Hasta La Gadget!

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?

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The new Surface Pro 2, with its prodigious computing capabilities, has been built as a computing productivity machine for just about anyone. Spreadsheets, editing video and mixing music are all in the new Pro’s wheelhouse, and that last task is why Microsoft is also revealing the Surface Remix Project and the Music Cover to go along with it. The Music Cover, as you might expect, comes with pressure-sensitive buttons that allow budding DJ’s to craft and fine tune their next remix. It has 16 programmable pads for easy access to instruments and sounds, while there are pause / play and slider controls to adjust the volume and tailor transitions to your liking. And, just like the regular typing cover, it’s backlit, so you’ll be able to mix on the fly at any late-night sonic soiree. There is one downside, however: the Music Cover only works with the Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2, so original RT owners need not apply come October 22 when it goes on sale.

Update: It turns out, the Music Cover will be distributed as a kit (for free!) to select musicians with the launch of its Remix Project on the 22nd, but we don’t know when the rest of us will get a crack at it. Want to know if it’s worth your dollars when the time comes? Check out our hands-on of the new hardware and software right here.

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Source: Surface #RemixProject

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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The Surface RT’s full-fledged Pro counterpart just got an update. Today, Microsoft unveiled the follow-up to that x86 / Windows 8-compatible tablet: the Surface Pro 2 and it still comes with a stylus. According to Microsoft’s claims, this new tablet boasts 50 percent more color accuracy, better graphics performance, an improved speaker setup and some speed gains — it’s purportedly 20 percent faster than the original.

For those wondering, the Pro 2’s display has been kept consistent with the original, which means it remains a 10.6-inch 1080p panel, and it’s even been ported to the new Surface 2. Battery life has gotten a significant 75 percent boost as well thanks to the 1.6GHz Core i5 Haswell processor inside and now runs much quieter. The Surface Pro 2 can also be paired with Microsoft’s new Power Cover to give the tablet 2.5x its standalone battery life or the Type Cover 2, which is now 1mm thinner and backlit.

The kickstand has also been revised for the refresh, as it’s now a two-stage affair, addressing the issues many users had with the old Pro’s awkward angle. As for ports, Microsoft says the Surface Pro 2 is loaded up with support for three USB 2.0, one USB 3.0, mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, audio in/out and, of course, charging. The Surface Pro 2, when docked, can output up to a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution on an external display and is capable of editing 6K video, backing up the company’s repeated assertion that this tablet is actually a “full power PC.”

Pre-orders for both of Microsoft’s next-gen Surface tablets go live tomorrow, the 24th, at 8AM EST with units set to ship to 21 markets on October 22nd. Pricing for the base Surface Pro 2 (i.e., 64GB / 4GB RAM) starts at $899 (the same as the original Pro), although that retail sticker shock will climb depending on the model — it’ll be available in configurations of up to 512GB / 8GB RAM.

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Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft

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