Software News

from the listen-up dept. First time accepted submitter yvajj writes "According to a techcrunch interview, Woz believes that Microsoft is now more innovative than Apple. Per the interview, it seems as though Apple is now just doing newer versions of the iPhone, and are potentially headed into a rut. Another gem from Woz is the fact that he treats all new hardware as something new to learn from and does not approach it with any preconceptions (irrespective of who the manufacturer is / what OS etc.). A great short interview from Woz."

Microsoft keeps everyone on the planet to adopt Office 365 and doing so, go to the subscription price. Customers have access to their trade anywhere, anywhere and on anything, while Microsoft compatible source of income and everyone using the latest features. But who does not pass quickly. So for the majority of companies no doubt continue with what the company calls "local versions", desktop software and Server Office 2013 is now available for purchase.

Office 2013 2013 Exchange Server, Lync Server 2013, SharePoint Server 2013, 2013 and 2013 Visio are readily available to volume licensing customers. Everyone must wait. "Broad availability of the new Office with the retail and online channels is planned for the first quarter of 2013", Microsoft's Sanjay Manchanda said. The company released a trial version for MSDN and TechNet subscribers.

But you must understand that Microsoft really does not want anyone using Office 2013 by itself. The boost is the cloud service, which offers the productivity also suite on a subscription basis.

"The new Office is in the cloud," says Mason. "Couple with new available next year, the new Office cloud services will save your default documents on SkyDrive, and your custom settings, templates and documents will travel with you."

Initiated license agreement purchase volume give Microsoft Money in the way of a subscription. But the deployment of Office 2013 on the premise does not guarantee that they use the extent of cloud services, if at all. will deploy the software across both; or to keep employees on the latest versions. However, site of the largest deployment offers battery adopter Office Server workstation deployment their own clouds private, rather than relying on Microsoft.

Microsoft has five main objectives behind its new desktop platform strategy:

1. Maintaining the relevance of the PC software. The transition between the PC and shortcut cloud computing eras is undeniable. Companies like Google it shift and relevant information to the cloud and the player to the component. Microsoft pushing it the other way, taking advantage of the extensive base of Office System clients. The policy is sensible, but complicated execution and a process started years ago. This release cycle promises to be the one where he has experience seamless they use the software on a PC or on the Internet.

2. Spread the stack of applications Office-Windows-Windows Server in the data center. Microsoft dominates the applications stack more successful on the planet. But in the context cloud computing era, it is not enough. Incumbency is a huge benefit, but not if BYOD (bring your own device) work overrides to you (no Office for Android or iOS, despite rumors). Microsoft betting this Surface, other tablets Windows RT, Windows 8 devices and the cloud, as well as servers, and Office System applications, will be the winning combination that maintains its application stack the choice preferred, especially among companies.

3 Subscribe to Google Apps. The Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer once assimilated after little more than an annoying GNAT and later hosted a yappy mutt. But Google supports client, turning Apps, Gmail, Google Talk and other services in a suite that is "good enough" for the lowest cost (generally beaches free $ 50 / user/year). companies are embracing Apps. We are convinced that desktop and cloud, especially with revised pricing of subscriptions and seamless synchronization, offer so much more. Again, turning the incumbency in a major asset is the key.

4 Provide customers what they want more. The PC is no longer the only device most people use, and Gartner says that within two years the cloud will replace the personal computer as a main hub for digital content. Otherwise: people want to access their business any time, anywhere and on anything. Microsoft strives to do so without disrupting its major revenue Office system source. The apps/cloud hybrid strategy is Microsoft cake and allow customers to eat it, too.

5 Make money. It may seem obvious, but it is not. The Office division now generates more revenue and profit than Windows. Microsoft challenge is to rock the carriage without overflow it. The cloud strategy is so important - where many customers Office 365 is primary; they get productivity as part of the service applications, paying ongoing subscription fees. If successful, Microsoft will be smooth lower and higher income. During this time, the company provides client software is updated, enabling it to deliver more benefits faster, it removes the management charges and makes happy subscribers wishing to continue paying. By way of comparison, obsolete software to qualify and test leads to dissatisfaction and defection (to services such as Google Apps).

View the original article here

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 04, 2012

MSProjectExperts announces the premier of its cloud-ready Microsoft Project Server 2013 training. “This is a landmark Project Server release because of its ascent into the Microsoft Office 365 infrastructure,” commented Gary Chefetz, MVP and msProjectExperts C.E.O. “We show you how to leverage both the online and on premises tools for implementing and administering Microsoft Project Server 2013.”

