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Surface RT prices slashed in UK and Australia, 32GB model down to £279 or $389
Following the significant price cut Microsoft's Surface RT received in the US recently, its cost has begun dropping in other regions, too. In the UK, Redmond's official online store is selling the 32GB model for £279 (down from £399) and the tablet with 64GB of storage for £359 (reduced from £479) -- adding £80 to those prices will get you the Touch Cover bundle. UK retailers John Lewis and PC World are offering the same discounts (although the latter is £0.99 more expensive across the board), and Microsoft's Australian store is knocking up to 180 Aussie dollars off the tablets and cover bundles. We imagine all countries the RT ships to will follow suit if they haven't already, so check your local MS store for confirmation. Meanwhile, it's hard to escape the feeling that RT as a whole has been overtaken by full-fledged Windows 8 machines. [Thanks, Erik]
Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it
Now that the Microsoft Surface is in the wild and we've probed it from the outside, the tool-toters at iFixit have opened one up to see what makes it tick -- and whether you dare attempt a repair yourself. The first thing they noticed was how tricky it was to remove a plastic access cover, which caused unavoidable damage to the tamper-evident label when they finally got it off. That would tip repair depots that you've been rummaging about, likely rendering your warranty moot. Other sore spots included the LCD and glass being fused together, along with a keyboard connector that's impossible to get out without pulling the display off first. On the plus side, the iFixit team found the battery easy to remove despite being glued to the case (unlike other recent devices), and many un-soldered components that were also swappable. All that added up to a score of four on the repairability scale -- meaning that fixing one probably isn't a great DIY project, unless you're the patient type.
Pre-orders for Microsoft Surface with Windows RT start shipping
If you're one of the many people who pre-ordered Microsoft's Surface with Windows RT, you could be getting your tablet just in time for its official October 26th ship date -- and perhaps even before then. According to a few reader tips and a confirmation email sent to WP Central, those tablets are indeed in the shipping stages and could arrive as early as next week depending on your selected delivery method. While there have been reports of delays in UK and Canada, those were apparently incorrect, and we have no reason to believe the US shipments won't be on time. That said, if you haven't pre-ordered and you want one soon, you better get a move on -- Microsoft's store currently shows that Surface RT with touch cover bundles are shipping in one to two weeks while standalone units are set to ship in three weeks. Or maybe you can cross your fingers and hope you're one of five million to find one gift-wrapped under the tree.
Bill Gates already has a Surface and you don't (video)
Being the founder of Microsoft certainly has its advantages, as well as its downsides. Case in point: the video interview Microsoft released this morning, starring none other than Bill Gates himself talking about the world of Windows 8. On the positive side, Gates reveals he's already got his own soon-to-be-released Microsoft Surface RT -- he calls it "an unbelievably great product," unsurprisingly -- with a black keyboard. On the less than positive side, despite being out of the CEO seat at the company, Gates still has to do interviews like the one found after the break. You'd think he could just get Ballmer to put on his old Crazy Eddie's impersonation! We've dropped that notorious video after the break as well, for comparison sake.
Microsoft Surface: inside the three-year secret project to build the first great Windows tablet
The scene: two dozen journalists file into a small auditorium on Microsoft's Redmond campus. Steven Sinofsky, head of the Windows division, and Panos Panay, general manager of Surface, make their way on stage, each with a tablet in hand. In every audience seat, an elementary-school-style desk with a wrapped parcel placed on top. Inside: a Wonka bar, along with a golden ticket. It's the day before Surface for Windows RT goes up for pre-order, and in addition to sharing some key pricing and availability details, the company is about to give these lucky reporters a tour of the proverbial chocolate factory, the halls where Surface was conceived and tested. It's an apt analogy, when you think about it: the company's testing chambers and design studios are generally forbidden to people without corporate badges. Even then, relatively few Microsoft employees were aware of the Surface before it was announced to the public. On this day, we're told we'll be turned into giant blueberries -- or, at least, escorted from the premises -- if we wander off or take photographs around the building. There won't be any first-hand recordings today, and no fresh hands-on material. There are more than 200 custom-made parts inside the Surface, say Microsoft reps, and nothing is there by accident. We're here to learn more about the specs, as always, but also to get some insight into how Surface came to be: what compromises were made, and what design ideas were abandoned along the way. If gadget porn is what you're after, you can revisit our first look from June. But if things like display technology and hinge design float your boat (and why wouldn't they?) you'll want to meet us after the break for a more detailed explanation of what Microsoft was trying to achieve.
Microsoft Surface for Windows RT pricing now official: tablet starts at $499, keyboard not included
With Surface for Windows RT going on sale in just 10 days, Microsoft is finally ready to talk about pricing and availability -- not to mention, some technical details it left out when the tablet debuted back in June. After the Surface product page prematurely went live on Microsoft's site a few hours ago, the company just officially announced that the 10.6-inch, ARM-powered slate will go up for pre-order at 9AM PT today, starting at $499 for the 32GB version. For $599 you get the 32GB model with a black Touch Cover. To be clear, that entry-level price does not include that snazzy Touch Cover with the flat, pressure-sensitive keys. Rather, it'll be sold separately for $120. Ditto for the more traditional Type Cover keyboard, which is priced at $130. If you already know you want the packaged deal, however, you can buy the 64GB tablet and Touch Cover as a bundle for $699. Lastly, when Surface starts shipping on October 26th, you'll be able to buy it on Microsoft.com or at a Microsoft Store (if you happen to have one in your neck of the woods). If you're hankering for hands-on photos, we'll redirect you to the first look we published the day Surface was announced. Hopefully, though, we'll soon get a review unit so that we can supplement our preview with meaty, real-world impressions. %Gallery-168428%
