Microsoft Surface hitting shelves on October 26, 2012

Microsoft fans have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the Surface tablet, and this bit of news will certainly come as a great piece of information for those waiting to snag this tablet. It has now come to light that the Surface tablets will be available from October 26, 2012.

As per a report by CNET, Microsoft, in their annual report, which they filed this week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stated, “The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012. At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices.” Microsoft recently announced that the Windows 8 OS will be available on October 26, 2012, which is the same date the Surface tablet is expected to be released.

Launch date revealed

A hot topic surrounding the Microsoft Surface is its price. A recent listing portrayed the price of the top-of-the-line Surface as approximately $2,150, which translates to roughly Rs. 1,20,000. However, the website has since put up a disclaimer stating that those were not the official prices given by Microsoft, and that the brand has not informed them regarding the prices of any of the Surface tablets.

The Microsoft Surface tablets will be available in two types: one is a budget-friendly version and will feature Windows RT running on ARM chipsets, and the other version is the Windows 8 Pro tablet running on Ivy Bridge processors and expected to be priced similarly to Ultrabooks. In a statement regarding the pricing of the tablets, Microsoft said, “Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC.”

Here are the specification for the Surface tablets:

Surface for Windows RT

• OS: Windows RT
• Weight: 676 grams
• Depth: 9.3 mm
• Display: 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display
• Energized: 31.5 W-h
• Connectivity: microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae
• Productive: Office ‘15’ Apps, Touch Cover, Type Cover
• Practical: VaporMg Case and Stand
• Configurable: 32 GB, 64 GB

 
Surface for Windows 8 Pro

• OS: Windows 8 Pro
• Weight: 903 grams
• Depth: 13.5 mm
• Display: 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD Display
• Energized: 42 W-h
• Connected: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae
• Productive: Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block
• Practical: VaporMg Case and Stand
• Configurable: 64 GB, 128 GB

As of now, although there is no word on the pricing of the tablets, we at least have a definite idea of when the Surface will be launched. Pricing should be available closer to the date of launch, and with October 26 as the release date, our calendars can now be marked.