Microsoft has appear Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 at an accident in New York.
Surface Pro 2 appearance Windows 8.1, while Surface 2 will affection the Windows 8.1 adjust of Windows RT, accepted as Windows 8.1 RT.
Surface arch Panos Panay claimed the new tablets could abide Apparent allowance "people get abroad from their iPad and be added productive".
We're adept admirers of Surface , even if we anticipation that Surface Pro was too big-ticket and Surface RT was too bound (due to the Windows Store app-dependent Windows RT)
Surface 2 is the new Surface RT
The faster, lighter and thinner 10.6-inch Surface 2 comes in atramentous and argent and now appearance a 1080p Full HD affectation as able-bodied as an Nvidia Tegra 4 ARM-based processor.
We'd accepted it to be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip, due to that company's accord with Nokia and Windows Phone. However, Nvidia has been a Windows RT (Windows on ARM) accomplice from the start.
Microsoft thinks you'll get up to 10 hours of video playback out of the battery. As for cameras, we're searching at a 3.5MP front-mounted snapper and a 5MP lens on the back. There's aswell USB 3.0.
We've added the Apparent logo. You're application a Surface, you wish humans to apperceive you're application a surface," Microsoft's Panos Panay said optimistically.
Surface 2 comes with workplace
Surface two still comes with Microsoft workplace 2013 on the desktop, however currently boasts a special version of Outlook 2013 - Outlook RT. Panay incontestible the process power of Surface two by showing U.S. all four workplace apps running at the same time.
Surface two worth and unharness date
Surface two pre-orders open on September twenty four, with the 32GB model ranging from £359 within the GB and $449 within the U.S.. A 64GB model will be accessible and it'll value £439 within the GB and $549 within the U.S..
Although you'll pre-order pretty before long, there is a little bit of a anticipate the particular pill to materialise: the Surface two unharness date is about for Gregorian calendar month twenty two in twenty two initial markets, as well as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, European nation, New Seeland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, European nation, the uk and also the us.
China can follow in early Nov. extra countries are going to be declared within the coming back months, says Microsoft.
Surface professional two is that the new Surface professional
The latest-generation Intel Haswell Core i5-powered Surface professional two options a twenty % speed improvement and fifty per cent graphics bump similarly as beefed up sound due to electrical engineer. The screen is that the same ClearType HD show, however with forty six % improved color accuracy.
The kickstand additionally has a lot of angles it's positioned at twenty two degrees, tho' you'll readjust to fifty five degrees), whereas battery power is seventy five per cent up - we're pretty eased this, since the Surface professional is pretty poor on battery life.
To demo the new and improved Surface professional 2's PC-like capabilities, Microsoft emended raw 6K film, that contains a resolution of ninefold that of HD.
The Surface professional two options 4GB/8GB memory configurations and 256GB and 512GB configurations.
Surface two accessories
But there'll be new peripherals launched to travel with the new Surface - as well as a Surface moorage Station, Surface Power cowl (with integrated 30W battery) and new color sort cowl and bit cowl colours. there is additionally a automotive Charger with USB associate degreed an Arc bit Mouse Surface Edition.
The Surface moorage Station comes complete with 3 USB two.0 ports, one USB 3.0 slot, a mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, audio In, audio Out and power.
The backlit sort cowl has 1mm taken out of the travel of the keys, therefore it's currently nearly as skinny because the original bit cowl.
Microsoft says the facility cowl brings the Surface professional into the realm of all-day use (improves overall life by two.5x), whereas the Surface professional merely slides in and out of the moorage Station.
Surface professional two worth and unharness date
The Surface professional two worth starts at $899 within the U.S. and £719 within the GB, accessible in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4GB of RAM. Bump it up to 8GB of RAM and also the professional two will are available in 256GB and 512GB flavors.
Surface two and Surface professional two go along with free Skype business
To help individuals get the foremost out of Surface two and Surface professional two, Microsoft says that patrons will get free Skype business to landlines in additional than sixty countries for one year and unlimited Skype Wi-Fi and two hundred GB of free SkyDrive storage for 2 years. that is pretty cool.
