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About that Microsoft Surface Pro release date

So, when exactly is Microsoft's next Surface tablet arriving? Well, at least one Microsoft Store is specific about the date, not to mention all of the hints that Microsoft has dropped.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
Brooke Crothers
Microsoft Surface Pro.
Microsoft Surface Pro. Microsoft

Microsoft Store salespeople expect Surface Pro to arrive at the end of the month. That jibes with the pretty explicit statements Microsoft itself has made in the past.

Calls to Microsoft stores around the country today invariably elicited a response of "end of the month." One store got very specific and said it expects the new tablet on January 26.

That actually makes some sense. When Microsoft announced Surface last year it said the following: "Surface for Windows RT will release with the general availability of Windows 8, and the Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later."

Well, Windows 8 saw general availability on October 26. "About 90 days later" would be around January 26.

This all depends of course on whether Microsoft is sticking to its original schedule.

And, for the record, this is what Microsoft said at the end of November: "In January, Surface with Windows 8 Pro will be available in two versions and pricing will start at $899: 64GB standalone version at $899, 128GB standalone version at $999."

Just to keep it interesting we also have a rumor now that claims January 29.

Whatever the case, it's coming soon and packs an Intel Ivy Bridge processor, a 16:9 ClearType display sporting a 1,920x1,080 resolution and goodies like a Mini DisplayPort can drive an external display up to 2560X1440 resolution. And Windows 8 Pro of course.

More deets here.