Gadgets and just Gadgets

Microsoft wants to bring Surface home sooner

When people get a chance to try out Microsoft’s Surface touch-screen tabletop computer, they often wish they could take one home.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Monday that the company is trying to speed up that process after getting a lot of demand for a consumer version.

When the company first launched the concept, they warned that it could be five years before a version of the products would be on shelves.But the company got a lot of pushback on that timing, Ballmer said. “We’re going to follow our nose,” Ballmer said, indicating that Microsoft hopes to shorten the gap before a consumer version is available.

That said, at the moment, Microsoft still has its hands full trying to ship the first machines to its handful of early customers: folks in the hotel, casino and retail businesses. The tech giant had hoped to start having models up and running for those customers by the end of last year, but now is aiming to do so by spring.

I bet Microsoft really, really wants to make their clients’ dream a reality; they could charge like $15,000 for the privelege.

Tags: microsoft, CEO, Steve Ballmer, tabletop computer, microsoft surface