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Microsoft starts shipping Surface Pro again, says more coming to market 'quickly'
Microsoft's trying to address the recent shortfall of Surface Pro models, and has vowed via its Surface Pro blog to get more into the market "as quickly as we can." As such, it's begun dispatching 64GB SKUs to Best Buy, Staples and its own Microsoft Store in the US, with Canada to follow in a few days. 128GB SKUs will ship "later this week" to retailers, according to Redmond, "with some units available by the end of the week." All flavors of the tablet-cum-laptop disappeared from shelves shortly after they arrived in retail stores and online, both stateside and north of the border. The company said it'll fulfill orders for customers who made a reservation first, but that your local retailer "should have (stock) soon," too.
BlueStacks brings official, Surface Pro-optimized Android App Player to Windows 8 (video)
It's been a year and change since BlueStacks announced a Windows 8 version of its App Player, which let you run most of your Android apps on the then-beta OS. Now the company has announced the official version, tweaked to play nicely with Redmond's own Surface Pro and sporting a fresh, custom-built charm menu and start screen tile. You'll now be able to run apps in "true" touch-enabled full-screen mode using your Win 8 tablet's tilt/motion sensors, and everything will work faster, too. CEO Rosen Sharma also touted the release as a way for developers to bypass Microsoft's "onerous" submission process to get Android apps onto the x86 Surface Pro, and you can't argue with the price -- it's free, and available for download now. For more, head after the fold.
Surface Pro lacks full pen support in key apps, Microsoft says it's on the case (updated)
At least some of the tablet-loving public picked up a Surface Pro this weekend. Those earliest of early adopters have discovered an unpleasant limitation, however: the vaunted pen input doesn't have complete support in important apps. Microsoft is using only an official driver without any current option to install an alternative, leaving artists without eraser or pressure support in creative industry staples such as Adobe Photoshop. While there's no immediate fix, a Microsoft spokesperson tells us that it's working with the "necessary partners" to expose full pen functionality; we've reached out to Adobe as well, and will let you know if it's one of the chosen few. In the meantime, Surface artisans who need full pen recognition may want to consider an add-on tablet as a stopgap. Read Microsoft's full statement after the break. Update: Adobe tells us it's "working with [its] partners to explore the possibility" of support, which suggests that we'll need to be patient. [Thanks, John]
Grammy Awards 2013 ads see Google and Microsoft go head-to... foot (video)
This year's Grammy Awards weren't as packed with gadget advertising -- gadvertising* -- as the Super Bowl, but Microsoft and Google still coughed up to hawk their wares. The former wanted to demonstrate the productivity chops of the Surface Pro with a commercial that implies the device will cause your employees to breakdance involuntarily. Google, on the other hand, wanted to show off the powers of the Nexus 4 and Google Now to help you distinguish between fish and vegetables, in case the smell isn't enough. Curious to know more? We've stashed the clips after the break. * A term we just invented. Hollywood, call us.
The Weekly Roundup for 02.04.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft sells out of 128GB Surface Pro models online and in some stores
If you were wondering how well the public would take to a Microsoft-made tablet costing $899 or more... quite well, at least from initial impressions. The 128GB Surface Pro has sold out at Microsoft's US online store, and checks suggest a lack of stock at both the company's retail stores as well as Best Buy and Staples. Canada is facing similar shortages at Best Buy and Future Shop. Not surprisingly, storage worries (since partly alleviated) have left the 64GB tablet as the only one in consistent supply, and we suspect that the 128GB model in Microsoft's Canadian store won't last for much longer. We'd be cautious before declaring the Surface Pro a runaway hit, however -- there's no word on how many units each store had, and Microsoft has refrained from reporting Surface sale numbers to date. Still, the early uptake is good news for Microsoft's first foray into designing an x86 PC, and it shows that many early adopters aren't hung up on the price.
