The total integration of the Surface into Williston’s campus life this year has been a topic of much discussion. Students and faculty have discovered the possibility it provides with its many useful and beneficial features. The Surface is now essential to most class activity. Although the Surface is generally well-liked by students and faculty, it is not without its flaws. Complaints about the Surface are common, significant, and not unique to Williston. However, Microsoft has clearly heard and attempted to resolve their consumers’ complaints with the release of the Surface 2.

Frequent complaints were made about the Surface’s poorly positioned stand. While the Surface has only two settings, totally flat and uncomfortably tall, the Surface 2 now has a third, more agreeable setting. The third setting is more suitable for resting in the user’s lap, something tablet-lovers are pleased with.

A problem near and dear to Williston students’ hearts is the old Surface’s weak battery life. Microsoft claims the original Surface battery lasted eight hours, but users report much lower numbers (4-7). The new Surface reportedly lasts up to ten hours, certainly enough to make it through the school or work day. This puts it up to par with the current iPad’s expected battery life.

The new Surface also boasts further upgrades in its memory, camera quality, and USB port.

Microsoft had hoped the Surface would be popular and be able to compete with the iPad. Disappointingly, the Surface did not sell well during its first year. According to Microsoft’s annual report, Surface sales only reached $853 million, a dauntingly low sum compared with Apple’s $33.2 billion iPad sales during the same year. With the Surface 2, Microsoft hopes to achieve its goal through the beneficial tweaks and upgrades it has made on the new model.