A whole bunch of new Microsoft Surface devices are just around the corner, and we're taking a peek at a preliminary list. This set of devices seems to have been leaked to several sources this week. Given Microsoft's seemingly random process of decision making when it comes to new device reveal event dates, now seems as good a time as any!
Microsoft's mobile strategy isn't exactly the most consistent. It has all but officially put Windows 10 Mobile and all its smartphones under a bus but, at the same time, seem to be working on a slightly different angle to mobile computing. Yes, that's Windows 10 on ARM, which is already off to a rough start. Part of the lukewarm reception is due to the first devices' performance, which Microsoft and Qualcomm aim to correct with a new batch of Snapdragon 850 devices, including a Surface Phone from Dell.
Microsoft refuses to believe that the iPad cannot be challenged in the tablet market. There's rumor this week that Microsoft is planning a set of low-cost Surface tablets that'll be released in the second half of the year 2018. These slightly less expensive Surface-brand tablets will run Windows 10 and will cost around $400 USD according to people familiar with the information.
Microsoft released the Surface Pro with LTE to the public this week after a bit of time up for sale as a business device. This machine was first put on sale for business customers in December of 2017, and is now available to the general public. This notebook tablet piece of Windows machine is up on preorder right this minute and will be going on sale at the start of May in-stores in the United States, Australia, and Canada.
The Surface Laptop, love it or hate it, comes with a big restriction: Windows 10 S. This version of Windows 10 is designed to provide a secure experience, but in providing that security Microsoft introduced a big restriction. Users are only able to download software from the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 S; they can't grab a download from any given website. A new Surface Laptop option changes that.
The Surface Book 2 is a pretty solid piece of hardware, assuming you've got the money to put down for one. The device is still relatively young, having only launched back in November, and thus far, only its 13-inch models have been available in most regions. That all changes today, as Microsoft has announced that it's bringing the 15-inch Surface Book 2 to 17 new markets.
A set of renders of the Microsoft Andromeda tablet appeared this morning, and it looks amazing. The wallpaper the designer used got me thinking: what would it be like to have this device running iOS? And more realistically, what would it be like to have a device like this running Android?
It's hard to believe five years have passed since Microsoft struck a deal with the NFL over its Surface tablet, but that is indeed the case. The contract wasn't without its problems -- the Surface was called an iPad on more than one occasion -- but that hasn't prevented a contract renewal between the two companies.
There were rumors that Microsoft would soon be axing the Surface line, which were debunked by the unveiling of the Surface Book 2. But for one line of Surface devices, the end came quite some time ago. The non-Pro Surface 2-in-1 tablet never got a version 4, even while the Surface Pro now has its 5th “not Surface Pro 5” generation. It’s unlikely Microsoft will ever go down that road ever again, but if you’re really looking for Surface 3 successor, then you might want to consider Chuwi’s SurBook successor, the unsurprisingly named SurBook Mini.
Adobe's venerable photo-editing application, Photoshop, now supports Microsoft's Surface Dial, a literal, physical dial designed for artists. The support has arrived as part of Adobe's major Creative Cloud 2018 overhaul, though users should expect to encounter some bugs here and there as the feature isn't yet production ready.
A new Microsoft Surface event is headed for London as the company holds their annual "Microsoft Future Decoded" session series. This event series takes place on the 31st of October and the 1st of November 2017 at ExCeL London. Microsoft's own Panos Panay is set to speak - he's Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Devices, and his job is almost always to reveal the next generation in Surface tablets.
Microsoft has pushed back at Consumer Reports' decision to strip the Surface range of its "recommended" award, arguing that its actual reliability is much better than was claimed. Consumer Reports had previously granted both the Surface Laptop and the Surface Book its coveted recommendation, based on factors such as performance and design. However, it backtracked after surveys of existing Surface owners reported significantly higher problems with their laptops and tablets compared to the rest of the industry.