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A predicted surge in sales of smaller, lower-cost tablets will bump up the number of shipments this year, according to a new report from IDC.

The research firm now expects global tablet shipments to rise to 190.9 million in 2012, up from its prior forecast of 172.4 million. IDC also sees an average rise in shipments of 11 percent from now through 2016, leading to more than 350 million tablets shipped by the end of 2017.

"One in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size," IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani said … Read more

An about-face in Internet Explorer 10 shows Microsoft is not merely backing off from its hostility toward Flash Player, but actually warming up to the Adobe Systems browser plug-in for competitive reasons.

In September 2011, Microsoft declared that browser plug-ins are a relic from the Internet's early days, calling them bad for battery life, security, reliability, and privacy, and said that it would ban them when IE10 was running with Windows 8's Metro user interface, now called the "immersive UI."

But Microsoft gave Flash a reprieve in May 2012 by building a special version of Adobe'… Read more

Windows RT is in a bit of trouble.

Samsung today told German news site Heise that it's changed its mind on releasing the Ativ Tab in Germany. Samsung had previously hoped to offer the tablet to German customers, but revealed to Heise that demand for Windows RT is low in the country, prompting it to rethink its strategy.

The news isn't all that surprising. The company told CNET in January that it wouldn't launch its Windows RT-based tablet in the U.S. because of low demand. Here's what Samsung senior vice president Mike Abary told CNET … Read more

Microsoft's rollout of its Windows Surface tablets continues, as the company today announced that in the coming months the Surface RT will be available in a range of new markets -- including Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

The Surface RT version can run certain desktop applications, such as Microsoft Office RT and Internet Explorer 10, but otherwise is restricted to Windows store apps. The 32GB Surface RT tablet starts at $499 in the U.S. The company didn't offer prices for the new markets.

In addition, Microsoft said that it will bring the Surface Pro … Read more

Microsoft's Surface tablet may surface in Japan as early as next month, according to a story from the Nikkei news service, as reported by the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch.

A Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed to CNET that Surface will reach Japan in the near future but didn't specify a launch date.

"As part of our phased approach to Surface availability, Surface will be coming to Japan in the near future," the rep said, promising to provide more details soon.

Microsoft is expected to sell the Surface RT edition to Japanese consumers. That version can run certain … Read more

Sales of Microsoft's Surface may not set the tablet world on fire, but CEO Steve Ballmer still sees a key role for the device.

In an interview published today by MIT Technology Review, Ballmer snuck past the initial question of whether he was pleased with Surface sales.

"I'm super-glad we did Surface," Ballmer said in response. "I think it is important -- and not just for Microsoft but for the entire Windows ecosystem -- to see integrated hardware and software."

But the CEO did concede that Surface isn't likely to dominate the PC … Read more

If you're eyeballing a tablet with business purposes in mind, a convertible might be the best way to go. You get a full-size QWERTY keyboard when you need one and nothin' but screen when you don't.

And if it helps you to stay in the Windows ecosystem, well, you need a Windows-powered convertible. Like this one: Lenovo has the IdeaPad Yoga 11 Windows RT convertible for $599 shipped when you apply coupon code USPYOGA2C214 at checkout. (Sales tax may apply in some states.) That's a full $200 off the original price.

If that code doesn't work/… Read more

Microsoft is now a hardware leader, according to the company's chief financial officer.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference today, CFO Peter Klein characterized Microsoft as a mentor of sorts for the rest of the PC industry.

"There are always things we can do like the Surface that's good for the ecosystem, good for customers," he said, responding to a question about vertical integration.

The "ecosystem" is essentially code for the PC industry, while "vertical integration" implies doing both the software and the hardware -- which Apple has been … Read more

Microsoft's new Intel-powered tablet isn't being advertised as a gaming platform, but maybe it should.

The Surface Pro handles Diablo III and Portal 2 at near-maximum settings, according to a post by Jason Evangelho at Forbes.com.

Gamers "represent an important -- and arguably sizable -- potential demographic for Microsoft. As the company knows from its wildly successful Xbox platform," he wrote.

At the moment, Microsoft is marketing Surface as a business tool, with no mention of its gaming chops.

The closest it gets is ad copy about Intel's laptop-class Core i5 processor and the … Read more