The product(s) provided for the review were sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency.The product(s) offered for the giveaway are free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and not by any means influenced by any other part.

There are many different tablets in the market right now and a lot of them offer some really neat features, but how do you know which tablet works best for your needs? I have tried a few different ones and most recently have had the chance to try what is without a doubt my favorite tablet yet… The Microsoft Surface RT.

As of 2013, Microsoft dominates the market for both the PC operating systems and office suite markets (the latter with Microsoft Office). The company also produces an extensive range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in other areas like internet search (with Bing), as well as the video game industry (with the Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles). Microsoft is also active in the digital services market (through MSN, now Outlook), and mobile phones (via the Windows Phone OS). In June 2012, Microsoft announced that it would be entering the PC vendor market for the first time, with the launch of the Microsoft Surface tablet computer( infotmation source: Wikipedia) which brings us to this review.

The Microsoft Surface RT is compact (10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 in), light weight (1.5 lbs), and more importantly it is capable to go from fun to work with no effort. This nifty tablet combines the best of both worlds in a user friendly unit that showcases all the products that are important to you right on the homepage so you can stay up to date with what is going on with favorite media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn …And all your favorites…I must say that Facebook on the Surface is a completely different experience!

The Surface comes preloaded with a series of very useful Microsoft applications to get you started, but you can always visit the App store which has thousands of different apps divided by categories to simplify your searches and that includes spotlight applications, Surface Picks, Games, Social, Entertainment….You name it! To make your visit to the store even easier, they have divided the different apps by Top paid, top free and New releases and that applies to all App categories…Easy and hassle free!

The Surface RT lets you bring your complete media collection with you wherever you go….great for people on the go. The Surface RT features a microSDXC card slot that allows you add up to 64 GB of extra storage to your unit. It also has an HD video out port for the times when you need to connect your tablet to a TV or computer screen for an extra large viewing experience. The Surface also has one very important feature that competing tablets such as the Ipad don’t offer … that is a Full-size USB port. This one feature is extremely important as it allows you to add additional devices that feature USB connectivity as you desire. Not only that, but if the memory is not sufficient for you and if you have let us say 100’s of movies, all you need to do is plug in your external hard drive to the USB port and you are on your way. Thank You Microsoft for putting this feature on and thinking about the customer instead of the money you can make by offering proprietary items. Of course, Microsoft also includes Bluetooth 4.0 that provides you with clutter-free connections with wireless mice and headsets along with Dual 2×2 MIMO antennas that provides dependable WIFI internet connectivity.

The surface is made with VaporMg casing that gives the surface a sleek and attractive look while keeping the construction sturdy and durable…One feature that I really like and is the first time I have seen this design in a tablet is the kick stand that you can use whenever you need or leave in when not need it as it is integrated on the back of the unit as standard. The kick stand is a great asset and allows for even more comfort when watching a movie, or doing a slide show! Microsoft had this feature built into the surface from the ground up during design so it is as function as it is sleek and unobtrusive. Most companies want to sell you something like this as an add-on, but Microsoft had the foresight to have it included in their product.

The Surface also has a very innovative Touch Cover that easily and securely clicks in to the Surface in an instant. It offers a fully functional keyboard that has a spill-resistant exterior that makes working on your tablet a lot easier. The smart Touch Cover automatically disables keystrokes for a full touchscreen experience when folded back, when closed, it turns off your display. There are many different shortcuts right on the keyboard that will again make the use of your tablet as smooth and easy as possible. The Touch cover also helps you to protect your screen when not in use and…it comes in different colors to allow you to give your Surface a personal touch….Check out their limited edition Touch Covers!

The surface RT also has two cameras one in the front and in the back, (this feature is on top of my list of favorites), the life cam rear camera is actually angled to shoot straight ahead when the Kickstand is flipped out…This is extremely helpful if you want to record a video or presentation and are all by yourself, and I am actually planning on using it to do some Vlogs that I am sure will be a lot easier with the help of the Surface.( stay tuned for those).

