New Windows 10 devices
October 6, 2015
In New York City this morning, Microsoft cordoned off a section of sidewalk for its latest launch event. Not every commuter was thrilled.
The tech giant may have sacrificed some support from New Yorkers on their way to work, but its new devices are sure to please gadget lovers in search of a new smartphone, tablet, laptop or wearable exercise monitor from Microsoft.
Windows 10
All of the new devices will either run or work with Windows 10, Microsoft's latest operating system, which the company hopes will make it more competitive against rivals Apple and Samsung. The Redmond, Washington-based company has said it wants a bigger share of the market for smartphones and tablets.
There are approximately 110 million devices running Windows 10, according to Microsoft's estimates.
The three phones unveiled at the event included the Lumia 950, 950XL and the 550, a budget model. The first two will go on sale in November for $549 (487 euros) and $649, while the 550 will start selling in December for $139.
A few more pixels
The new tablet, the Surface Pro 4, is a larger but thinner version of its predecessor, the Surface Pro 3. The 4 boasts a 12.3-inch screen with 267 pixels per inch. (By comparison, Apple's iPad Air 2 has a 9.7-inch screen and 264 pixels per inch.) It will cost $899 when pre-orders begin later this month.
One of the ways Microsoft appeared to be wooing new customers was through larger storage options and, according to at least one company official, more speed.
The Surface Pro 4 offers 1 terabyte of storage. The most any Apple tablet offers is 128 gigabytes. Storage one the new Lumia phones can also be boosted to up to 2 terabytes by using a memory card.
As for speed, the corporate vice president for Surface Computing at Microsoft, Panos Panay, said at the event that the company's new laptop, the Surface Book, which will start at $1,499, was 50 percent faster than Apple's MacBook Air.
But Microsoft also had something for consumers looking for the functionality of a laptop or desktop computer, but the portability of phone. The new Lumia phones can be connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse and operated like an ordinary computer.
cjc/hg (Reuters, AP)