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Microsoft will give you cash to ditch your old Surface for a new one
Haven't had much luck offloading your older Surface to help pay for a Surface 3? Microsoft thinks it can help. Similar to its Surface Pro-oriented effort from a few months ago, it's launching a US trade-in program that will give you up to $150 toward a Surface 3 if you turn in a Surface RT or Surface 2. The discount likely won't compare to what you'll get if you drive a hard bargain on Craigslist or eBay, but it's guaranteed cash -- if you're only concerned with upgrading to the latest tablet as painlessly as possible, it might do the trick. Just be sure to decide quickly, since you have to give up your old device by May 31st.
Microsoft cuts prices for its Surface 2 tablet by $100
Have you been holding out for a price cut on the Surface 2 before taking the plunge? You now have your chance. Microsoft has slashed $100 off the price of its second-gen Windows RT tablet, regardless of the model you buy. It now costs as little as $349 for a base 32GB WiFi edition, while splurging on the 64GB LTE slate is slightly more reasonable at $579. Just be aware that the folks in Redmond aren't doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. The Surface 2 is nearly a year old -- Microsoft is very likely clearing inventory, whether it's ahead of a new model or just to focus more attention on the Surface Pro 3.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 to hit 25 more countries as losses mount
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 is set to arrive in 25 more countries including the UK, most of Europe and China on August 28th. It's been up for pre-order in many of those regions for a while now, but will finally start to ship by month's end. The 12-inch model has been treated more kindly in reviews than the previous two models, despite some keyboard issues. However, sales figures for the new model haven't been released, and past versions have fared poorly -- in fact, it just had to write off $38 million in unsold devices, including a model it didn't even launch. And according to Computerworld, the damage goes even deeper.
Microsoft discontinues its Surface wireless keyboard adapter
Remember the day Microsoft announced its new Surface tablets? Sure you do: there was all the usual pomp and circumstance, and even that keyboard cover that turned the Surface 2 into a portable DJ booth. One thing that may have flown under your radar, though, was the wireless keyboard adapter, a $60 cylinder-shaped thing that allowed users to control their Surface tablets from up to 30 feet away over Bluetooth (like you do with a 10.6-inch device?). In any case, it looks like the accessory never picked up much traction: Microsoft has discontinued the device, which is now showing up as "out of stock" on Microsoft's online store.
Microsoft intros an LTE version of the Surface 2, arrives tomorrow for $679
As hard as it is to believe, Microsoft has until now never put out a 3G/4G Surface tablet. But we knew one would come eventually: the company said it was working on an LTE-enabled Surface 2 and indeed, the thing recently surfaced (har) in FCC documents. Now it's finally here: Microsoft just announced that the LTE Surface 2 will go on sale tomorrow, and will be compatible on AT&T's 4G network here in the US. (Fun fact: its official name is literally "Surface 2 (AT&T 4G LTE)".) All told, it'll sell for $679 with 64GB of built-in storage. That's a $130 premium over the 64GB WiFi-only model which, if you're paying attention, is the same premium you'd pay for a cellular iPad over a WiFi one (it's worth noting, however, that the 4G Surface 2 is considerably less expensive).
Microsoft Power Cover doubles the Surface's battery life for $200 on March 19th
With the right accessories, the Surface Pro makes a mean alternative to your average laptop -- but even with the second generation model's improved battery life, it doesn't last long outside of the house. Soon, that might be less of an issue: Microsoft is preparing to ship out the tablet's Power Cover keyboard later this month. The $200 Type Cover variant was originally announced with the Surface 2, but didn't make it to market with the new tablets. Now the company has given it a March 19th ship date, promising buyers 70% more battery life for Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 and RT-based Surface 2 slates. Pricey? A bit, but can you think of a better way to nurse your Windows 8 slate on an international flight?
Microsoft's got a wireless display fix in the works for Surface users
Sure, the Surface 2 supports Miracast, giving you the power to beam the contents of your screen wirelessly to some other, larger display. But not everyone has a compatible HDTV, which leaves us with that messy wired situation and that's no good for 2014. Ah, but there is a solution on the way and it's one Microsoft is hiding (in plain FCC sight) for the time being. That accessory, non-creatively dubbed the Surface Wireless Display Adapter, is none other than an HDMI dongle Microsoft's crafted to enable wireless mirroring for those of you with Surface 2's, or Pro 2's, and out of date HDTV sets. The filing doesn't reveal much about the adapter's design, but we do know that it supports dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n and could possibly see the light of day sometime this August. Or at least, that's when the filing's short-term confidentiality agreement is up. Regardless, at some point this year, you'll have another surface on which to surface the contents of your Surface. You get the point.
Surface 2 tablet with AT&T-ready LTE passes through the FCC
Microsoft said that a Surface 2 with LTE was coming to AT&T early this year, and it now appears that this cellular-equipped Windows RT tablet is finally close to launch. The company has just received FCC approval for a "portable computing device" that sports the Surface's familiar 10.6-inch display as well as AT&T-native LTE and HSPA data. The filing doesn't hold any surprises, then, but it suggests that there are few obstacles left to releasing the 4G slate in the US. Given past promises, we wouldn't be shocked if it launches within a matter of weeks.
