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Steve Ballmer makes the case for the Surface: it's reimagination of computing, not a "compromise"

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Oct 29, 2012, 6:48 AM

Windows Tablets

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Steve Ballmer makes the case for the Surface: it's reimagination of computing, not a "compromise"

Apple's CEO Tim Cook took to the airwaves during the conference call with investors last week, noting that the Surface tablet concept is a "confused and compromised" product, and you have to either have a laptop, or a tablet, otherwise both will be like a "floating car", doing neither too well.

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer begs to differ, of course, on the whole jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none argument, despite being a few years late to the tablet game, with the iPad recently crossing the 100th million sold mark.

Steve Ballmer elaborated in an interview for CNBC:

I don’t think anybody has done a product that is the product that I see customers wanting. You can go through the products from all those guys … and none of them has a product that you can really use. Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon. Nobody has a product that lets you work and play that can be your tablet and your PC. Not at any price point.

This is a first-class tablet that people can enjoy and appreciate - it’s a PC; it’s a tablet. It’s for play; it’s for work. It’s a got a great price. That product doesn’t exist today.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.