Microsoft’s Surface Windows 8 Pro tablet will be available in the U.S. and Canada on February 9 starting at $899, the company announced on Tuesday. The tablet is the slightly larger and much more powerful version of the $499 Microsoft Surface tablet that launched last October. A promotional image from Microsoft can be seen below:
Microsoft on Tuesday also unveiled three new designs for its “Touch Cover,” a cover for the Surface that also acts as a touch-sensitive slim keyboard when flipped down. It’s sold separately for $129.99 (promotional image below):
As the name indicates, the Surface Windows Pro runs a full version of Microsoft’s Windows 8 Pro operating system, the main distinguishing feature from its less powerful predecessor, which runs a lighter version of Windows 8 called Windows RT. Windows 8 Pro supports legacy Windows programs and all PC software, while Windows RT only supports new tablet-specific apps and a modified version of Microsoft Office.
Microsoft on Tuesday also unveiled a new Surface-themed Wedge touch mouse for $69.95 and that the Surface Windows RT would be expanding to 13 new markets (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) in the coming weeks.
