The much awaited Microsoft Surface tablet is finally available for pre order in eight countries, US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, and Australia. Microsoft has announced pricing of the tablet and although it appears to be much cheaper than the ones announced by companies such as Acer and Lenovo, the price tag is sure to disappoint many users. If you are prepared to pre order Microsoft Surface, then you’d better be prepared to pay not $499 but $599 because the price tag of $499 does not include the sleek Touch Cover case, which is a must-have.
Options to Pre Order Microsoft Surface Tablet
You can choose to Pre order Microsoft Surface Tablet with a Touch Cover or a Type Cover. Here are the available options.
- 64 GB with Black Touch Cover at $699 Delivery by Oct 26,2012
- 32 GB with Black Touch Cover at $599 Delivery by Oct 26,2012
- 32 GB without Black Touch Cover at $499 Shipment within 3 weeks
If you are not sure what Touch Cover and Type Cover signifies, here’s a comparison.
Touch Cover vs. Type Cover
Touch Cover is simply an ultra thin tablet screen protector that also acts as a stand and keyboard, although it does not offer the traditional keyboard effect.
Type cover on the other hand, does just that, offering a full traditional keyboard effect with function keys and is ideal if you intend to use the tablet for work purposes too!
While the device comes with a black cover, you can choose to buy other vibrant colors separately.
Microsoft Surface Tablet ships with Windows RT which is again different from the traditional Windows 8.
Windows RT vs. Windows 8
Although Windows RT includes many of the features of Windows 8, it also offers additional features such as security updates through Windows Update and Windows Defender, device encryption to keep your information secure, instant turn on of your PC with connected standby, and Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview preinstalled(which can be updated for free when the final version is released.) That said, Windows RT will be missing significant features such as Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, HomeGroup creation and Domain join. Plus, you cannot install apps on the desktop, only directly from the Windows Store. And if you plan to install a printer, mouse, keyboard, or other devices, you have to ensure that the devices are certified for Windows RT.
Tech Specs of Microsoft Surface Tablet
Operating System : Windows RT with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT
Dimensions :10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37
Casing : VaporMg
Color : Dark Titanium
Physical buttons : Volume, Power
Memory and Storage : 2 GB RAM; 32 GB, 64 GB
Display and Resolution : 10.6″ ClearType HD Display; 1366 x768
Chip : NVIDIA T30
Wireless : Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 technology
Battery : Up to 8 hours mixed activity
Cameras : Two 720p HD cameras, front and rear-facing
Audio : Two microphones; Stereo speakers
Ports : Full-size USB 2.0, microSDXC card reader, Headphone jack, HD video out port, Cover port
Sensors : Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer
Warranty : 1-year limited hardware warranty
Black Touch Cover Specs
Dimensions :7.4 x 11.0 x 3 mm thin
Weight : 0.46 lbs
Color : Black
Keys : Activation: Pressure-sensing input, QWERTY layout
Interface : Magnetic
Sensors : Accelerometer
While Microsoft Surface Tablet looks like a terrific product, the truth is, not many people have actually got to test it out, and the company has been extraordinarily secretive about how it works in the real world. If you have a whole lot of money in hand, you can go ahead and pre order Microsoft Surface on the official store site, but it will do you good to just sit out this one for a while and see what the reviews have to say before making the splurge. After all, Christmas is still more than a month away!
Meanwhile, enjoy this video promo showing the surface tablet doing a bit of a jig, and hope that when you do get your hands on it, you’ll be doing more than what the video promises!
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