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Surface Pro 3 battery issues disappear in today's update
The Surface Pro 3 has been plagued with a software problem that causes some tablets to quickly lose power once unplugged from a charger, but a firmware update released today squashes the battery bug. Microsoft first acknowledged the problem in July and confirmed it was a software issue, rather than a flaw in the tablet's hardware, earlier in August.
Microsoft will fix Surface Pro 3 battery issues through software
Microsoft was right about its hunch that Surface Pro 3 battery degradation was a software problem. The company reports that it has ruled out hardware as a cause for the shrinking battery capacity, and that it's working on a patch that should bring your Windows tablet back to normal. You'll get the fix as soon as it passes testing, Microsoft says. In the meantime, it's advising against asking for a hardware replacement.
Microsoft rolls out new Surface Pro Type Covers for NFL fans
Now that the NFL preseason is underway, Microsoft is taking advantage of the moment with a product designed specifically for football fans. If you own a Surface Pro 3 or Surface Pro 4, the company's rolling out new Type Covers featuring logos from all 32 NFL teams, in case you're interested in showing everyone your true colors. The themed peripherals, dubbed Surface Special Edition NFL Type Covers (say that ten times fast), are made from "premium quality" materials according to Microsoft. That said, they don't feature the same high-end, suede-like Alcantara fabric as the Signature Type Covers introduced a few months ago. Doesn't matter? Then you can get one today from Microsoft's site or one its retail stores for $160.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 battery woes attributed to software
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has had a fairly significant issue that the company had yet to officially comment on, until now. The company has finally come forward with a statement, and it looks like the problem that's causing some Surface Pro 3 units to suffer from reduced battery life is actually software-based.
Microsoft formally recalls Surface Pro power cords
Microsoft said it would recall Surface Pro power cords to head off potential fire risks, and it's following through on that promise. The Redmond crew has officially recalled about 2.25 million AC power cables for Surface Pro tablets sold before March 15th, 2015. If you own a Surface Pro 3 or earlier, you're likely due for a free replacement. There haven't been many reports of these cables catching fire (56, to be exact), but it's safe to say that you don't want to take a chance if you can avoid it.
Microsoft to recall Surface Pro power cords over fire risks
If you own a Surface Pro, you might want to be careful using it for the next little while. Microsoft tells Channelnomics that it's planning a voluntary recall for the power cords on every Surface Pro tablet released before the Pro 4 and sold before a certain period (March 2015 in the US, July 15th in Europe). The tech giant warns that the AC power cable could trigger a fire if it's wound too tightly or otherwise damaged. Only a "very small" number of people have reported problems, Microsoft says, but the company isn't taking any chances.
The Surface Mini is a real tablet that you can't buy
You've heard the rumors: Microsoft axed the launch of a small "Surface Mini" Windows tablet just before the Pro 3 hit stores. Hints of the canceled launch showed up in news articles, Microsoft earnings reports and even the Surface Pro 3's user manual, but now we finally have confirmation that the tablet actually exists -- and it was pretty much ready to ship alongside the Surface Pro 3. So ready that, for a time, Surface VP Panos Panay used one on a daily basis.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 is coming to the NFL sidelines
With NFL teams set to kick off their pre-season next week, Microsoft today announced that the Surface Pro 2 won't be used during games anymore. Instead, the upcoming 2015-2016 season will see its Sideline Viewing System, which lets players and coaches review game photos instantly, be powered by Surface Pro 3s for the first time. But that's not the only change being made. Microsoft and the NFL are also going to start testing video as part of the Sideline Viewing System, including replays of questionable calls that referees can watch via the custom-made device. Even though this is only going to be a test run (over 20 pre-season games), it will be a significant move if it ends up being implemented in the regular season. Microsoft's laptop/tablet hybrid has already replaced the traditional paper method for most teams, and it could do the same with monitors on the field -- the current way of watching replays by officials.
Microsoft is offering money for your old Surface (if you buy a new one)
Still have a Surface RT that you relegated to the closet after you realized that it couldn't run "real" Windows apps? Don't send that tablet to the recyclers just yet -- it might just get you some credit toward a much more useful model. Microsoft is running a US promotion that will let you trade in any Surface by March 8th and get cash toward the purchase of a Surface Pro 3. So long as the outgoing device is in good working order, you'll get as much as $650 off a shiny new slate -- if it's one of the more recent ones.
Microsoft reportedly acquires company behind Surface Pro 3 pen
Microsoft now owns N-trig, maker of the all-important pen included with Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, according to Israeli financial news site Calcalist (translation by Reuters). The deal is estimated at $200 million, and most of N-trig's 190 employees will transition to Microsoft Israel as part of a new research and development center, the site says.
