This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
I love back-to-school supply shopping. I love fresh notebooks, unsharpened pencils and brand new boxes of crayons. Those are just for the kids, but I always snag school office supplies for myself too. It’s crazy to think that computers and tablets are also on back-to-school shopping lists these days, but I can see how helpful they are. I’m constantly amazed by what you can accomplish with devices like Microsoft’s Surface 2 tablets.
Both the kids and I have oogled played with the Surface 2 at our local electronics store. Here’s why I wish I had a Surface 2. Heck, here’s why we wished we had a Surface 2:
1. The Surface 2 is perfect for watching movies. Ok, so this is more for the kids than me, but the 10.6″ HD 1080p display is ideal for watching our favorite movies. The “widescreen” display also means movies won’t be cropped–no more black bars at the top and bottom. The built-in kickstand means the kids can view it hands free. No more arguing who gets to hold the tablet. Thank goodness.
2. The Surface 2 travels well. With a battery life that offers up to 10 hours of video playback, the tablet is great for road trips and flying with kids. Usually the kids’ handheld game systems only last 2-3 hours, so I have to pack their chargers or other things to keep them occupied during our flights. At only 1.49 pounds and less than 1/2 inch thick, it’s super light and thin, making the Surface 2 ultraportable.
3. I can actually do work on the Surface 2 because it works just like a laptop. The tablets I own are mostly for consuming content: ebooks, checking Facebook, and playing games. I’ve tried to do actual work on my various tablets, but it’s never a fast or satisfying experience. Surface 2 comes pre-installed with Windows RT 9.1 and Office Home & Student 2013 RT. Add a one of the colorful and thin click-in keyboard (which is also a cover) and voila! Instant portable workstation that fits into my purse. That means I can draft blog posts offline in Word when I’m on a flight or staying at my in-laws (who have NO wi-fi–don’t get me started on that). When I am online, I can save my work into the SkyDrive cloud.
4. I can go crazy with apps on the Surface 2. The Windows 8.1 RT tile view makes it super easy and intuitive to use. Everything can be accessed with the touch of a finger. You can download familiar apps such as Facebook, Netflix, Skype and a library of Xbox games. There’s also kid-friendly apps like BrainPop Jr., Kinectimals Unleashed, and National Geographic Kids Weird But True.
5. The Surface 2 comes with 32GB of storage (or 64GB depending on model). That means I can upload photos, videos, music and other space hogging files to it without any worries. When I visit my family, I like to give them all the photos I took on a flash drive. With the full size USB 3.0 port (super fast) and a microSD card reader, I can easily transfer files and unload photos from my camera to the Surface 2 or a flash drive. No more wires and cords!
Have I convinced you to give the Microsoft Surface 2 a look? It’s definitely on my wish list as I travel quite a bit. I need a reliable device that offers a long-battery life that I can actually work on. The tablet is also great for high school or college students too. No more carrying around a heavy laptop with only 4-5 hours of battery life!
Would you use a tablet that works like a laptop?
Images courtesy of Microsoft.