There is a big enough difference between last year’s Microsoft Surface Pro 2 and the new Microsoft Surface Pro 3 that the Windows might keep both on the market at the same time as competing products. So which should users choose?

The experts at TabletPCReview very much liked both devices.Of the Surface Pro 2, TPCR claimed:

The Microsoft Surface Pro 2 is a powerful tablet with an amazing design. Users that need a powerful and portable machine should definitely take a look, but everyone else should gander elsewhere owing to its high price.

And we had this to say about the Surface Pro 3:

Like its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is the perfect device for the specific user that needs power in an impossibly thin and light design. It’s not cheap, however, and the added cost of a proper keyboard cover and Office stings.

Those reviews were only written five months apart, and both statements still stand. The newer Pro 3 is a better device all things being equal, but could different users with differing needs reasonably make a case for the Pro 2? Let’s find out.

Please note, this has been updated since the initial publishing to reflect the Surface Pro 2 price cuts.

Build and Design

Both devices set a standard for hardware excellence. They are not the thinnest or lightest tablets, but no device comes close to matching the Surface Pro combination of power and portability. That’s true of both the Pro 2 and Pro 3.

The Pro 3 is larger, thinner, and lighter than the Pro 2. The newest modet measures 11.5 x 7.93 x .36 inches and weighs a scant 1.76 pounds without the Pro Type Cover keyboard or pen. It feels solid… but the Pro 2 feels more solid, likely because it’s thicker and heavier. This version measures 10.81 x 6.81 x .53 inches, and weighs 2 pounds, again, without a Type or Touch Cover keyboard and pen. This means that the Pro 2 would probably win in a fight, but since both feature a magnesium allow build that handles abuse spectacularly well, both can easily survive the rigors of day-to-day use as well as a drop or two.

Display and Speakers

The Surface Pro 2 has a 10.6-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolution and 208 pixels per inch. Its 16:9 aspect ratio is ideal for streaming media and the Windows 8.1 start screen and apps, but the desktop is cramped and that makes for a sometimes frustrating and claustrophobic experience.

The Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch display with 2160 x 1440 resolution and 216 pixels per inch. It has a boxy 3:2 aspect ratio, which along with its larger size, prove to be its real strengths. As TPCR noted:

It’s on the desktop side where the display size really shines. Twelve inches sits right in the middle of what many users consider both full-size and portable, and it feels just right. The Surface Pro 3 feels especially suited for productivity tasks thanks to its more square-like aspect ratio that provides more vertical space, which translates to more workspace. Heavy Excel users will love it.

It’s also possible to run three apps side by side by side with the Pro 3, and only two with the Pro 2. Three apps overcrowd the display, and prove to be too much. But it’s nice to have the option, regardless.

In terms of image quality, it’s a near wash. There’s no discernible difference is sharpness, despite the Pro 3’s higher PPI count, but the Pro 3 does perform slightly better at severe angles. The Pro 2 has a slight magenta hint, while the Pro 3 tends to warm yellow. Both shrug off glare especially well thanks to Microsoft’s optical bonding.

The speakers are also a wash, and blindfolded, it’s tough to tell the difference in output between the two devices. Both are mediocre at best, which makes them more than adequate compared with other notebooks and tablets.

Kickstand

The two-stop kickstand on last year’s Pro 2 served us just fine for both tabletop and literal lap use. The multi-stop Pro 3 kickstand serves us just fine for the same.

The Pro 3 is a bit more stable (also owing to the new Surface Pro Type Cover and its attachment features), but we’ve yet to encounter a situation where the Pro 3 needs to be open at an extreme angle and lying it flat doesn’t suffice. That’s not to suggest that we won’t need it in the future or other users don’t need it at all, so the Pro 3 wins here.

Pen

The Pro 2 relies on Wacom pen tech, while the Pro 3 rocks N-trig. For some digital artists and inkers, this is probably the deciding factor in making a buying decision.

This group often has strong opinions and preferences when it comes to inking technology, but Microsoft claims the Pro 3 N-trig pen tech is more accurate than the Pro 2 Wacom tech, has less latency, and makes for a thinner device. On the downside, it only has 256 pressure levels to the Pro 2’s 1024.

