Microsoft today unveiled Surface, a line of tablet devices running the company’s next-generation Windows operating system.

The Surface tablets feature 10.6-inch touch-screens wrapped in a magnesium case that Microsoft calls VaporMg (pronounced “Vapor mag”).

The distinctive feature of the new tablets is a magnetically-attached, 3mm-thich Touch Cover that folds down and functions as a full touchscreen keyboard.

The Surface tablets will be available in two distinct versions. The Windows RT version — which is effectively the “light” version of Windows 8 — will launch with Windows 8 in the fall, and run on an ARM CPU.

Approximately 90 days later, a “Surface Pro” version of the tablet will follow. The Pro will offer the full Windows 8 OS running on an Intel Ivy Bridge CPU.