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 al...

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 al...

Surface Pro 4 review: Yes, it can really replace your laptop

With the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft's surprising hybrid tablet journey finally makes sense. It's as if Microsoft was laser-focused on fixing the issues we had with the Surface Pro 3. We liked that device quite a bit, but its Type Cover was endlessly...

Windows RT to come with Outlook app starting with Windows 8.1 update

Windows RT to come with Outlook app starting with Windows 8.1 update

We weren't expecting Microsoft to make too many announcements here at Computex -- it's got Build coming up, after all -- but it did drop a little bit of news. The company just confirmed that Windows RT tablets will come with an Outlook app pre-installed starting with the Windows 8.1 update. Not much more to share today -- we already knew Windows 8.1 would arrive in preview on June 26th -- but hopefully we'll learn more at the Build developer conference in a few weeks. After all, as much as Microsoft has already revealed about Windows 8.1, it's said very little about RT, specifically.

Update: The official Surface blog does have a bit more information to share, mentioning that an update is coming "in about a week" to improve the Touch Cover and Type Cover keyboard accessories. Once that update arrives, there will be a few function key combos to trigger things like brightness (Fn + Del / Backspace), page navigation or toggle the function keys to charms, volume, etc (Fn + Caps). Check the post for a full list of commands.

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Source: Office Blog, Surface Blog

Microsoft promo: buy a Surface RT, get a free keyboard cover (updated)

Microsoft promo buy a Surface RT, get a free Touch or Type Cover

There's no question that the Surface RT comes into its own with a keyboard cover; we can't imagine using the tablet unadorned. Microsoft can't, either, as it's launching a promo that gives the covers away. Americans and Canadians who buy the Windows RT slate between now and the end of June can get either the Touch Cover or the Type Cover for free, no matter which color they fancy. Surface Pro customers are out of luck, but it's hard to dispute the value for prospective Surface RT owners -- the deal amounts to at least a $100 discount on the touch PC's real-world price.

Update: To be clear, this promo has been running in other countries; it's just now debuting in North America, however.

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Via: CNET

Source: Microsoft Store

Microsoft Surface for Windows RT pricing now official: tablet starts at $499, keyboard not included

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. The 64GB model will cost $599.

To be clear, these prices do 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.

Continue reading Microsoft Surface for Windows RT pricing now official: tablet starts at $499, keyboard not included

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Microsoft Surface for Windows RT pricing now official: tablet starts at $499, keyboard not included originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and… dancers?

Microsoft airs its fist Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and dancers

Considering how interested we are in trying out Microsoft's new Surface Windows 8 tablets, it turns out we should've been practicing the art of dance instead of blogging. The first TV spot for the tablets aired tonight during Dancing with the Stars, fitting, since it featured an entire troupe of dancers and was directed by Jon Chu, best known for his work on flicks like the Step Up series and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. While it didn't expose any deep details about the hardware, its potential pricetag or the software running on it, it appears Microsoft will separate itself from the pack based on that slick Touch Cover, Type Cover and kickstand. At the end it teases "coming 10/26" and promises a future behind the scenes video from the ad, but that's it. Check out the minute-long spot itself embedded after the break and let us know if you spot any new information about the slate.

Continue reading Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and... dancers?

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Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and... dancers? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft one ups other tablet ‘smart’ covers with Surface’s Touch Cover and Type Cover

Microsoft one ups that other tablet cover with a keyboard and touchpad

What's 3mm thick, crafted from the finest Polartec and attaches to a tablet magnetically? If you guessed an iPad smart cover you might be right, but right now we're pretty enamored with Microsoft's Touch Cover for the newly announced Surface. See, it works almost exactly like that other "smart" tablet shield, but this one actually earns it's smart moniker. When you peel the plastic shroud back it turns into a fully functional keyboard and touchpad. Obviously, being a thin plastic sheet, the cover is relying on touch for key presses, not the actual depression of mechanical switches. So, while that means it's theoretically possible to touchtype on this bad boy, it remains to be seen just how pleasant of an experience it actually is. Our guess -- it'll be fine for quick emails and Google Bing searches, but we probably wouldn't have to write the Surface review on one.

Now, the Type Cover on the other hand, perhaps we'd consider drafting lengthy posts on. It's safe to assume this one is thicker and heavier, turning your tablet into something more closely resembling an Ultrabook. But, it does have a traditional keyboard with solid plastic, separated keys as opposed to a pressure sensitive pad. Perhaps one of the more interesting features though, is their ability to force Win 8 to color coordinate with your chosen shade of folio. Click the blue Touch Cover on to the Surface and the background switches to a soothing shade azure. There's even an accelerometer inside those 3mm-thin softer covers -- which is an impressive feat of engineering. The Touch Covers can easily distinguish between you simply resting your hands on the keyboard and actually typing, which should help minimize accidental key presses. We'll be back as soon as possible with some hands-on.

Microsoft one ups other tablet 'smart' covers with Surface's Touch Cover and Type Cover originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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