If anyone is using a Microsoft Surface tablet (or has at least heard of them), the next generation of those tablets has been officially announced!

The linked article has some good information, and it looks like there have been some major upgrades to the line including processor power which was significantly improved, as well as internal storage. Surface tablets haven’t sold so well thus far, for several reasons: They have a desktop component, meaning you have the tiled, metro-style layout, but oftentimes selecting a tile sends you into another, desktop-like environment, taking you away from the reason you have a tablet in the first place. There has also been confusion between the two models of Surface, the RT and Pro models. The RT model was an underpowered economy version of the more powerful Pro line, although from reading the article while they drastically improved the RT model, they are manufacturing less of them. The Pro line allowed true, laptop-like productivity options, the RT less so. People also didn’t like having to pay extra, sometimes a lot extra, for the keyboard covers, even though the iPad required the same.

The Metro Interface

But, it looks like the improvements are a major step in the right direction. They ave both received major upgrades in power and usability, plus, they come in purple! As far as a tablet actually being able to replace a laptop, these new versions of the Surface might be the first time it can actually be done.