Friday, July 6, 2012

Microsoft Surface: Innovation in Design, Engineering, and Manufacture


Microsoft Surface: Innovation in Design, Engineering, and Manufacture

With the unveiling on Monday of Microsoft’s new Surface tablet computer, the company is challenging Apple’s iPad – and its own PC hardware partners.
The 10.6-inch Surface tablet, boasts covers that double as keyboards and trackpads, taking it beyond today’s tablets. Including the soon-to-launched Windows 8 operating systemthere’s some remarkable design and engineering evident in the device, best marrying software and hardware.
The Microsoft Surface even uses a new manufacturing process—VaporMg—that reduces weight while keeping strength. That process results in a built-in kickstand, invisible when using the product in tablet mode. It may seem obvious, but it’s innovative and easy. The same happen for the cover, it becomes a keyboard—with its own design breakthroughs. And again with the combination of multi-touch and pressure sensitive pen technology – there are dozens of breakthroughs not found in any tablet or computer today.
Go to timestamp 28:40 to hear Panos Panay, leader of the team that created the Microsoft Surface, talk about the design, engineering, and manufacturing of this new innovation.
Microsoft is no stranger to the hardware market. Its Xbox and Kinect devices (both designed in Creo) have become hugely popular living-room devices for gaming and much more.
And as you appreciate the styling and design of this tablet, one final point- Creo was used for the mechanical design aspects of this new generation of tablet.