Microsoft Surface

Surface users have a lot to look forward to these days: Barnes & Noble is offering free ebook swag for Windows 8 users, and Microsoft just confirmed that the operating system's next big update, codenamed Blue, will be announced in June.

To entice the Surface RT and Surface Pro crowd to download Nook for Windows 8, Barnes & Noble is giving away five books and five magazines to those who get the new app, in addition to the one million free books already available in the Nook catalog.

As always, free swag doesn't come without its strings: the offer is only available for a limited time, and users have to choose from a "select list." Among the good titles on that list is Life of Pi, which is only free to the first 100,000 Windows 8 customers.

The new Nook app for Windows 8 is also making digital life a little more streamlined for Surface users. Instead of signing up with separate Nook credentials, Windows 8 users can sign in and purchase media with their preexisting Microsoft Account.

There's more in store for Surface on the software side, too — but we won't know what exactly that is for a couple of months. Today, Microsoft confirmed that Blue, the first major update to Windows 8, will be announced at the Build Developer Conference in late June.

Leaks of Windows Blue have already "surfaced" on the web, and the previews show some exciting new features, like running more apps side by side, a more customizable start screen, and increased integration with SkyDrive, Microsoft's version of iCloud.

In a blog post, Frank Shaw, Microsoft's VP of communications, stressed that the company's "new normal" is unifying all devices, apps, and services. We can't wait to see how Microsoft integrates Windows, Phone, Office, Xbox, and more in the coming months, but until then, we want to hear from you Surface folk: is it a good time to be a Windows 8 user?

Microsoft is adding another tablet to its Surface Windows 8 lineup — Surface Pro, the high-performance version of the already-released Surface RT tablet, which is available starting today in the US and Canada.

Unlike the Surface RT, the Pro runs a full Windows 8 desktop operating system and supports current Windows 7 applications. It's more comparable to ultraportable laptops than tablets that run on a mobile OS. The device costs $899 for the 64GB standalone version and $999 for the 128GB model.

When we asked readers in November if the hefty price tag was worth it, only 37 percent said "yes" (for comparison, the 64GB iPad Retina is $699). But if you've spent the last couple of months reconsidering, here's a guide to where the Surface Pro is available, what you're getting right out of the box, and which accessories are available.

• Where to buy — Starting Feb. 9, both 64GB and 128GB versions will be available at all Microsoft retail stores, MicrosoftStore.com, and Staples and Best Buy in the US.
• In the box — The dark titanium-colored tablet comes with a capacitive Surface Pen that has a digitizing technology called Palm Block. On the outside, the body is comparable to the Surface RT, just thicker (14mm) and a little heavier (2 lbs.), and both the front- and rear-facing cameras are 720p HD. On the inside, there's an Intel Core i5 processor and the 10.6-inch display runs 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution.
• A note about 64GB — Microsoft notes that the Windows 8 system software uses significant storage space and "available storage is subject to change based on system updates and apps usage." If you're thinking about using the Surface Pro as your primary computing device, consider getting the 128GB model.
• The accessories — The Surface Pro very notably does not include the touch or type keyboard covers with a trackpad that click into the edge of the tablet. The touch version ($120) is pressure sensitive, while the type version ($130) is more like a full-fledged keyboard. Both covers work with Surface Pro and RT tablets.

Four months after announcing its foray into tablets with the Surface, Microsoft's new gadget and Windows 8 operating system are finally ready for consumer purchase tonight at midnight. The redesigned Windows computing OS builds upon its current Windows 7 mobile products with a tile layout and applications-dominant interface. Here, how to bring Windows 8 and any one of 1,000 Windows 8-ready devices home this weekend.

Windows 8

• Microsoft Store — Beginning Friday, Oct. 26, at 12:01 a.m. local time, purchase Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro ($40 for download or $70 for shipment) on the Microsoft online store.
• In stores — In addition to brick-and-mortar retailers like Best Buy and Staples, find Windows 8 on Amazon.
• On new devices — Microsoft has partnered with tech powerhouses (ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung) to make over 1,000 tablets, laptops, and desktop computers preinstalled with Windows 8 ready to purchase immediately.

Surface Tablet

• Online — Order the Surface now ($499 for 32GB, $599 for 32GB with black Touch Cover, and $699 for 64GB with black Touch Cover) on the Microsoft site, which currently has a one- to three-week shipping estimate. Upgrade to a Touch Cover in red, white, cyan, or magenta for an additional $120 or a Type Cover for $130.
• In stores — Line up early at a Microsoft Store near you on Friday and receive a year's Xbox Music Pass (worth $100) with purchase of the Surface.

Do you plan to purchase any of Microsoft's new Windows 8 products?

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