by Tolu Orekoya

After a mysterious tease, Microsoft finally revealed ‘Surface’ 2.o: a tablet set to launch at the end of the year. It is meant to be the best of both worlds, an skinny tablet that transforms into a desktop PC. Is it a contender to beat the indomitable iPad? Only time will tell. Still, it looks promising.

There is not much detail on the tablet as of yet, mostly that it will come in two flavours; the Windows RT for consumers and Windows 8 Pro, geared towards business consumers. The RT version will run Windows Metro UI apps only, while the Pro version will run the full Windows 8 Operating System (OS), enabling users to run software like Office and Photoshop.

Surface tablets also have what has to be the most exciting new accessory: razor thin covers, that come in multiple colours, and double as a keyboard for the device. Coupled with a reportedly sturdy kickstand, it transforms the portable tablet into a nifty  desktop.

Microsoft has been coy about pricing and specific release date, but there are indications that both flavours of the Surface tablet will be released at the end of the year, in time for the holiday gift-buying season in the US.

The specs:

Surface for Windows RT:

• OS: Windows RT (aka, Windows on ARM)
• Display: 10.6-inch HD Display.
• Chip: Nvidia Tegra.
• Weight: 676 g (iPad 652 g)
• Thickness: 9.3mm (iPad 9.4mm)
• Ports: microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video
• Software: Office 15, among other apps
• Battery: 31.5 watt-hour (iPad: 42.5 W-h)
• Configs: 32GB, 64GB

Surface for for Windows 8 Pro:

• OS: Windows 8 Pro (aka, Windows on Intel)
• Display: 10.6-inch HD Display: 16:9, 1920×1080.
• Chip: Intel Core i5 “Ivy Bridge.”
• Weight: 903 g
• Thickness: 13.5mm
• Ports: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video
• Battery: 42 watt-hour
• Configs: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB

 

Watch the video preview below:

Sources: The Verge, Gizmodo, Attack of the Fanboy