Yesterday, Microsoft announced that new updates for their Surface tablet devices were being pushed. The updates being pushed include Wi-Fi connectivity improvements, a new Surface USB to Ethernet adapter driver, a collection of improvements for both the Touch and Type Covers, an updated LifeCam driver, and new device firmware.
Microsoft has been hard at work trying to create the best internet browsing experience for their Surface users; Brian Hall, General Manager for Microsoft Surface, stated that the new Wi-Fi driver will reduce the chances of your connection falling into “limited connectivity” from the Surface side.
The new Surface USB to Ethernet driver will allow users to PXE boot their devices with a direct Ethernet connection. While most consumers don’t know what PXE is, enterprise admins will be thrilled. Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) allows machines to boot their operating systems from a network, which can be useful for managing a large scale of Windows machines in a corporate environment.
Updates to the Touch and Type Covers aim to improve accuracy and typing performance. According to Brian, “Touch and Type Cover are now even better at catching every single keystroke wherever you’re typing.”
The previously mentioned hotkeys for the Surface are now active, allowing users to emulate specific keys with a combination press including: Print Screen, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.
Updates to the Surface LifeCam is said to improve image clarity in low light conditions; get ready to Skype in a dark room - because now you can. The driver is also said to improve performance and reliability when switching between the built in LifeCam and an externally attached webcam.
Finally, a firmware update has been pushed to the Surface RT model in an attempt to boost the max volume the speakers can output. For those of you who don’t use a Bluetooth speaker or wired headset when working with your Surface - you can now enjoy Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video a bit more.
The Surface update should be landing on your device soon (if it already hasn’t). To manually check for the update: open you charms bar, select “Settings”, then select “More PC Settings”, finally select “Windows Update”.
How many of our readers carry a Microsoft Surface – are you enjoying it?
Source: Surface Blog
