[Rumor] Surface Pro and Xbox Surface Manufacturing Might Start in December

[dgstorm]

Here we have an exciting rumor to get your day started. A new rumor from a Chinese newspaper (does that qualify as an oxymoron?) indicates that Chinese manufacturing partners of Microsoft are ramping up to begin manufacturing of the Surface Pro and Xbox Surface tablets as early as this December. Here's a quote with a few more details,

Surface Pro isn't a major secret. It's been known for some time that Surface Pro was on tap for 2013. Surface Pro will run the full-blown version of Windows 8 along with all other Windows 7 software. Current Surface tablets are ARM-based and can't run anything but Windows 8 software.

If manufacturing begins in December, expect a January/February release, barring any production problems.

As for Xbox Surface, that rumor first hit five months ago after an article appeared in The Verge. The article was quite detailed because it had what was purported to be a Microsoft spec sheet. The Xbox Surface would be a standalone 7-inch gaming tablet with an ARM-processor paired wirelessly to a base station, similar to Nintendo's Wii U console.

Inside that base station would be dual PowerPC processors, 5GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive, a custom AMD graphics processor, an Ethernet port, HDMI and component video, four USB ports, optical audio and support for up to four wireless game controllers, The Verge reported. The Xbox Surface tablet only had a resolution of 1280x720, but the base station could put out higher-resolution video than standard HDTV, at 2640x1440 pixels.

It would obviously be more exciting to find out they are already manufacturing them in time for the holidays, but a launch of early next year is the next best thing. Also, it's nice to see a few more technical details on the rumored Xbox Surface. What do you guys think?

Source: NetworkWorld

 

[J515OP]

I think that touch cover looks awesome. Maybe a future option?

 

[dgstorm]

I agree. As soon as I saw this I was enamored. Perhaps the touch cover is exactly what will come with the Pro version? Or at the very lease it could be a separate optional upgrade. It'll be interesting to see...

 

[J515OP]

I would think one could also do the same thing with careful application of fabric paint to the grooves in the felt of the black touch cover. Let the mods begin!

 

[Sin]

I want that orange accented touch cover.

 

[fosking]

I do worry about this Jan/Feb launch. I believe it's going to be a month or two too late. If I was Microsoft, I would have made sure I got in the holiday sales and on top of that, not too many people are going to have a grand to drop on a gadget just after Christmas where people have already used credit cards to pay for Christmas.

Saying that, I'm now desperate to get my pre-order in as my two year old has cracked the screen on my iPad.

 

[fosking]

I want that orange accented touch cover.

Same here, that looks so cool!

 

[MOFO]

As soon as I heard about this I was very intrigued, and now it's going to be paired with a base station has really got my juices flowing. It will be interesting to see where this leads but I definetly keeping an eye on this.
Love the look of that touch cover.