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets now available in 21 countries
The Nokia Lumia 2520 isn't the only high-profile Windows tablet launching today. As promised, Microsoft has released the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 in the US and 20 other countries at respective starting prices of $449 and $899. A handful of accessories are also available alongside the slates, including the backlit Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 keyboards ($120 and $130), a Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers ($60) and the Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition ($70). The Docking Station and Power Cover aren't expected to ship until early 2014, when they'll cost $200 each; the USB car charger arrives at the same time for $50. Most other countries will have to go Surface-free for the time being, although Microsoft will ship its new Surface models to mainland China in early November.
Daily Roundup: Surface 2 review, Google's Project Shield, LG's Chrome OS fixation and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft Surface 2 review: a second chance for Windows RT?
We get the sense Microsoft wants to distance itself from the original Surface RT. After taking a $900 million hit on unsold inventory, the company held a press event where it saved the Surface 2 for last and billed it as a major redesign. "Surface 2 is not subtle, but a revamp," Panos Panay, Corporate Vice President of Surface, said that day. "It is not the simple changes that everybody wants, but it's the changes people need." Those changes include a thinner, lighter body; a sharper 1080p screen; a faster Tegra 4 processor; an improved webcam that fares better in low light; and a dual-stage kickstand that makes it more comfortable to use in the lap. It even looks different: The Surface now comes in silver, not black, so that you'll never mistake it for the original. If you need even more evidence that Microsoft is embarrassed by the first Surface, consider this: The new version doesn't even have "RT" in the name. The thing is, of course, the Surface 2 does, in fact, run Windows RT, and it has many of the same software limitations as the original -- namely, that it won't run traditional desktop apps. Given that, is it possible that all these hardware tweaks are enough to reverse Microsoft's fortunes?
Daily Roundup: Apple iMac review, HP Chromebook 11 hands-on, Nest's Protect smoke detector and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Surface 2 Touch Cover supports gesture control, comes in more colors
Microsoft's Surface 2 is just two weeks away from hitting retail, so in the lead up to that Windows 8.1 tab's launch, the company's released a 'Making of...' video to whet consumers' appetites. As spotted by The Verge, this latest Surface 2 video focuses mainly on the innovations made to the new Touch Cover. Aside from increasing the number of colorful hues it'll be made available in (i.e., green and orange), Microsoft's revealed that this new Touch Cover will be able to support gestures. That's thanks to the new sensor array used which favors a high-resolution matrix over the pressure-sensitive sensors on last-gen's model. Just what exactly those gestures may be, we can't say for sure, as Microsoft hasn't detailed them. But if current reports are any indication, you should be able to trigger that Charm menu by swiping from the right on your Touch Cover's keyboard. Is any of this enough to sway your (credit card holding) hand and get you sign up for Surface 2? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to check out the promo video after the break.
Microsoft's Panos Panay says Surfaces with 'multiple aspect ratios and sizes,' LTE are on the way
It's not the first time we've heard that Surface tablets would be coming in multiple sizes, but Microsoft's Panos Panay offered the clearest indication yet that the line could soon be expanding at a Microsoft Store event in Seattle last night. As GeekWire reports, while Panay didn't get too specific, he did say that Microsoft has "a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface." He further went on to confirm that an LTE version of the Surface 2 (but not the Surface Pro 2) would be heading to AT&T in the US and Vodafone in Europe early next year -- something he first mentioned on Reddit last week -- although he again held back on any more specific launch details.
Daily Roundup: Distro Issue 109, Valve's Steam Controller, CyanogenMod creator Steve Kondik and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
This week on gdgt: Apple's new iPhones, Loewe's Speaker 2go and Steam Machines
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Within two years, every Delta pilot will be using a Surface 2
In an unexpected turn, Delta has informed employees that it will be issuing a Surface 2 running Windows 8.1 RT to every pilot over the next two years. The airline ran an Electronic Flight Bag pilot program with iPads back in 2011, but for reasons unknown, that popular slate has since been scrapped. According to WindowsITPro, Delta had since planned to move forward with Nokia's rumored tablet, but has opted for the Surface 2 instead. The decision follows a move to equip flight attendants with Lumia 820 handsets, which will be used for processing payments and tracking passenger information. Considering the importance of a reliable cockpit device, however, this Surface 2 news is arguably far more significant.
Microsoft Surface 2 event wrap-up
We weren't surprised when Microsoft unveiled new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets at its New York City event. However, the company still had a few surprises up its sleeve, including a Music Kit, significantly improved keyboard covers and a 4K-ready docking station. You may have missed out on a few of the announcements the first time through, but don't worry -- we've rounded up all of the Surface news in one place, including our hands-ons and post-event commentary. Check out the stories linked after the break and you'll know what to expect when Microsoft ships its second-generation Windows slates.
Microsoft's Surface 2: New tablet, same problems
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?
