Thinking about getting your hands on a Surface RT, Pro or any Windows 8 or RT device but looking for a good deal to motivate you to make the move? Staples has just the deal for you, now offering $75 off of any Windows 8/RT product.

The Staples coupon was revealed by Slickdeals and has two coupon codes, one for in-store use and another for purchasing online. So what is the catch here? Nothing other than it has an EXTREMELY SHORT expiration date, this Thursday on Valentine’s day. In other words, if this deal sounds tempting, act now before it is too late.

While $75 isn’t exactly a massive fortune, that’s still a sizable chunk of change you can always use towards purchasing a touch cover for the surface or just about anything else really. What do you think, interested in Windows 8 or not?

[ source ]

The post Staples Offering $75 Off On Any Windows 8 or RT Product appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

With the Microsoft Surface RT out on the market for over a month now, one can only wonder how many Surface’s were sold. Reports for Q4 range from under 500,000 to over 1 million. These numbers are minuscule compared to the iPad (1 million in the first 28 days) and still tiny compared to the Nexus 7 (around 1 million sold per month), but keep in mind that this a new ecosystem with a limited retail presence.

Right now, you can only find the Microsoft Surface RT online or at a Microsoft Retail store. Keep in mind, there are only 32 Microsoft Stores worldwide.

According to Windows IT Pro, Microsoft is bringing the Surface tablet to many more retail stores in America and across the globe very soon. Originally Microsoft had planned to up its retail presence sometime in early 2013, but now reports are coming in suggesting that they want to speed this up and expand to non-Microsoft retail environments in just a matter of days or a week at most. The idea here is that they will be able to get in on the last minute holiday shopping that takes place in early and mid-December.

With the addition of major retailers to the Surface distribution system, sales have the potential to increase. Furthermore, it would allow for prospective buyers to go and test the Surface before they shell out $500+. Personally, given that the iPad shares the same price tag, being able to try it out at Apple stores is a big advantage over the Surface tablet.

Do you think the Microsoft Surface Tablet lives up to its $500 price tag? Will or have you purchased a Surface Tablet? Let us know in the comments below.

[ Source ]

The post Microsoft Surface RT Coming to More Retail Stores “Within Days” appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet was just released recently. But that didn’t stop Microsoft from detailing it’s support plan for the next 4 years. In short, Microsoft is boasting that if you buy a Surface RT tablet, you will be eligible to get software and firmware updates until at least April of 2017.

In comparison, Windows competitors fall very short of this 4 year mark. For starters, the original Apple iPad from 2010 is already ineligible for software updates (iOS 6). Additionally, one can only start to fathom how many Android devices are not supported or even considered for new Android updates. In fact, it might be easier to count the Android devices that are currently upgradeable to the newest Android version (2?).

We suspect that Microsoft is trying to make a push for the holiday shoppers. Although no word has officially come as to how many tablets Microsoft has sold, there have been very good and also bad reviews on the device. Knowing that you are getting software updates into 2017, and possibly beyond,  could make this tablet the one to buy for the holidays in 2012.

Does knowing you will get software support until 2017 make you want to buy a Surface RT tablet? Do you think Microsoft will follow through with their promises? Let us know in the comments below.

[ Source ]

The post Microsoft Will Support Windows RT on Surface for 4+ Years appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The 10-inch tablet market just is really started to get crowded with tons of new Windows 8/RT devices popping up next to existing Android tablets and the iPad.

Even more important is the introduction of new flagship tablets from Google and Microsoft. The Samsung-made Google Nexus 10 is certainly one of the most powerful Android tablets ever announced and the Microsoft Surface shows a new sexy and fun side to Microsoft that most of us have never seen before. While the two devices will likely appeal to very different kinds of users, let’s take a look at the hardware and even a quick peak at the software to see how they compare.

Overall Design

The Nexus 10 and the Surface are night and day when it comes to hardware design. The Surface has a thin and light design, although its screen is bigger at 10.6-inches.

