Tag Archives: MicrosoftSurface

Hands-on with the Surface Music Kit, a digital audio workshop aimed at beginners (video)

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We were expecting new tablets at today's Microsoft Surface press event, but this? This was a surprise. In addition to unveiling the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, the company showed off the Surface Music Kit, a special version of the company's Touch Cover keyboard that's specifically meant for music production. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that it includes both a Touch Cover and an app (called the Remix Project) that lets beginners experiment with remixing.

Inside the application, you'll find "stems" (things like the bass track of a song), "clips" (the intro to a pop song, say) and "oneshots," which include sound effects like claps. From there, you can drag and drop the tracks into a workshop area, not unlike the way you'd handle media in a video-cutting program (or any other digital audio workshop, really). What's especially cool is that the Touch Cover here is pressure-sensitive, just like the new Touch Cover 2, so if you want a light drum sound, you can tap it lightly; if you want something more intense, just start mashing it with your fingers.%Gallery-slideshow90006%

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Microsoft announces the Surface 2, the follow-up to the original Surface RT; coming October 22nd for $449

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Microsoft announces the Surface 2, the follow-up to the original Surface RT; coming October 22nd for $449

As promised, Microsoft has just revealed the Surface 2 here at its Surface-themed press event. Whereas the new Surface Pro 2 makes subtle changes to the original Pro, the Surface 2 is being billed as a revamped version of the Surface RT. As rumored, it moves up to a higher-res 1080p ClearType display -- the same one you'll find on the new Surface Pro 2. Performance-wise, the tablet now has a Tegra 4 chip (versus Tegra 3 in the last generation). Microsoft also says it's doubled the BUS speed for the WiFi and the memory, and the CPU speed has increased "dramatically" as well. Additionally, there's now a USB 3.0 port on board, a step up from the USB 2.0 connection used on the original. All told, says Microsoft, the new model should run three to four times as fast as its predecessor, and the battery life should be 25 percent longer too (up to 10 hours of video playback).

As for the design, this looks similar to last year's RT, at least from a few feet away, but it's thinner (8.9mm), lighter (676g) and built from two pieces of magnesium, not three. And, of course, it sports the same two-stage kickstand as the new Surface Pro 2, which should make it easier to balance in your lap. As you'd expect, it also works with the new Touch Cover 2, which Microsoft also announced today. Oh, and it's available in white now too; not just black. Moving on, Microsoft also added a third-inch camera sensor to the front of the product to help manage the light in webcam videos, especially those recorded in dim light. Speaking of video chats, Surface owners will enjoy a year of free international calling and Skype hotspot access. Not enough freebies for you? Microsoft's also throwing in 200GB of SkyDrive storage, free for two years.%Gallery-slideshow89979%

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Catch our Surface 2 liveblog tomorrow at 10:30 AM ET!

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Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to meet the follow-up to Microsoft's Windows 8 tablet? There's most definitely new Surface (and likely Surface Pro) hardware in store at tomorrow's NYC event, so you'll want to tune in as Ballmer and co. unveil the goods. Keep your browsers locked here from 10:30 AM ET and on -- we'll be updating you live from the NYC launch!

September 23, 2013 10:30:00 AM EDT

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The Weekly Roundup for 02.04.2013

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The Weekly Roundup for 12032012

You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Surface Pro appears in some retail stores, now’s your chance to see it in person

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Surface Pro appears in some retail stores, now's your chance to see it in person

Those of us lucky enough to work for gadget sites got to check out the Surface Pro last month. Now you can too, dear reader -- if you happen to live near a store that got one early. Although shoppers in the US and Canada can't actually purchase it until February 9th, the device is already on display at some retail locations. Sadly, there's no way for us to confirm which stores have it (short of making a few road trips), but we do know that it's going to be available at Best Buy and Staples in the US, along with Microsoft Stores. So, assuming you have one of those chains nearby, it can't hurt to wander over -- you might be rewarded with some advance hands-on time.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Microsoft Surface Pro on sale February 9th in the US and Canada, starts at $899

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Microsoft Surface Pro goes on sale February 9th in the US and Canada

So it won't arrive in January as originally planned, but better a little late than never, right? Microsoft just announced that its Surface Pro tablet will go on sale February 9th in the US and Canada, with wide retail availability beyond just Microsoft.com and Microsoft Stores. As you may have already read, the device will start at $899 for the 64GB model, and $999 for the 128GB version. Whichever you choose, a pressure-sensitive pen comes in the box; the keyboard does not (that'll be $120 or $130, depending on whether you get the Touch or Type Cover).

Also on February 9th, Microsoft is going to start offering a 64GB standalone version of Surface for Windows RT for $599 (the 64GB model is currently sold as part of a $699 bundle with the black Touch Cover). That's good news, we suppose, for folks who prefer the tactile feel of the Type keyboard. Or, you know, who have their heart set on cyan. Additionally, Surface RT will soon be available in 13 more markets: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. All told, that more than doubles the number of a countries where the Surface RT is sold. So, Western Europe should pretty much be set now.

Finally, in addition to those two tablets, Microsoft is introducing a bunch of accessories, also slated to land February 9th. These include three limited edition Touch Covers with funky patterns drawn on (we don't know about you, but we especially dig the skulls). It's not unlike the way Microsoft already sells artsy versions of its computer mice; indeed, a Microsoft rep told us the company intends to release even more special editions, the same way it keeps swapping in new mouse colors. Finally, Microsoft also announced the Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition, which is basically the regular Wedge mouse, just done up in the same finish as the Surface tablets. That will cost $70, while the limited edition keyboards are priced at $130 a pop. Hopefully we'll be hitting you back soon with a full review but for now, we've got shots of both the tablet and the new accessories waiting just past the break.