“Using Microsoft Project Online hybridized with on-premises is a fantastic new opportunity,” agreed Bill Raymond, MVP and msProjectExperts V.P. of Content Development. “I am particularly looking forward to exploring SharePoint workflows and other Portfolio governance improvements with our premiere class,” he continued. “It is also very exciting to be co-authoring and co-teaching with Gary for the first time.”

Although both Chefetz and Raymond have been MVPs for more than 11 years, this is the first time the two have collaborated professionally. They joined forces at the beginning of the fall to create msProjectExperts 2013 books and training offerings. Implementing and Administering Microsoft Project Server Technical Boot Camp derives from the upcoming book, Implementing and Administering Microsoft Project Server 2013, ISBN 9781934240250.

msProjectExperts is the world leader in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server education products and training. msProjectExperts offers the only Project Server 2013 Training, the only validated self-paced computer-based training system for Microsoft Project 2010 and the only validated training for Microsoft Project Server 2010. MSProjectExperts’ instructor-led open-enrollment courses are available at its New York City training center, partner sites, and for on-line attendance.

Along with standard and custom on-site training programs, MSProjectExperts provides Project Server deployment consulting, Quick-Start solutions, books, and software add-ons. For more information about msProjectExperts’ suite of services, visit http://www.msProjectExperts.com or email Info(at)MsProjectExperts(dot)com

View the original article here

No sooner had Microsoft revealed the cost of self-branded tablets running Windows RT than doomsayers started crying pricing foul. The 64GB model will sell for $899, starting next month, and the 128 gigger for $999. I've seen several blog posts gleefully whack Surface Pro pricing as being way too high. They're wrong, in part by the Apple device comparison they make.
I asked Stephen Baker, NPD's vice president of industry analysis, about Surface Pro pricing, whether it's just right, too high or too low. "Interesting question though because most of what I have seen has compared it to the high-end iPad". But Microsoft has higher competitive ambitions: MacBook Air, and even Windows ultrabooks. That's the comparison I make and told Baker so. There, the tablet sits just fine. The company priced Surface RT against iPad. Surface Pro squares against Apple's thin-and-light laptop with 11.6-inch display.
Think MacBook Air
"With the cover price, Surface Pro is right in line with what people actually spend on the MBA", Baker acknowledges. Unlike Surface RT, where two models come with keyboard covers, people pay $120 or $130 more depending which click-on they choose. That's what Baker refers to by "cover price". Actually Surface Pro with cover sells for a little more than 11.6-inch MacBook Air, which is $999 or $1,099 for 64GB or 128GB storage respectively. That all assumes Microsoft won't offer a bundle at launch. I fully expect to see comparable MacBook Air pricing with keyboard cover included with the tablet.
Thinking about Surface Pro this way changes everything. Baker agrees: "Just helps reinforce the laptop? Tablet? Question around Surface. Here that is pretty crucial since it really defines where its opportunity lies".
I don't doubt where Microsoft sees the opportunity. Surface RT is more about the future, with the Modern UI and limited legacy desktop support. Users have the old motif, but they can only install apps purchased through the Windows Store that support the Start screen. Surface Pro is about the present, providing users benefits of the new while supporting the old stuff.
Stated differently, the lower-cost tablet available now is priced exactly to compete with iPad, and ARM-based Windows easily is viewed as an Android or iOS competitor. That's not true of Surface Pro, which runs Windows 8 Pro, an operating system in the same class as Apple's OS X.
From that perspective, Surface is a considerable value compared to MacBook Air and some ultrabooks because of the touchscreen and stylus that is included in the purchase price. Then there is increased portability and flexibility for a device supporting all Windows applications -- not just those designed for Modern UI -- and allowing users to switch between tablet (with touch) or laptop (with keyboard). That's what defines Surface Pro. It's a tablet and a laptop running a full desktop OS, just like MacBook Air.
Fair Comparison
You don't believe me? Look at the specs and how closely Surface Pro matches MacBook Air. Both come in the aforementioned 64GB and 128GB configurations, pack Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics, 720P Webcam, USB 3 port, Bluetooth 4, and Wi-Fi A/N. Surface's display is smaller, 10.6 inches, but considerably higher resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels versus MacBook Air's 1366 x 768). Both are thin-and-light portables. They weigh about the same when keyboard cover is attached to Surface Pro, which otherwise is 2 pounds compared to the Apple's 2.38 pounds. Additionally, Surface Pro uses ambient-light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass for orientation and packs a microSDXC card slot; these are all missing on MacBook Air.
Whether or not potential buyers accept Microsoft's hybrid tablet/laptop approach is another matter. That's a question for after sales start in earnest. Something else, small as it may seem: Microsoft prices Surface Pro to drive sales of the higher-capacity storage model, which says something about desktop OS ambitions, too.
Baker explains, regarding pricing: "Spacing is a little tight on the two. I think it argues that they want to drive people to the $999 product". He likes the price. "I think it is low in general though. I thought they would be over $1,000".
The point: Don't compare Surface Pro to iPad. That's what the RT model is for. Microsoft prices against MacBook Air, and there offers some compelling advantages, starting with that higher resolution display and continuing with the option of running real Windows apps on a sensibly-sized tablet.
Sorry, but Microsoft partners like Samsung that push 11.6-inch Windows slates need to think smaller. Surface's size is much more manageable in the hand, while offering benefits of dual tablet or notebook usage. Again, there's question whether the market will see the approach as best of both worlds, or worst of them.
You tell me. Will you buy Surface Pro?

