HONG KONG — Sept. 23, 2013 — Today Microsoft Corp. announced that the Microsoft Surface family of tablets is growing. Two new Surface models — Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 — along with an expanded portfolio of new Surface accessories, will be available at Microsoft retail stores, MicrosoftStore.com, and select third-party retailers in 22 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 on October 22 (US New York time), and China in early November. Additional markets will be announced in the coming months. Further information relating to availability date and channels in Hong Kong will be announced soon.
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 each benefit from significant updates, including improvements to processing power and battery life, to display and camera resolution, and to the dual angle Kickstand – now making it more comfortable for you to use your Surface on your lap or at your desk. Enhancements in Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Pro 8.1 make Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 even more powerful and customizable.
Value-Added Services
To help people get the most out of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, customers purchasing either device will receive free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype WiFi on their Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 at more than 2 million hot spots worldwide for one year and 200GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years.
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Surface 2
Surface 2 is the most 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” 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 favorite people crisp and clear. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
Surface 2 will ship with Windows RT 8.1, bringing improvements in key areas such as personalization, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. The new Xbox Music app 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 ensure that you never run out of ways to play. When it’s time to get serious, Surface 2 is pre-loaded with Microsoft Office 2013 RT – including Outlook RT – simply click in a Touch or Type Cover and get to work.
Surface 2 is available in 32GB and 64GB configurations1; it is priced at HK$3,488 and HK$4,288 respectively.
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 suite2, as well as 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 which, combined with other improvements, delivers increased performance and up to 60 percent longer battery life than Surface Pro.
Starting at HK$7,088, Surface Pro 2 will be offered in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB configurations with 8GB of RAM.1
New Accessories
Today’s announcement also includes new accessories that will make Surface even more flexible, more portable and more productive.
New accessories available for sale on the launch date in Hong Kong include: –
- Touch Cover 2
Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover, measuring only 2.75mm 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 entire keyboard. Touch Cover 2 will have an estimated retail price of HK$968. - Type Cover 2
Type Cover 2 features the same super-thin, lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it’s now backlit and will be available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black in the coming months3. It is also more rigid, providing a better lap-typing experience, and is designed to be noticeably quieter when striking keys. Type Cover 2 will have an estimated retail price of HK$1,048.M
Other accessories to be available for sale in Hong Kong around early 2014 include: –
- 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 an external monitor, 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 HK$1,618. - 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 HK$408.
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 HK$408.
For more information on Surface, visit http://www.surface.com, Microsoft Corp News Center, The Surface Blog and The Surface “Ask Me Anything” Reddit chat.
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1 System software uses significant storage space. Available storage is subject to change based on system software updates and apps usage. 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. See Surface.com/storage for more details. Initial quantities of Surface Pro 2 with 512 GB will be limited.
2 Office sold separately.
3 The Black and Purple Type Cover 2 will be available at launch. Other colors will be available in the coming months.
