Microsoft reveals shipping date for Surface Power Cover

Microsoft has revealed the release date for their Power Covers for Surface tablets, with the accessory shipping on March 19th.

The cover will significantly extend the battery life of Surface Pro, Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets. Microsoft claims the accessory will extend life by up to 70 percent, which could make the devices much more productive and portable.

Weighing in at 1.2 pounds, the cover is also over 18mm thick, not necessarily small. It also does not include back-lit keys, which the standard Type covers do.

The Covers were announced back in October when the company unveiled their new tablets.

Microsoft is making the Power Covers available in the U.S., Japan and Canada first. In the U.S. it will retail for $199.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Mar 2014 22:40

Jemborg

Not back-lit? .... lame.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

12.3.2014 00:40 #1

biglo30

Microsoft is just lame with all their stupid and confusing marketing techniques. Their trying to call the surface rt windows 8.1 tablet giving users the impression that it is a full laptop windows experience when its not. They should be forced to put the RT back and explain what it is.

12.3.2014 13:02 #2

dEwMe

ASUS transformers have had these for years...

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

12.3.2014 13:49 #3

magictown

I don't think anyone is confused by a Surface tablet and thinking it is a laptop! It is a tablet and it does that better than any other tablet out there.
I agree with Jemborg, it's strange that they haven't backlit the keys but is that really an issue? Are backlit keys for the dark and if so why would you want to type things up in the dark... I mean, if I use a tablet in very low light I use the on-screen keyboard as it just seems easier.
This will be a useful product. The standard Surface (RT or PRO) lasts for ages anyway so this should give it incredible stamina.

18.3.2014 07:51 #4

Jemborg

@ Magictown

A brother of mine recently bought something similar which runs full Win8.1. It also has that attachable keyboard and expansion arrangement which he didn't bother with buying. He's happy with the on-screen keypad. He likes it more than his iPad5. He can run MS Office on it... I don't think he's aware that Office may be coming out for the iPad. Too little too late from Apple as far as he's concerned I suppose. He enjoys having full windows on a touch tablet... even though the res is not as great. The device is new but the CPU is old(ish) but it seemed to perform ok. Thing runs an Atom Z2760 with 2gig of ram.

I guess the thing about a backlit keyboard is that it's really nice Magic. My bro has a spare BT Mac KB he uses with the above but he's not keen on Mac KBs either.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

18.3.2014 22:37 #5

magictown

Jemborg, yea.. those other tabs that run full windows like the Dells and Tosh and Asus vivobook are all pretty good. I have had a play with most of them but TBH, the RT is faster, smoother and the Office included is full on. Overall I prefer RT for tablets as I feel that proper Win would cause the usual PC problems eventually so tend to steer customers to RT.

I agree with the "magic" of backlit keyboards :) A backlit tab key cover does give it a cool factor.

19.3.2014 06:16 #6

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