Click here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email.
Microsoft Breaks Tradition With Surface Tablets (CNET)
Microsoft — a company that traditionally has relied exclusively on its PC partners to provide hardware powered by its Windows operating system — is trying out a new business model with its Windows 8 release. The company is going to offer two Microsoft-branded tablets of its own, both of which are branded as Microsoft Surface. Mashable Super-thin, the tablet is just 9.3mm thin for the Windows RT version and 13.5mm for the Pro version. Both have two full-size USB ports — something you won’t find on the vast majority of the tablet competition. You’ll also find a micro SD port on the side of the RT version and a microSDXC port on the Pro version for adding data to the device or reading files (like pictures from your digital camera) on the fly. Bloomberg News The tablet has a 10.6-inch display, said CEO Steve Ballmer during Monday’s announcement, and the device’s cover serves as a track pad and a full keyboard. Business Insider Surface for Windows RT will be available to the public when Windows 8 is officially released. Microsoft still hasn’t given an exact date for that, but we do know it will be in the fall, in plenty of time for holiday shopping. The Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later, Microsoft said. The Guardian Analysts gave the as-yet unpriced devices a cautious welcome. “From a design perspective, it looks great,” said Carolina Milanesi, a research vice president for the consumer devices team at Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company based in Stamford, Conn. She said the device looked like a serious competitor to Apple’s iPad, but success would depend on price and the apps available for the devices. Read more
Has the job search left you frustrated? Prepare for big interviews and land your dream job with the help of our 
