Microsoft Surface •

Can a tablet replace a laptop? Definitely not, would say those who can’t do their jobs in the lack of a mouse and a keyboard. Can Microsoft create such an amazing product that it can directly compete with Apple’s MacBook and other ultrabooks out there? Can a Microsoft product defeat them in the market share? Definitely not, would say financial analysts who have seen the numbers related to sales and profits.

But if you are a true Microsoft fan and still believe the company can break down barriers and re-invent itself and the mobile gadgets market, then you are in luck. In a press event that took place yesterday in New York, Microsoft exec Panos Panay unveiled the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet.

What is so great about this product in comparison to its Surface Pro 2 predecessor? Panay said this one is faster, better built, thinner, lighter and has a wider screen than the previous model. The killer feature of this tablet, however, is that it can supposedly replace both laptops and tablets. It can cover all the functions a laptop sports, with the added convenience of being easier to carry and to use. Is that so?

Let’s see briefly the features of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet and try to underline the ones making it better than a laptop:

The Surface Pro 3 will have a screen measuring 12 inches diagonally, up from 10.6 inches in the previous model. The Pro 3 is 32 percent thinner and 12 percent lighter than October’s Pro 2. The company said it customized more than 100 parts and worked closely with chipmaker Intel Corp. to maximize performance in a slim device.

So far, no matter how well equipped this device is, it still cannot compensate for a laptop, let alone for a MacBook. This is why perhaps the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 also sports an additional keyboard and mouse pack, to get closer to the concept of “laptop”. In other words, it is still a tablet (actually more of an Ultrabook) and it is still not impressive enough to give us hope that Microsoft will boost sales in its tablets and phones department.

We admit that Microsoft is bringing new and interesting ideas to the world, in an effort to maximize profits and gain new customers, but Apple and Samsung are way ahead of it. From a financial point of view,

[quote]Currently, that market is dominated by Apple’s iPad and various devices running Google’s Android operating system, including Amazon’s Kindle Fire. According to the research firm IDC, tablets running a version of the Windows 8 operating system made up less than 2 percent of the tablet market in the first part of 2014, a grim mark for Microsoft.[/quote]

Nadella said Microsoft didn’t create new gadgets just to create new gadgets, but because they wanted to deliver new experiences and new demands in the market to power up the entire industry. If by that they mean they want to bring down the reign of Apple and Samsung, they have still a very long and hard road to travel.

In the previous month, Microsoft had announced that they will be making the Surface RT available at reduced rate especially for students. Now, Microsoft makes the Surface RT available at discounted price for general consumers as well. Very recently, it was found that the Surface RT is available for $349 at Staples. We have got the Staples advertisement for you. The $349 is an impressive price tag and there is a price cut of $150 from the original price.

It was only last week that there were rumors about Microsoft may consider significantly reducing the price of Surface RT tablets and finally it has come true. However, the price cut is only showing for the 32GB version of the Surface RT tablet. Analysts feel that the 64GB version will be priced at $449 without the TouchCover.

In the pic we have added here, we can see a weekly ad layout from Staples. When the ad is clicked, it shows the product page of the tablet and shows you the most recent discounted price along with a banner that reads ‘upcoming deal’. They have not mentioned whether they will include the TouchCover in the deal.

The deal has gone live from 14^th July and according to the flyer, the deal is going to be available only till 20^th July. If you are interested in purchasing the Surface RT, you need to do it today.

Recently, Microsoft has suggested arrival of two new successor products for Surface RT and Surface Pro. However, the successor products will be out in the market next year. The news of these two products was made public during the Worldwide Partner Conference. Rumors have it that the successor device for Surface Pro will come with the new Haswell CPU whereas the Surface RT will get a qualcomm CPU. The manufacturers are also planning to offer LTE connectivity.

The Surface RT is the very own tablet from Microsoft which was announced a year ago. Surely the price cut is an indicator that Microsoft wishes to sell all the RT tablets in stock and make away for the upcoming successor. Microsoft is currently a new player in the tablet PC market. Major brands like Apple, Samsung and Asus are ruling the tablet market. Still, Microsoft has managed to cling on to the 5^th position in the market. The recent price reduction of Surface RT can help in increasing the popularity of Microsoft tablets.

The reason behind Microsoft resorting to reduction in price is the slow sales of the tablets. Even the education program to give away Surface RT tablets at $199 is also Microsoft’s move to clear the remaining stock of its devices. The inbuilt kickstand, wide HD display, external microSD slots and the very Touch Cover and Type Cover are some of the salient features of the Surface RT tablet.

Most tech sites that reviewed the Surface RT tablet criticized on its high price tag. Well, now Microsoft has reduced the price but will it be able to attract buyers? The Surface RT 32 GB is available for $349 at Staples. It has not mentioned anything about the TouchCover. However, analysts feel the Surface RT along with Touch Cover will for $449. The Surface RT 64 GB variant will be available for $449 and with Touch Cover, you can get it for $549.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Tablet Can Replace Your Laptop

Microsoft Surface RT 32GB Variant Discount Ends Today

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