Surface 2, Surface Pro 2 and Accessories Available for Purchase
Microsoft on Tuesday announced that its newest Surface models - Surface 2 and Surface
Pro 2 - as well as a portfolio of new Surface accessories are now available for purchase at Microsoft retail stores, retailers and authorized commercial resellers worldwide.
The new products will be initially available in 21 markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The new Surface products will be available in China in early November.
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 benefit from updates, including improvements to processing power and battery life, display and camera resolution, and the kickstand - now featuring a second, wider angle so it?s more comfortable to use Surface on your lap or at your desk. Enhancements in Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1 Pro make Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 even more powerful and customizable.
Interstingly, the new Lumia 2520 RT tablet competes with Microsoft's own Surface 2 tablet. Microsoft is in the process of buying Nokia's mobile device business for about $7 billion. If and when the sale goes through, Microsoft will be selling two different tablets that essentially compete with each other.
Microsoft is offering to consumers who purchase either device free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype Wi-Fi on their Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 at more than 2 million hotspots worldwide for one year, and 200 GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years.
Surface 2 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor and has a battery life to up to 10 hours for video playback. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display now renders 1080p video and its full-size USB port has been upgraded to USB 3.0. Camera resolution has also increased, with a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
Surface 2 ships with Windows 8.1 RT, bringing improvements in key areas, such as personalization, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. The new Xbox Music allows you to stream songs for free, and an updated Video app and games from the Windows Store such as "Halo: Spartan Assault" will help ensure you never run out of ways to play. When it's time to get serious, Surface 2 is preloaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT; simply click in a Touch or Type Cover and get to work.
Surface 2 is available in 32GB and 64GB configurations and starts at $449.
Surface Pro 2 is the successor to Surface Pro and, like its predecessor, is a laptop replacement, capable of running virtually all your Windows software, including the full Microsoft Office suite and apps from the Windows Store. Surface Pro 2 offers the portability and simplicity of a tablet when you want it and the power and flexibility of a laptop when you need it. It is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor that, combined with other improvements, delivers increased performance and up to 75 percent longer battery life than Surface Pro.Starting at $899, Surface Pro 2 is offered in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4 GB of RAM and in 256GB and 512GB configurations with 8 GB of RAM.
Microsoft also released seven new accessories:
- Touch Cover 2. Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover and measuring just 2.75 millimeters thin, Touch Cover 2 features backlit keys. Touch Cover 2 is more rigid, registers keystrokes with greater accuracy and features updated sensors that support a variety of gestures across the keyboard. Touch Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $119.99.
- Type Cover 2. Type Cover 2 features the same lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it's now backlit and available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black. Type Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $129.99.
- Power Cover. Power Cover delivers the same typing experience you get with Type Cover but adds up to 50 percent additional battery life to your Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. Power Cover will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Docking Station for Surface Pro. The Docking Station for Surface Pro lets you connect Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 to desktop PC peripherals in a single step, taking you from laptop to desktop in an instant. While Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 is docked, it can connect with up to two 4K external monitors, Ethernet, speakers and power supply. PC peripherals connect via its one USB 3.0 port and three USB 2.0 ports. The Docking Station for Surface Pro will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers. The Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers connects magnetically to any Touch or Type Cover, letting you type from anywhere in the room using Bluetooth technology, so it is even easier to connect Surface to a TV or monitor and type from another location, such as the couch. Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $59.99.
- Car Charger with USB. Car Charger plugs into most cars? power or lighter ports and charges Surface without the need for an additional adapter. It also features a USB port to allow simultaneous charging of a phone or other device. Car Charger will have an estimated retail price of $49.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition. This special-edition Arc Touch Mouse has been updated to match the look of Surface. Like other Arc Touch mice, it is designed for comfort and flattens for portability. It connects via Bluetooth 3.0, freeing Surface's USB port for use by other devices. Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition is available in the U.S. and Canada Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $69.99.
