--- description: At Microsoft's launch event for its Surface tablets on Monday, it let the assembled journalists get their hands on some sample units--sort of. We were... title: TechRadar’s Surface Hands-On Is an Actual Surface Hands-On image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Business](/section/business/) * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) # TechRadar's Surface Hands-On Is an Actual Surface Hands-On by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) Jun 22, 2012 7:24 PM CUT by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) Jun 22, 2012 7:24 PM CUT At Microsoft’s launch event for its [Surface tablets](http://techland.time.com/2012/06/21/why-microsofts-surface-unveiling-was-so-vaporous/ "undefined") on Monday, it let the assembled journalists get their hands on some sample units–sort of. We were able to hold turned-off Surface for Windows RT systems to gauge their feel and weight and try the built-in kickstand. We could try out examples of the keyboard cover that weren’t actually connected to working tablets. I even got to briefly tap around a cocktail app. But none of that added up to the sort of hands-on experience that could give anyone even a tentative impression of whether the Surface lives up to its potential. So I’m intrigued by a [hands-on story](http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/microsoft-surface-tablet-1085839/review "undefined") by TechRadar’s Mary Branscombe that seems to be a real hands-on, complete with more details about Surface for Windows 8 Pro. Here’s a snippet from her take on the keyboard: --- > “” --- Branscombe also answers a question I had about the Surface–which wasn’t among the 23 I [already wrote about](http://techland.time.com/2012/06/19/my-first-23-questions-about-microsofts-surface-windows-8-tablet/ "undefined"). Since the tablet isn’t a true clamshell device–it uses a temporary connection to its keyboard and is propped up by a kickstand–I wondered whether it was possible to use it in literal laptop mode, in your lap. Branscombe says it works quite well. For now, this may be the most well-informed take anyone’s provided on Surface. However, it’s labeled as a “review”–and that it clearly is not. Branscome herself says that “\[N\]o-one has had much time using Surface RT yet.” If Surface were a movie instead of a computer, her piece would amount to a gut reaction based on having watched part of an early cut. TechRadar’s Surface Hands-On Is an Actual Surface Hands-On ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7234786/techradars-surface-hands-on-is-an-actual-surface-hands-on/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7234786/techradars-surface-hands-on-is-an-actual-surface-hands-on/"},"headline":"TechRadar's Surface Hands-On Is an Actual Surface Hands-On","datePublished":"2012-06-22T19:24:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T10:49:03.699Z","description":"At Microsoft's launch event for its Surface tablets on Monday, it let the assembled journalists get their hands on some sample units--sort of. We were...","url":"https://time.com/archive/7234786/techradars-surface-hands-on-is-an-actual-surface-hands-on/","keywords":["Tech","Windows"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/7234786/techradars-surface-hands-on-is-an-actual-surface-hands-on/","name":"TechRadar's Surface Hands-On Is an Actual Surface Hands-On"}}]}] ```