????微軟公司（Microsoft）推出了平板電腦Surface，此舉絕不可低估。微軟首次設(shè)計并生產(chǎn)自己的硬件，這是十分大膽的一著，意味著微軟打算開發(fā)一個生機勃勃的新產(chǎn)品生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。它將圍繞微軟的當(dāng)家資產(chǎn)——操作系統(tǒng)開始謀篇布局。本周一，Surface閃亮登場。在發(fā)布儀式上，明亮的粉藍色鍵盤，時尚的宣傳視頻和一些本來籍籍無名的工程師的賣力推銷，讓人覺得這很像是一場蘋果公司（Apple）的產(chǎn)品發(fā)布會。

????但實際上，微軟的這出大戲與蘋果毫無關(guān)系。微軟顯然是想將平板電腦融入混合型的PC-移動設(shè)備陣營。在它位于加州的競爭對手看來，此舉實屬下策。迄今為止，我們對Surface的所有細節(jié)還不得而知——比如，電池續(xù)航時間、定價、官方發(fā)布日期等還都懸而未決。但是，有三大原因讓我們確信，Surface上市之日，絕不是引頸就死之時。

理由1：微軟完全有能力打造一個生態(tài)系統(tǒng)

????在消費者市場，微軟憑借Xbox和近期推出的體感（Kinect）動作控制游戲設(shè)備早已大獲成功。作為娛樂設(shè)備，Xbox實現(xiàn)了一次重大的品牌延伸，其大名已是家喻戶曉。微軟既然已成功顛覆了游戲市場，當(dāng)然也能讓硬件市場來個天翻地覆。

????微軟擁有最頂尖的技術(shù)人才?？萍季W(wǎng)站Verge的主編喬希?托普羅斯基早就不算是技術(shù)的超級粉絲了，但他2011年拜訪過微軟的研發(fā)部門后，還是為自己所看到的景象深感震驚。

????關(guān)于這次造訪，他回顧說：“（微軟）向我展示了一個項目……借助各種顯示技術(shù)、動作感知技術(shù)和3D技術(shù)，它能讓用戶創(chuàng)建從一個房間到另一個房間的一扇虛擬窗戶。它名為‘魔墻’。這真是匪夷所思、精妙絕倫、雄心勃勃。觀看這個項目時，從頭至尾我所能想到的只有一個疑問：微軟把這些技術(shù)天才都藏到哪兒去了？”

????微軟當(dāng)然也有大量失敗的產(chǎn)品案例，從Zune MP3播放器到差勁的Kin手機，不一而足。但是，不容辯駁的是，微軟已證明它能打造一個充滿活力、有利可圖的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。

理由2：微軟將充分利用企業(yè)用戶和開發(fā)者這兩大自留地

????微軟確實是在模仿蘋果的平板電腦，但它不會模仿一臺僅能供普通消費者所用的設(shè)備推向市場。它手頭握有590億美元現(xiàn)金，坐擁12.5億臺裝有Windows操作系統(tǒng)的PC機。而完全可以肯定的是，可愛的鮑爾默先生會挖掘所有可能的Windows銷售渠道，找遍所有能調(diào)用的硬件分銷商，想盡一切辦法大舉推廣這款產(chǎn)品。市場研究公司IDC Research的分析師弗朗西斯科?杰若尼莫在6月份發(fā)布的一份報告中寫道：“物理鍵盤，沒有攝像頭，專注于微軟Office環(huán)境，這些都表明微軟聚焦于商用市場。在這個細分市場上它能脫穎而出，從蘋果手中搶得一些份額。微軟的這臺平板電腦可能能為用戶帶來最好的Office應(yīng)用體驗，這也是這臺設(shè)備最具殺傷力的應(yīng)用。而對專業(yè)應(yīng)用來說，鍵盤也是非常重要的附件。”

????Do not underestimate Microsoft's Surface tablet move. Its gambit to design and build its own hardware is a bold play to develop a thriving ecosystem of new products. It is centered on Microsoft's dominant property: the operating system. Monday's flashy Surface launch may have felt like an Apple event with its bright, pastel-colored keyboard, slick introductory videos and breathless hyping from little-known engineers. But, in fact, Microsoft's play is anything but Apple-like. The company is clearly trying to make tablets into hybrid PC-mobile devices, something its California rival has said is a bad idea. We don't yet know all of Surface's details -- battery life, pricing, official release dates are all to-be-determined for instance. But here are three important reasons Microsoft's Surface is likely to be anything but dead on arrival:

Reason #1: Microsoft can build an ecosystem

????Microsoft (MSFT) has had success in the consumer market with the Xbox and most recently with the Kinect motion-control devices. The Xbox has become a household name with major brand extensions as an entertainment device. Microsoft disrupted gaming, and it can disrupt hardware.

????Microsoft has serious engineering chops. Josh Topolosky, Editor-in-Chief of The Verge and not exactly a fanboy, was blown away by a visit to Microsoft's R&D in 2011. He wrote of that visit: "[MS] showed me a project … which would allow you to create a virtual window from one room to another, utilizing a variety of display, motion sensing, and 3D technologies… dubbed … the 'magic wall.' It was nuts. It was awesome. It was ambitious. The whole time, all I could think was: where has Microsoft been hiding guys like this?"

????There are plenty of examples of failed elements, from the Zune MP3 player to the dismal Kin phone. But, overwhelmingly, Microsoft has proven it can create a vibrant and profitable ecosystem.

Reason #2: Microsoft will use its enterprise and developer bases

????Microsoft certainly copied Apple's (APPL) playbook, but it won't be copying a consumer-only model for adoption. With $59 billion in cash on hand and an install base of 1.25 billion Windows PCs you can bet your sweet Ballmer that every possible Windows channel and hardware reseller rock they can uncover will be leveraged for adoption. "The physical keyboard, the lack of a camera and the focus on the MS Office environment shows that Microsoft is targeting the business segment, where it can differentiate and take some share from Apple," wrote Francisco Jeronimo, of IDC Research in a June 19 note. "Microsoft's tablet will probably come with the best MS Office experience, the killer application of the device. The keyboard is also a very important accessory for professional usage."?