Microsoft has also figured out what caused some Surface RT machines to shut down unexpectedly while downloading the free Windows RT 8.1 update, and has restored the update to the Windows Store.
The company said the problem occurred when previously released updates were still being installed while the Windows RT 8.1 update was being downloaded.
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 benefit from updates, including improvements to processing power and battery life, display and camera resolution, and the kickstand - now featuring a second, wider angle so it?s more comfortable to use Surface on your lap or at your desk. Enhancements in Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1 Pro make Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 even more powerful and customizable.
Interstingly, the new Lumia 2520 RT tablet competes with Microsoft's own Surface 2 tablet. Microsoft is in the process of buying Nokia's mobile device business for about $7 billion. If and when the sale goes through, Microsoft will be selling two different tablets that essentially compete with each other.
Microsoft is offering to consumers who purchase either device free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype Wi-Fi on their Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 at more than 2 million hotspots worldwide for one year, and 200 GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years.
Surface 2 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor and has a battery life to up to 10 hours for video playback. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display now renders 1080p video and its full-size USB port has been upgraded to USB 3.0. Camera resolution has also increased, with a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
Surface 2 ships with Windows 8.1 RT, bringing improvements in key areas, such as personalization, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. The new Xbox Music allows you to stream songs for free, and an updated Video app and games from the Windows Store such as "Halo: Spartan Assault" will help ensure you never run out of ways to play. When it's time to get serious, Surface 2 is preloaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT; simply click in a Touch or Type Cover and get to work.
Surface 2 is available in 32GB and 64GB configurations and starts at $449.
Surface Pro 2 is the successor to Surface Pro and, like its predecessor, is a laptop replacement, capable of running virtually all your Windows software, including the full Microsoft Office suite and apps from the Windows Store. Surface Pro 2 offers the portability and simplicity of a tablet when you want it and the power and flexibility of a laptop when you need it. It is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor that, combined with other improvements, delivers increased performance and up to 75 percent longer battery life than Surface Pro.Starting at $899, Surface Pro 2 is offered in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4 GB of RAM and in 256GB and 512GB configurations with 8 GB of RAM.
Microsoft also released seven new accessories:
- Touch Cover 2. Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover and measuring just 2.75 millimeters thin, Touch Cover 2 features backlit keys. Touch Cover 2 is more rigid, registers keystrokes with greater accuracy and features updated sensors that support a variety of gestures across the keyboard. Touch Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $119.99.
- Type Cover 2. Type Cover 2 features the same lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it's now backlit and available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black. Type Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $129.99.
- Power Cover. Power Cover delivers the same typing experience you get with Type Cover but adds up to 50 percent additional battery life to your Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. Power Cover will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Docking Station for Surface Pro. The Docking Station for Surface Pro lets you connect Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 to desktop PC peripherals in a single step, taking you from laptop to desktop in an instant. While Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 is docked, it can connect with up to two 4K external monitors, Ethernet, speakers and power supply. PC peripherals connect via its one USB 3.0 port and three USB 2.0 ports. The Docking Station for Surface Pro will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers. The Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers connects magnetically to any Touch or Type Cover, letting you type from anywhere in the room using Bluetooth technology, so it is even easier to connect Surface to a TV or monitor and type from another location, such as the couch. Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $59.99.
- Car Charger with USB. Car Charger plugs into most cars? power or lighter ports and charges Surface without the need for an additional adapter. It also features a USB port to allow simultaneous charging of a phone or other device. Car Charger will have an estimated retail price of $49.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
- Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition. This special-edition Arc Touch Mouse has been updated to match the look of Surface. Like other Arc Touch mice, it is designed for comfort and flattens for portability. It connects via Bluetooth 3.0, freeing Surface's USB port for use by other devices. Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition is available in the U.S. and Canada Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $69.99.
Microsoft has also figured out what caused some Surface RT machines to shut down unexpectedly while downloading the free Windows RT 8.1 update, and has restored the update to the Windows Store.
The company said the problem occurred when previously released updates were still being installed while the Windows RT 8.1 update was being downloaded.
