据英国《每日邮报》报道，近日，一款型号为W3的宏基平板电脑突然出现在网上商城亚马逊上，不过页面随后被删除。根据网站上的信息，W3使用英特尔双核处理器，32G固态硬盘，*重要的是，这是款运行微软Windows 8 操作系统的7英寸平板电脑。
据英国《每日邮报》报道，近日，一款型号为W3的宏基平板电脑突然出现在网上商城亚马逊上，不过页面随后被删除。根据网站上的信息，W3使用英特尔双核处理器，32G固态硬盘，*重要的是，这是款运行微软Windows 8 操作系统的7英寸平板电脑。
去年微软曾*一款自主生产的平板电脑Surface，但市场表现不如人意。业界认为微软会在Surface的基础上，推出自己的小型平板电脑，有传言称微软会在六月的开发者大会上公开*两款小型平板电脑，其中一款为7英寸版的迷你Surface。
正如苹果公司创始人史蒂芬•乔布森所说，我们正在慢慢进入“后PC时代”，平板电脑越来越受到市场的欢迎，“软件巨头”微软也不得不向市场服软。尽管PC制造商们绞尽脑汁创新求变，企图挽回用户，推出了诸如超级本之类的产品，但收效甚微。
Is this Microsoft''s answer to the iPad mini? Amazon accidentally reveals Acer''s tiny tablet。
Amazon has accidentally revealed a 7-inch tablet made by Acer and poisedto take on Apple''s iPad mini。
The Acer Iconia W3 - which appeared briefly on amazon.com before beingremoved - is the first small tablet seen running Microsoft''s Windows 8software。
Microsoft is also believed to be developing its own tablet, based on thelarger Surface, which is to be unveiled next month at the firm''s Builddeveloper conference。
The listing said the W3 would cost $379.99 (£587) for the 32GB model, andcome with a dual-core Intel Atom processor。
It will launch with a screen resolution of 1280 x 800, although there wasno date specified on the listing。
Earlier this month French site
minimachines.net revealed more pictures of the gadget, which is set to come with akeyboard addon turning it onto a laptop。
Microsoft is rumoured to be announcing its two small-screen Surfacetablets at the Build Developers Conference in June。
One of these is expected to beits own - a smaller version of its Surface tablet with a 7inch screen。
The tablets are expected to go on sale later this year, and will go headto head with Apple''s iPad Mini, Google''s Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire inthe lucrative small tablet market。
It is hoped the devices could reverse the disappointing sales of the largerSurface tablet which Microsoft launched this year。
The software giant isdeveloping a new lineup of its Surface tablets, including a 7-inch versionexpected to go into mass production later this year,'', The Wall Street Journalsaid people familiar with the company''s plans had claimed。
It claims the 7-inch tablets weren''t part of the company''s strategy lastyear, but Microsoft executives realized they needed a response to the rapidlygrowing popularity of smaller tablets like Google 7-inch Nexus, which wasannounced last summer, and the 7.9-inch iPad Mini introduced by Apple lastOctober, along with Amazon''s Fire HD。
Separate reports have speculated the new tablet could be designedprimarily as a games and media device, and be branded as an ''Xbox tablet'' toaccompany Microsoft''s hugely successful games console。
It comes amid growing concern for the future of the PC industry asconsumers move towards tablets。
PC sales have have gone into freefall with a 14 per cent drop last year -the biggest slump in history。
HP, the world''s largest PC maker, saw the sharpest decline with 24 percent fewer machines sold in 2012 compared to 2011.
Dell also saw an 11 per cent slump and even Apple, which saw a seven percent fall, was unable to buck the trend。
Research firm IDC said it was the biggest decline overall since it beganbegan tracking this data in 1994.
Analysts said that ‘the days seem to be numbered for the humble PC’ andthat in the future we would all be using portable devices。
Even the launch of Windows 8 failed to stop the trend with some saying thenegative response to the software may have exacerbated the trend。
PC makers have in recent years tried a string of innovations to breathelife into the market including Ultrabooks which were poorly received。
Windows 8 was also criticisedfor making too many changes and getting rid of the iconic start button。
The figures show that the late Apple founder Steve Jobs’ prediction thatwe are headed for a ‘post-PC era’ is coming true。
Bob O’Donnell, program vice president for clients and displays at IDC,said that what he called the ‘radical changes’ made to the PC in recent yearshad done it more harm than good。
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