The Microsoft Surface Pro has eluded UK shores for 3 months now, so it’s nice to finally get a release date for the United Kingdom. The date is May 23, 2013, and is just ahead of the release of Intel’s Haswell CPU chips.

You might be wondering why I would need to mention such a thing, and the answer is because the Surface Pro 2 is expected to come with the Haswell CPU, but that will not be until later this year, or early in 2014. The smart money would next February, as that will be a year since the current model was released.

The Microsoft Surface Pro UK release is significant because other European countries are certain to follow, which will then give us a clearer picture of just how successful Microsoft’s latest product is. There’s been a lot of concern as to why there has been a delay with the international release, and the simple answer is stock.

Microsoft had a hard time with supply and demand in the first few weeks of the Surface Pro’s release, and took a huge effort to try to catch back up. Thankfully, they did manage to keep on top of things, but it was clear the Surface Pro stock problems would have resurfaced if Microsoft would have released it internationally earlier than late May.

How much is it in the UK? The Surface Pro price for the UK is £719 for the 64GB version and £799 for the 128GB model, which is almost equivalent to US pricing. However, you have to remember that the Touch Cover will cost an extra £99 and the Type Cover is £110.

There’s no denying that this is a pretty decent first attempt by Microsoft, but there are many consumers waiting for the Surface Pro 2nd-gen, as this will be the version with all the issues ironed out, along with that Haswell chip as well.

With it now being 3 months since the Surface Pro was first released it’s good to see people are now getting on with their devices, thanks to a couple of updates, which have come just in time for the international releases. When Microsoft’s latest product was first released it got a mixed reaction, but as users are spending more time with Pro devices, they are finding out it is not as bad as some of those early reviews made out.

What’s the Surface Pro like 3 months on? Today we thought we would take a look at 2 new Microsoft Surface Pro reviews ahead of that expanded availability we spoke about, in the hope of gaining a greater insight into how owners are getting on with them.

The first video takes a look at the Surface Pro a month after the owner had taken possession, and makes a point that while Microsoft invented the tablet category, they have not had the kind of success as their rivals. The Surface Pro is said to do the job of a laptop and tablet, so you only need the one device instead of two, and so far the reviewer said it has lived up to the promise. He also says that this is a computer for everyone, and as such he highly recommends it.

In the second review we get to hear of the positive points at first, such as the big differences between the Pro and the Surface RT. There are a lot of details about the thickness of the Pro, and why it needed to be, however, the larger display makes it worth the extra weight and thickness.

If after these 2 new Surface Pro reviews you decide that you need one, then we would advise you to go with the Surface Pro 128GB, as you won’t have much storage left with the 64GB version, as the pre-installed software takes a huge chunk of it.

There have currently been 2 Microsoft Surface Pro updates; one fixed a few bugs, while the other solved the trackpad issues. However, neither of these updates was able to solve the problem with the Pen’s pressure sensitivity while running Adobe Photoshop.

Thankfully, there is a new Surface Pro driver update that fixes this Adobe Photoshop problem, although we have to inform you that it is a beta driver. This means that you will now be able to change the setting on your stylus, allowing you to have greater control of the pen as you use the Adobe application.

Having said that, Wacom also has an updated driver on their site, which also contains a fix for their Pen’s pressure sensitivity, so the Adobe Photoshop issue should now be a thing of the past. Although, we have yet to hear from anyone who has tried this new driver.

What makes this news even better is the fact that it is just in time for the UK release, which should be in a few weeks time, along with several other countries as well. As yet Microsoft has not commented, so some of you may not want to take the chance. Maybe you should wait to see if people experience any new Surface Pro issues after installing the driver, this way you will not run into any unforeseen issues?

Engadget has been in contact with Microsoft, and they said they would also be delivering a new Surface Pro update within days. If this does resolve the issue then we can see a small sales increase, as many potential buyers were holding off until the Adobe issue was resolved.

The Surface Pro has been available to residents of Canada and North America for a few months now, but later this month the device will be released in several other countries, so in that time we are sure many of you will be looking at what Surface Pro accessories will be available to you.

Today we thought we would prepare you by looking at a few Microsoft Surface Pro case reviews, just to give you a better understanding of the cases that are available to you. Well, as long as they are obtainable in your country.

First up we have the Manvex Windows Surface Folio Leather Case, which is the red version and you’ll notice right away an opening for the camera on the rear of the case. There are several cases like this that can often open too easily, but this particular version comes with elastic to stop this from happening. Watch the full video review in the first video below.