The Nexus 10 on the other hand has a fairly large bezel around the device and is a bit clunkier looking. Still, picking the tablet up reveals a unibody desing that is actually very light and durable.

Preferences are going to dictate here. The Surface seems to have a style that is a bit more similar to what you find with the Apple iPad – a lightweight design that is highly aesthetically pleasing. Honestly, the Nexus 10 just doesn’t have that same sexy aspect too it, but again, it comes down to your own taste.

The Screen

The Microsoft Surface might have a bigger 10.6-inch display, but it is also dragging a bit when it comes to resolution. While 1366 x 768 isn’t that bad, it is far from industry-leading these days. One thing worth mentioning is that we can’t read too much into the resolution here as Microsoft utilizes a special ClearType technology that takes that resolution and makes it MUCH sharper than you would ever imagine.

That said, the 10.055-inch Nexus 10 has a 2560 x 1600 resolution that is going to likely stomp all over the ClearType technology. For those of you that put extra weight into things like the screen’s resolution, the Nexus 10 seems to dominate here.

Processor, RAM, Graphics and Storage

When it comes right down to the specs, which tablet packs more punch? With the Nexus 10 you get a 1.7GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos 5250 GPU, a Mali-T604 GPU and 2GB.

In contrast, the Microsoft Surface RT runs on a Tegra T30 processor, which is a quad-core beast. The tablet also has a PowerVR GPU and 2GB of RAM. Other perks include microSD for memory expansion and a full-size USB port. Is worth noting that the base 32GB version of the Surface actually only has 16GB of memory thanks to the rest being taken up by the system partition.

While the Tegra processor is a quad-core, the Nexus 10′s dual-core is still a pretty solid performer. Until we see some exact benchmarks out there comparing the processor performance, I’d say that the Surface RT might be a little faster (possibly), but more than likely they are pretty close when it comes to hardware performance.

Battery Life

Actually, both tablets are pretty evenly matched here. Real world results seem to suggest around 7 to 8 hours of mixed use for both devices. No clear winner here either.

Cameras

When it comes to camera performance, the Nexus 10 has a 5MP (1080p) rear cam and 1.9MP (720p) front cam. As for the Surface RT? Microsoft says they are both 720p on the front and back, so for picture quality, the Nexus 10′s rear camera seems to win here.

Pricing

This is one category that the Samsung-made Google Nexus 10 really impresses. The tablet has shown itself to be pretty evenly matched and yet it starts at $399 for a 16GB model. In contrast, the 32GB version of the Microsoft Surface RT really only gives you 16GB of storage space and yet it is a bit pricier at $499 +.

The Ecosystem

Honestly, these two tablets have very different cosmetic designs but they seem to be rather evenly matched all across the board. The deciding factor here is really going to come down to two things:

1) Does the $100 premium on the Surface turn you off?

2) Which Ecosystem seems to fit you better?

When it comes to the ecosystem, Android 4.2 comes standard on the Nexus 10 and has a lot to offer. There are over 700,000 apps and it is a much lighter weight OS that takes up little of your precious storage space. If you want tons of apps now, the Nexus 10 certainly has them. That being said, many of these apps are meant to run on a smartphone-sized screen, not a 10-inch tablet.

As for the Surface, its ecosystem is still evolving. The Microsoft Surface RT runs something called Windows RT. This OS has the bulk of traditional Windows attached to it, but not the legacy application support. Only Windows Store apps work with the Surface, and right now there is a little less than 10,000 global apps for the Windows Store. Keep in mind though that all of these apps are optimized for the Surface’s 10.6-inch display.

Since the Surface is more costly and has less apps, why get yourself involved in this new Windows RT/8 ecosystem? First of all, you get Microsoft Office built into the OS with the Microsoft Surface. The easy-to-use and attractive optional touch cover also makes the Surface a natural when it comes to productivity use— once more apps are out there to take advantage of this ability.

