Microsoft has announced that pre-orders for the 4G-enabled version of its Surface 2 tablet are now open.
The Surface 2 4G, which has been available in some markets for a number of months, is now available to order from the Microsoft store for £539, and if you order now, one should be with you by May 8.
Microsoft says customers can also pickup the Surface 2 (4G) from a selection of high-street retailers, including Dixons, Currys, and PC World. Customers that do purchase a Surface 2 from one of these stores will also receive a year of unlimited Skype WiFi calling and landline calls and 200GB of free OneDrive storage for two years.
The Surface 2 4G comes with 64GB of storage, (with the option of expanding this by a further 64GB via a microSDXC card reader) and is powered by an nVidia Tegra 4 processor. It features a 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display, and comes with Windows 8.1 installed, including Microsoft Office Home & Student RT.
4G connectivity comes via a micro-SIM card slot, which can take any pre-paid 4G micro-SIM. Microsoft says the device can provide ten hours of battery life, and weighs just 670g, 10g more than its predecessor.
The initial Surface 2 device was launched by Microsoft last October, winning plaudits for its thinner and lighter design. However at the start of this year, Microsoft began shipping the device with a new and more powerful CPU, much to the dismay of existing customers. Later, the company also announced a firmware update to try and rectify software issues customers were experiencing.
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In January, Microsoft announced that quarterly sales of the tablet and its older brother had more than doubled, bringing in nearly $893m in revenues.