Though the team at TPCR lacks the artistry skill to fully discern the pressure sensitivity difference, serious artist likely will. They will also notice the difference in the distance required for hover actions. The Pro 3 pen tip has to be about a centimeter closer to the display than the Pro 2 pen.

In testing, the Pro 2 had issues with straight lines around the display side and bottom edges. It warped slow pen strokes on both, and completely dropped fast strokes on the sides. It also dropped strokes with the pen at sharp angles, while the Pro 3 pen did not.

About the physical stick that ships with both devices, TPCRhad this to say:

The new N-trig stick feels much better than the sheer plastic Wacom Surface Pen in hand. It has much better weight and balance, aided by the AAAA battery that powers it no doubt, and the textured plastic body is much more pleasant to touch. Both have a button on the tip, but the new pen has two buttons coming up from the base that can function as the buttons on a mouse. The old pen had a magnetic protrusion that doubled as a docking element and also functioned as a button. It wasn’t the best solution, and the new N-trig is physically better all around. The Surface Pro 3 has no docking elements, but the pen does include a standard clip and can dock via a latch on the new Surface Pro Type Cover.

Two more things to note: a click of the Pro 3 pen nub end launches OneNote, even when the Pro 3 is sleeping. It proves to be a useful feature not available on the Pro 2. Also,righties will likely curse the Pro 3 Windows softkey, which migrated from the bottom bezel on the Pro 2 to the right portrait bezel on the Pro 3, while inking because it’s so easy to accidentally trigger with a palm. Thankfully, it can be deactivated.

Performance

Every Surface Pro 2 ships with a fourth-generation Core i5 4300U processor (1.9GHz, Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz) with integrated Intel HD 4400 graphics and either 4GB or 8GB of RAM. The Surface Pro 3 comes in a variety of configurations (covered below), ranging from a Core i3 tablet with 4GB of RAM to a Core i7 unit with 8GB of RAM. TPCR had a Core i5 Pro 2 with 4GB of RAM and a Core i5 Pro 3 with 8GB of RAM to compare.

Obviously, the Pro 3 slightly edged out the Pro 2 in each of the Test Lab’s standard benchmark tests (and the difference in RAM certainly played a role), though the difference wasn’t so great as to suggest the Pro 3 is capable of more than the Pro 2. In fact, both devices outpace many other Ultrabooks and other Windows 8.1 tablets with similar specs, likely due to the near flawless driver support that comes when one manufacturer is responsible for hardware and software.

The Pro 3 definitely has the edge when it comes to battery however. It lasted 212 minutes in the strenuous Powermark “Balanced” test, while the Pro 2 just went 187 minutes. In real-world usage, the Pro 3 will likely last a full 8-hour work day, or close to it, while the Pro 2 will struggle to hit anything more than 6 hours.

Configurations and Price

There are five different Surface Pro 3 configurations, each processor pairing with a different integrated chipset:

• 1.5GHz Intel Core i3 (Intel HD Graphics 4200), 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB storage
• 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz), 4GB of RAM, 128GB storage
• 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz), 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage
• 1.7GHz Intel Core i7 (Intel HD Graphics 5000, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz), 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage
• 1.7GHz Intel Core i7 (Intel HD Graphics 5000, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz), 8GB of RAM and 512GB storage

The Surface Pro 2 has less to offer here, with only four configurations

• 1.9GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz) 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage
• 1.9GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz) 4GB of RAM and 128GB storage
• 1.9GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz) 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage
• 1.9GHz Intel Core i5 (Intel HD Graphics 4400, Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz) 8GB of RAM and 512GB storage

As of this writing, the Surface Pro 2 ranges in price from $799 to $1,599 following a recent price drop. The Surface Pro 3 starts at $799, and ranges up to $1,949. Neither ships with a keyboard cover; both the Surface Pro Type Cover (for the Pro 3) and the Type Cover 2 (for the Pro 2) cost $130. The less expensive Touch Covers and pricey Power Cover work with both devices, but are designed to fit the Pro 2.

