How Microsoft built 'The Frankenstein' device during the pandemic
CNN
When Microsoft closed its Redmond, Washington offices in March 2020 due to the pandemic, the Surface team grabbed what they could for their home offices. For a handful of engineers and product designers, that included The Frankenstein, a prototype for a versatile, transformable laptop built in concert with Windows 11.
The mystery device had already spent three years in Microsoft's development lab and was set to ship on October 5, 2021, the same day Microsoft planned to launch its first major software update in six years. But the Frankenstein was far from ready: The pieces were taped together with a Surface Pro, a laptop-to-tablet device, and featured new sensors, an updated keyboard and trackpad on the bottom. It needed changes to the lock screen, the woven hinge and its face tracking system, among other updates.
A year and a half later, that device -- now known as the Surface Laptop Studio -- is the star product of Microsoft's fall lineup, which was unveiled during a virtual press event on Wednesday.
After recent burglaries at homes of professional athletes – including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – the NFL and NBA have issued security memos to teams and players warning that “organized and skilled groups” are increasingly targeting players’ residences for such crimes.