Question 1

Can I use the surface RT to play amazon prime videos and also the apps I already own for kindle fire?

Accepted Answer

Kindle Fire apps no, the Surface RT is a Windows device and the Kindle Fire is Android based.  I am able to watch Amazon videos fullscreen through the Amazon Instant Video website.

Question 2

What does RT mean?

Accepted Answer

RT is a particular version of Windows 8 that is optimized to run on ARM processors, which are common in tablets. The name was inspired by Windows RunTime, a collection of tools designed to allow developers to develop software on either ARM or Intel/AMD processors, although the name is more an homage than meant to indicate a direct connection. The version more customarily seen on desktops is Windows 8 Pro. Devices running RT are, compared with tablets running Pro,  cheaper, have (theoretically) a slightly better battery life and can be a fraction thinner. However, RT has a significant limitation compared to Pro, it will only run apps downloaded from Windows Store. You can't just double-click on any old file with a .exe extension and install it. As Windows Store presently has a smaller selection of apps compared with Google Play and Apple store, this has lead some to criticize the platform as being too limited.In terms of what this means for you, if your tablet requirements are reasonably standard, i.e., check email, surf the web, social media, etc., and you are considering the Surface because it has MS Office so you can be a bit more productive, RT isn't a bad option. However, if there are particular programs you definitely need, you should consider the Surface Pro, which will cost you a bit more.

Question 3

can this be charged using the USB port?

Accepted Answer

No it has a proprietary half magnetic half USB Mac PC hybrid charging cable that you use to charge it.

Question 4

can it play amazon video

Accepted Answer

This does not play Amazon videos, I have tried it. And this is definitely not like Windows 8. The Surface RT is no longer supported by Microsoft and that means it has outdated versions of almost everything, and hardly anything can be updated. Amazon videos play on Google Chrome, and the Surface RT doesn't want to install Google Chrome.

ASIN	B009XNBFJK
Age Range Description	Adult
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Battery Average Life	8 hours
Battery Cell Type	Lithium Ion
Best Sellers Rank	#686,270 in Electronics ( See Top 100 in Electronics ) #7,239 in Computer Tablets
Brand	Microsoft
CPU Model Number	Tegra 3
CPU Model Speed Maximum	1.4 GHz
Camera Description	Front
Cellular Technology	4G
Color	Dark Titanium
Compatible Devices	Bluetooth devices
Connectivity Technology	Wireless
Customer Reviews	4.0 out of 5 stars 1,221 Reviews
Display Resolution Maximum	1366 x 768 pixels
Display Type	LED
Frame Rate	30 FPS
Generation	Android 8
Graphics Coprocessor	NVIDIA Tegra
Graphics Description	Integrated
Hard-Drive Size	32 GB
Hardware Interface	Bluetooth
Headphones Jack	3.5 mm
Human-Interface Input	Touchscreen
Item Weight	1.5 pounds
Lithium-Battery Energy Content	31.5 watt-hours
Manufacturer	Microsoft
Memory Slots Available	1
Memory Storage Capacity	32 GB
Mfr Part Number	Surface 32GB
Model Name	Surface
Model Number	Surface 32GB
Model Year	2014
Native Resolution	1366 x 768
Number of Items	1
Number of Rear Facing Cameras	1
Operating System	Windows 8.1 RT
Operating System Family	Windows
Photo Sensor Resolution	6 mp
Processor Brand	NVIDIA
Processor Description	NVIDIA Tegra
Processor Speed	1.3 GHz
RAM Memory Installed	2 GB
RAM Size	2 GB
Rear Facing Camera Photo Sensor Resolution	2 mp
Screen Size	10.6 inches
Sensor Type	Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Magnetometer
Specific Uses For Product	personal
Total Usb Ports	1
UPC	885370447705
Unit Count	1 Count
Video Capture Resolution	720 p
Video Processor	Nvidia
Warranty Description	Two-year International Travelers Limited Warranty (ITW)
Warranty Type	[LIKELY] Limited
Wireless Compability	802.11bgn
Wireless Technology	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

Microsoft Surface RT (32GB)

Details

Details

Description

Specifications

Common Questions