Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is all set to ship an accessory for its second generation Surface tablets, which according to the company, will increase the battery life of the device by as much as 70%.
Microsoft Corporation Surface RT not supported
The tech giant announced the Surface Power cover along with the launch of Surface 2, but the cover was not available in stores yet. At that time, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said that shipping is scheduled for early 2014. The new cover is the heavier version of the original Type cover, with a thickness of 3 mm and weighing just a tenth of a pound more.
The cover charges the slab’s internal battery instead of taking over when the battery is drained, so the user can unplug the cover after a little charging and not be concerned about losing power, and can then reattach to the tablet when it needs power.
The battery life of the Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 can be increased by as much as 60% and for ARM-powered Surface 2 the battery power can be increased to as much as 70% based on Video playback tests, according to the company. For Surface 2, the battery could be extended to 17 hours with the Power cover according to Redmond’s specifications. Redmond’s original ARM-based tablet, the Surface RT is not listed amongst the tablets to be powered with the Power Cover.
Microsoft Corporation accepting pre-orders
The power cover has similar shallow keys and undersized trackpad just like the original type cover, which is passable, but lacks when compared to dedicated laptop keyboards and trackpads. The power cover does not have lighted keys, and is only available in black.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s online store has been accepting pre-orders for the surface Power cover from customers in the United States and Canada on Monday. The price of the device is kept at $199.99, and will start shipping from March 19.
Apart from the Power Cover, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is also likely to launch LTE versions of its Surface 2 tablet in a couple of months. According to a report of WP Central the device is being shipped to Microsoft stores and is ready for the official launch.