Comparing apples to apples, the Core i5 Pro 2 models cost $899 (4GB RAM, 128GB capacity) and  $1,099 (8GB RAM, 256GB capacity), while the Pro 3 models cost $999 (4GB RAM, 128GB capacity) and $1,299 (8GB RAM, 256GB capacity). The $200 difference between the two higher-end configurations make the Pro 2 a compelling choice. That’s enough to cover the cost of a Surface Pro 2 docking station or Power Cover, or any of the other Touch and Type Covers.

Conclusion

Once again, the Surface Pro 3 is the better device all around for most users. The Pro 2 is no slouch compared against the rest of the market, which makes this a difficult decision considering the price difference.

At the entry level and at $799, a Core i5-powered Surface Pro 2 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB capacity is a better buy than a Core i3 Surface Pro 3, which isn’t even scheduled to ship until August. Those that need a Surface Pro now and want the least expensive model shouldn’t wait, the Pro 2 is the way to go on account of its higher-end performance. Those that can wait, might want to just in case Microsoft slashes Pro 2 prices again in time for back-to-school season.

It’s really a coin flip between the Core i5 Surface Pros, especially the 256GB units. Potential buyers should really test each out before deciding to see if the improved display and design makes that much of a difference in personal usage. Given a strict $1,299 spending limit, many on the  TabletPCReview team would likely pick up a 256GB Pro 2 with a Type Cover 2, and pocket the $70 difference before buying.

This is all less relevant to the subset that absolutely needs a Wacom digitizer and detests N-trig. Those users should give the Pro 3 a shot first before settling, though we won’t argue with those that choose the Pro 2 and Wacom. It’s still a good device, just not the best.

Black swan

Black swan on Vacha reservoir, Bulgaria

A black swan up-ending in deeper water to reach food

A black swan up-ending in deeper water to reach food

In flight

Side view of mature adult showing characteristic "S" neck

Black swan

The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic conditions. Black swans are large birds with mostly black plumage and red bills. They are monogamous breeders that share incubation duties and cygnet rearing between the sexes.

Black swans have been introduced to various countries as an ornamental bird in the 1800s, but have escaped and formed stable populations. A small population of Black swans exists on the River Thames at Marlow, and near the River Itchen, Hampshire. Described scientifically by English naturalist John Latham in 1790, the Black Swan was formerly placed into amonotypic genus, Chenopis. Black swans can be found singly, or in loose companies numbering into the hundreds or even thousands. Black swans are popular birds in zoological gardens and bird collections, and escapees are sometimes seen outside their natural range.

Description

Black swans are mostly black-feathered birds, with white flight feathers. The bill is bright red, with a pale bar and tip; and legs and feet are greyish-black. Cobs (males) are slightly larger than pens (females), with a longer and straighter bill. Cygnets (immature birds) are a greyish-brown with pale-edged feathers.

A mature black swan measures between 110 and 142 centimetres (43 and 56 in) in length and weighs 3.7–9 kilograms (8.2–19.8 lb). Its wing span is between 1.6 and 2 metres (5.2 and 6.6 ft). The neck is long (relatively the longest neck among the swans) and curved in an "S"-shape.

The black swan utters a musical and far reaching bugle-like sound, called either on the water or in flight, as well as a range of softer crooning notes. It can also whistle, especially when disturbed while breeding and nesting.

When swimming, black swans hold their necks arched or erect, and often carry their feathers or wings raised in an aggressive display. In flight, a wedge of black swans will form as a line or a V, with the individual birds flying strongly with undulating long necks, making whistling sounds with their wings and baying, bugling or trumpeting calls.

The black swan is unlike any other Australian bird, although in poor light and at long range it may be confused with a magpie goose in flight. However, the black swan can be distinguished by its much longer neck and slower wing beat.

One captive population of black swans in Lakeland, Florida has produced a few individuals which are a light mottled grey color instead of black.