The Kickstand also allows hands-free Skype video chat or recording. With a custom lens design and an ambient light sensor on the Surface, it is made to maximize light intake for a better focus.

The Surface RT also has the capability to have different users…This is a big one for parents as you can have better control of whet your kids have access to…more things to love? On the right bottom of the screen you will see a small icon representing a keyboard and that you can use instead of the Soft Touch Cover for a full touch screen experience…I personally love being able to switch back and forth between the two formats. I don’t know about you, but a real key board makes typing documents a lot easier for me and the Soft Touch Cover provides me with just that. In addition, the Surface RT comes preloaded with Word, Excel, Power Point and One Note!

The Surface is available in two different formats or designs the Surface RT and the Surface Pro…There are many features that are similar on both designs, so the best way to explain the differences between the two and keep it simple, is that the RT is a tablet with computer capabilities while the Surface Pro is a computer with a tablet capability and there are functions that are limited on the RT while available on the PRO. One big difference is that the PRO has an Intel i5 processor that will allow this machine to perform tasks that the tablet cannot.

How do you know which surface is best for you? Let me try to simplify it…the Surface RT is a great family, entertainment tablet, and a great tool for students as they can easily surf the internet and create office environment documents and presentations. It is also a good ally for people that are constantly traveling and need a way to stay connected and in communication via email and the like to be updated with the different social sites while keeping it simple and light weight.

The PRO is meant for more complicated tasks and remember, it is a computer with a full Intel processor…While the PRO allows you to download programs as a regular computer will do, the Surface only allows you to download apps from the Windows store. One other thing that the PRO has is a pen digitizer and the pen come with your device so you can take notes as if you were doing it with a real pen…which is an advantage for designers and people that are into digital designs.

Another big difference is the price tag as the Surface RT starts from 499.00 and the Surface PRO has a starting price of 899.00. Both have the option to buy the tablet only or add the Soft Touch cover (I personally love the Soft Touch Cover and I love the fact that it comes in different colors. There are different accessories available for both machines including Surface HD Digital AV Adapter which lets you connect your device to any HDMI-compatible display (HDTV, monitor, or projector) and stream movies, play video games, and watch slideshows in high definition…. Please be aware there are specific ones for the different machines.

Another great accessory that comes in very handy is the Surface VGA Adapter which allows you to share photos, video, and presentations…making this great for both work and home…Again allowing you to personalize your Surface tablet.

Specs:
Processor :

NVIDIA T30

Memory :

2GB RAM

Operating system :

Windows RT, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview2

Storage :

32 GB, 64 GB, System software uses significant storage space. Available storage is subject to change based on system software updates and apps usage. 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. See Surface.com/storage for more details.

Display :

Screen: 10.6″ ClearType HD Display, Resolution: 1366 x768, Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (widescreen), Touch: 5-point multi-touch

Audio :

Stereo speakers and microphone

Ports :

Full-size USB 2.0, microSDXC card reader, Headphone jack, HD video out port, Cover port

Exterior :

Dimensions: 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 in, Weight: 1.5 lbs, Casing: VaporMg, Color: Dark Titanium, Physical buttons: Volume, Power

Cameras :

Two 720p HD cameras, front and rear-facing

Wireless:

Wireless: Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 technology

Sensors :

Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer

Warranty :

1-year limited hardware warranty4

Included apps:

Mail, Messaging, Word, Power Point, Excel, OneNote, SkyDrive, Internet Explorer 10, Bing, Music, Video, Games, and more.

Battery:

Up to 8 hours mixed activity, 7-15 days idle life

What’s in the box :

Surface with Windows RT and Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview2, Power supply, Quickstart Guide, Safety and warranty documents, languages available on this device: English, French, Spanish

Win it:

Microsoft has kindly offered one lucky Born 2 Impress reader, the chance to win a free Microsoft 64GB Surface RT with black Touch Cover!

To enter this giveaway, please use the Giveaway Tools bellow:

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Disclosure: 

The product(s) provided for the review were sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency.The product(s) offered for the giveaway are free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and not by any means influenced by any other part. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

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 jenniffer@born2impress.com