View the original article here

Last week, Microsoft released pricing on Surface tablets running Windows 8 Pro: $899 (64GB), $999 (128GB). Controversy followed, with the Apple Fan Club of analysts, bloggers, reporters and other writers fanning the flames of misinformation (as they so often do). These nitwits say Surface Pro is overpriced, because iPad costs so much less. But iPad is the wrong comparison to make. I say Microsoft prices Surface Pro against MacBook Air and ultrabooks, which makes loads of sense when looking at the chip architecture (x86, not ARM), configuration (similar to MBA for cost) and operating system (developed for desktop PCs not mobile devices).
I rebutted loony iPad comparisons with post "Microsoft Surface Pro is NOT overpriced". Compared to MacBook Air or ultrabooks, Surface is competitively priced, which was my point -- that and getting sensible analysis out there. But properly priced against competing devices isn't the same as being right for your budget or what you're willing to spend. Apple commands a premium brand, for which people pay more, happily. Then there is ultrabook, which didn't lift PC sales during second and third quarters as Intel and its OEM partners hoped. The costlier laptops simply aren't selling well. Ultrabooks' failure to wow foreshadows big, potential sales problems for Microsoft, which brand doesn't carry the same price premium as Apple's.
The question isn't "Will people spend $1,000 or more (with keyboard cover) for Surface Pro?" but "Who will pay $1,000 or more for a Windows 8 slate?" Does Windows command premium brand pricing? For the majority of buyers, my answer is "No". Take a look at US retail in the three weeks leading up to and including Black Friday. According to NPD, the average selling price for Windows laptops was $477. The cheapest Mac sells for $999, which sets the lowest number for ASPs. Globally, Apple laptop ASP was $1,356 during third quarter, as calculated from public financial filings. What does Microsoft sell to the average person that comes even close? Nothing. So how does Microsoft make the leap? I write this post in part to get answer from you, as potential buyers.
I draw a different line from Surface Pro -- not to iPad but to laptops of similar architecture, recognizing something else: The pen. Surface Pro extends Microsoft's 10 year-old Tablet PC concept, because there is a stylus. The input device is standard equipment, even when the keyboard cover is extra-cost add-on.
On Google+, Peter Sitterly responds to my pushback comparing Surface to iPad: "If typical consumers make these same wrong comparisons, then it will be a market failure. No amount of telling consumers that they're being stupid is going to solve Microsoft's marketing problems". But Microsoft telling consumers is the point. Presumably, like Surface RT, Pro will be sold exclusively at Microsoft Store, where the company controls the marketing and presents tablets in context of other products.
The Big Gotcha
People won't make iPad comparisons inside the company's shops. Microsoft's sales problem is much, much bigger. Consumers are more likely to compare Surface Pro to RT. That is the fundamental sales problem.
When shoppers go into Apple Store, there is no question the difference between iPad and laptops like MacBook Air. From pricing to form factor to user interface, differences are unmistakable. Surface is quite different. Pro and RT form factors are nearly identical, as is the Modern UI buyers will see. That makes distinguishing the benefits of one versus the other all the more difficult -- and that's exactly not what Microsoft should want for a new branded product.
Meanwhile pricing difference glares. Surface RT starts at $499, or 400 bucks less than Pro. Most buyers won't much notice or care about ARM versus Intel, and Microsoft Store sales staff and promotional materials will have to lay out the big difference: The ability to run legacy Windows applications. Is that worth spending $500 or more (when adding keyboard cover) and benefit easily presented as compelling. I'm not convinced.
Surface Pro: 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1920 by 1080 resolution; Intel Core i5 processor and HD 4000 graphics; 4GB RAM; 64GB or 128GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras (meaning they're for video more than photos); accelerometer; ambient light sensor; compass; gyroscope; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; USB 3; Windows Pro 8. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.81 x 0.53 inches and just under 2 pounds. Price: $899 (64GB); $999 (128GB).
Surface RT: 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1366 by 768 resolution; Nvidia T30 processor; 2GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras (meaning they're for video more than photos); accelerometer; ambient light sensor; barometer; magnetometer; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; Windows RT. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches and just under 1.5 pounds. Price: $499 (32GB); $599 (32GB with keyboard cover); $699 (64GB with keyboard cover).
Granted, Pro has twice the memory and higher-resolution display, but form factors are nearly identical for devices with very different purposes. Surface RT competes with iPad, by features, function and price. Pro extends the Tablet PC hybrid concept and, as such, is priced against x86 portables not Android or iOS devices. Microsoft has to sell buyers on the benefits of the hybrid concept, which in many ways applies to cheaper-selling Surface RT, and paying premium price.
Better for Business?
John Reczniarek puts Surface Pro in business context:

