Welcome Windows 8!

Today, Windows 8 is available globally, with more than 1,000 Windows 8 certified PCs and tablets now on the market.  Windows 8 represents a reimagining of Windows. It provides a personalized experience with a beautiful new user interface that puts you at the center. You get a great experience for entertainment AND creating content all on the same device, either with touch or with a mouse and keyboard. No compromise.

Windows 8 comes to life through a range of exciting new apps available through the grand opening of the Windows Store and new hardware from our OEM partners.

When we reimagined Windows, we also reimagined the PC experience from the ground up - and we are excited to have more than 1,000 Windows 8 certified devices that will be in market beginning today.There is a Windows device for everyone. Our OEM partners are introducing a variety of new form factors. And at our press event yesterday, we showed off examples of many of those form factors: beautiful tablets running Windows RT with instant on and extra-long battery life like the Asus Vivo Tab RT and our own Microsoft Surface; compact, touch-enabled x86 tablets like the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2; convertible PCs that switch effortlessly between PC and tablet like the Dell XPS 12; thin and light Ultrabooks like the ASUS UX31 Touch, the Sony VAIO Duo 11 or Acer Aspire S7-191; and large, powerful all-in-one PCs with high-definition screens like the Dell XPS One 27”, the HP Envy 23 TouchSmart or Samsung Series 7. You’ll catch many of these devices and PCs in our new ads.

Another exciting launch today is the Surface, Microsoft’s premier tablet. Whether you need a tablet to work or play, the Surface fits the bill.  It’s incredibly thin, but still features a full-size USB port, microSD card slot, and HD video out port. Its sleek Touch Cover clicks into Surface and offers a slim, spill-resistant keyboard for typing, while the integrated kickstand props up the device for hands-free entertainment. Not a fan of standard black or silver devices? Never fear, the Surface’s Touch Cover is available in a variety of vibrant colors to match your style. For the full list of details and specifications, visit www.Surface.com.

Interested in checking out the Surface and Windows 8 for yourself? Visit your local Microsoft store in Minneapolis to demo Windows 8 or take a look at the Microsoft Store website to view the latest and greatest devices that run Windows 8, including the Surface. Also, don’t forget if you purchase (or have purchased) an eligible Windows 7 PC anytime between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $14.99, redeemable beginning today. For more details on the Windows Upgrade Offer, see this blog post.