Microsoft is hosting a media event tomorrow to mark the official launch of Windows 8, and the Surface RT tablet. The initial reviews of the Surface RT have had high praise for the quality and construction of the tablet hardware, but almost universally reviewers are concerned with the lack of apps for Windows RT. Two apps in particular, though, stand out as giant voids in the ecosystem: Facebook and Twitter.

I haven’t had an opportunity to get any hands-on experience with a Surface tablet, yet, but I have worked with Windows 8 on a tablet—I’m typing this on the touchscreen display of a Samsung Series 7 Slate running Windows 8 Pro. I have Box, Kindle, Netflix, and Evernote apps installed, but I can’t help notice the glaring absence of Facebook and Twitter, and the impact that has.

I have pointed out the lack of native Facebook and Twitter apps before, and some readers responded to let me know I am missing the point. Like the Windows Phone mobile OS, Windows 8 incorporates Facebook and Twitter into the core functionality of the operating system so separate apps are unnecessary.

It’s true. My Facebook and Twitter accounts are connected to my Windows profile, and I can view the merged stream of posts almost a’ la Flipbook style by tapping What’s New from within the People app. I don’t like that it doesn’t refresh automatically, but I can swipe up from the bottom and tap the refresh icon. I can also filter to view just the Facebook posts, or just the Twitter posts, and I can craft a new post for either Facebook or Twitter directly from the People app.

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