10:30 AM -- As expected, CEO Steve Ballmer showed off Microsoft's new tablet device last night during his CES keynote. But it wasn't the much-anticipated Courier notebook-style tablet many were expecting.

The touch-screen device, which Ballmer referred to as a "slate," is made by HP and runs on Windows 7. It will be available later this year.

"They're more powerful than a phone and almost as powerful as a PC. Perfect for reading, surfing the Web, and taking entertainment on the go," Ballmer said. He also promoted two other slate devices from Pegatron and Archos during the presentation, but didn't show them off as he did the one from HP.

The presentation, which some described as "awkward," at one point suffered a power outage, which "definitely irked" the CEO, according to BoomTown's Kara Swisher, who spoke with him afterward.

The fickle masses are now turning their attention to Apple, in anticipation of January 27, when the company is rumored to be introducing its iSlate tablet device.

— Erin Barker, Digital Content Reporter, Cable Digital News