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.
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.
Although not all of this Fall's tablet releases have arrived just yet, there's already enough on the table for consumers to begin making some big decisions. The iPad 4 and iPad mini, which were announced earlier this week, were closely followed by the Surface RT from Microsoft, and of all the Android tablets currently available, the Nexus 7 is unarguably the most popular. With that in mind, we'll be advising you on which of the above four devices you should consider, depending on your requirements and budget.
Apple may have commanded some attention earlier this week with its iPad press event, but this week was always going to be about Microsoft. After what's seem like an endless monsoon of rumor and speculation, Windows 8 has officially launched, and from 12:01am local time, consumers will be able to get their hands on the official version of the Metro-fied operating system.
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 RT edition of the Microsoft Surface is, after a substantial wait, just about to release to market, but instead of marveling over the Redmond company's first entry into the lucrative field of the tablet, it's only right we begin focusing on what Microsoft is planning to treat us to in the near future.
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.