For myself as a system administrator, I can have all my of administrator tools which only run in x86 whilst out of the office or even wandering around the office. I could get a phone call on the way to work and remotely connect via the proper VPN connectivity that isn't in the Surface RT, and resolve issues on my hour long trip to work. It brings proper security and gives Administrators like myself the ability to manage devices again. It's perfect for a business tablet because that's what it's designed to be!?

I agree but that scenario presumes IT organizations will choose to spend at least $1,000 on Surface tablets. Reality is this: iPad came into businesses by the backdoor -- the so-called BYOD, or bring your own device, to work phenomenon.
"The Pro does something no other tablet does: Liberates tablets from only being able to run cheap crappy software purchased off app stores", BetaNews reader Joe Chan opines. "People don't realize the value because they're comparing it to existing products. Its value should become apparent after release when someone with a Pro is sketching on Full blown Photoshop with a stylus and the guy with an iPad is sketching on Photoshop Express with his finger. Or someone with a Pro is playing a PC quality game and someone with an iPad is cutting rope for the millionth time".
Is he right? Can Surface come into businesses BYOD, for one-thousand bucks? Will businesses choose Surface Pro, when Windows 8 laptops can be had for less?
You tell me. Please answer the poll above and give your reasons in comments below.

View the original article here

Yesterday Microsoft officially unveiled the price of Surface with Windows 8 Pro. Shortly after the Redmond, Wash.-based corporation revealed another bit of key information which was previously missing from the spec sheet -- battery life.
Unlike it's Windows RT sibling, which actually manages to deliver relatively decent battery life, Surface with Windows 8 Pro only lasts roughly half as much according to Microsoft. Prospective buyers can expect between four to five hours of cordless operation if the former's results are of any indication. The reason for the unimpressive performance is undoubtedly the Intel Core i5 processor and high-definition 1080p display.
Microsoft targets the opposite ends of the tablet spectrum with the two models. On one end there's Surface RT, which provides adequate battery life, while at the other the software giant pitches Surface Pro with full-fledged hardware for better performance.
Yesterday my colleague Joe Wilcox provided an in-depth analysis on the role that Microsoft's more powerful tablet can have on the market. He says that Surface Pro targets Apple's MacBook Air rather than the Cupertino, Calif.-based corporation's iPad tablet. In this regard performance makes sense over battery life, and the sacrifice is less damaging.
However, there's a third way with a wider tablet selection.
Intel recently released the Z2760 "Clover Trail" processor. It aims to provide a balance between performance, portability and battery life, without sacrificing either of the three in a noticeable manner. Intel quotes up to 10 hours of HD video playback and over three weeks of standby time in a form factor as small as 8.5mm thick and 1.5lbs (680 grams) in weight.
So prospective buyers can choose a model that might better suit their needs of performance and battery life. Because the Z2760 is designed to utilize the x86 architecture it can run Windows 8 Pro, meaning users have access to a large app selection as well as a more mature ecosystem. Legacy programs are not out of the question either. Basically similar to Surface Pro, but without the poor battery life.
The Intel Z2760's performance will not rival that of the Core i5 found in Microsoft's Windows 8 Pro tablet, but does it have to? Tablets are supposed to be mobile devices that best traditional solutions in all-around usability, and from this point of view the former might be a better match.
Photo Credit: Kheng Guan Toh/Shutterstock

