The first Surface Microsoft showed is a 10.6-inch tablet (the screen is Gorilla Glass), a bit bigger than the 9.7-inch iPad, made of magnesium "liquid metal." This one, made for consumers and more mobile types, will be called the Surface RT. It'll weigh around 700 grams, a little more than the new iPad's 650. It's got a full-sized USB port, storage of either 32GB or 64GB, and one of the coolest things we've seen so far is the case. It's got a built-in magnetic stand, like the iPad's Smart Cover, but it also has a super thin keyboard with multitouch keys on it. (If you want real, tactile keys, there's another, slightly less thin cover that offers that.)

A second one, just shown, is for "professionals" - apparently it has a much more impressive spec list, "rivalling that of the best ultrabooks." It's got stylus or pen input, surprisingly! But luckily it also has two separate sensors, so you don't have to worry about your hand resting on the screen and registering - when it senses the pen, it'll stop sensing your hand.

What's curious is that Microsoft has long been reliant on hardware partners - HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, the list goes on probably forever - but in recent years, the company's been getting just worked by Apple in the ultraportable area. Not talking about just the iPad; there's also no real competitor to the MacBook Air, which is the whole reason for the "Ultrabook" movement/PR bonanza. The Surface looks like it might serve both those niches at once, and better than any of Microsoft's partners (who, of course, could have made this - they just haven't).

What about price and release date? Well, we have no idea. Microsoft said both models will be priced "to compete," which means probably in the same ballpark as the iPad's prices. No word on mobile wireless (like 3G or 4G) yet. No word (as of this article's publication) on release date.