This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

Microsoft has announced its first tablet computer. It is called the Surface, and it is designed to compete directly with the popular Apple iPad.

The computer software maker announced its new tablet last Monday at a media event in Los Angeles. Microsoft will offer two versions of the Surface. Each has a different processor. The Surface for Windows RT runs on an ARM processor. It is less powerful than the Surface for Windows 8 Pro, which uses an Intel processor.

The RT is also thinner and weighs less than the Pro. Either tablet weighs no more than nine hundred three grams. Both have screens that are about twenty-seven centimeters in size. That is a little bigger than the iPad's screen.

Microsoft has not said exactly when the new Surface will appear in stores. But, it is expected to be sometime in September or October. This is about the same time that the company plans to release its new Windows 8 computer operating system.

Brenda Estrella owns a laptop computer. She has been considering switching to a tablet.

BRENDA ESTRELLA: "iPad for me is more of an entertainment device, like I see a lot of people carrying it around or taking pictures on it. For me, it's not that practical, so if Microsoft is coming out with a tablet that actually you can like type, and actually do different things other than just swipe, then that would be better for me."

Fox Van Allen is a technology expert. He agrees the Surface seems to have more to offer than the iPad.

FOX VAN ALLEN: "It's a very interesting new device. I think the key point here is that it's not just another iPad. It's a device that almost serves as a replacement for a PC."

Many technology lovers, including Catherine Clinch, are excited about the new tablet.

CATHERINE CLINCH: "The applause moments were on things that I think were predictable -- wow it stands by itself, you don't have buy a stand. It's all together, the keyboard folds over, it's a cover -- all those wonderful things. But when I look at this what I think of is the potential to get rid of the netbook, to get rid of the laptop, to maybe even down the line get rid of the full computer."

The Surface is meant to compete with the iPad. But not everyone is sure it is a better product. This includes iPad user John Ayala.

JOHN AYALA: "Would I buy one over an iPad? No. I like Apple products right now. I am glad there is a competitor and I am glad there is an alternative, but I am sticking with Apple."

For years, Microsoft made software, not computers. A few earlier attempts by the company to make and sell hardware products failed. That included the Zune music player. It could not compete against Apple's iPod.

Estimates place the value of the tablet computer market at about seventy-nine billion dollars this year. Microsoft hopes to capture a share of that market with its latest device.

And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. Transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at voa.com. I'm Steve Ember.

微软推出Surface与苹果iPad竞争

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

Microsoft has announced its first tablet computer. It is called the Surface, and it is designed to compete directly with the popular Apple iPad.
微软发布了该公司首款被称为Surface的平板电脑，其目的旨在和苹果iPad直接竞争。

The computer software maker announced its new tablet last Monday at a media event in Los Angeles. Microsoft will offer two versions of the Surface. Each has a different processor. The Surface for Windows RT runs on an ARM processor. It is less powerful than the Surface for Windows 8 Pro, which uses an Intel processor.
上周一，微软这家计算机软件制造商在洛杉矶的媒体发布会上发布了该公司新的平板电脑。微软为Surface提供了两个版本，每个版本拥有不同的处理器。其中Windows RT版本采用了ARM处理器，该处理器比Windows 8 Pro版本使用的Inter处理器略差。

The RT is also thinner and weighs less than the Pro. Either tablet weighs no more than nine hundred three grams. Both have screens that are about twenty-seven centimeters in size. That is a little bigger than the iPad's screen.
RT版本还比Pro版本更轻更薄。但这两款平板电脑的重量都不超过930克，也都拥有27厘米（相当于10.6英寸）大小的屏幕。其屏幕尺寸略大于iPad。

Microsoft has not said exactly when the new Surface will appear in stores. But, it is expected to be sometime in September or October. This is about the same time that the company plans to release its new Windows 8 computer operating system.
微软并未给出新Surface上市的准确时间，但预计会在9月或10月的某天，和该公司计划发布新的Windows 8 计算机操作系统的时间接近。

Brenda Estrella owns a laptop computer. She has been considering switching to a tablet.
布伦达·埃斯特里拉（Brenda Estrella）有台笔记本电脑。她一直在考虑改用平板电脑。

BRENDA ESTRELLA: "iPad for me is more of an entertainment device, like I see a lot of people carrying it around or taking pictures on it. For me, it's not that practical, so if Microsoft is coming out with a tablet that actually you can like type, and actually do different things other than just swipe, then that would be better for me."
埃斯特里拉：“iPad对我来说更多是一种娱乐设备，像我看到很多人随身拿着iPad，或使用它拍照。对我来说，它不够实用。因此如果微软将推出一款大家喜欢类型的平板电脑，可以做很多不同的事情，而不仅仅是滑屏，那就会非常适合我。”

Fox Van Allen is a technology expert. He agrees the Surface seems to have more to offer than the iPad.
福克斯·范艾伦是一名技术专家。他认同Surface似乎比iPad提供了更多功能。

FOX VAN ALLEN: "It's a very interesting new device. I think the key point here is that it's not just another iPad. It's a device that almost serves as a replacement for a PC."
范艾伦：“这是一种非常有趣的新设备。我认为关键是，它不是另一种iPad，而是一种几乎能够取代个人电脑的设备。”

Many technology lovers, including Catherine Clinch, are excited about the new tablet.
许多科技爱好者，包括凯瑟琳·克林奇（Catherine Clinch）都对这款新平板电脑非常期待。

CATHERINE CLINCH: "The applause moments were on things that I think were predictable -- wow it stands by itself, you don't have buy a stand. It's all together, the keyboard folds over, it's a cover -- all those wonderful things. But when I look at this what I think of is the potential to get rid of the netbook, to get rid of the laptop, to maybe even down the line get rid of the full computer."
克林奇：“喝彩声来自于那些我认为可以预见的事情上，例如它自身就可以立起来，你无需购买底座。它是一体的，键盘折叠上就是屏幕保护套，还有其它精彩的部分。但当我看到这些，我想到的是它能够摆脱上网本，摆脱笔记本电脑，摆脱完整计算机的那种潜力。”

The Surface is meant to compete with the iPad. But not everyone is sure it is a better product. This includes iPad user John Ayala.
Surface是为了和iPad竞争。但并非所有人都认为它更好，其中就包括iPad用户约翰·阿亚拉（John Ayala）。

JOHN AYALA: "Would I buy one over an iPad? No. I like Apple products right now. I am glad there is a competitor and I am glad there is an alternative, but I am sticking with Apple."
阿亚拉：“我会不会越过iPad买一台Surface？不，我现在喜欢苹果的产品。我很高兴有了一个竞争者，有了另一种选择，但我坚决支持苹果。”

For years, Microsoft made software, not computers. A few earlier attempts by the company to make and sell hardware products failed. That included the Zune music player. It could not compete against Apple's iPod.
微软多年来生产的是软件而不是电脑。该公司较早前试图生产销售硬件未能成功。其中包括Zune音乐播放器，它就未能和苹果的iPod抗衡。

Estimates place the value of the tablet computer market at about seventy-nine billion dollars this year. Microsoft hopes to capture a share of that market with its latest device.
今年预计平板电脑市场价值大约790亿美元。微软希望通过最新的Surface产品抢占部分市场份额。