View the original article here

Last week, Microsoft released pricing on Surface tablets running Windows 8 Pro: $899 (64GB), $999 (128GB). Controversy followed, with the Apple Fan Club of analysts, bloggers, reporters and other writers fanning the flames of misinformation (as they so often do). These nitwits say Surface Pro is overpriced, because iPad costs so much less. But iPad is the wrong comparison to make. I say Microsoft prices Surface Pro against MacBook Air and ultrabooks, which makes loads of sense when looking at the chip architecture (x86, not ARM), configuration (similar to MBA for cost) and operating system (developed for desktop PCs not mobile devices).
I rebutted loony iPad comparisons with post "Microsoft Surface Pro is NOT overpriced". Compared to MacBook Air or ultrabooks, Surface is competitively priced, which was my point -- that and getting sensible analysis out there. But properly priced against competing devices isn't the same as being right for your budget or what you're willing to spend. Apple commands a premium brand, for which people pay more, happily. Then there is ultrabook, which didn't lift PC sales during second and third quarters as Intel and its OEM partners hoped. The costlier laptops simply aren't selling well. Ultrabooks' failure to wow foreshadows big, potential sales problems for Microsoft, which brand doesn't carry the same price premium as Apple's.
The question isn't "Will people spend $1,000 or more (with keyboard cover) for Surface Pro?" but "Who will pay $1,000 or more for a Windows 8 slate?" Does Windows command premium brand pricing? For the majority of buyers, my answer is "No". Take a look at US retail in the three weeks leading up to and including Black Friday. According to NPD, the average selling price for Windows laptops was $477. The cheapest Mac sells for $999, which sets the lowest number for ASPs. Globally, Apple laptop ASP was $1,356 during third quarter, as calculated from public financial filings. What does Microsoft sell to the average person that comes even close? Nothing. So how does Microsoft make the leap? I write this post in part to get answer from you, as potential buyers.
I draw a different line from Surface Pro -- not to iPad but to laptops of similar architecture, recognizing something else: The pen. Surface Pro extends Microsoft's 10 year-old Tablet PC concept, because there is a stylus. The input device is standard equipment, even when the keyboard cover is extra-cost add-on.
On Google+, Peter Sitterly responds to my pushback comparing Surface to iPad: "If typical consumers make these same wrong comparisons, then it will be a market failure. No amount of telling consumers that they're being stupid is going to solve Microsoft's marketing problems". But Microsoft telling consumers is the point. Presumably, like Surface RT, Pro will be sold exclusively at Microsoft Store, where the company controls the marketing and presents tablets in context of other products.
The Big Gotcha
People won't make iPad comparisons inside the company's shops. Microsoft's sales problem is much, much bigger. Consumers are more likely to compare Surface Pro to RT. That is the fundamental sales problem.
When shoppers go into Apple Store, there is no question the difference between iPad and laptops like MacBook Air. From pricing to form factor to user interface, differences are unmistakable. Surface is quite different. Pro and RT form factors are nearly identical, as is the Modern UI buyers will see. That makes distinguishing the benefits of one versus the other all the more difficult -- and that's exactly not what Microsoft should want for a new branded product.
Meanwhile pricing difference glares. Surface RT starts at $499, or 400 bucks less than Pro. Most buyers won't much notice or care about ARM versus Intel, and Microsoft Store sales staff and promotional materials will have to lay out the big difference: The ability to run legacy Windows applications. Is that worth spending $500 or more (when adding keyboard cover) and benefit easily presented as compelling. I'm not convinced.
Surface Pro: 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1920 by 1080 resolution; Intel Core i5 processor and HD 4000 graphics; 4GB RAM; 64GB or 128GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras (meaning they're for video more than photos); accelerometer; ambient light sensor; compass; gyroscope; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; USB 3; Windows Pro 8. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.81 x 0.53 inches and just under 2 pounds. Price: $899 (64GB); $999 (128GB).
Surface RT: 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1366 by 768 resolution; Nvidia T30 processor; 2GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras (meaning they're for video more than photos); accelerometer; ambient light sensor; barometer; magnetometer; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; Windows RT. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches and just under 1.5 pounds. Price: $499 (32GB); $599 (32GB with keyboard cover); $699 (64GB with keyboard cover).
Granted, Pro has twice the memory and higher-resolution display, but form factors are nearly identical for devices with very different purposes. Surface RT competes with iPad, by features, function and price. Pro extends the Tablet PC hybrid concept and, as such, is priced against x86 portables not Android or iOS devices. Microsoft has to sell buyers on the benefits of the hybrid concept, which in many ways applies to cheaper-selling Surface RT, and paying premium price.
Better for Business?
John Reczniarek puts Surface Pro in business context:

For myself as a system administrator, I can have all my of administrator tools which only run in x86 whilst out of the office or even wandering around the office. I could get a phone call on the way to work and remotely connect via the proper VPN connectivity that isn't in the Surface RT, and resolve issues on my hour long trip to work. It brings proper security and gives Administrators like myself the ability to manage devices again. It's perfect for a business tablet because that's what it's designed to be!?