Other draws for the Surface include its full-size USB port and the full power of Windows. Wait, but didn’t I say it didn’t have the full power of Windows 8? Actually, it doesn’t have legacy app support. It does have things like a robust desktop file manager, all the system tools you may be used to with Windows and other abilities that might make Windows RT more than just a “mobile OS”. At the same time, it is also a space hog.

As for the full-size USB port, imagine plugging in your favorite printers, external hard drives and other devices. While I’m not sure if anyone has tried it, it is also quite possible that you could even hook-up an external DVD drive for things like watching your movie library.

Who Wins?

Anyone who has ever read one of Mobile Magazine’s in-depth comparison articles won’t be surprised to hear that I won’t declare an actual winner— it really depends on your own preferences. The great thing about the tablet market today is the shear level of options. There is a device that fits into everyone’s lifestyle.

If you want the open design of Android, the low-cost pricing and the 700,000 Google Play apps— the Samsung Nexus 10 might be what you are looking for.

If you don’t mind being an early adapter, the Microsoft Surface RT ecosystem (and Windows 8, too) is growing quickly already and offers some unique possibilities for productivity and business that aren’t as practical on Android and iOS.

Are you considering a new 10-inch tablet? If so, which of these devices seems more appealing to your particular taste? Conversely, does the Apple iPad seem a better fit for you?

The post Google Nexus 10 versus Microsoft Surface RT: Which is Right for You? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

With the Microsoft Surface you pay the same $499 as the iPad but you get double the storage space thanks to its 32GB drive— or do you? It turns out that the 32GB advertised isn’t really 32GB, it’s more like 16. What gives? Windows RT is essentially a desktop OS at its heart, and that means it takes up the rest of the drive.

While the Surface has many other redeeming qualities to it, there has been a false belief that the base Surface had more storage than the iPad. With the system partition taking up about half the drive, this just isn’t true. For those that are wondering, iOS typically takes around 1.5GB or so for the system partition— so yes, RT is certainly a much bigger file.

Is this a deal breaker? Maybe, maybe not. While onboard storage is generally faster, it is worth noting that the Surface still has some big stuff going for it like a quad-core processor and the existence of microSD for expanding the internal storage. A full-size USB port is also a major plus since you can hook up external HDDs and other components/accessories. Still, this shows one big flaw in trying to use a desktop OS on a mobile device, there just is a lot more bloat in a traditional desktop OS like Windows. If you were considering getting the Microsoft Surface does the revelation that you really aren’t getting as much space as you thought make any difference to you?

Source – Microsoft

The post Microsoft Surface Doesn’t Really Give You 32GB, Only 16GB of Space is Actually Free appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

There has probably never been a better time to get a tablet than now, thanks to the shear amount of great choices on the market today. From the iPad to the Nexus 10, there is plenty of options out there, that much is clear. What if you are considering the Microsoft Surface? Should you get the Surface RT or wait for the Surface PRO?

This is a good question, and one that is really hard to answer until we have exact pricing and other information. That being said, we’ll do our best to compare the two models and help you figure out which is right for you.

Microsoft Surface RT

The newly released Microsoft Surface RT is the first Microsoft-made tablet and one of the first Windows tablet that uses an ARM chip instead of an X86 Intel/AMD processor. The Surface RT has a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 10.6-inch display with a 1366×768 resolution, 32GB (base model) storage and has a battery that should withstand about 8 hours of use.

Due to its ARM processor, it has access to the desktop but it doesn’t have the ability to run any traditional desktop applications due to the architecture difference. In a nutshell, that means you won’t be able to use existing Windows programs and will only have access to the newer Windows Store apps.

Surface Pro

In early 2013 Microsoft will release the Surface PRO. What’s the difference? Under the hood is an Intel Core i5 CPU, a better 1920 x 1080 display, 64GB and higher storage options, and even a pen input ability.

The Surface still has the same size of display and looks/feels about the same though it is slightly heavier at two pounds.