Original Surface issues
It appeared positive that a brand new Surface two running Windows RT was close at hand because of worth reductions and currently Microsoft has sent out invitations to the media for a brand new House of York town event that is currently obtaining afoot.
Despite the numerous issues and downsides, Microsoft says it's committed to Windows on ARM, though a cynic would say that Windows Phone additionally runs on ARM, therefore it might be that Microsoft is bearing on.
By general concensus the Surface RT hasn't done that well, though we've ne'er been crystal clear on what number slates Microsoft has oversubscribed with RT.
But the very fact there is currently a price cutting amounting to $150 per model (equal to £98, AU$163) and a $900 million accounting writedown within the company's financials could be a positive sign the numbers are not stellar.
It seemed abiding that a new Surface 2 active Windows RT was approaching due to amount reductions and now Microsoft has beatific out invites to the media for a New York City accident on September 23.
Despite the abounding problems and drawbacks, Microsoft says it is committed to Windows on ARM, although a carper would say that Windows Phone aswell runs on ARM, so it could be that Microsoft is apropos to.
The new book will affection the Windows 8.1 adjust of Windows RT, accepted as Windows 8.1 RT.
By accepted concensus the Surface RT hasn't done that well, although we've never been bright clear on how abounding slates Microsoft has awash with RT. But the actuality that there's now a amount cut amounting to $150 per archetypal (equal to ВЈ98, AU$163) and a $900 actor accounting writedown is a assurance the numbers aren't stellar.
Although it seems abiding that Microsoft will chase up with a new Surface 2 RT - xpect the aforementioned advertisement keyboard arrangement (with added peripherals available) - Nokia is the likeliest aggregation to absolution a new third-party RT book and The Verge and ZDNet address the new slate could be codenamed Sirius or possibly Vanquish. The 10.1-inch book would avowal the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, apparently with 32GB of centralized accumulator and 2GB of RAM. There would aswell be a Windows RT version.
Other rumours advance Microsoft's next accumulation of Surface tablets will cover a 7-inch edition, which will go up adjoin the Google Nexus 7 and iPad mini and which will be accessible afore Christmas. Indeed, we apperceive from Microsoft Build 2013 that we'll be seeing a lot added baby tablets, such as the 8-inch Acer Iconia W3.
There abide to be rumours that the new Surface could be launched in an 8-inch version. Samsung will allegedly accumulation the panels for these displays.
Surface Pro 2
Microsoft has been bolstered by the acknowledged sales and all-embracing pre-orders of the Surface Pro and that agency we'll absolutely see a Surface Pro 2 absolution date anon as a aftereffect - a accent that will absolutely affection Intel's new Haswell processors.
The 128GB adaptation awash out abundant times and there was a audible curtailment of the book beyond the US and Canada in the weeks afterwards barrage and after some shortages in Europe.
The Surface Pro 2 is aswell declared to absolutely alter PCs by accouterment the Surface Dock, an accent that allows added accent connections, forth with a Power Cover to accumulation added array juice.
As able-bodied as Windows 8.1, we could absolutely see newer technologies in a accessible Surface, including NFC and LTE as able-bodied as, potentially, wireless charging.
We're aswell acquisitive Microsoft will be one of the aboriginal book makers to use the new high-speed, low-power 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, abnormally as even the aboriginal Surface archetypal has accompanying antennas.
Xbox Surface
We heard aback in November that a new Xbox Surface could be on the cards and this could aswell be the abate ARM-based Microsoft book we accumulate audition about. As for if it will be here, analyst NPD DisplaySearch believes that a Microsoft 7.5-inch slate will not hit until 2014.
Surface Pro Battery Life
A big botheration with the absolute Surface Pro appears to be array life, with about four hours appear for most. That's about bisected the array activity of Surface RT and the iPad, but while you ability not be too afraid because the Intel Core i5 that the Surface Pro runs, we'd point you in the administration of the six or added hours that abounding Ultrabooks can reach.
