Surface concepts and prototypes

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By Tom Warren@tomwarren Mar 12, 2013, 10:26am EDT

Panos Panay with the original Surface prototype The father of the Surface handles the original concept for Microsoft's tablet.
String and plastic Surface The first prototype was built with string for the kickstand and a plastic mold.
A strong cover Panay explains that even the prototype had to have strong magnets for the cover concept.
Hello Courier Microsoft wanted the Surface to be protected using its cover and to take the form of a book you could easily carry.
Surface prototype with its cover The final prototype of Surface, complete with the future Touch Cover.
Concept vs. reality The concept sits alongside Surface Pro, showing how it progressed to reality.
A master and his creation Panos Panay stares at the Surface he helped create.
Other Surface ideas Some additional molds and another concept for Surface with a curved back.
A 3D printed Surface Panos Panay handles one of the first 3D printed Surface concepts.
Touch Cover in yellow Microsoft tried a number of different concepts and colors for its Touch Cover, including this one.
Touch Cover concept This particular cover concept is flat plastic without any ridges for the keys.
Under the Surface cover The inner workings of Microsoft's keyboard cover.
Metal under the Surface Microsoft uses a sturdy frame for Surface, which is placed together to form its Vapor MG casing.
Colorful concepts A handful of concepts for the Surface and its Touch Cover.
Surface stacked Microsoft went through a number of variations for the Surface look and feel.
Surface with a tapered back Some early concepts involved curved and tapered off edges for Surface.
Curves and corners Microsoft ended up selecting a flat back without these curves to avoid the sensation of feeling like you'd drop the device.
Where's the alphabet? One early Touch Cover concept without the full key formation.
What could have been This Touch Cover never made it to market, but it was one of the many ideas for a keyboard cover.
More 3D prints Microsoft 3D printed the Surface a number of times to get the size it wanted.
The magician's box Microsoft keeps all of its Surface concepts in a secure box.
A desktop Surface Engineers use a Surface with its chipset exposed to test sound quality.
Surface specs The brains behind the operation, the Surface Pro innards.
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3 A professional mic picks up noise in the anechoic chamber.
Surface sits still Tests run on the Surface Pro.