Microsoft Slate Could Foretell the Shape of Tablets to Come

Attendees at Microsoft's TechEd New Zealand show were reportedly treated to a preview of what may have been a new quad-core Windows slate device running on the not-yet debuted Windows 8.

The slate could be a giveaway at Microsoft's Build conference in September, according to a Smarter Geek blog post by attendee and IT consultant Alan Burchill. The information was treated with some skepticism, since other TechEd attendees didn't recall that claim, and one said the slate was running on Windows 7.

Regardless of the details, though, the device Microsoft showed probably won't be on shelves any time in the near future.

"I assume this is part of Microsoft gearing up for its developer conference in September. It would be a proof if concept, not a consumer-ready product," Sarah Rotman Epps, analyst at Forrester, told TechNewsWorld.

Buchill's post revealed two images of the thin-looking device that could be a predecessor to Microsoft's foray into the modern tablet market.

Microsoft didn't confirm or deny any part of the report.