Microsoft's leaks aswell appearance new Surface accessories and accent colours, which could beggarly new allegation covers for added array capacity.
In a two hour AMA (Ask Me Anything) affair on Reddit, arch of Surface Panos Panay talked about the Surface Pro in detail and had to avert the array data adjoin Redditors who appropriate Panay - and adolescent engineers who aswell appeared to be accommodating in the babble - were giving attentive answers fatigued from business speak.
They had a point. Exhibit A is a key access about the array activity and size, and the accommodation that has been made. "If you analyze [Surface] to say a MacBook Air, you will bound see that batter for batter in array admeasurement vs array life, you will acquisition optimizations that puts Surface best in its class.
"That said we best a abate array to be abiding we were able to accord you the aforementioned achievement and to accumulate it thin. This kept the weight beneath 2lbs. While these tradeoffs are challenges as abundant as they are opportunities, we anticipate accustomed the achievement and acquaintance you will be getting, it is an agitative product."
Put simply, the 42Wh Surface Pro array had to be baby and, while it's acceptable for the size, there are compromises as a result.
Commenter Wiseasss wasn't appeased. "In every branch you assert that the computer has 'no compromises', and again about-face about and allocution about the compromises you made. What absolutely is the difference, in your mind, amid 'compromises' (which you say this artefact does not have) and 'tradeoffs' (which you say it does)?"
Microsoft Surface Power Saving
His thoughts echoed abounding comments that appropriate the Surface Pro's array activity fabricated it poor amount up adjoin adversary tablets and Ultrabooks. But Redditor marm0lade could see that concrete admeasurement was the restriction, and that's how it had to be.
"Do you not anticipate they are binding every ounce of array activity that they can get? It's a ability athirst CPU with a tiny battery. But you charge that CPU to be able to run desktop apps (do absolute work). I accept the Samsung Ativ tablet, which is active the aforementioned CPU as the Surface Pro, and I get 7 hours array life. It, again, has a bigger screen/body which allows for a bigger battery."
You'd achievement Microsoft could backpack a bigger array central the Surface Pro, but anticipation by its responses here, there is adored little that will appear in the abbreviate appellation - it artlessly autonomous for ability over longevity. After all, if it had capital to action a added frugal Intel solution, it would accept autonomous for the Atom dent getting acclimated by others such as the Asus VivoTab.
Some acquittal was provided by the Surface engineers, who were decidedly absolute if questioned about whether an alien array could be on the way for Surface Pro. "That would crave extending the architecture of the accent back to cover some way to alteration college accepted amid the borderline and the capital battery. Which we did..."
Commenters were anon enthusiastic. Here's Skaarg: "That acknowledgment 100% awash me on the Surface. I'd been debating amid the Surface Pro and added accessories such as the Vaio Duo 11, Yoga 11S, etc. but alive that an continued array or keyboard with a array is in the works makes me abundant added adequate affairs this device."
Microsoft Surface Future Connectivity
Panay aswell provided added detail about new connectors begin on the Surface Pro's basal dock, writing, "Wow - I'm pumped you bent that! We haven't arise what they are for but they aren't an accident!" he continued.
"At barrage we talked about the 'accessory spine' and hinted at approaching peripherals that can bang in and do more. Those connectors attending like can [sic] backpack added accepted than the pogo pins, don't they?"
So as able-bodied as a powered keyboard berth (the like of which is actualization on abounding added Windows 8 devices, could we aswell see added peripherals arise such as a array backpack or abounding dock? Only time will tell.
Surface Pro Storage Issues
Storage amplitude - or abridgement of - was aswell a cartilage of altercation during the AMA. According to Microsoft recently, the abject archetypal Surface Pro with 64GB of accumulator alone comes with 23GB of chargeless storage. That agency Windows 8 Pro and whatever added absence programs and apps appear loaded on the book will leave just 36 per cent of the drive accessible for users.
The 128GB archetypal fares better, with 85GB (64.8 per cent) of the accumulator amplitude larboard accessible for humans to use. The Surface RT aswell went through some agnate anamnesis troubles. The 32GB Surface RT included just 16GB of accumulator if it arrived, and the 64GB adaptation accustomed users to plan with 46GB of space.
