Hasta La Gadget!

Earlier today Microsoft unveiled two new Surface tablets, the Surface 2 which will be powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 4 chipset, and the Surface Pro 2 which would be powered by an Intel processor. Prior to the unveiling, there were rumors about some of the specifications and features of the new tablets, one of them being LTE connectivity which is handy in places where there might not be WiFi, but unfortunately Microsoft did not mention anything during the event. However during a Reddit AMA, Microsoft’s Panos Panay answered a question regarding LTE connectivity and confirmed that LTE connectivity would be arriving in the form of an SKU early next year.

“Great question. We didn’t talk about it today, but Surface 2 will be launching an awesome LTE SKU early next year! Nice catch on your part, no one else has asked this question…… what better way to tell people than through Reddit!! Panos” However he did not mention as to whether LTE connectivity would be available on both the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, or if it would be limited to just the Surface Pro 2, the higher-end model of the two, but either way we guess something is better than nothing, right?

Surface 2 With LTE SKU Coming In 2014 original content from Ubergizmo.

What’s the definition of insanity? Trying the same thing several times and expecting a different outcome. While we wouldn’t suggest that Microsoft’s finest minds are in need of urgent medical care, it does seem as if the company’s executives have failed to heed the lessons doled out this summer. After all, it was only a few months ago that Microsoft had to admit that very few Surface RT tablets had been sold, and booked a $900 million loss on inventory that remains rotting in warehouses.

At today’s launch of Microsoft’s second Windows RT-running slate, Surface chief Panos Panay opened his remarks by saying that the “Surface 2 is not subtle, but is a revamp. It is not the simple changes that everybody wants, but it’s the changes people need.” Unfortunately, the changes that he then went on to describe involved making the device thinner, faster and giving it a full-HD display — criticisms that few had leveled at the first generation of the hardware. No, the problems that every critic had were the limitations of the Surface’s operating system: Windows RT. Not that you’d know it from today’s event. In fact, Microsoft went out of its way to downplay the fact that the Surface 2 runs RT, mentioning the ambitious Windows-on-ARM project only three times in an hour. But why was the star of the show reduced to such a bit-part role?

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Microsoft

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The first thing to notice about the actual Surface tablets is how similar they are both to each other and to last year’s models. Aside from the Surface 2’s eye-catching coat of white, the tablets both feel almost physically identical to their predecessors. That’s a good thing; the well-angled bezels and overall high-quality feeling of the hardware was one of our favorite parts about both of the two Surfaces.

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About this time last year, Microsoft made some major promises about ushering in the future of computing. One year and two Surface tablets, later the future Microsoft’s been dreaming of isn’t quite here. Maybe the second time’s the charm.

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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!

Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft

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