wireless !Wi-Fi |802.11a/b/g/n |- !Bluetooth |4.0 |- ! colspan="2" |Battery |31.5 Wh |}
=== Software === {{Main|Windows 8|Windows RT}} Surface runs Windows RT, which is preloaded with Windows Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Sports, News, Travel, Finance, Camera, Weather, Reader, SkyDrive, Store, Photos, Skype (no longer supported), Maps, Games, Messaging, Bing, Desktop, and Xbox Music and Xbox Video Windows Store applications, and supports Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT, which includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote within the Desktop application. Windows RT only allows installing Windows Store applications. Windows RT is compiled entirely for the ARM instruction set architecture.
A major update to Windows RT was launched on October 17, 2013, called Windows RT 8.1. This update brought many improvements to the Surface, such as an overhauled Mail app, more Bing apps like Reading List, and OneDrive (updated from SkyDrive). It also brought support for larger tiles, a help and tips app, Internet Explorer 11, Outlook 2013 RT, changes to PC Settings, lock screen photo slideshow, infinitely re-sizable apps, a Start button, and speed improvements. Later, an update to Windows RT 8.1, dubbed Windows RT 8.1 Update<ref>{{cite web |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/whats-new |title=What's new in Windows 8.1 Update and Windows RT 8.1 Update? |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=30 August 2015}}</ref> added a search button to the Start Screen, as well as the taskbar on the Modern UI, and a title bar for Modern UI apps.
=== Accessories === Surface launched with two accessories, the Type Cover and the Touch Cover. The Touch Cover came in white, black, magenta, red, and cyan, while the Type Cover came in black. Limited edition Touch Covers were released featuring laser-etched artwork on the back. The Touch and Type Covers double as keyboards and magnetically attach to the Surface's "accessory spine".
Later, adapters for micro-HDMI to HDMI <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/music-photos-and-video/connect-surface-pro-to-a-tv-display-or-projector |title=Connect Surface to a TV, monitor, or projector |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=30 August 2015}}</ref> and VGA were released.
== Configurations == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="6" |Surface RT Configurations<ref name=":0" /> |- !Price Tier (USD) !SoC !RAM !Internal Storage !Accessories |- |$499 | rowspan="3" |Nvidia Tegra 3 | rowspan="3" |2 GB | rowspan="2" |32 GB | - |- |$599 | rowspan="2" |Black Touch Cover |- |$699 |64 GB |}
== Reception == ''CNET'' praised the design of Surface, noting that it "looked practical without being cold, and just feels like a high-quality device that Microsoft cut few corners to make." The kickstand was also praised for its feel and quality, while both the kickstand and the keyboard cover accessories were also noted for having a "satisfying" clicking sound when engaged or attached. The covers were deemed "essential to getting the complete Surface experience", with the touch cover praised for having a more "spacious" typing area than other tablet keyboard attachments, and for being usable after getting used to its soft feel. The Type Cover was recommended over the Touch Cover due to its higher quality and more conventional key design. Surface's display was praised for its larger size and widescreen aspect ratio over the iPad line but panned for having "muted" color reproduction. While the touchscreen-oriented aspects of the Windows 8 interface were praised for being "elegant", albeit harder to learn than Android or iOS, the Windows RT operating system was criticized for still requiring the use of the mouse-oriented desktop interface to access some applications and settings not accessible from within the "Metro" shell, and for its poor application ecosystem, with Windows Store's state on-launch compared to "a ghost town after the apocalypse." The poor performance of the Surface, especially in comparison to other Tegra 3-based tablets, also led to disapproval. In conclusion, it was felt that "paired with a keyboard cover, the Surface is an excellent Office productivity tool (the best in tablet form) and if your entertainment needs don't go far beyond movies, TV shows, music, and the occasional simple game, you're covered there as well", but that assuming Windows Store would eventually improve its application selection, "both it and the Surface's wonky performance keep a useful productivity device from reaching true tablet greatness."<ref name=cnet-review>{{cite web |title=Microsoft Surface review: Innovative tablet stranded in an app desert |url=http://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-surface-rt |last=Franklin |first=Eric |date=23 October 2012 |work=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=29 August 2015}}</ref>
Sales of the Surface and other Windows RT devices were poor; in July 2013, Microsoft reported a loss of US$900 million due to lackluster sales of the Surface, and cut its price by 30% worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Nathan |last1=Ingraham |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/18/4535976/microsoft-lost-900-million-on-surface-rt |title=Microsoft took a $900 million hit on Surface RT this quarter |publisher=Vox Media |work=The Verge |date=18 July 2013 |accessdate=8 February 2015 |ref=$900M}}</ref><ref name=atd-writeoff>{{cite web |title=Microsoft Misses, Takes a $900 Million Charge on Surface RT Stock |url=http://allthingsd.com/20130718/microsoft-misses-shares-sink |last=Paczkowski |first=John |date=18 July 2013 |work=All Things Digital |publisher=Dow Jones & Company |accessdate=25 July 2013}}</ref><ref name=verge-surfacecut>{{cite web |title=Microsoft cuts Surface RT prices by 30 percent worldwide, hopes to boost slow sales |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/15/4524454/microsoft-surface-rt-price-cuts-worldwide |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=15 July 2013 |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media |accessdate=25 July 2013}}</ref><ref name=bloomberg-surface>{{cite web |title=Microsoft's Surface Tablet Is Said to Fall Short of Predictions |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-14/microsoft-s-surface-tablet-is-said-to-fall-short-of-predictions.html |last1=King |first1=Ian |last2=Bass |first2=Dina |date=15 March 2013 |work=Bloomberg Business |publisher=Bloomberg |accessdate=21 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="900M loss">{{cite news |last=Lowe |first=Scott |title=Microsoft Lost $900 Million on Surface RT in Q1 |url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/07/18/microsoft-lost-900-million-on-surface-rt-in-q1 |accessdate=20 July 2013 |work=IGN.com |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=18 July 2013}}</ref> Microsoft's price cut did result in a slight increase of market share for the device; by late-August 2013, usage data from the advertising network AdDuplex (which provides advertising services within Windows Store apps) revealed that Surface's share had increased from 6.2 to 9.8%.<ref name=pcworld-surfacertskyrocket>{{cite web |title=Surface RT usage skyrockets after steep price cuts |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047440/surface-rt-usage-skyrockets-after-steep-price-cuts.html |last=Chacos |first=Brad |date=26 August 2013 |work=PC World |publisher=IDG |accessdate=28 December 2013}}</ref>
== Timeline== {{Surface timeline}}
==References == {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{official website|http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/products/surface}}
{{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = Surface | years = 1st generation | with = | before = – | after = Surface 2 }} {{S-end}}
{{Windows tablets}} {{Microsoft hardware}} {{Microsoft}}
Category:Microsoft Surface Category:Windows RT devices Category:Tablet computers Category:Tablet computers introduced in 2012 Category:Products and services discontinued in 2013