Got a spare $8,400? The Microsoft Surface 2.0 is for you

The Microsoft Surface 2.0 is thinner, has more sensors and is on sale. Soon to be available in 23 countries

Microsoft Surface
What a bargain! Microsoft will be releasing its second version of its touchscreen table,the Microsoft Surface 2.0, for pre-order in 23 countries in 2012. And it has reduced the price to a mere $8,400. When Microsoft first introduced the Surface back in 2007 (the first ones shipped in 2008), the price tag was $10,000.

According to WinRumors ... the new 2.0 represents a big improvement in the earlier, more expensive table -- so much so that the device is now winning acclaim. Samsung is the manufacturer.

"Microsoft originally unveiled its second generation Surface computer at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. The Surface 2.0 is a vast improvement from the original Surface and allows retailers to purchase the system at a much lower cost. Popular Science named the Surface 2 the “best of what’s new for 2011″ on Wednesday. The Surface 2.0 will be priced at around $7,600$8,400 and features a multicore CPU and GPU by AMD. The Samsung SUR40 is made up of an AMD Athlon 2.9GHz dual core processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, AMD Radeon HD 6750 GPU and a 40-inch HD LCD display."

Samsung also says the new Surface can handle 50 points of contact and uses Corning's Gorilla Glass. It is a mere 4-inches thick so it can be mounted on the wall and it has been toughened up to be more commercially rugged, for use in places like bars or food outlets. It runs Windows 7 and includes Microsoft’s new proprietary PixelSense technology, for better optical recognition to respond to all kinds of input. The glass sports over a million sensors.

Back in 2007, I named the Surface one of Microsoft's 9 worst products ever. I stand corrected that it is still around and being manufactured, although I have to walk into a nightclub -- or anyone's home -- and see one. Have you?

The viral Surface parody video from 2007 still says it all, I think ... if you haven't seen it in a while, here it is again.

Copyright © 2011 IDG Communications, Inc.

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