PSA: Microsoft Surface Pro now available in the US and Canada
After missing initial shipping plans with some undisclosed delays, and despite seeing its welcome party in NYC abolished by a storm dubbed Nemo, Microsoft's finally started the process to make that long-awaited Surface Pro available to the masses. Starting with US and Canada residents, those seeking Redmond's in-house hardware and a full serving of Windows 8 can now snag a Surface Pro starting at $899 for the 64GB model, while the more spacious 128GB unit is slightly costlier at $999. And while these prices do include Microsoft's pressure-sensitive pen, they don't account for any other fancy accessories, which means potential buyers will have to shell out a little extra cash if a Touch or Type Cover are of interest -- more specifically, $120 and $130, respectively. We'll see how Ballmer and Co. cope with demand this time around, but as history would kindly note, it's probably best to be one of the first in line just to be extra, extra safe.
The Daily Roundup for 02.06.2013
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 Pro team teases new accessories, explains battery life and storage
Now that the Surface Pro is a fait accompli, there's more than a few questions circulating from prospective buyers. The project's Panos Panay and his team have stepped up to answer them on Reddit, and they've shed some light on just about everything, including later plans. The Pro-specific connectors at the bottom? They're for "future peripherals" that may require more power than the pogo pins do. The short battery life and limited free storage were also purposeful (if difficult) choices, Microsoft says. The company wanted to maximize performance while keeping the tablet reasonably slim, so it couldn't rely on a big battery; it included the space-chewing recovery partition as it wanted to offer the "confidence" of a failsafe rather than leave customers to fend for themselves. While the answers won't appease everyone, they at least put the design decisions in context. Hit the source link to sate your curiosity in full, or at least as far as an Ask Me Anything session allows.
Microsoft Surface Pro review
It's a compelling proposition: all the power and application compatibility of a laptop running a proper desktop operating system, all the portability and convenience of a tablet, all mixed together in one package. That's the core idea behind Microsoft's Surface tablets but, as we saw with the Surface for Windows RT a few months ago, its ARM-based nature resulted in some substantial drawbacks. Namely: app selection. Running Windows is all well and good, but when you're running the RT flavor, which strips compatibility with the entire, massive and still-swelling catalog of Windows applications, you're left with a desktop-class operating system completely bereft of any desktop apps. Welcome, then, to the Surface for Windows 8 Pro, which promises all the niceties of the Surface RT -- compelling design, build quality, performance -- with full support for x86 Windows applications. (That is: every single Windows app released before the end of last year.) And, adding a 1080p display to the mix doesn't hurt. So, then, is this perfection in a single 10-inch, $899 device? Let's find out.
The Weekly Roundup for 01.28.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Surface Pro appears in some retail stores, now's your chance to see it in person
Those of us lucky enough to work for gadget sites got to check out the Surface Pro last month. Now you can too, dear reader -- if you happen to live near a store that got one early. Although shoppers in the US and Canada can't actually purchase it until February 9th, the device is already on display at some retail locations. Sadly, there's no way for us to confirm which stores have it (short of making a few road trips), but we do know that it's going to be available at Best Buy and Staples in the US, along with Microsoft Stores. So, assuming you have one of those chains nearby, it can't hurt to wander over -- you might be rewarded with some advance hands-on time. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The Daily Roundup for 01.29.2013
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.
128GB Surface Pro ships with 83GB free, 64GB has only 23GB
That 64GB, $900 Microsoft Surface Pro you plan on buying next week? Maybe you should temper your storage expectations a bit, as the base model actually only allots 23GB of that space for use. The larger 128GB version offers a bit more space at 83GB, but is still losing a massive 45GB of space to the full Windows 8 operating system and various included applications. Microsoft confirmed as much this afternoon, and issued the following the statement: "The 128 GB version of Surface Pro has 83 GB of free storage out of the box. The 64GB version of Surface Pro has 23GB of free storage out of the box. Of course, Surface Pro has a USB 3.0 port for connectivity with almost limitless storage options, including external hard drives and USB flash drives. Surface also comes pre-loaded with SkyDrive, allowing you to store up to 7GB of content in the cloud for free. The device also includes a microSDXC card slot that lets you store up to 64GB of additional content to your device. Customers can also free up additional storage space by creating a backup bootable USB and deleting the recovery partition." The Surface RT suffered the same issue when it launched late last year -- the 32GB base version only included 16GB of storage, while the 64GB version had 46GB available. The situation is what we'd call less than ideal, though you can always expand the on-board storage via the solutions Microsoft proposes. Of course, that means doling our more cash on an already expensive tablet -- not the best thing to find out after you've shelled out $900.
