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CNN Business
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Fall is the season for new gadgets. Apple recently announced its latest iPhones, Amazon showed off new smart speakers and even an Alexa-enabled microwave, and Google is hosting its own product launch event next week.
But on Tuesday, it was Microsoft that unveiled a series of devices ahead of the holiday season. Its lineup includes a new version of its desktop computer, called the Surface Studio 2, and its first pair of smart earbuds. The company also announced the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2.
The first Surface desktop, a creativity-focused rival to the iMac, launched in October 2016. Its successor, the Surface Studio 2, offers improved graphics performance and Microsoft says it’s the fastest Surface device ever. It has a 28-inch display and USB-C support. It’s available for preorder starting Tuesday, starting at $3,499.
The Surface Headphones ($349) feature adjustable noise cancellation and an auto-pause and auto-play feature, which will stop the video you’re watching when you take them off. Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant is built in and can read your emails aloud or start a conference call. The Surface Headphones will be available later this year.
Microsoft claims the Surface Pro 6 is 67% faster than its predecessor, but with the same battery life (up to 13.5 hours). Microsoft also claims it’s easy to switch between laptop, studio, and tablet modes. It comes in black and platinum and starts at $899.
The original Surface Pro from 2012 was marketed as a tablet. It looked like an iPad, but with a keyboard. Microsoft (MSFT) has since rebranded it as a touchscreen laptop. This 2-in-1 format is aimed at people like doctors, pilots, and students who need tablets for taking notes or reading, but a laptop for all the features.
According to Microsoft, the Surface Laptop 2 (starting at $999) features faster, quieter typing and up to 14.5 hours of battery life. It’s 85 percent faster than its predecessor, and the Surface Laptop 2 comes in a new color (black), as well as the existing burgundy, platinum, and blue options.
“Devices are increasingly becoming a part of your life. We design them to fit your work and personal life,” Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of modern life and devices at Microsoft, told CNN.
The company also unveiled its next generation of Windows software, called Windows 10 October 2018 Update, which focuses on productivity. For example, the Your Phone app lets you transfer text messages and photos from your Android phone to your PC. (Apple allows such integration for its iMessage service.) You can also integrate a to-do list with Outlook.com and drag an item to an empty slot on your calendar to block off time to complete it.
Microsoft is primarily targeting enterprise professionals, according to Forrester analyst Andrew Hewitt. Ahead of Tuesday’s event, he noted that Microsoft has invested heavily in productivity features, including Timeline, which lets you jump back to where you left off in files and websites, and Focus Assistant, a feature that limits distractions like notifications.
“There’s a sense that Microsoft is trying to compete with Apple on the creative side, with new image and movie editing features,” Hewitt said. “But the other features are much more aligned with Microsoft’s mission of enabling employees to be productive.”
Cnn
