Microsoft Shows Off 'Slate' PC

Microsoft unveiled the Windows 7 powered slate PC, also known as a piece of stone, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The aim of the device is to get ahead of Apple somehow.

Apple are also reported to be gearing up to launch a slate device in late January to go on sale in March, but that one will actually work and be good.

You can imagine how overwhelming it is for the ordinary masses to have their very own piece of slate Margaret Shill Read more and comment at the dot.Marge blog

Industry experts say that the Microsoft slate will be heavier than the Apple product because it's 'made out of stone you idiots'.

"The stone has a really nice finish and is a beautiful little product," said Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer before dropping it on his foot and screaming in agony.

During his keynote address at CES, Mr Ballmer demonstrated the machine in front of an audience of over 3,500 press, bloggers, analysts and industry peers by getting out a hammer and chisel.

He also showed off the slate's other capabilities like stacking them up and making a wall as well as paving for the garden.

Muted reaction

Reaction to the as yet unnamed stone slate was somewhat subdued.

"What we saw confirmed my worst suspicions, that this is a piece of slate stone. Nothing different from previous Microscratch products," Julius Malthus, senior associate editor of technology website TechMunch, told the Daily Squib.

"It's an interesting product in itself but Microsoft could have gone further. Maybe they should expand into boulders or chunks of marble."

However, technology blogger Kunt Roach of Rabbi's Hardware did not agree.

"It looked really good given the short amount of time we saw it for but I still would have preferred the standard Microscratch brick. Everyone loves a good sized brick to throw through a window or drop from the twentieth floor. I miss the Microscratch bricks."