Patch Tuesday: Firmware updates available for all Surface devices

What’s your favorite Tuesday of the month? If you’re anything like us your favorite Tuesday is the second one. The one that Microsoft calls Patch Tuesday and puts out a ton of updates for things like Windows 8 and your Surface device. Today is that Tuesday, so let’s check out what’s new this month.

For Surface owners, we’re looking at updates available across all devices: Surface, Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. Here’s the breakdown on what’s new and/or fixed in the latest updates:

Surface – Release notes

Updates on both Windows RT 8.0 and Windows RT 8.1 that include:

• Surface Home Button Driver update to optimize available system memory.
• Surface Type Cover audio device driver update to enhance trackpad sounds for Type Cover

Surface 2 – Release notes

The Surface 2 is only running Windows RT 8.1. That said, here are the updates for the latest and greatest Surface:

• Screen dimming during CPU intensive operations resolved.
• Decreased charge time for batteries.
• Two-finger trackpad use optimized.
• Update to support additional external displays.
• Skype video quality improved.
• Resolved delay during restart when Bluetooth devices are connected.

Surface Pro – Release notes

Nothing new for Windows 8.0 users on the Surface Pro, but folks using it with Windows 8.1 will be seeing something that should make Rafael happy:

• Wi-Fi driver (v14.69.24047.156) update for improved wireless display experience.

Surface Pro 2 – Release notes

Again, the Surface Pro 2 shipped with Windows 8.1 on board, so the updates are for that. Here’s what you’ll find new with your Surface Pro 2:

• Improved system stability, including when minimizing full screen games.
• Updated Wi-Fi driver for improved wireless display and connectivity with wireless access points.
• Improved Surface Cover interaction including power-saving sleep functionality.
• Color fidelity improvements for all applications.
• Optimized two-finger trackpad use.
• Enhanced audio experience when connected to a Display Port 1.2 device.

If you’ve got a Surface device you’ll want to head to Windows Update in your PC’s settings to get the latest firmware. The updates posted above (especially for the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2) fix a handful of issues with the devices. Not rocking a Surface machine? No worries, Patch Tuesday is also a day for general and security fixes to Windows 8.

We can’t list every single security bulletin list that the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for December 2013 does, but we can point out a few big ones. For example, bulletin ID MS13-096 is an update that addresses a vulnerability that could allow remote code execution in products like Windows, Office, and Lync. Another, MS13-097, is a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer that fixes privately reported vulnerabilities that could allow remote code execution. Head to Windows Update to grab all the latest there.

There are also optional updates in Patch Tuesday that are worth downloading. For example, KB 2913320 is an update that improves SkyDrive reliability and user experience when editing files from multiple endpoints in Windows RT 8.1 and Windows 8.1.

Any updates (either Surface firmware or Windows 8 related) you’re looking forward to the most?

Via: ZDNet