Over the advance of abounding tens of comments, Redditers were awful analytical of the bulk of amplitude acclimated up, comparing the accessory to others area chargeless amplitude was not as cited, but was still a abate admeasurement of the accumulator amplitude (the iPad or an Android tablet, for example).
Sag969 appropriate they should accept "cancelled the 64 GB model, awash the 128 GB archetypal at $899 with no keyboard and the 128 GB archetypal at $999 with a blow OR blazon cover" to allay the accumulator issues but still hit a reasonable amount point.
An absorbing appetizer was appear in the allocution – that Office 2013 is in fact pre-installed on Surface Pro - you just accept to actuate it. Asked if this was the case, the Surface aggregation replied "Yes, that's absolutely what it agency :)."
On the 128GB version, the drive is formatted to 119 bifold GB of which 89 GB is available. 10.4GB of that is taken up by Windows, while there's 2.3GB of Office 2013.
7.8 of those can be freed up by appliance the congenital apparatus to move the accretion abstracts to a USB drive.
The Surface aggregation unsurprisingly appropriate that the acknowledgment to a abridgement of accumulator lay with extending amplitude via the anamnesis agenda slot, active in an alien drive or appliance SkyDrive adding, "Windows does accommodate accoutrement that acquiesce you to chargeless amplitude by calmly removing applications you are not appliance as able-bodied as move the accretion angel to a USB thumbdrive."
We absitively to address a Pro 64GB sku as it provides abounding Windows 8 and abundant accumulator for a amount of ample appliance installs. It aswell provides you adaptability to extend accumulator should you need. If you plan to backpack added claimed items with you locally, our 128GB may be the bigger advantage for you."
"Available deejay amplitude is a architecture best and a boxy one to accomplish as an engineering team," said the engineer, adage it was the aftereffect of "a bright set of tradeoffs to accommodate the chump added amplitude while accouterment them the accoutrement out of the box".
"There has [sic] aswell been questions about why including the accretion angel by default. Ideally, you will never charge your accretion image, about this is a best we would adopt the chump to accomplish vs. accepting the chump charge the accretion angel not acumen they bare to actualize one themselves."
Microsoft Surface Display Issues
During the babble the Surface aggregation aswell austere up how it came to address the Surface Pro afterwards RT. And the acknowledgment is decidedly simple: "We started the Pro 3 months afterwards we started Surface RT :-) That is absolutely if we staffed the aggregation to go and accompany this artefact to life."
The final point of absorption from the AMA anxious the 1920 Г— 1080 ClearType affectation that comes with the Surface Pro. Primarily because Windows has been, well, a bit poor with 72dpi+ displays in the past.
As we've acclimated an HD Asus Zenbook Prime with Windows 8 before, we can affirm that Windows 8 can play brawl in this area, but the Surface Pro is reportedly not too acceptable with this. But Windows 8 aswell can't calibration abnormally on two displays, which is a botheration for some.
About this, the Surface aggregation said: "The Windows aggregation is aggressively alive on this affection to fix this for all top resolution Windows devices. We don't accept a date yet to share, so sorry. But in the concurrently actuality are some things I do to aerate my alien adviser experience."
Ed from the Surface accouterments development aggregation aswell commented that DisplayPort on Surface Pro can drive an alien adviser with resolutions up to 2560 x 1600p: "We capital to accord the a lot of adaptability with monitors accessible today, and about speaking a lot of HDMI monitors are bound to 1080p." Microsoft has aswell appear a abstracted engineering conference on the Surface's display.
Naturally Microsoft will be alive to fix these limitations, and it will be acutely absorbing to see how Surface Pro performs in the market. Afterwards all, it's an acutely able accessory by any metric, but while it isn't as able as abounding laptops, it is added big-ticket than them. It's aswell isn't as activity frugal and is added big-ticket than abounding tablets. Can Microsoft accomplish it work? Or has the Surface RT just abashed things? Roll on Surface 2.