Diet and feeding

The black swan is almost exclusively herbivorous, and while there is some regional and seasonal variation, the diet is generally dominated by aquatic and marshland plants. In New South Wales the leaf of reedmace (genus Typha) is the most important food of birds in wetlands, followed by submerged algae and aquatic plants like Vallisneria. In Queensland aquatic plants like Potamogeton and stoneworts and algae are the dominant foods. The exact composition varies with water level, in flood situations where normal foods are out of reach black swans will feed on pasture plants on shore.^[13] The black swan feeds in a similar manner to other swans. When feeding in shallow water it will dip its head and neck under the water, and it is able to keep its head flat against the bottom while keeping its body horizontal. In deeper water the bird up-ends to reach lower. Black swans are also able to filter feed at the water's surface.

Nesting and reproduction[edit]

Parent with cygnets in Australia

A black swan family

Like other swans, the black swan is largely monogamous, pairing for life (about 6% divorce rate). Recent studies have shown that around a third of all broods exhibit extra-pair paternity. An estimated one-quarter of all pairings are homosexual, mostly between males.^{[citation needed]} They steal nests, or form temporary threesomes with females to obtain eggs, driving away the female after she lays the eggs.

Generally, black swans nest in the wetter winter months (February to September), occasionally in large colonies. A black swan nest is essentially a large heap or mound of reeds, grasses and weeds between 1 and 1.5 metres (3-4½ feet) in diameter and up to 1 metre high, in shallow water or on islands. A nest is reused every year, restored or rebuilt as needed. Both parents share the care of the nest. A typical clutch contains 4 to 8 greenish-white eggs that are incubated for about 35–40 days.^[19] Incubation begins after the laying of the last egg, in order to synchronise the hatching of the chicks. Prior to the commencement of incubation the parent will sit over the eggs without actually warming them. Both sexes incubate the eggs, with the female incubating at night. The change over between incubation periods is marked by ritualised displays by both sexes.If eggs accidentally roll out of the nest both sexes will retrieve the egg using the neck (in other swan species only the female performs this feat).Like all swans, black swans will aggressively defend their nests with their wings and beaks. After hatching, the cygnets are tended by the parents for about 9 months until fledging. Cygnets may ride on their parent's back for longer trips into deeper water, but black swans undertake this behaviour less frequently than mute and black-necked swans.

rose-ringed parakeet, Female on left and male on right

African rose-ringed parakeets in Tel Aviv

Parakeets in Garaboli National Park making a beak-lock – a common act in parakeet pairs

Rose-ringed parakeet feeding on fresh leaves

Rose-ringed parakeet

The rose-ringed parakeet  also known as the ring-necked parakeet, is a gregarious tropical Afro-Asian parakeet species that has an extremely large range.

The rose-ringed parakeet is sexually dimorphic. The adult male sports a red or black neck ring and the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck rings. Both sexes have a distinctive green colour. Rose-ringed parakeets measure on average 40 cm (16 in) in length, including the tail feathers, a large portion of their total length. Their average single-wing length is about 15–17.5 cm (5.9–6.9 in). In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call. It is herbivorous and not migratory.

One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats, it has withstood the onslaught of urbanisation and deforestation. As a popular pet species, escaped birds have colonised a number of cities around the world. Since the population appears to be increasing, the species was evaluated as being of least concern by the IUCN in 2012, but its popularity as a pet and unpopularity with farmers have both reduced its numbers in some parts of its native range.

Phylogeny and distribution

Four subspecies are recognized, though they differ little:

• African subspecies:

African rose-ringed parakeet (P. k. krameri): western Africa in Guinea, Senegal, and southern Mauritania, east to western Uganda and southern Sudan, Egypt. Resident among the Nile valley and certainly Giza, it is sometimes seen on the north coast and Sinai. The African parakeet also started to breed in Israel in the 1980s and is considered aninvasive species.

Abyssinian rose-ringed parakeet (P. k. parvirostris): northwest Somalia, west across northern Ethiopia to Sennardistrict, Sudan

• Asian subspecies:

Indian rose-ringed parakeet (P. k. manillensis) originates from the southern Indian subcontinent and has feral and naturalized populations worldwide. In Australia, Great Britain (mainly around London), the United States, and other western countries, it is often referred to as the Indian ringneck parrot.

Boreal rose-ringed parakeet (P. k. borealis) is distributed in Bangladesh, Pakistan, northern India and Nepal to central Burma; introduced populations are found worldwide.

