Official: Microsoft`s Surface tablet with Windows 8 Pro priced. Availability Jan 2013.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jes�s.

Official: Microsoft`s Surface tablet with Windows 8 Pro priced. Availability Jan 2013.

In January, Surface with Windows 8 Pro will be available in two versions and pricing will start at $899:

� 64GB standalone version at $899

� 128GB standalone version at $999

Both versions will both include a Surface pen with Palm Block technology and include the ability to use a Touch Cover or Type Cover (sold separately).

Surface with Windows 8 Pro uses the same familiar elegant design principles as Surface with Windows RT including the Dark Titanium VaporMg casing, dual 2x2 MIMO antennas designed specifically for Surface and of course the kickstand.

Specifications:

Surface with Windows 8 Pro will come with Intel�s next generation Core i5 processor. This chip will give Surface with Windows 8 Pro a graphics boost for its 10.6� 16:9 ClearType display that runs at a 1920x1080 full HD resolution.

 Surface with Windows 8 Pro also includes a full-size USB 3.0 port. Its Mini DisplayPort can drive an external display up to 2560X1440 resolution. 

 Surface with Windows 8 Pro will support Pen input. This is an amazing feature for all you note-takers or document editors out there, especially since it has expanded capacitive and digitizing technology we�re calling Palm Block that will prevent your handwriting from getting interrupted if you accidently place your palm on the screen as you write. This feature is pretty cool, and allows for a great inking experience alongside a great touch experience when needed.

Surface with Windows 8 Pro will run your current Windows 7 desktop applications � it�s a full PC AND a tablet.

And all this in a PC that will weigh less than two pounds and be less than 14 millimeters thick.

The Surface Pro will have a 42 W-h battery,  to "have approximately half the battery life of Surface with Windows RT." (just over four-and-a-half hours.)

MicrosoftBlog

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Surface Windows RT available for pre-order, starts at $499.-

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jes�s.

Surface Windows RT available for pre-order, starts at $499.-

Microsoft today announced prices, availability and a limited pre-order quantity of its Surface tablet with Windows RT.

The 32GB version is priced at $499.-

The 32 GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover (keyboard) priced at $599.-

 The 64 GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover (keyboard) priced at $699.-

The tablet comes with:

� Surface with Windows RT comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview (which includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote)
Exterior
� 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches, 1.5 pounds, VaporMg casing, dark titanium color, volume and power buttons
Storage
� 32 GB; 64 GB
CPU
� NVIDIA T30 (quad-core chip, packing up to four 1.5GHz Cortex-A9 cores ), 2 GB of RAM
Wireless
� Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 technology
Cameras
� Two 720p HD cameras, front- and rear-facing
Audio
� Two microphones, stereo speakers
Ports
� Full-size USB 2.0, microSDXC card slot, headset jack, HD video out port, cover port
Sensors
� Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass
Power Supply
� 24W power supply
Warranty
� One-year limited hardware warranty
Apps (included)
� Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview2 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote), Windows Mail and Windows Messaging, SkyDrive, Windows Internet Explorer 10, Bing, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Xbox Games


Press Release:

Microsoft Announces New Surface Details

Ahead of Oct. 26 launch, Microsoft outlines pricing, market availability and special limited quantity pre-order.

REDMOND, Wash. - Oct. 16, 2012 - Microsoft Corp. today released new details about its highly anticipated Microsoft Surface, a tablet PC designed to be the ultimate stage for Windows. In addition to pricing and market availability, the company announced a special limited-quantity pre-order for Surface with Windows RT available 9 a.m. PDT. Those who want to learn more or pre-order can visit http://www.Surface.com.

Surface delivers the power of amazing software and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience. Originally unveiled in June, Surface with Windows RT will initially be available in three SKUs: a 32GB version priced at US$499, a 32GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover priced at US$599, and a 64GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover priced at US$699.

A variety of accessories will also be available, including Touch Covers in five vibrant colors - black, white, magenta, cyan and red - priced at US$119.99 so customers can express their personal style. Customers will also have the option to purchase a Type Cover in black for US$129.99, which adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

Surface will be available for purchase beginning Oct. 26, 2012, at all Microsoft Store locations in the United States and Canada, including in all 34 new holiday stores. In addition, Surface will be available for sale online in eight markets across the world: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States. See Surface.com for more details.

Additional Product Information - Surface With Windows RT Software

� Surface with Windows RT comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview (which includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote)

Exterior

� 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches, 1.5 pounds, VaporMg casing, dark titanium color, volume and power buttons

Storage

� 32 GB; 64 GB

CPU

� NVIDIA T30, 2 GB of RAM

Wireless

� Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 technology

Cameras

� Two 720p HD cameras, front- and rear-facing

Audio

� Two microphones, stereo speakers

Ports

� Full-size USB 2.0, microSDXC card slot, headset jack, HD video out port, cover port

Sensors

� Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass

Power Supply

� 24W power supply

Warranty

� One-year limited hardware warranty

Apps (included)

� Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview2 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote), Windows Mail and Windows Messaging, SkyDrive, Windows Internet Explorer 10, Bing, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Xbox Games

Those interested in learning more or pre-ordering can visit http://www.Surface.com or follow Surface on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Surface and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/surface.

Source: Surface

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A Window opportunity for HP webOS Open source is about to open, if MS goes further with the Surface.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

A Window opportunity for HP webOS Open source is about to open, if MS goes further with the Surface.

At this time some Microsoft  partners are beginning to feel  uncomfortable with the Surface tablet announced in June, and might look for new OS opportunities, instead to keep going with Windows 8.

Acer  CEO JT Wang told the Financial Times that Microsoft's plans to launch its own tablet in October would be a "negative for the worldwide ecosystem" in computing and beg the software giant to rethink the move.

"We have said think it over. Think twice," Wang is quoted as saying. "It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice."

Wang went on to suggest that if Microsoft moves ahead with its tablet plans, the Taiwan-based Acer might replace the software giant as a partner.

"If Microsoft is going to do hardware business, what should we do? Should we still rely on Microsoft, or should we find other alternatives?," he is quoted as saying.

HP should take advantage of this scenario and target around 24 OEM`s manufacturers worldwide to offer them as soon webOS Open Source 1.0 is ready in September 2012.

This is a Window opportunity for HP webOS Open Source, if MS goes further with the Surface.

Related post: 

Sept 2012 :HP webOS open source ready, then go for them.

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Microsoft may brand the Surface tablet with OEMs partners logos and offer them the device at cost price.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Microsoft may brand the Surface tablet with OEMs  partners logos and offer them the device at cost price.

After reading a CRN post  about  how could be the reactions from Microsoft OEMs partners to the own MS just announced Surface tablet, the only way we see they will agree to keep going with windows 8 on tablets that they are not making themselves, is to allow them to get the Surface tablet instead at the real  cost price of each model windows RT and with windows 8 pro , but branded with their logos , or just like it is now with MS`s

Maybe a clue of this vision was made by MS themselves on the Press Release footnote :

"Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. 
OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT."

We don`t think it is referring to the software only, but to the hardware as well. Time will tell.

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