Microsoft is now confirming that the previously announced sister tablet to the Surface Windows RT is will arrive this coming February.
In a post at The Official Microsoft Blog, Panos Panay, General Manager of the Surface family of products, confirmed that the Intel powered, stylus wielding, big brother to the currently available Surface will arrive in the United States and Canada on February in local Staples, Best Buy, and Microsoft Stores nationwide. The Surface Windows 8 Pro as the folks in Redmond have decided to brand it above my numerous objections will ship in 64GB and 128GB at $899 and $999 respectively.
This new tablet will also have some new cover-shaped friends beside them on store shelves as Microsoft will also be launching a few limited edition Touch Covers in pink, purple and red with printed designs to match, though they will set you back $10 more than Touch Covers of the non-special edition variety at $129.
Lastly, while those in outposts more remote than North America won’t be able to pick up the Surface Windows 8 Pro, interested parties in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland will finally be able to purchase the Surface RT locally, though Microsoft hasn’t yet detailed in what retail locations it might be made available.
We guess, the only stone left unturned is to collectively wonder out loud whether the person in Microsoft’s marketing arm who came up with “Surface Windows 8 Pro” as a consumer model name, should be stoned to death. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for leniency during sentencing but the name borders on a crime against all consumer electronics.