Next up we have the Surface Pro Nixon Case, although this is more of a bag to keep your Surface Pro safe while you are out and about. You’ll notice just how well padded the case is, but not sure if it will be ideal for those who will need to use their device often. The mini review of this case is the second video below.

The MoKo Rotary Case is rather similar to the Manvex we mentioned above, although there is a unique way of storing the pen for your Surface Pro.

In the final video you get to see a review of the Surface Pro SkyTab Hard Shell Sleeve Case, which is currently available in two colors, cyan blue and black. Not only does the case provide a decent amount of protection, but comes with several storage compartments to help store Surface Pro cables, a mini charger and more.

These are just four cases available for the Surface Pro, and while there is not a huge choice, we’re sure more will follow once the Surface Pro gets its wider release.

It’s been almost three months since Microsoft released the Surface Pro in Canada and the US, with other countries getting their hands on the device at the end of this month. However, as with all releases it doesn’t take long before there is talk of a 2nd-generation model.

However, before we get onto that subject, it’s worth remembering that Microsoft already has plans to release other Surface devices. We are not certain what these will be, but we do know there could be a 7-inch version of the Surface, which is needed if Microsoft has any hope of competing in such a competitive market.

While the current model is a decent device, it’s still far from perfect, but what isn’t? There is so much we expect to see with the Microsoft Surface Pro 2, with the first being wider availability at launch. It’s for this reason why sales have been slow, along with the fact that Microsoft has fallen for the same problems as their rival, and that’s unable to keep up with supply and demand. We also hope the next version will be released simultaneously in more than two countries.

It goes without saying that the Microsoft Surface Pro 2nd-generation should come with Intel’s Haswell processor, this would offer increased performance and improved battery life. Some users have complained that the battery life for the Pro is not acceptable, so Microsoft surely needs to address this?

One of the most requested features would be for LTE/4G, although this is something more associated with tablet devices, and we have to remember that the Surface Pro is more like an Ultrabook, although we’re sure consumer and business users would like the ability to use this fast cell service? Having said that, this will not stop people comparing the Surface Pro to the iPad and Android tablets.

Connections and onboard ports are limited, and so a docking station would be very welcome indeed, although Microsoft has already made hints that they could release a docking station for the current Surface Pro in the future. A thinner, lighter body is something being requested, but again, this is not a tablet, so we cannot expect it to be as thin.

When do you think Microsoft will release the Surface Pro 2, and what would your wish list be?

Depending who you ask Microsoft Surface Pro sales have not been as was hoped, although there were several circumstances that attributed to this, such as low stock upon release, as well as limited availability outside the US. Thankfully, all that is about to change, and we should see sales begin to increase.

The Surface Pro availability will be expanded soon to several key markets, which should come as a huge bonus to Microsoft, and should give the Pro a chance to prove itself to those markets. The Surface Pro UK release will happen before the end of May, along with several other countries, such as Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Spain and several more.

If you live in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand, then you will be able to purchase the Surface Pro by the end of June. However, it’s not all good news, because a key market has been left out. You’ll notice from the list that the Surface Pro India release has been ignored

One has to wonder if Microsoft will pay the price for snubbing India, as this is now considered such an important market, one the likes of Apple has been doing very well in with the iPhone, although there is room for improving, such as low-cost iOS devices.

Does the Surface Pro need an upgrade? Several consumers have taken to the Surface Blog and said because the Surface Pro has taken so long to be released in countries outside Canada, China and the U.S., they would like to see an improved processor, such as the Haswell. However, there is one small issue, Intel’s Haswell CPU has not been released yet.

It’s worth remembering that good things comes to those who wait, so the late Surface Pro release is better late than never. There’s also the fact that you will not encounter the Trackpad issue, as it has just been rectified with a new patch.

Earlier this month we saw Microsoft release a firmware update for their Surface Pro, which helped to rectify several issues, apart from one. However, this update caused an issue with the Trackpad Settings app. In some cases you might notice that your Touch or Type cover will come up with the warning ‘Not Connected.’

Thankfully, this issue has now been resolved with the Microsoft Surface Pro update 2 for April, which doesn’t happen very often. They had to rush this fix because it was causing too much of an issue for some Surface Pro owners.

Usually Microsoft would have made you wait until the next update Tuesday in May, but because this Surface Pro Trackpad issue was created because of the late update, Microsoft thought it would be in their best interest to release a second firmware update in the same month. Maybe they have done this as a clever way to market their new device, as they have shown they are willing to correct an issue quickly if it is through a fault of their own?

Having said that, we are seeing more and more software updates being released full of bugs. It’s not just Microsoft who is guilty of this, it makes you wonder why they do not fully test the software before they release it to the public? Although, there is nothing better than a public test, as this is often the best way to find any issues lurking inside a software update.

