Panos Panay and the Surface team just wrapped up their AMA on Reddit. The Q&A session had hundreds of questions about the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. We’ve collected some of the more interesting answers and factoids into a handy, easy-to-digest bullet point list. Enjoy!
Surface 2
- Surface 2 with LTE integrated coming early next year. (Source)
- LTE version will have GPS. (Source)
- Surface 2 only comes in silver, no black option. (Source)
- Surface 2 does not have support the Surface Pen. It is still a capacitive display. (Source)
- Surface 2 still uses a 5-point multitouch display. (Source)
Surface Pro 2
- Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 do not support connected standby. (Source)
- Surface Pro 2 features Intel 4400HD graphics. (Source)
- Surface Pro will work with new Docking Station. (Source)
- Surface Pro 2 uses the Haswell Intel Core i5-4200U as processor. (Source)
- Surface Pro 2 will support dual external displays at 2650 x 1600 along with the internal display. DisplayPort 1.2 on the Surface Pro 2 allows for daisy chaining 2 monitors. (Source)
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2
- Surface display goes up to 400 nits in brightness. (Source)
- Both Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 feature Dolby processing built-in to improve audio. (Source)
- Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 will have Miracast support.
- Both Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 use 802.11 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO special diversity streams for Wi-Fi capabilities. 2.4G and 5G are supported for 802.11n. (Source)
- No support for NFC in either Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2. (Source)
Accessories
- Power connector is now easier to connect with the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. It has been redesigned to be easier to position and insert. The LED can now be seen from any angle. (Source)
- The Power Cover does not come with backlit keys (saving power is the concern, though it can charge your Surface when in the bag). (Source)
- The entire Touch Cover 2 can be used for gestures. (Source)
- Both Touch and Type Cover 2 will work with first generation Surface devices. The backlit functionality will also work on both the Surface RT and Surface Pro. (Source)
- Surface Pen and chargers from first generation will work with Surface Pro 2. (Source)
- New keyboards support Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad functionality in Windows 8.1. (Source)
- Touch Cover 2 features 1092 pressure sensors, up from 80 in the original. This will enabled more blades, like the Surface Music Kit, in the future. (Source)
Misc.
- Panos Panay uses the Nokia Lumia 1020 as his smartphone. (Sure it’s silly, but I thought it was cool). (Source)
- Julie Larson-Green enjoys a good, hoppy IPA. (Source)
Overall, a solid AMA. Curious about pricing and worldwide availability? The Surface 2 starts at $449 and the Surface Pro 2 starts at $899. Get full details here. What other questions do you have about the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2? Sound off below.
Source: Reddit AMA
ID@Azure is a new program for indie cloud development, based on ID@Xbox
Microsoft is spinning up a new program aimed at introducing independent devs and teams to Azure cloud-based services and infrastructure, according to this new job listing.
Microsoft is testing 1080p xCloud streams for Xbox Game Pass gaming
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is currently limited to 720p for streaming to mobile devices, but we've seen evidence that it's about to get bumped up to 1080p. Here's what you need to know.
Here are 10 Xbox games that need 'FPS Boost'
FPS Boost is another impressive feature currently available in the Xbox backwards compatibility utility belt. Here are 10 games we want to see take advantage of enhanced framerates.
These external monitors are a great addition to your Surface Book 2, Book 3
Thinking about adding some screen real estate to your Surface Book 2 or Surface Book 3? Check out these external monitors that will fill the need for high resolution, smooth gaming, or budget pricing.