Report: Microsoft working on 7-inch Xbox Surface gaming tablet

Report: Microsoft working on 7-inch Xbox Surface gaming tablet
The Verge has reported today that Microsoft is creating a 7-inch gaming tablet called the Xbox Surface.

Sources supposedly confirmed the plans, with the company already in development of the tablet.



The tablet will run a version of Windows 8, but not Windows 8 Pro since the tablet will be based on an ARM SoC. It is unclear whether the tablet will pack Windows RT, however.

Specifications of the alleged tablet are an ARM-based Texas Instruments processor with 288MB of RLDRAM 2 and a resolution of 1280 x 720. The rest of the supposed specs are posted below.

Adds Tom Warren of the Verge:

Microsoft has developed a secret hardware production process for its Surface tablets that is separated from partners that traditionally manufacturer the company's Xbox console. We're told that the Xbox Surface will likely be manufactured in the same factory, but that any future "Xbox 720" console will be manufactured in mass quantities by companies like Pegatron or Foxconn.

We've learned that part of the Xbox Surface is being developed at Microsoft's offices in Silicon Valley. The software giant recently locked down several Xbox-related buildings, limiting employee access to the company's Interactive Entertainment Business division. The lock down is likely related to Microsoft's increased testing of the tablet, providing a way for other parts of the Xbox team to build games and software for the device. Providing the project doesn't get killed in favor of a full 7-inch Windows tablet, in the same way Microsoft axed Courier, expect to see the Xbox Surface debut ahead of Microsoft's future Xbox console.




Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 6 Nov 2012 15:10
Tags
Microsoft tablet ARM surface xbox surface
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  • 8 comments
  • Bozobub

    Oh, for heavens' sake. Gimp the RAM again?! Console devs never learn.

    6.11.2012 18:47 #1

  • bobiroc

    Originally posted by Bozobub: Oh, for heavens' sake. Gimp the RAM again?! Console devs never learn. Oh for heavens sake people will never learn consoles are not the same as computers. When the device is designed to do a specific task and only that task and run only software specifically designed for it you do not have to have such high specs

    AMD Phenom II 965 @ 3.67Ghz, 8GB DDR3, ATI Radeon 5770HD, 256GB OCZ Vertex 4, 2TB Additional HDD, Windows 7 Ultimate.

    http://www.facebook.com/BlueLightningTechnicalServices

    6.11.2012 18:57 #2

  • Bozobub

    1) Consoles ARE computers, albeit very specialized ones.

    2) Every console to date has been limited by insufficient RAM; the evidence is in the comments of the software developers for each system, after all.

    3) RAM is quite cheap, and adding RAM is the one of the easiest ways to improve the performance of most computing devices, general-purpose or not.

    6.11.2012 19:36 #3

  • Mr_Bill06

    Here we go again, Microsoft see Microsoft do. Guess we will never see anything from Microsoft that was there own idea ever again.

    6.11.2012 20:33 #4

  • Mysttic

    Quote:3) RAM is quite cheap, and adding RAM is the one of the easiest ways to improve the performance of most computing devices, general-purpose or not. RAM is cheap sure, for standardized RAM that will easily fit into notebooks/PCs and Apple devices. But proprietary parts made for consoles (which are all different shapes and sizes for each console), raises the prices of RAM as they are designed specifically to fit into that console and that console only. That raises the cost quite significantly and so quantity and space is limited to the basics systems need for functioning.

    7.11.2012 11:13 #5

  • xboxdvl2

    there have been rumours of microsoft releasing a handheld xbox for like 4 years.
    make that 6 years.heres some links
    link
    link
    link

    the real question should be are they really making it?????

    i have the big screen tv,a ps3 and im gonna surround sound to go with it soon hopefully.car still runs smooth and computer still works but its a bit outdated.

    7.11.2012 12:13 #6

  • Bozobub

    The RAM used in various consoles only differs in that it's usually soldered in. The form factors of the individual RAM chips don't change an iota; they're just not configured into SIMMs/DIMMs. A quick google search for XBox and Playstation mobo pics confirms this.

    7.11.2012 16:05 #7

  • i1der

    ram is ram don't matter what form they are, the supplier will change to any shape needed


    10.11.2012 01:55 #8

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