[rbf]

> Why the hell is Microsoft making an ARM-based hardware platform in the first place?

Same reason as everyone else. People want devices with low power consumption. Until x86 can deliver that I would say it makes great sense to make ARM-based hardware. I keep hearing atom etc will be on par with ARM, however, I have yet to see devices who deliver on that promise.

[Gormo]

> Same reason as everyone else. People want devices with low power consumption.

People want cars with good fuel economy and tasty, nutritious lunches, too, so why don't we see Microsoft Motors or The Microsoft Café?

I'm not focusing specifically on the ARM architecture, but merely pointing out that using ARM is just another quality of this product that fails to make use of any of Microsoft's existing advantages; the broader question is why MS decided to release any tablet at all in the first place