I agree but that scenario presumes IT organizations will choose to spend at least $1,000 on Surface tablets. Reality is this: iPad came into businesses by the backdoor -- the so-called BYOD, or bring your own device, to work phenomenon.
"The Pro does something no other tablet does: Liberates tablets from only being able to run cheap crappy software purchased off app stores", BetaNews reader Joe Chan opines. "People don't realize the value because they're comparing it to existing products. Its value should become apparent after release when someone with a Pro is sketching on Full blown Photoshop with a stylus and the guy with an iPad is sketching on Photoshop Express with his finger. Or someone with a Pro is playing a PC quality game and someone with an iPad is cutting rope for the millionth time".
Is he right? Can Surface come into businesses BYOD, for one-thousand bucks? Will businesses choose Surface Pro, when Windows 8 laptops can be had for less?
You tell me. Please answer the poll above and give your reasons in comments below.

View the original article here

When Microsoft announced the Surface product family a few months ago, I was immediately drawn towards Surface Pro, and not Surface with Windows RT. Imagine my disappointment when Microsoft went silent again after the revelation of the company's first entry in the tablet market. Essential information like price or availability were missing at that point in time, and it was shortly before launch of the device that Microsoft revealed anything meaningful.
There was no word on the Surface Pro though, until now. Tami Reller, Windows and Windows Live Division chief marketing officer, reveals at the Credit Suisse Annual Technology Conference 2012 that Surface Pro will launch in January 2013. Today, Microsoft also revealed pricing: $899 (64GB); $999 (128GB).

We also have talked about -- I keep losing my clicker here -- we have also talked about not only Surface RT, which is shipping today, but we also back in June talked about the Surface with Windows 8 Pro, and you're seeing here a picture of Surface with Windows 8 Pro, or Surface Pro as we often refer to it. You'll see the same kickstand, the same covers work with Surface Pro as well, and you'll see the pen with Surface Pro as well.
And we talked about back in June that Surface Pro would be available in early 2013. And, in fact, Surface with the Windows 8 Pro will be available in January. So, there you see a picture of both. So, we're very excited about Surface, and how customers are reacting to Surface RT, and the excitement for Surface Pro for sure.

Timing and pricing give us another piece of the puzzle. But Microsoft has not revealed other essential information, such as full hardware specs, or how well the battery performs.
Surface Pro Features
Here is a short list of features that Microsoft has revealed about Surface Pro:
Intel Core i5 processorOn-board Intel HD Graphics 400010.6-inch ClearType Full HD 10-point multi-touch display (Surface RT has a 5-point multi-touch displays and a resolution of 1366 x 768 but uses the same dimensions)4GB RAM (Surface RT has 2GB)64GB or 128GB storagePen input and pen included with purchase48W power supplyFull USB 3.0 port (Surface RT has a USB 2.0 port)
Surface RT and Pro Main Differences
The main difference between Surface with Windows RT and Surface with Windows Pro besides hardware is the operating system. Surface RT users get Microsoft Office included with their device and access to Windows Store apps. What they can't do is install legacy x86 applications on their device, which Surface Pro users can.  That's the main reason I'm interested in Surface Pro and not RT.
Price
German retailer Notebook.de may have leaked the price for Microsoft's Surface Pro device when it started to accept pre-orders its website in the beginning of November. The 64GB version of Surface Pro was listed at EUR 809 including VAT, which is about US $1,050, while the 128GB model listed for EUR 909 or US $1,180.
The 64GB Surface with Windows RT and touch cover is currently sold by Microsoft for $699. Before today's pricing announcement, if I had to estimate, the 64GB model would start at $899 or maybe even $999, the 128GB version likely at $1,099. Real pricing, and that's without keyboard cover, is $899 and $999, respectively.
What's your take on Surface with Windows 8 Pro? Are you considering buying the device or is it something that you are not interested in at all?

View the original article here