Open Book

Can this compete with the new Ipad or the soon to come mini -Ipad? Let's ee

Here are 10 things you need to know about the Microsoft Surface

1. The Surface is 9.3m thick - a fraction thinner than the iPad's 9.4m. It weighs around 680g - just slightly more than the iPad's 660g.

2. There are two versions available - the Surface, which will run the Windows RT operating system with an ARM CPU, and the Surface Pro which has Windows 8 Pro and an Intel CPU.

3. The display measures 10.6in (27cm) with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

4. The Surface has a widescreen HD Display while the Surface Pro has a Full HD Display.

5. Both models have Microsoft's ClearType  HD display technology and support an ultra-wide viewing angle and auto-adjusting screen intensity.

6. The case is magnesium, helping to keep it lightweight.

7. They have a built-in kickstand - slimmer than a credit card at 0.7mm - to hold it upright, making typing or watching videos easier.

8. There are two keyboard covers available - the Touch Cover and the Type Cover. They attach with a magnetic strip and serve both as a protective cover and, when unfolded, as a keyboard. A built-in gyroscope and accelerometer sensor tell the covers whether to accept the keystrokes. The Touch is 3mm thick with a touch-sensitive keyboard. The Type Cover is thicker and includes a tactile keyboard.

9. The release date for the Surface Pro is 26 October 2012, at the same time as Windows 8 becomes generally available. The Surface Pro is expected early next year.

10. A 32GB Surface without Touch Cover costs £399 from the Microsoft online shop. With the cover it is £479 while the 64GB version with Touch Cover costs £559.