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