Businessweek reports that Microsoft will not have a tablet that competes with Apple’s iPad until the 2012 back-to-school-season.

Microsoft Is Said to Plan Windows Release for Tablets in 2012

This puts the tablets release in the June to August 2012 timeframe. This also means that Microsoft’s iPad-competing tablet will be competing with Apple’s iPad 3 if Apple continues to schedule new iPad releases annually in the spring.

Microsoft has had a tablet strategy for a decade now. And, as I noted earlier this week, the Microsoft Store in Bellevue Washington had a selection of tablet computers running Windows 7.

Visit to Microsoft Store: Tablet City-Dell Duo, Exo PC, Asus Eee Slate

Windows 7, like tablet editions that preceded such as Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, is designed for use with a stylus not a finger tip. Microsoft’s Windows 8 (or whatever it will be called) will be, it is assumed, designed for a more finger friendly design. The problem is, however, that tens of thousands of software applications for Windows are not even Stylus friendly, etc alone touch friendly.