Microsoft Surface 2 officially announced

Today Microsoft announced the Surface 2 and the Surface Pro 2 during a special media unveiling event. Just like its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface 2 runs Windows RT, and while some have questioned Microsoft's decision to use stripped down OS, Microsoft seems confident that the Surface 2 can compete with iOS and Android with a premium price

The Microsoft Surface 2 is visually similar to the Microsoft Surface RT, but includes some necessary updates to make the device more competitive in this performance demanding market. The Surface 2 has an improved 10.6 inch display with a 1920 by 1080 pixel resolution and a more powerful Tegra 4 processor compared to Tegra 3 on its predecessor. While the Tegra 4 chip isn't commonly used in smartphones, it has been making its way into several tablets recently, including HP's newest tablet lineup.

The Microsoft Surface 2 will come bundled with a feature called Best of Skype, which will give Surface 2 owners access to one year of free Skype Wi-Fi hotspots as well as one year of free Skype international calls. Surface 2 owners will also get 200GB of free SkyDrive storage.

You can enhance your Surface 2 experience with brand new keyboard covers which now comes in three forms - The Touch Cover 2, Type Cover 2 and a brand new Power Cover. Touch Cover 2 is even lighter and thinner than its predecessor, Type Cover 2 is also thinner than before, and features an LED backlight, while the Power Cover's main feature is that it packs a battery of its own, which is said to greatly increase battery life. You can learn more about the new keyboard covers here.

The Microsoft Surface 2 will retail at $449, which is reasonable for the hardware, but disappointing due to the sub-par app catalogue, which is still struggling to catch up with iOS and Android. You can select between the 16GB model and the 32GB model depending on your preference, and couple it with a cover accessory of your choice for that final level of personalization.

The Surface 2 will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow and can be purchased starting October 22nd through Microsoft Stores and Retail partners.


source - Microsoft