Microsoft Malaysia launches Surface 2 – the most productive tablet on the planet for personal use!

• Designed for people who want to do more – perfect for the ‘work and play’ lifestyle
• Recommended retail price starts from RM1,399*

KUALA LUMPUR – Thursday, 13 March 2014 – Microsoft Malaysia (“Microsoft”) responded to the growing interest and excitement of Malaysians in its Surface brand of tablets, by unveiling the Surface 2, as well as Type Cover 2 and Touch Cover 2, in a glitzy media and partners launch event which included the premiere of the movie ‘Need for Speed’, held at GSC Signature Cinemas, The Gardens, Mid Valley City.

Rukmani Subramaniam, incoming Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, Microsoft Malaysia, said, “We’re incredibly thrilled with the enthusiastic response that Malaysians have towards our Surface line of tablets thus far. The launch of Surface 2 continues this momentum in bringing in a new category of devices that have transformed the way Malaysians work and play.“

Sunny and Rukmani with Surface 2 models.

Surface 2 — thinner, faster and so much more than a tablet
The Surface brand of devices continues to be touted as the most productive tablets on the planet. Surface 2 offers all the entertainment and gaming capabilities you expect from a tablet, along with the ability to get work done. Malaysians can now enjoy Surface 2 starting from a recommended retail price (“RRP”) of RM1,399* for its 32GB version and RM1,699* for its 64GB version.

Surface 2 features a dual-angle kickstand, great battery life, with up to 10 hours of video playback, and is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, making apps run fast and smooth. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display renders 1080p video for enjoying shows and movies, and it features a USB 3.0 port for file transfers up to four times faster than USB 2.0. Surface 2 has a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance. Surface 2 ships with Windows RT 8.1, bringing people exceptional personalization, search, multitasking and built-in apps, plus a seamless Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. When it’s time to get serious, Surface 2 is pre-loaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT.

VIPs on stage (L-R) BT Tay, Senior Managing Director, Ingram Micro Malaysia Sdn Bhd; Sunny Ooi; Rukmani Subramaniam; CP Chia, Assistant General Manager, ECS Astar Sdn Bhd.

No Surface experience is complete without apps – with more than 140,000 apps in Windows Store today, users are bound to find an app for all their needs. Recent marquee additions in the Windows Store include AirAsia, Discovery News, Facebook, Flipboard for Windows, as well as top new game apps Asphalt 8: Airborne, Avengers Initiative, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, Frozen Free Fall by Disney, LEGO® Hero Factory Brain Attack and UNO & Friends.

“A Microsoft online survey in Asia showed that a tablet which enables them to be productive for both work and play was at the top of their 2014 Tech Wishlist,” said Sunny Ooi, Consumer Channels Group Director, Microsoft Malaysia. “Surface 2 builds on the strengths of the Surface value proposition that enables portability and productivity in one sleek device, and is the most productive tablet for personal use in the market today.”

Exciting Skype and OneDrive offers with Surface 2
To help people get the most out of Surface 2, new customers will receive free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype Wi-Fi available at more than 2 million hot spots worldwide for one year, and 200 GB of free OneDrive storage for two years.

Surface 2 now in 29 markets
Along with Malaysia, Surface 2 is coming to retail and commercial customers in five other new markets on March 14. This means that Surface 2 will be available in 29 total markets worldwide: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

New Accessories to enhance the Surface Experience
Today’s announcement also includes three new accessories that will make Surface more flexible, more portable and more productive:

• Touch Cover 2. Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover and measuring only 2.75 mm thin, Touch Cover 2 features backlit keys for even better readability. A colorful, smooth exterior lets you type up to 2x faster than onscreen. The Touch Cover 2 comes with a massively increased number of sensors –  from 80 to 1,100 – for a better overall typing experience. You can also use touch gestures across the keys and touchpad. Touch Cover 2 is spill-resistant and easy to clean, making it the perfect keyboard and cover accompaniant for Surface 2. The Touch Cover 2 is sold separately and comes in one color, black, and has an RRP of RM379.

• Type Cover 2. Type Cover 2 features the same super-thin, lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it’s now backlit and will be available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black. It’s also more rigid, providing a better lap-typing experience, and is designed to be noticeably quieter when striking keys. The Type Cover 2 is sold separately and has an RRP of RM409.

• Surface Edition Arc Touch Mouse. The new Surface Edition Arc Touch Mouse is designed to conform to users’ hands while still being able to flatten for easy portability and storage. The Surface Edition Arc Touch Mouse connects to Surface via Bluetooth and is sold separately at an RRP of RM219.

Surface RT, Surface Pro And Accessories Available At New Prices
Catering to ongoing demand, the previous generation of Surface devices will continue to be on sale at a revised RRP. The Surface RT 64GB version has an RRP of RM1,199* while the Surface Pro has an RRP of RM1,889*.

The Surface Touch Covers will be sold separately and is still be available in five colors – Black, White, Red, Cyan and Magenta – at a new RRP of RM279. The original Type Cover will be sold separately and have a new RRP of RM319.

The previously introduced Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse, designed specifically for Windows 8, packs full functionality into an ultracompact frame that’s great for a mobile lifestyle. Small enough to fit in pockets, the Wedge Touch Mouse provides four-way touch scrolling and navigation at an RRP of RM219.

Microsoft Malaysia is bringing the Surface experience to Malaysians in a series of roadshows, starting with the venues below:
• 10-16 March 2014 : Mid Valley Megamall
• 19-23 March 2014 : Sunway Pyramid
• 7-13 April 2014 : Plaza Low Yat

More information on Surface is available at http://www.Surface.com.

*Price indicative of Surface devices only. Does not include Type Cover and Touch Cover.

 Full Pricing List of Surface Products

Product Name		RRP in Ringgit Malaysia
Surface 2 (device only)	32 GB	RM1,399
	64GB	RM1,699
Surface RT (device only)	64GB	RM1,199
Surface Pro (device only)	128GB	RM1,889
Surface Type Cover 2	Charcoal	RM409
	Cyan	RM409
	Purple	RM409
	Magenta	RM409
Surface Touch Cover 2	Black	RM379
Surface Type Cover	Black	RM319
Surface Touch Cover	Black	RM279
	White	RM279
	Red	RM279
	Cyan	RM279
	Magenta	RM279
Surface Edition Arc Touch Mouse		RM219
Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse		RM219
24W Power for Surface RT		RM159
HD Digital for Surface RT		RM159
48W Power for Surface Pro		RM279
HD Digital for Surface Pro		RM159
Ethernet for Surface Pro		RM169
Surface Pro Pen/Stylus		RM129