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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: Forget the iPad, Surface is the tablet people want

Updated Oct 29th, 2012 11:53AM EDT
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Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer undoubtedly knows that Apple (AAPL) has sold more than 100 million iPad tablets at this point, but according to the outspoken executive, that’s not the tablet people really want. While speaking with CNBC, Ballmer said no company has built a tablet he believes customers want. Of course with the introduction of the Surface, all that changes.

“I don’t think anybody has done a product that is the product that I see customers wanting,” Ballmer said in an interview picked up by AllThingsD. “You can go through the products from all those guys … and none of them has a product that you can really use. Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon. Nobody has a product that lets you work and play that can be your tablet and your PC. Not at any price point.”

BGR reviewed the Microsoft Surface recently and called it a class leader where hardware is concerned. The slate’s Windows RT software was a different story though, and the lack of available applications limits the tablet’s utility for the time being.

Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 15 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.