Microsoft discontinues its Surface wireless keyboard adapter

[dgstorm]

Remember the day Microsoft announced its new Surface tablets? Sure you do: there was all the usual pomp and circumstance, and even that keyboard cover that turned the Surface 2 into a portable DJ booth. One thing that may have flown under your radar, though, was the wireless keyboard adapter, a $60 cylinder-shaped thing that allowed users to control their Surface tablets from up to 30 feet away over Bluetooth (like you do with a 10.6-inch device?). In any case, it looks like the accessory never picked up much traction: Microsoft has discontinued the device, which is now showing up as "out of stock" on Microsoft's online store.

A company spokesperson confirmed the news in a statement to CNET: "Due to a number of factors, we are no longer manufacturing the Surface Wireless Keyboard Adapter." As you can see, based on that vague statement, Microsoft isn't keen on explaining why, exactly, it killed off the adapter.

Continue Reading @: Microsoft discontinues its Surface wireless keyboard adapter

 

[be77solo]

I was disappointed to read this earlier this week... I use mine all the time. Works great when I've got the Surface hooked up to an external monitor or TV and want to control things from a distance, both for work meetings and play.

 

[fonzman78]

I was disappointed to read this earlier this week... I use mine all the time. Works great when I've got the Surface hooked up to an external monitor or TV and want to control things from a distance, both for work meetings and play.

Totally agree. I use mine all the time. It works great when gaming as I can move the body back and give my self more room. So glad I got one.

 

[kgneo]

Never Use It

Probably a wise decision by MS. Of course, as is likely the case with the majority of those who own one, I bought it at the same time i bought my SP2. I think I realized a day after the return period ended that i had only used it twice. Anyone want to buy mine? Let me know! I suppose i should i have known better - i tried the Sony Vaio Tap 11 before the Surface and one of my many complaints (in addition to the fact that the 3 week old Vaio was already falling apart) was the fact that the keyboard could NOT attach to the tablet. The Tap 11 had looks - and that's about it. Guess I thought the ability to do both would be useful, but even though my Type Keyboard has been the polar opposite of reliable and requires repeated removal and reconnection to maintain its connection- I find the usability of the Surface to be greatly improved by the physical connection to the cover attachments.
Perhaps a complete redesign adding the wireless connection as an option to the Power Cover as a invisible, integrated feature would be a more interesting, innovative and useful implementation of wireless connectivity.

 

[Rallicat]

It's a bit of a shame that this has been discontinued. It was never even released in the UK market! I guess I can understand that if they weren't selling very well that it couldn't carry on.

However I put this down to a failing in Microsoft's distribution and marketing of the entire Surface line. I really like my Surface 2, and I owned the pervious model (the Surface RT). Microsoft didn't fanfare the product strongly enough, and have always seemed to be in a conflicted state about it. They've made the thing, and made it well, but when it comes to marketing it - they shy away from competing with their own OEM partners. Indeed, in the company I work for, we (as a partner) get funding for PC replacements with Windows 8 devices - as long as they aren't Surface!

Under these circumstances I fear for the future of Microsoft Surface. On the one hand, Microsoft want to make sure there is at least /something/ out there that's a solid iPad competitor, but on the other hand, how long will they carry on when they're spending so much money to make a good quality product that they then put such a weak sales effort behind?

 

[KiyoshiAphelion]

I know this is old news by now, but c'mon. My Type Cover 2 costs how much and they want me to throw in another $60 to make it wireless? It's hard to compete with all the other cheap Bluetooth keyboards out there and $130 + $60 seems worse than an Apple accessory.

 

[demandarin]

I have one and like it. I find it very useful for using my surface type cover for typing on ps4 in live streams or web surfing. It beats using controller to type. My type cover pairs perfectly with surface keyboard and BT wireless attachment for it. As soon as I cut it on, ps4 recognizes it.