Engadget UK giveaway: win a Surface Pro 3 courtesy of Misco
There's nothing we enjoy more, dear readers, than kicking the week off by giving you the chance to win some free, tasty tech. And we've got an especially delectable prize for you this time around in the form of a Surface Pro 3 tablet, Microsoft's most recent attempt at crafting a slate with enough computing power to replace your laptop. It's not any old Surface either, as our generous friends at computing superstore and IT service provider Misco have only gone and hooked us up with a top-of-the-pile Core i7 model, replete with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. That's over a grand's worth of hardware we're looking forward to sending one lucky reader's way, and while it runs Windows 8.1 Pro out of the box, it'll be treated to a free upgrade to Windows 10 when Microsoft releases its latest OS revision to the masses. If you don't know the deal already: check out the rules and submit up to three entries via the Rafflecopter widget below. Then, cross your fingers and hope a card from that special someone isn't the best piece of correspondence you end up receiving this Valentine's day. Winning: congrats to Nic P. from Sutton Coldfield!
Microsoft's Surface tablet business is booming
Microsoft appears to be well past the days when it was writing off unsold Surface tablets and struggling to match Sony in game console sales. The Windows developer reports that its Devices and Consumer group's revenue grew 8 percent year over year in the last calendar quarter of 2014, thanks in no small part to healthy Surface and Xbox sales. It's not revealing shipment numbers for the Surface, but it notes that revenue for the slate computers shot up 24 percent versus a year earlier, thanks in no small part to the Surface Pro 3.
Microsoft app gives you more control over the Surface Pro 3's pen
The Surface Pro 3's pen is arguably a defining feature, but you haven't had official control over it so far. As of now, though, you finally get some say over the stylus' behavior. Microsoft has posted a Surface Hub app that lets you customize both the pen's pressure sensitivity and its top button. Right now, the software isn't likely to please demanding artists and note-takers -- you don't have fine-grained sensitivity tuning, you can't launch any app you like and the side buttons are strictly off-limits. The crew in Redmond is willing to add features based on feedback, so don't be afraid to pipe up if you have dreams of launching Photoshop with a single thumb press.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 tablet lands in 25 more countries
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has only been available in a handful of places so far, but it's about to get a much, much wider audience. As promised, Microsoft is launching its latest Surface in 25 more countries. Most of them are Asian and European nations, including China and the UK; if you're reading this, there's a good chance that you can snag a Windows slate for yourself. All five models are available, so you won't have to settle for a device you don't want. You'll have to be a little more patient if you want the docking station, though. It's available for pre-order today, but you'll have to wait until September 12th to pick one up on impulse.
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.
Core i3 and i7 Surface Pro 3 now shipping to US and Canada
In addition to the $999 Intel Core i5-equipped Surface Pro 3, Core i3 and Core i7 options are now on sale in the US and Canada. Starting at $799, selecting the i3 nets you 64GB of storage while devices outfitted with an i7 processor tout either 256GB or 512GB of space at $1,549 and $1,949 respectively. Of course, that significant investment nets you a 12-inch display, Windows 8.1 and the ability to tack on Type Cover or Pen to further boost productivity.
Here's what our readers are saying about the Surface Pro 3
With the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft tried yet again to build a tablet that can replace your laptop, but critics found it fell just shy of that goal. Engadget's own Dana Wollman said that despite being "easier than ever to use as a tablet," the Surface still has some "serious usability flaws," including a keyboard that "offers a subpar typing experience and a frustrating trackpad." CNET liked the keyboard, but says that the Pro 3 "still doesn't fit perfectly on the lap" and that it's "more successful as a tablet than a laptop replacement." But despite these issues, there's still plenty to like about the Surface Pro 3, as evidenced by the readers who added the Pro 3 to their have list and wrote a user review recounting their experiences.
Windows 8.1's Sleep Study tool tells you which activities drain your battery
If you absolutely have to make your Windows tablet battery last as long as you can, then knowing what drains its power will be very helpful. That's what Microsoft's new Sleep Study tool can do: generate a report of which apps and activities consume the most energy. Unfortunately, there's a catch -- it only works if your device is in InstantGo sleep mode. InstantGo, a feature for Windows 8.1, was previously called Connected Standby for Windows 8 and RT. Unlike other similar modes, it allows your system to sleep while updating apps in the background and keeps the device in a state that's quickly ready to resume.
The Surface Pro 3 is nigh-on impossible to repair, just like its ancestors
If you had dreams of upgrading your shiny new Surface Pro 3, you'd better shelve them. The crew at iFixit has torn down Microsoft's latest slate, and it proves just as daunting to repair as both of its predecessors. About the only replaceable part is the solid-state drive, and there's a good chance that you'll destroy your tablet trying to reach that component -- even iFixit cracked the glass while removing the display. Just about everything (including the screen) is held in place with adhesives, and unconventional connectors only add to the challenge. You may not mind the unrepairable design given that the Pro 3 is much thinner and lighter than earlier Surfaces, but this definitely isn't the tablet for tinkerers.
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