Microsoft's leaks aswell appearance new Surface accessories and accent colours, which could beggarly new allegation covers for added array capacity.
In a two hour AMA (Ask Me Anything) affair on Reddit, arch of Surface Panos Panay talked about the Surface Pro in detail and had to avert the array data adjoin Redditors who appropriate Panay - and adolescent engineers who aswell appeared to be accommodating in the babble - were giving attentive answers fatigued from business speak.
They had a point. Exhibit A is a key access about the array activity and size, and the accommodation that has been made. "If you analyze [Surface] to say a MacBook Air, you will bound see that batter for batter in array admeasurement vs array life, you will acquisition optimizations that puts Surface best in its class.
"That said we best a abate array to be abiding we were able to accord you the aforementioned achievement and to accumulate it thin. This kept the weight beneath 2lbs. While these tradeoffs are challenges as abundant as they are opportunities, we anticipate accustomed the achievement and acquaintance you will be getting, it is an agitative product."
Put simply, the 42Wh Surface Pro array had to be baby and, while it's acceptable for the size, there are compromises as a result.
Commenter Wiseasss wasn't appeased. "In every branch you assert that the computer has 'no compromises', and again about-face about and allocution about the compromises you made. What absolutely is the difference, in your mind, amid 'compromises' (which you say this artefact does not have) and 'tradeoffs' (which you say it does)?"
Microsoft Surface Power Saving
His thoughts echoed abounding comments that appropriate the Surface Pro's array activity fabricated it poor amount up adjoin adversary tablets and Ultrabooks. But Redditor marm0lade could see that concrete admeasurement was the restriction, and that's how it had to be.
"Do you not anticipate they are binding every ounce of array activity that they can get? It's a ability athirst CPU with a tiny battery. But you charge that CPU to be able to run desktop apps (do absolute work). I accept the Samsung Ativ tablet, which is active the aforementioned CPU as the Surface Pro, and I get 7 hours array life. It, again, has a bigger screen/body which allows for a bigger battery."
You'd achievement Microsoft could backpack a bigger array central the Surface Pro, but anticipation by its responses here, there is adored little that will appear in the abbreviate appellation - it artlessly autonomous for ability over longevity. After all, if it had capital to action a added frugal Intel solution, it would accept autonomous for the Atom dent getting acclimated by others such as the Asus VivoTab.
Some acquittal was provided by the Surface engineers, who were decidedly absolute if questioned about whether an alien array could be on the way for Surface Pro. "That would crave extending the architecture of the accent back to cover some way to alteration college accepted amid the borderline and the capital battery. Which we did..."
Commenters were anon enthusiastic. Here's Skaarg: "That acknowledgment 100% awash me on the Surface. I'd been debating amid the Surface Pro and added accessories such as the Vaio Duo 11, Yoga 11S, etc. but alive that an continued array or keyboard with a array is in the works makes me abundant added adequate affairs this device."
Microsoft Surface Future Connectivity
Panay aswell provided added detail about new connectors begin on the Surface Pro's basal dock, writing, "Wow - I'm pumped you bent that! We haven't arise what they are for but they aren't an accident!" he continued.
"At barrage we talked about the 'accessory spine' and hinted at approaching peripherals that can bang in and do more. Those connectors attending like can [sic] backpack added accepted than the pogo pins, don't they?"
So as able-bodied as a powered keyboard berth (the like of which is actualization on abounding added Windows 8 devices, could we aswell see added peripherals arise such as a array backpack or abounding dock? Only time will tell.
Surface Pro Storage Issues
Storage amplitude - or abridgement of - was aswell a cartilage of altercation during the AMA. According to Microsoft recently, the abject archetypal Surface Pro with 64GB of accumulator alone comes with 23GB of chargeless storage. That agency Windows 8 Pro and whatever added absence programs and apps appear loaded on the book will leave just 36 per cent of the drive accessible for users.
The 128GB archetypal fares better, with 85GB (64.8 per cent) of the accumulator amplitude larboard accessible for humans to use. The Surface RT aswell went through some agnate anamnesis troubles. The 32GB Surface RT included just 16GB of accumulator if it arrived, and the 64GB adaptation accustomed users to plan with 46GB of space.
