With the Surface RT struggling to pick up momentum and sales in the tablet market, Microsoft desperately needs to call upon plan B, and in a move that'll no doubt inject a little life into the Surface brand, the software maker has revealed pricing details of the upcoming Surface Pro. Unlike the current slate, it will run on Windows 8 Pro rather than the - for lack of a better phrase - watered-down offering in Windows RT. Legacy apps will be supported on the Intel-powered device, meaning those looking to really get some use out of the Surface won't need to rely on the very, very slim pickings over at the Windows Store.
In light of the recently-released fourth-gen iPad, which succeeded the iPad 3 after just seven months as Apple's flagship slate, it's certainly refreshing to hear that the Surface tablet - created, of course, by rival Microsoft - will be getting an incredible four-and-a-half year shelf life, with support and updates for the product eventually scheduled to end on April 11th, 2017.
Although, Apple essentially created the tablet market as we know it today with the release of the original iPad, they won't be sitting as easy as they have been in previous years as they watch other companies like Microsoft and Samsung release highly capable tablet devices that could potentially compete with the iPad for the first time since launch. Any tablet owner will be concerned with the display quality of the product that they have purchased, and for the first time, the Surface has been scientifically scrutinized alongside the other leading tablets on the market.
When Microsoft first inducted itself into the tablet market by announcing the Surface earlier this year, many were torn about which configuration they'd be going for. The Redmond company revealed the Surface RT - powered by an ARM processor - would be releasing first along with the big Windows 8 launch, and so has been the case, and while many have already snapped up their Microsoft tablet and are already familiarizing themselves with Windows RT, others have held their ground, waiting for the fully-powered Surface Pro running Windows 8 and powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge chips.
In the mobile market, it's fair to say Microsoft has a little catching up to do, but having already released a very promising mobile platform and, lest we forget, the Surface, the Redmond company is now setting its sights on the increasingly-popular 7-inch tablet market. Taking a slightly different angle to the manner in which the Nexus 7 and iPad mini have been marketed, rumor has it the software maker's effort will be pushed as a "gaming tablet," and work on the purported "Xbox Surface" is already said to be underway.
Microsoft's Surface RT tablet has not been on the market long, and reviews of the machine have been somewhat hit and miss to say the least, but the current product is only part of the overall equation. There's the Surface Pro, for example, and that's arguably the one most will want to pick up.
Microsoft's Surface RT will hit the retail market tomorrow, and with Apple having just made quite a few changes and improvements to the iPad range yesterday, comparisons are naturally going to be drawn. While the form factor, tech specs and software have been compared on numerous occasions, one of the key aspects specific to the new Microsoft tablet is that of the multiple-user accounts support in Windows RT.
The next big event this week is coming our way courtesy of Microsoft, and it is being held in New York City tomorrow. Not wanting to be outdone and to make sure that they generate the maximum amount of interest possible, the Microsoft Newsroom has confirmed that the event will be streamed live to viewers around the world.
While Windows 8 is seen as a big step in the modernization of Microsoft, it appears the staff's behavior is a lot more in-keeping with the viral video-loving Digital Age we live in. Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft Executive and President of Windows and Windows Live division, was snapped using the upcoming tablet device as a skateboard throughout the Redmond grounds, and today, a clip has been released showing the tablet being dropped from thirty inches.
In addition to kindly providing the vital bits of information about their self-branded tablet, Microsoft has also taken the opportunity to post a rather informative video to YouTube that gives a behind the scenes look at what is actually involved in developing and manufacturing the Surface. Check out the full video after the jump.
