Microsoft Hands Out 5000 Win 8 Tablets to Developers

By Jane McEntegart
published

Attendees at Microsoft's BUILD conference were this week gifted with free Core i5 Windows 8 tablets.

This week at BUILD, Microsoft talked all about Windows 8 and told developers what they can expect from the next iteration of Windows. However, the company also gave devs a little gift to ensure they get off on the right foot with Windows 8. The Redmond company dished out no fewer than 5000 Windows 8 Samsung slates to attendees.

Rumors about Microsoft gifting BUILD attendees with a Windows 8 tablet started last month, during Microsoft's TechEd conference in New Zealand. Microsoft afforded attendees there a glimpse of two Windows 8 tablets and some reported that Microsoft may be giving one out to attendees at BUILD. On Tuesday, right on schedule, Microsoft handed out thousands of free Samsung-made Windows 8 tablets. The tablet will give developers a head start for developing for Windows 8 as well as a chance to try out some new hardware.

ComputerWorld reports that the tablet in question is similar to the Samsung Series 7 Slate with a few customizations. Windows President Steven Sinofsky said that the Windows version has more sensors and AT&T has added a 3G-capable radio to the tablets. Devs will get 2GB of monthly data service free of charge for 12 months. Specswise, the tablet boasts a second generation Core i5 CPU, an 11.6-inch Super PLS 1366×768 display, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, USB, HDMI port, microSD slo.

Jane McEntegart
31 Comments Comment from the forums
  • southernshark
    The specs on that tablet are pretty tight.
    Reply
  • nadavp3
    NICE

    go ms =p .. man competition is good for us :) thank god for android\ios madness
    Reply
  • Wish I Was Wealthy
    Hey,I hate tablets & I always will. No good for your eyes you know. As long as the developers make some money out of this & like usual some will like the freebie.
    Reply
  • kilo_17
    Pretty sick tablet with specs like that
    Reply
  • silverblue
    A tablet with an i5 CPU? I suppose stranger things have happened.
    Reply
  • amk-aka-Phantom
    Ah, finally proper tablets arrive. THAT can replace my netbook, if the battery life is any good (though the price must be way more than for a netbook), while iOS and Android (no matter how much I like Android) toys will NEVER do that for me. I don't want to migrate from the programs (not crApps, PROGRAMS) that I use in Windows.
    Reply
  • @silverblue
    you never noticed the EEE Slate, been around for over half a year now

    @amk-aka-phantom
    not even close to a netbook, imagine an i5 laptop without a keyboard and your closer to the mark, and considering it's an i5 sandy bridge laptop it's prices relatively reasonable actually
    Reply
  • GreaseMonkey_62
    Makes me wish I was a developer.
    Reply
  • silverblue
    Not really been that clued up on the more powerful tablets; I hope devices like this can push the iPad etc. into the "budget tablet" segment. (Apple WON'T like that :P ) Might actually do Apple some good to design a power version of the iPad for this sort of thing.
    Reply
  • rantoc
    Clever move, sure they all cost quite abit but considering that dev's are one of the critical components of success in the os wars, this will be well worth it in the end!
    Reply