Microsoft takes on both the Apple MacBook Pro and iPad Pro as it launches its first laptop, the Surface Book, together with the updated Surface Pro 4 tablet, new Lumia smartphones and Band 2 wearable.
Described by the company as nothing less than a "redefinition" of the laptop, the Surface Book features a 13.5-inch optically bonded 3000x2000 resolution display users can remove for use as a regular tablet. One can also simply bend the flexible hinge holding the display to the keyboard all the way back for more support.
It has both touch and pen input support, while the keyboard has a glass trackpad with 5-point touch input.
Powering the device are Intel Skylake Core i5/i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce graphics. The keyboard section houses the Nvidia graphics, meaning users need to keep the display attached to the keyboard if they want to take full advantage of the laptop's capabilities.
Meanwhile the Surface Pro 4 is a 12.3-inch tablet featuring upgraded specifications such as faster Intel processors (up to Core i7) and new storage/RAM options (up to 16GB RAM and 1TB HDD). An updated Type Cover promises a redesigned mechnical keyboard and an optional fingerprint reader, while a new Surface Pen features 1024 pressure sensitivity levels and an "eraser" on top.
On the Windows 10-powered Windows 10-powered Lumia 950 and 950 XL, as well as the more affordable Lumia 550.
The Band wearable also got an upgrade with the Band 2-- now with a more comfortable curved display, continuous optical heart rate monitor and onboard GPS. A companion Microsoft Health app allows users to check collected data on just about every platform, be it Windows, iOS, Android or web-based dashboard.
The above mentioned Microsoft devices hit the market from October 2015.
Go Microsoft Redefines Laptop With Surface Book, Ushers in New Era of Windows 10 Devices