What makes the PRO so different?

Besides a sharper resolution and a few other perks, what really is different with the Microsoft Surface Pro is that an X86 processor means you don’t have Windows RT— instead the PRO has the full version of Windows 8. With its touch cover, the Surface RT can double as a PC for things like typing and other productivity, but it truly can’t be a real desktop/laptop replacement for most users.

With the Surface PRO model you get the ability to run all your legacy Windows programs, which opens the door to a true laptop replacement experience. There is a lot more processing, graphics and application power with the Surface that makes it more than just a consumer device.

Should you get the Microsoft Surface Pro or the RT Model?

To answer that question, ask yourself what you are using the tablet for. If you want a device for multimedia consumption and entertainment that you might occasionally use for typing and light productivity, the Microsoft Surface RT model will probably fit the bill.

If you plan to no longer use your laptop for business and productivity purposes, the Surface RT model probably just won’t cut it for the vast majority of users. With the Surface PRO you have a no compromise device that is highly mobile and has all the great Windows Store apps, but also has the non-touch optimized desktop apps for when you want and need them. If you are a gamer that wants the ability to use the Surface as a way to play desktop apps, the PRO is the only choice as RT won’t work with any game that isn’t directly from the Windows Store.

Are there other differences that we didn’t mention? Probably, but the bottom-line is if you want to have a full business solution that can truly replace a laptop or desktop— get the Surface Pro. If you own a desktop or laptop that you can use for legacy applications, the Surface RT will do the job and save you a little green.

How much will the Microsoft Surface PRO set you back? We don’t 100 percent know yet but it is believed that the Surface PRO will price competitively to an ultrabook, so expect a starting price around $1000 and launch date of around January 24^th. In contrast, the Surface RT starts at just $499.

So are you interested in the Microsoft Surface? If so, which model do you think you will pick up?

The post Interested in Microsoft Surface? Should you get Surface RT or Surface PRO? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

As far as outward dimensions, they’re comparable but different. They’re both 9.4mm thick, but the Surface RT takes on a 16:9 aspect ratio, making it narrower and longer compared to the more shorter and wider iPad 4. The weight is also comparable at 680g (Surface) vs. 653g (iPad). While the 9.7-inch iPad has a much more impressive resolution of 2048×1536 (264ppi) compared to the 1366×768 resolution (148ppi) on the 10.6-inch Surface, the ClearType tech is supposed to make the Surface look sharper than it really is.

Raw power should also be comparable with the iPad 4 getting the dual core Apple A6X processor (presumably running at 1.3GHz) along with quad-core GPU. The Surface RT gets a quad core NVIDIA Tegra 3 (1.4GHz) chip, which is similar to what you find on many current high-end smartphones and tablets. The Surface RT does have double the RAM at 2GB, though, compared to what we think is the same single gig on the iPad 4 as was there in the iPad 3.

Apple is notorious for not providing a memory card slot and that hasn’t changed in the fourth-gen iPad. You get the 16GB, 32GB or 64GB that’s already on board, compared to the microSD slot on the Surface RT to complement its 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. The iPad is available with 3G/LTE though, whereas the Surface is currently a WiFi-only device. The iPad also sounds like it wins in the camera department too with a 5MP rear (1080p) and 1.2MP front (720p) shooter, whereas both Surface cameras are 720p. They haven’t specified the actual megapixel count.

Of course, there are all those other things that you need to consider. The iPad has access to a tremendously huge App Store, whereas the Windows Marketplace for RT is not nearly as developed, especially since RT can’t run native Windows programs. That said, the Surface has the cool Touch Cover and Type Cover, and you do get a version of Microsoft Office right out of the box.

At the end of the day, which tablet you choose really depends on your needs and preferences. And let’s not forget about the plethora of Android options too, like the less expensive Nexus 7 or possibly the upcoming Nexus 10, as well as trusty standbys like the Galaxy Tab and Asus Transformer Pad families. Whatever the case, it looks like this could be a great holiday shopping season for tablet lovers.

