Microsoft’s new Surface 3 looks great compared to Apple’s iPad Air 2. At the same $499 price point, users get a tablet with more storage, a full desktop operating system, a free year of Microsoft Office, and the ability to use a true digitizer pen. But is it too good to be true? As much as I love the Surface, you’ll be paying quite a bit more than the sticker price to get the full experience.
Passively Improve Speaker Volume on Your Surface Tablet with ‘Ears’
The Surface tablet is versatile and powerful, but its speakers leave much to be desired, especially in large and loud environments. But a new Kickstarter campaign hopes to improve Surface audio volume by reflecting the sound from the tablet’s side-firing speakers directly at the user, resulting in louder volume of up to 10db.
Surface Power Cover Finally Ships March 19, 70% More Battery Life for $200
The long-awaited Power Cover for the Microsoft Surface is finally set to ship this month. Although pricey at $200, the accessory promises to nearly double Surface running time, and will be something that all dedicated Surface users will want to check out.
How to Change the Default Search Engine on the Microsoft Surface
Internet Explorer is a capable browser on the Microsoft Surface, but not everyone prefers to use the default search engine, Bing. Microsoft made changing the default search engine a bit tricky on the Surface and other Windows tablets, but we show you how.
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Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 Launch in 21 Countries
Just as Apple is about to release an updated iPad line, rival Microsoft has launched its second effort in the tablet market. The Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, which feature significant performance upgrades over their predecessors, launch in 21 countries today.
Office to Be Included with “Small Screen” x86 Windows 8 Tablets
A major selling point of tablets running ARM-based Windows RT was that Office, Microsoft’s flagship productivity software, was included for free. The company oddly chose not to extend the same offer to x86-based Windows 8 tablets, including its own Surface Pro. Those devices could still run Office, of course, but users had to purchase the software in addition to the cost of the hardware. At Computex last night, however, Microsoft Windows chief Tami Reller announced a change in policy… at…
Editorial: What the Heck is Wrong With Tech Marketing These Days?
While at the movies last week, my wife and I were treated to a pre-film advertisement for the Microsoft Surface tablet. With a “behind the scenes” style, the mini feature showed the making of the company’s latest TV ad: the nonsensical dancing one set in an office. As I sat dumbfounded by the pride the creators of this ad attempted to project, I asked myself an important question: what the heck has happened to tech marketing? While Microsoft’s latest marketing…
Apple’s iOS Tablet Share Falls in Q1 on Strong Android Growth
Apple’s once dominant market share in new tablet shipments continues to erode, according to preliminary data released today by research firm IDC. Apple’s share of worldwide tablet shipment in the first quarter of 2013 fell to 39.6 percent in the face of explosive growth from Android competitors, even as the company outperformed shipment expectations. Top Five Tablet Vendors (Shipments in Millions) Source: IDC 1Q2013 Shipments 1Q2013 Market Share 1Q2012 Shipments 1Q2012 Market Share Year-Over-Year Growth Apple 19.5 39.6% 11.8 58.1%…
Windows 8 Tablets Capture 7.5% Market Share in Q1 2013
Despite earlier reports that painted a grim sales picture, Microsoft’s Windows 8-based tablets sold surprisingly well in the first quarter, according to data published this week by research firm Strategy Analytics. Microsoft’s ARM-based Surface RT, x86-powered Surface Pro, and a variety of third-party devices combined to capture 7.5 percent of global tablet shipments in the first three months of 2013, for a total of 3 million units. Global Branded Tablet OS Shipments (Millions) Source: Strategy Analytics Q1 2012 Q1 2013…
Microsoft Expanding Surface Availability to 29 Countries By June
Microsoft is set to expand the international availability of its Surface tablets significantly over the next two months, according to a blog post by the company early Tuesday. At the end of February, we announced that we were broadening the availability of the Surface family. Since then, we’ve gotten a lot of feedback that people want us to expand availability further and faster. We know it took us a while to get back to you, but we hear you, and…