A phylogenetic analysis using DNA (see Psittacula) showed that the Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula echo) is closely related to this species, and probably needs to be placed between the African and Asian subspecies. Consequently, this species isparaphyletic.

Ecology and behaviour

Diet

n the wild, rose-ringed parakeets usually feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. Wild flocks also fly several miles to forage in farmlands and orchards, causing extensive damage.

In India, they feed on cereal grains, and during winter also on pigeon peas. In Egypt during the spring, they feed onmulberry and in summer they feed on dates and nest inside palm trees and eat from sunflower and corn fields.

Reproduction

In north-west India, Indian rose-ringed parakeets form pairs from September to December. They do not have life mates and often breed with another partner during the following breeding season. During this cold season, they select and defendnesting sites, thus avoiding competition for sites with other birds. Feeding on winter pea crops provides the female with nutrients necessary for egg production. From April to June, they care for their young. Fledgings are ready to leave the nest before monsoon.

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Cetti's warbler

Cetti's warbler , Cettia cetti, is an Old World warbler. It is a small, brown bush-warbler which breeds in southern and central Europe, north-west Africa and east southern temperate Asia as far as Afghanistan and north-west Pakistan. The bird is named after the 18th century Italian zoologist, Francesco Cetti. This species is very difficult to see because of its skulking habits.

Population

The number of Cetti’s warblers has greatly increased across Europe since 1990. The current population of Cetti's warblers in Europe is estimated to be about 600,000-1,600,000 breeding pairs. The populations in Italyand Turkey are known to be stable or increasing. The exception to the general positive European population trend is Greece, where the population decreased slightly between 1990 and 2000. However, overall, Cetti’s warblers are evaluated as secure. The Cetti's warbler was first recorded in the United Kingdom in 1961. The UK population of Cetti's warblers fell by over a third between 1984 and 1986. However, populations in milder regions continued to grow.

Description

The Cetti’s warbler is approximately 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in) from bill to tail. The male weighs 15 g (0.53 oz) and the female 12 g (0.42 oz). Cetti’s warblers have a rounded head with a narrow pale grey stripe arching over conspicuous black eyes, and short, rounded wings. They are a rich chestnut or dark reddish-brown colour on the upperparts. They are pale grey on the throat and stomach, with a longer and broader tail than many other warblers.^{[citation needed]} Both sexes looks alike, but males are 26% to 32% heavier than females with a wing-length 11.2% to 13.% longer. The male has a wing longer than 60 mm; the female has a wing shorter than 55 mm. The birds can be aged by their plumage; juveniles look similar to adults but have fresh plumage and two dark or dark grey spots on the tongue.

Behaviour

Cetti's warblers signal their presence with loud song. During the summer, the males spend most of their time establishing their territories. While doing this, they spend little amount of time caring for the eggs or young. Afterwards, the males usually attract more than one female to their territory. Their song plays an important role. Cetti's warbler songs are distinct, come in loud bursts, and have a unique structure that allows them to avoid mating with other species.

Markhor female with young,

Markhor are adapted to mountainous terrain, and can be found between 600 and 3,600 meters in elevation. They typically inhabit scrub forests made up primarily of oaks (Quercus ilex), pines (Pinus gerardiana), and junipers(Juniperus macropoda). They are diurnal, and are mainly active in the early morning and late afternoon. Their diets shift seasonally: in the spring and summer periods they graze, but turn to browsing in winter, sometimes standing on their hind legs to reach high branches. The mating season takes place in winter, during which the males fight each other by lunging, locking horns and attempting to push each other off balance. The gestation period lasts 135–170 days, and usually results in the birth of one or two kids, though rarely three. Markhor live in flocks, usually numbering nine animals, composed of adult females and their young. Adult males are largely solitary. Adult females and kids comprise most of the markhor population, with adult females making up 32% of the population and kids making up 31%. Adult males comprise 19%, while subadults (males aged 2–3 years) make up 12%, and yearlings (females aged 12–24 months) make up 9% of the population. Their alarm call closely resembles the bleating of domestic goats. Early in the season the males and females may be found together on the open grassy patches and clear slopes among the forest. During the summer, the males remain in the forest, while the females generally climb to the highest rocky ridges above.