Microsoft announced its first ever self-branded computer Monday - a tablet device called the Surface that is set to compete with Apple's iPad, dpa reported.
The new device will run Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system. And, in a major departure from the iPad, it will feature a keyboard and track pad on the inside of the magnetic screen cover, as well as a USB port to enable connections to peripheral devices like printers and secondary screens.
The Surface also includes a built-in kickstand that will allow the device to function like a laptop.
Boasting a 10.6 inch high definition display, the device is 9.3 millimetres thick and includes both front- and rear-facing cameras. It will be available with either 64 gigabytes or 128 gigabytes of storage. The price and launch date of the device have not been made public.
Microsoft hopes that the device will quickly ramp up competition to the iPad, and took a page out of Apple's playbook by touting the benefits of a single company developing both the software and hardware.
"We believe that any intersection between human and machine can be made better when all aspects of the experience - hardware and software - are considered and working together," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said.
"Because of Windows 8, the Surface is a PC. The Surface is a tablet. And the Surface is something new that we think people will absolutely love," Ballmer continued.