Surface 2, Surface Pro 2 and new accessories available for purchase

Microsoft Corp. today announced that its newest Surface models — Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 — as well as an expanded portfolio of new Surface accessories are now available for purchase in 21 initial markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The new Surface products will be available in China in early November.

Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 are highly productive tablets that each benefit from significant updates, including improvements to processing power and battery life, display and camera resolution, and the kickstand — now featuring a second, wider angle so it’s more comfortable to use Surface on your lap or at your desk. Enhancements in Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1 Pro make Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 even more powerful and customisable.

In New Zealand, both new products will be available from authorised retailers Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and Noel Leeming, and for commercial customers via authorised resellers Cyclone, New Era and Telco Tech Services.

Value-added services
To help people get the most out of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, customers who purchase either device will receive free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype Wi-Fi on their Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 at more than 2 million hotspots worldwide for one year, and 200 GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years.1

Surface 2
Surface 2 is an extremely productive tablet for personal use. It offers all the entertainment and gaming capabilities you expect from a tablet, along with the ability to get work done. Surface 2 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, making apps run faster and smoother and increasing battery life to up to 10 hours for video playback. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display now renders 1080p video for enjoying shows and movies, and its full-size USB port has been upgraded to USB 3.0 for up to four times faster file transfers. Camera resolution has also increased, with a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance, making face-to-face conversations with your favourite people crisp and clear. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

Surface 2 ships with Windows 8.1 RT, bringing improvements in key areas such as personalisation, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. The new Xbox Music allows you to stream millions of songs for free, and an updated Video app and great games from the Windows Store such as “Halo: Spartan Assault” will help ensure you never run out of ways to play. When it’s time to get serious, Surface 2 is pre-loaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT; simply click in a Touch or Type Cover and get to work.

Surface 2 is available in 32GB and 64GB configurations2 and starts at $649 RRP.

Surface Pro 2
Surface Pro 2 is the successor to Surface Pro, and like its predecessor is a true laptop replacement, capable of running virtually all your Windows software, including the full Microsoft Office suite3 and apps from the Windows Store. Surface Pro 2 offers the portability and simplicity of a tablet when you want it and the power and flexibility of a laptop when you need it. It is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor that, combined with other improvements, delivers increased performance and up to 75 per cent longer battery life than Surface Pro.

Starting at $1299 RRP, Surface Pro 2 is offered in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4 GB of RAM, and 256GB and 512GB configurations with 8 GB of RAM.2 Full specs are available at http://www.Surface.com.
New accessories

Microsoft New Zealand also released a variety of new accessories that will make Surface even more flexible, more portable and more productive:
·         Touch Cover 2. Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover and measuring just 2.75 millimeters thin, Touch Cover 2 features backlit keys for even better readability. Touch Cover 2 is more rigid, registers keystrokes with greater accuracy and features updated sensors that support a variety of gestures across the keyboard. Touch Cover 2 is available today for an estimated retail price of $184.99.
·         Type Cover 2. Type Cover 2 features the same superthin, lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it’s now backlit and available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black. It’s also more rigid, providing a better lap-typing experience, and was designed to be noticeably quieter when striking the keys. Type Cover 2 is available today for an estimated retail price of $199.99.
·         Docking Station for Surface Pro. The Docking Station for Surface Pro lets you quickly connect Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 to desktop PC peripherals in a single step, taking you from laptop to desktop in an instant. While Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 is docked, it can connect with up to two 4K external monitors, Ethernet, speakers and power supply. PC peripherals connect via its one USB 3.0 port and three USB 2.0 ports. The Docking Station for Surface Pro will have an estimated retail price of $309.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
·         Car Charger with USB. Car Charger plugs into most cars’ power or lighter ports and charges Surface without the need for an additional adapter. It also features a USB port to allow simultaneous charging of a phone or other device. Car Charger will have an estimated retail price of $79.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.
·         Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition. This special-edition Arc Touch Mouse has been updated to match the look of Surface. Like other Arc Touch mice, it is designed for comfort and flattens for portability. It connects via Bluetooth 3.0, freeing Surface’s USB port for use by other devices. Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition is available in the U.S. and Canada today for an estimated retail price of $104.99. Distribution in additional markets is projected to begin in the coming months.

More information on Surface and the new accessories is available at http://www.Surface.com.