Over the advance of abounding tens of comments, Redditers were awful analytical of the bulk of amplitude acclimated up, comparing the accessory to others area chargeless amplitude was not as cited, but was still a abate admeasurement of the accumulator amplitude (the iPad or an Android tablet, for example).
Sag969 appropriate they should accept "cancelled the 64 GB model, awash the 128 GB archetypal at $899 with no keyboard and the 128 GB archetypal at $999 with a blow OR blazon cover" to allay the accumulator issues but still hit a reasonable amount point.
An absorbing appetizer was appear in the allocution – that Office 2013 is in fact pre-installed on Surface Pro - you just accept to actuate it. Asked if this was the case, the Surface aggregation replied "Yes, that's absolutely what it agency :)."
On the 128GB version, the drive is formatted to 119 bifold GB of which 89 GB is available. 10.4GB of that is taken up by Windows, while there's 2.3GB of Office 2013.
7.8 of those can be freed up by appliance the congenital apparatus to move the accretion abstracts to a USB drive.
The Surface aggregation unsurprisingly appropriate that the acknowledgment to a abridgement of accumulator lay with extending amplitude via the anamnesis agenda slot, active in an alien drive or appliance SkyDrive adding, "Windows does accommodate accoutrement that acquiesce you to chargeless amplitude by calmly removing applications you are not appliance as able-bodied as move the accretion angel to a USB thumbdrive."
We absitively to address a Pro 64GB sku as it provides abounding Windows 8 and abundant accumulator for a amount of ample appliance installs. It aswell provides you adaptability to extend accumulator should you need. If you plan to backpack added claimed items with you locally, our 128GB may be the bigger advantage for you."
"Available deejay amplitude is a architecture best and a boxy one to accomplish as an engineering team," said the engineer, adage it was the aftereffect of "a bright set of tradeoffs to accommodate the chump added amplitude while accouterment them the accoutrement out of the box".
"There has [sic] aswell been questions about why including the accretion angel by default. Ideally, you will never charge your accretion image, about this is a best we would adopt the chump to accomplish vs. accepting the chump charge the accretion angel not acumen they bare to actualize one themselves."
Microsoft Surface Display Issues
During the babble the Surface aggregation aswell austere up how it came to address the Surface Pro afterwards RT. And the acknowledgment is decidedly simple: "We started the Pro 3 months afterwards we started Surface RT :-) That is absolutely if we staffed the aggregation to go and accompany this artefact to life."
The final point of absorption from the AMA anxious the 1920 Г— 1080 ClearType affectation that comes with the Surface Pro. Primarily because Windows has been, well, a bit poor with 72dpi+ displays in the past.
As we've acclimated an HD Asus Zenbook Prime with Windows 8 before, we can affirm that Windows 8 can play brawl in this area, but the Surface Pro is reportedly not too acceptable with this. But Windows 8 aswell can't calibration abnormally on two displays, which is a botheration for some.
About this, the Surface aggregation said: "The Windows aggregation is aggressively alive on this affection to fix this for all top resolution Windows devices. We don't accept a date yet to share, so sorry. But in the concurrently actuality are some things I do to aerate my alien adviser experience."
Ed from the Surface accouterments development aggregation aswell commented that DisplayPort on Surface Pro can drive an alien adviser with resolutions up to 2560 x 1600p: "We capital to accord the a lot of adaptability with monitors accessible today, and about speaking a lot of HDMI monitors are bound to 1080p." Microsoft has aswell appear a abstracted engineering conference on the Surface's display.
Naturally Microsoft will be alive to fix these limitations, and it will be acutely absorbing to see how Surface Pro performs in the market. Afterwards all, it's an acutely able accessory by any metric, but while it isn't as able as abounding laptops, it is added big-ticket than them. It's aswell isn't as activity frugal and is added big-ticket than abounding tablets. Can Microsoft accomplish it work? Or has the Surface RT just abashed things? Roll on Surface 2.
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