Microsoft confirms: Surface RT coming to NZ March 15; Surface Pro "in later months"

If you've been waiting patiently for the Surface RT, the good news is that you only have to wait two more weeks before you can get your hands on it.

Microsoft announed that New Zealand will get the Surface RT on Friday 15 March, and it will be available from JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman stores for a recommended retail price of $739.

"We are excited to offer Kiwis a chance to experience this new category of devices that bring together entertainment and personal productivity into a beautifully designed, highly mobile form factor," says Microsoft New Zealand Managing Director, Paul Muckleston.
 
Until now, Kiwis wanting to try the Surface RT mostly had to buy it from Australian sources, or from the US, as our reviewer Paul Spain did.

The date for release of the Surface Pro is yet to be announced, but Microsoft said it would be available to New Zealanders "in coming months".
 
 
The Surface RT runs Windows RT, rather than Windows 8, and can't run traditional Windows programs - instead, it runs applications that you can buy or download from the Windows Store. Microsoft has developed versions of its own software for use with the RT to take advantage of the touchscreen interface, such as OneNote and Skype. Our review of the Surface RT rated it very highly.

Surface Pro runs both apps and traditional Windows programs.