In other Surface Pro news, while reviews have been mixed for the device, it has topped the list once again for the best Windows 8 tablet and hybrid. It’s been suggested that this is no iPad killer, but when you consider this is the first-generation, it’s hard not to predict good things from the Surface, such as more devices from the new range.

Download the new update here.

We already knew Microsoft was to release other Surface devices later this year, and the rumor that a 7-inch Surface Pro being one of them was not hard to believe. It’s obvious that Microsoft would wish to compete in the lucrative smaller tablet market, but how will the rumored device be able to compare to Apple’s iPad mini?

Having said that, by the time the smaller Surface Pro sees a release, the iPad mini 2 could be with us by then. This has made us wonder what the threat assessment would be for the iPad mini 2 if Microsoft were to release the 7-inch Surface Pro?

While the Surface RT and Pro has been getting a mixed reaction it was obvious that analysts would weigh in on the thought of a smaller version. Michael Gartenberg has already made it very clear that he believes Microsoft will struggle in terms of usability.

The reason he says this is because the Surface mini would have to run on Windows RT, and this would take up a huge chunk of storage, well around half. If this were the case then how would there be a Surface mini to take on the 16GB iPad mini? However, this may not be the case, as Microsoft could have already found a way around this problem?

Some of us look at the Surface RT and Pro and see it as a fail because of poor sales, but we have to remember that Microsoft did a bad job of timing their release. Let’s us hope if there were to be a Surface mini, then the release, price and specs have to be spot on, so the 7-inch Surface would need to be a little cheaper than the iPad mini 2 later this year.

Having already discussed the mixed reaction that Microsoft’s latest device has been receiving, as well as the possibility of a Surface phone being released in order to compete in a very lucrative market, it comes as no surprise that a smaller Surface Pro is in the works.

It was obvious that Microsoft would consider releasing a 7-inch Surface Pro, as they have seen the success Amazon, ASUS and Apple have had with the Kindle Fire HD, Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. However, you have to wonder if Microsoft will be able to replicate the success these three companies have had with their smaller tablets?

The full-size Pro is not a bad device, there are just a few issues that have to be ironed out, but this is the same with most new products. As for sales, while they have not been as impressive as Microsoft would have hoped, you have to remember the release date was not the greatest timing. If the smaller Pro is released at the right time and the specs are spot on for this cheaper market, then Microsoft could be on to something.

However, those 7-inch Surface Pro specs need to be conceivable if they want it to be a success. The Surface Pro mini will need to have a great battery life, and a simple Metro interface will help to deliver that. Resolution will need to be Retina standard, as the iPad mini 2 is expected to see this upgrade later this year. Maybe a Tegra 4 chip, as many upcoming 7-inch tablets will be getting this processor. Another added feature that could help the 7-inch Pro sell is a choice of colors, as we know how young consumers love those funky colors.

These are just a few ideas, but we’d love for you to tell us what specification do you think the smaller Surface Pro will need in order to compete in this competitive market? Microsoft will not have it easy, as the 7-inch Pro is expected to release around the same time as the iPad mini 2, well that’s according to a WSJ report.

While not official, a roadmap has been released, which shows when Microsoft Office for iPad will be released. However, we wouldn’t get too excited just yet because if true then those with an iOS device will not get their hands on the Microsoft Office app until after the Surface Pro 2 is released – well if we assume the new version of the tablet will be released around the same time next year.

From the Office release schedule we should expect both the Android and iOS versions in October 2014. Mac Office 2014 will not be released until April next year either. While this is good news in a way, it does make you wonder why Microsoft has made us wait so long for these versions?

There’s an interesting article that looks at one of the reasons why Microsoft decided not to release Office for iPad or Android come to that matter this year, and that could have been because they wanted to release the Surface RT and Pro first. And while this makes sense, we are still confused as to why it was not released much sooner, if the Surface was the cause for the delay, then why can they not bring the app out later this year instead?

We already know this delay could have lost Microsoft about $2.5 billion in lost revenue, and this figure will increase if an October 2014 release for the Android and iPad version of Office is correct.

As for the Surface Pro sequel; we only said about this being released before the Office app above because Microsoft will more than likely offer updated versions of the Pro on a yearly basis, as to try and follow the success Apple has had with the iPad.

We know sales have been a little hit and miss, but an early release date in the year was never going to help matters, a summer launch would have been far better. This is why we now believe Microsoft will release the 2nd-generation Surface Pro a little later in the year in 2014, although this is mere speculation.