Not to be outdone, Microsoft has countered Apple's iPad with WinPad. "WinPad has several advantages over iPad," said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates at a hastily convened press conference in Redmond, WA., "Not the least of which is price. For while an iPad will run you $99.95., you can get a "brick" of 5 WinPads for just $79.95 with a $40 rebate if you already own a Microsoft "writing" product."
Other advantages cited by Gates was that WinPad has a "weatherproof" cover, making WinPad portable in inclement weather. As well, it contains a Microsoft patented "metal spiral binder" that will keep the pages tightly binded but still allow for easy removal. While Microsoft is not offering a free stylus with WinPad as Apple is with iPad, Bill Gates stated that WinPad is fully compatible will all styluses, even those from before the computer age and that "you will probably find one under your couch cushions or behind your refrigerator."
"Our Winpads are priced to sell, and in large quantities," said Microsoft President Steve Ballmer, "It is Microsoft's goal to own 95% of the writing tablet market by the third fiscal quarter of 2002. We will do whatever we need to do to corner this rapidly emerging market."