It's official: Microsoft confirms it's releasing its own range of tablets to take on Apple's iPad

Microsoft is to release its own-brand tablet - called The Surface - to take on Apple's iPad head-to-head.
The MS offering has a similar 10.6-inch touchscreen but is slightly thinner than the iPad 3.
The Surface will come with a built-in stand and a cover that looks remarkably like Apple's Smart Cover for iPad. But microsoft's has a built-in full QWERTY keyboard.
The MS tablet will run versions of the forthcoming Windows 8 operating system due to be released later this year.
There's no date for The Surface to go on sale, but it will coincide with the release of the new operating system and MS says the pricing will be "competitive".
Producing its own-brand tablet is a new venture for Microsoft and it could well anger the dozens of manufacturers planning to bring out their own tablets running Windows 8.