[Source]

The post What Should You Buy? Microsoft Surface RT vs. Apple iPad 4 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The Microsoft Surface preorders are already starting to go pretty well. If you were Apple, how would you possibly slow the Surface down? Announce the iPad Mini, that’s how. Apparently rumors now suggest that Apple will release its new smaller tablet on October 23rd. For those who don’t know, that’s three days before the Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface release event.

The iPad Mini has been talked about again and again, but it could finally be here this month. For those that are intrigued by the idea of a smaller iPad, this could be great news. What about pricing? It is believed to start around $299 in order to make it priced semi-competitively with devices like the Nexus 7.

Hardware is believed to be somewhat on par with the older iPad 2, just in a smaller form factor. Can it actually harm Microsoft’s momentum? Maybe. The truth is that people interested in a 7-inch Apple tablet are probably very different folks from those that want a 10-inch Surface, but I could be wrong.

I guess the idea is that the media will swarm around this announcement and it could distract consumers from hearing more about the Surface. What do you think, will this affect Microsoft’s immediate plans and sales for the Surface or not?

[ source ]

The post iPad Mini plans to beat the Surface to the Punch? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ahead of their October 26th launch event, Microsoft has now released its Surface RT tablet for pre-ordering. This means we finally have pricing information. Those who were crossing their fingers about the rumors of a $200 starting price for the Surface might be more than a little disappointed.

The entry-level Surface RT tablet will run you $499, and no that doesn’t include a Touch Cover. The good news is that this is the same price as the iPad and yet you get double the storage space with 32GB. The bad news is that Windows RT/8 apps are only at about 4,000-5000 right now, quite a bit behind the 500,000+ for iOS and Android. Other variants include a $599 32GB model that includes a black touch cover, or $699 for the 64GB model. As for the Windows 8 Pro-based Surface? It won’t launch until sometime early next year. Why wait until after the holiday season? Only Microsoft knows for sure.

So what kind of specs do we get with the RT-based Surface? An Nvidia T30 processor, 2GB of RAM, front and rear 720p cameras, full USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, microSDXC support and a bundle that includes Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview with a free upgrade to the full version when it arrives.

Why get a Surface over an iPad? While it will really depend upon your own preference, there are reasons why this might be more up your alley. Some of the key differences are the inclusion of Office, the 32GB of starting storage space, the USB port and even the ability to expand to even more storage with micro-SDXC.

What do you think, interested or do you think Microsoft is pricing these tablets too high?

You can check out the tablet for yourself via Microsoft’s website.

The post Microsoft Surface RT Pricing is Official, Starts at $499 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

What you see here is the Lenovo ThinkPad 2. It’s a Windows 8 tablet that will ship with a full QWERTY keyboard, giving you a laptop-like experience when you need it. And it’s going to sell for $799. This was formally revealed at PepCom in New York City where the Lenovo rep said that the ThinkPad 2 would indeed sell for that price when it launched on October 26.

Remember that this isn’t “just” a tablet. Realistically, it’s probably closer to being a really thin ultrabook with a touchscreen, thanks to the Intel processor under the hood. It gets Windows 8 Pro, a 1366×768 IPS display, 10 hour battery life, dual cameras (2MP + 8MP), AT&T-compatible LTE, NFC, USB ports, and a stylus. The $799 price also includes the full Microsoft Office 2013 suite, but I hear that the keyboard doesn’t have an “extra” battery like what you get with Asus Transformer Pad series.

$800 might sound like a lot of money for a tablet, but when you consider that most ultrabooks start at around this range, this doesn’t so far out there. That said, it’s rumored to have just an Atom “Clover Trail” chip rather than something from the Core i3/i5/i7 series, so your performance could be significantly hindered. What do you think? Would you buy it at $800?

[Source]

The post Lenovo ThinkPad 2 Windows 8 Tablet with Keyboard Priced at $799 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.