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Let’s see, the Surface RT is slightly heavier than the iPad, the same thickness and gets two hours less battery life. Sign me up!

OK, so Microsoft’s new iPad vs. Windows tablet comparison site is more nuanced than that, pointing out the areas where Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets shine — including multitasking, printing, multiple user accounts, USB ports and lower prices in many cases.

But the comparison is no slam dunk for Windows, illustrating the challenge that Microsoft faces in going up against the Apple tablet.

Another problem: Microsoft’s comparison of the ASUS VivoTab to the iPad initially included misleading information about the Windows device’s screen size, which has since been corrected after it was pointed out by Elliot Temple yesterday morning.

On the subject of screens, the strong horizontal orientation of the Surface actually makes it unwieldy to use in portrait mode, something that wouldn’t be obvious by simply comparing the screen sizes of the two devices.

And there’s a bit of gamesmanship in Microsoft highlighting the fact that Office isn’t available on the iPad. Of course, Microsoft is ultimately in control of that situation, but has so far held off on releasing its flagship productivity suite for the Apple tablet.

The comparison site is part of a new effort by Microsoft to position Windows tablets more directly as alternatives to the iPad. Earlier this week the Redmond company released a new ad that uses Siri to ridicule the iPad’s shortcomings.

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