Microsoft's Touch Cover Review

Microsoft Surface Tablet has been in the news ever since it was released few months ago. The most exciting aspect of Microsoft Surface Tablet is its design and hardware in general and its new magnetic keyboard concept in particular. As the name implies, the Touch Cover concept of Surface Tablet is completely about touch. The Touch Cover concept was able to garner rave reviews as well as receive few brickbats. 



Introduction: Let’s talk a little about Microsoft Surface Tablet. Surface is undoubtedly not as thin as Apple’s iPad. But you may forgive the girth considering the fact that Surface comes with a few desirable features. Some features such as USB, HD video out ports, dedicated charger, and stereo speakers on both sides of the tablet, a microSD slot and a kickstand make the tablet a highly functional one.  It comes with Touch Cover and Type Cover keyboard concepts. 

Design: Touch Cover acts as a cover for both Windows RT and Windows 8 powered Microsoft Surface Tablets. It comes with a secure magnetic dock for that extra protection. Complete with an excellent design concept, the Touch Cover of Surface Tablets is light, slim and highly touch sensitive, ensures convenience and comfort.  Touch Cover doubles up as a cover for the tablet and as a touch device. With 77 pressure sensitive points acting as keys and with a capacitive touch pad, the Touch Cover makes an excellent keyboard. When you fold the Touch Cover over the back of the tablet, the keyboard functions get disabled allowing the Cover to become an ordinary tablet cover.  Since the Cover is attached to the tablet using magnetic docking connector, the connection stays firm and secure.

Features: Although the Touch Cover adds not more than half a pound to the overall weight of the tablet, it improves the tablets functional capability immensely.  The Touch Cover acts as a protection for the tablet, helping resist spills and scratches. The Touch Cover has no moving parts at all; you can safely rest your hands on the keyboard, since the keyboard easily distinguishes between the pressure exerted by a keystroke and a resting finger. It may take some getting used to the Touch Cover as typing on it is a bit like typing on a paper thin mouse pad.

For those who are looking for a regular mouse experience, the Touch Cover comes with a small capacitive touch pad. The touch pad is so small- measuring only 2.7 X 1.3 inches- that using it gets a bit tricky.

Performance: Those with typing speeds over 80 or 90 words per minute will surely find the Touch Cover a big letdown.  You will most certainly not match your regular typing speed with the Touch Cover. Your fingers won’t be flying across the keyboard for a long time as simple ergonomics proves that typing on Touch Cover tires your hands and fingers soon.  Although the Touch Cover is soft to touch and provides a touch of cushion, the impact of typing on a flat surface is not very comfortable. The largely unforgiving surface of Touch Cover causes what can be only described as typing/finger fatigue!  For anyone planning on using the Touch Cover for extended typing, switching to Bluetooth Keyboards is suggested.

The Final Impact: Yes, the Touch Cover is responsive, yes; it’s thin and looks like the fashion statement I have been meaning to make with my tablet. But, I can’t seem to get over the fact that prolonged typing on Touch Cover makes my fingers ache. Microsoft Surface Touch Cover has the perfect looks and design but it certainly is not for extended typing.

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