Microsoft Surface

Everything you always wanted to know about the Microsoft Surface, but were afraid to ask

The Microsoft Surface is more than a tablet, it’s a full-blown PC. It is a Windows tablet that functions as your digital assistant, with handwriting, gesture, and voice recognition. With the Microsoft Surface you can tap, swipe, write, surf, Skype, and much more, just like with a laptop. You can use Office, One Drive, Dropbox, and One Note. You can also type with the detachable keyboard.

Microsoft included two subfamilies in this line of its tablets: the Windows Surface and Windows Surface Pro, with three and four models correspondently. The Surface Book and Surface Hub have been introduced recently as well.
Here are the versions of the Microsoft Surface available on the market today:

Surface 1: This model (also known as Surface RT) is a pioneer in-house Microsoft portable under Windows RT 8.0, introduced in June 2012. It has an extendable flash memory and a folding kickstand. It has no cellular capabilities, meaning the user has to depend on public hot spots when outdoors. Its functionality is limited to Metro-style applications only.

Surface 2: The Surface 2 is ten times faster, has an HD 1080p screen, and an LTE module aboard. Microsoft offered two years of 200 GB of extra OneDrive storage, one year of free Skype calls to landlines, access to Skype Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as security updates up to 2023. With the Surface 2, you’ll never have to be offline.

Surface 3: The newest model, introduced in May 2015, is very powerful and quite fast. With its ClearType display and detachable keyboard, the Surface 3 can compete with ultrabooks. Though it loses in performance to the Surface Pro 3, it is affordable, and a favorite among students.

Surface Pro: The Surface Pro is the first gen 2-in- 1 detachable tablet. You can attach a keyboard and type, or you can plug the tablet in to a larger display via the Mini Display Port if you like it bigger. You can also enlarge the storage memory with an SD card up to 200 GB. You can overclock the processor aboard, for it’s a full-blown PC Intel processor! As Microsoft promises, just slip the Surface Pro into your bag on your way to school or the office. Once you’re there, flip out the kickstand from the back and prop your tablet on a desk in front of you.

Surface Pro 2: This tablet is even more comfortable to work with. With a two-stage kickstand, you can place it on your lap and turn your favorite armchair into an office. The Surface Pro 2 combines the advantages of a portable with a full- fledged desktop.

Surface Pro 3: Core i5 or i7 aboard, full-size USB 3.0, hot-swap SD-card slot, a solid state drive, and support for up to three displays. Wait, are we talking about a luxury laptop? No, it’s Windows Surface Pro 3!

Surface Pro 4: Ever dreamt of writing on your tablet as if it’s a piece of paper? With the Surface Pro 4, the dream has come true. You won’t notice any difference, for you’re able to put your palm on the screen while writing with an E-pen. Make notes, put down important info, or doodle when you’re in a boring meeting.

Surface Book: The Surface Book has a detachable keyboard, unlike the protective cover-keyboards of its tablet ‘brothers’. That’s why Microsoft has labeled the gadget as a laptop, but it isn’t as wobbly as most 2-in- 1 tablets with
their board attached. Microsoft engineers saw to it that the keyboard wouldn’t weigh more than the tablet itself. It’s a perfectly balanced system inside and out.