Gallery: Surface Pro, limited edition Touch Covers and the Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition

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Microsoft Grows Surface Family
Announces Surface Windows 8 Pro availability, market expansion and new accessories.

REDMOND, Wash. - Jan. 22, 2013 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that its Surface family of PCs is growing. Its newest model - Surface Windows 8 Pro - will be available for purchase on Feb. 9, 2013, in the United States and Canada at all Microsoft retail stores, microsoftstore.com, Staples and Best Buy in the U.S., as well as from a number of locations in Canada.

Powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, Surface Windows 8 Pro provides the power and performance of a laptop in a tablet package. Perfect as your one device - at home, in the office, or on the road - it can run Windows 8 applications, as well as current Windows 7 desktop applications. Starting at an estimated retail price of US$899, Surface Windows 8 Pro will be available in 64GB and 128GB models 1. A Surface pen with Palm Block technology, designed specifically to work with Surface to let customers edit, collaborate and get things done, is included with Surface Windows 8 Pro.

In addition to being able to buy Surface Windows 8 Pro in the coming weeks, customers will soon be able to purchase Surface Windows RT in 13 additional markets worldwide 2, more than double the number of markets in which Surface is currently available.

"The response to Surface has been exciting to see," said Panos Panay, general manager, Microsoft Surface. "We're thrilled to continue growing the Surface family with the availability of Surface Windows 8 Pro on Feb. 9 and by increasing the number of places customers can experience Surface firsthand."

Additional Surface accessories will also soon be available, allowing customers to further personalize and customize their computing experience and get more done with Surface.
o. Surface Windows RT will be available in a new 64GB1 standalone version for an estimated retail price of US$599 to allow customers the option of selecting a Cover of their choice.
o. Three new Touch Cover Limited Editions in red, magenta and cyan will be sold at an estimated retail price of US$129.99.
o. Customers will have the option of purchasing a Wedge Touch Mouse, Surface Edition, for an estimated retail price of US$69.95 in all markets in which Surface is currently sold3 with additional markets to follow in the coming weeks.

Additional details on Surface are available at http://www.Surface.com and Surface on Facebook. Those interested can follow Surface or Panay on Twitter for additional updates.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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Source: Microsoft Store

HP’s Todd Bradley isn’t impressed by Surface, doesn’t see it as competition

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HP's Todd Bradley isn't impressed by Surface, doesn't see it as competition

Microsoft was warned of how its homegrown tablet might impact OEM relationships, and even acknowledged the challenge itself, but HP doesn't see it the same way. In a recent interview, the head of HP's PC arm Todd Bradley repeated the company's unconcerned stance -- if a little more bluntly -- saying, "I'd hardly call Surface competition." He pinned it on "very limited distribution," and that the pricey tablet "tends to be slow and a little kludgey as you use it." His feelings on the OS were also unfavorable -- "I'm not a big [Windows] RT fan either, by the way." -- and he had some choice words for potential customers: "If you want to go to any of the 30 Microsoft Stores in the United States to buy one, I think you should probably do that." Needless to say, we don't think Todd's sold on the Surface, or worried about competitive tussles when HP adds consumer tablets to its line-up next year (did someone say fire sale?). For the whole transcript, which includes a perfectly worded non-comment about HP's future smartphone plans, see the source below.

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HP's Todd Bradley isn't impressed by Surface, doesn't see it as competition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you’ve been meddling with it

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Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, ranks

Now that the Microsoft Surface is in the wild and we've probed it from the outside, the tool-toters at iFixit have opened one up to see what makes it tick -- and whether you dare attempt a repair yourself. The first thing they noticed was how tricky it was to remove a plastic access cover, which caused unavoidable damage to the tamper-evident label when they finally got it off. That would tip repair depots that you've been rummaging about, likely rendering your warranty moot. Other sore spots included the LCD and glass being fused together, along with a keyboard connector that's impossible to get out without pulling the display off first. On the plus side, the iFixit team found the battery easy to remove despite being glued to the case (unlike other recent devices), and many un-soldered components that were also swappable. All that added up to a score of four on the repairability scale -- meaning that fixing one probably isn't a great DIY project, unless you're the patient type.

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Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s Sinofsky says Windows 8 PCs can undercut Apple’s ‘recreational’ iPad mini

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Microsoft's Sinofsky says Windows 8 PCs can undercut Apple's 'recreational' iPad mini, can't quite explain Surface

It just wouldn't be a major Apple launch if there wasn't a Microsoft executive calling out his old rival, would it? In a chat with AllThingsD, Windows division lead Steven Sinofsky has expressed doubts that Apple's iPad mini is really a cost-effective pick against the just-launched Windows 8. It's a $329 "recreational tablet" when there are work-ready Windows 8 laptops that cost $279, he says. He added that there are at least a few touchscreen Ultrabooks that could undercut the non-touch MacBook Air on price, and he ascribed the difference as much to "engineering" as the cost-cutting measures you'd expect.

Sinofsky was naturally just as keen to champion the advantages for work that Windows RT tablets like the Surface have when competing more directly with iPads, alluding to that Office bundle which hopefully keeps us more productive than a copy of Documents To Go. The company President would certainly disagree with Apple chief Tim Cook's view that Surface is a confused product, calling it a "PC for everyone" that just doesn't have to be used all the time. He makes valid points on the sheer value for money that you can get from both Windows PCs and tablets, although it would only be fair to mention that he didn't touch on the currently low Windows RT app selection, or if the OS was exactly what the market wanted -- we'd do well to remember that Microsoft alumni have a spotty track record when it comes to predicting Apple's destiny.

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Microsoft's Sinofsky says Windows 8 PCs can undercut Apple's 'recreational' iPad mini originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 23:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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