Microsoft is set to discharge a series of tablet-style computers, Windows-based this year as it seeks to see off the face up to posed by Apple’s iPad. Microsoft’s chief executive, Steve Ballmer, told delegates at the company’s annual worldwide partner conference that they would find the range of devices “quite impressive”.
He said, "This year one of the most significant job that we’ll do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7 phones and Windows 7-based slates".
"You’ll see a range of Windows 7-based slates over the course of the next several months that I think you'll find quite impressive. We are hard-core about this."
He confirmed, Sony, Asus, Toshiba, Dell and Samsung are among the consumer electronics companies that will be making Windows-based slates.
"They will run Office. They will run Windows 7 applications."
Dell launched the Streak, a tablet running Google’s Android operating system, Apple has sold more than three million iPads since April, prompting challengers to launch their own tablet-style computers and others are also trialling with the “slate” form factor.