The Daily Roundup for 01.22.2013
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 Pro on sale February 9th in the US and Canada, starts at $899
So it won't arrive in January as originally planned, but better a little late than never, right? Microsoft just announced that its Surface Pro tablet will go on sale February 9th in the US and Canada, with wide retail availability beyond just Microsoft.com and Microsoft Stores. As you may have already read, the device will start at $899 for the 64GB model, and $999 for the 128GB version. Whichever you choose, a pressure-sensitive pen comes in the box; the keyboard does not (that'll be $120 or $130, depending on whether you get the Touch or Type Cover). Also on February 9th, Microsoft is going to start offering a 64GB standalone version of Surface for Windows RT for $599 (the 64GB model is currently sold as part of a $699 bundle with the black Touch Cover). That's good news, we suppose, for folks who prefer the tactile feel of the Type keyboard. Or, you know, who have their heart set on cyan. Additionally, Surface RT will soon be available in 13 more markets: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. All told, that more than doubles the number of a countries where the Surface RT is sold. So, Western Europe should pretty much be set now. Finally, in addition to those two tablets, Microsoft is introducing a bunch of accessories, also slated to land February 9th. These include three limited edition Touch Covers with funky patterns drawn on (we don't know about you, but we especially dig the skulls). It's not unlike the way Microsoft already sells artsy versions of its computer mice; indeed, a Microsoft rep told us the company intends to release even more special editions, the same way it keeps swapping in new mouse colors. Finally, Microsoft also announced the Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition, which is basically the regular Wedge mouse, just done up in the same finish as the Surface tablets. That will cost $70, while the limited edition keyboards are priced at $130 a pop. Hopefully we'll be hitting you back soon with a full review but for now, we've got shots of both the tablet and the new accessories waiting just past the break.
CES 2013: Tablet roundup
The tablet landscape has changed greatly in a year's time, at least if you gauge what we've seen on the CES show floor. The 2012 expo was led mostly by high-end Android tablets. This year, Windows 8 understandably garnered much more of the spotlight now that it's available, while Google's platform mostly surfaced in the budget category, where it was much more prevalent than before. Whatever the platform, we saw our fair share of experimentation -- some companies weren't happy with just a spec bump in a familiar form factor. Check past the break for some of the more daring (or at least well-executed) examples from CES 2013.
Microsoft Surface Pro hands-on
Even though Microsoft doesn't have a booth at CES this year, that doesn't mean it skipped Vegas altogether. Panos Panay, the general manager for Surface products, is in town, holding meetings with a few members of the media, us included. And he brought some toys with him. Specifically, the forthcoming Surface Pro along with the pressure-sensitive pen that goes with it. We only had a few minutes of hands-on time and in any case, we plan on going into much more detail when we eventually write our review. For now, though, we've got a first look waiting for you past the break. Join us.
Did the Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro just hit the FCC?
Tablet lovers who've been eying Microsoft's elaborately named Surface with Windows 8 Pro may be one step closer to getting it in their hands now that a mystery Microsoft tablet, the 1514, has swung through the FCC's approval process. While there's no neon lights advertising the slate's identity, it's described as running Windows 8 -- the current Surface appeared at the FCC clearly labeled as a Windows RT device. The 1514 number is also just two digits away from the 1516 of the Surface we can buy today. Prospective buyers hoping for unadvertised wireless features won't get them, as there's just 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth, but we don't think they'll mind. If the hardware truly represents the high-end Surface variant, an FCC appearance means one less obstacle to the planned January release.
