Surface 2 leaves a trail in Microsoft device logs as Nokia tails along

Surface 2 tablet being tested?
Both of these may be refeshed soon

Microsoft may be testing out the Surface 2 tablet right now and leaving behind a trail of evidence.

The device name "Microsoft Corporation Surface 2" has regularly popped up on the device logs among other Windows-run hardware, according to ad firm AdDuplex.

"Microsoft Corporation Surface with Windows 8.1 Pro" is a second mystery device listed among the 10,000 different model names AdDuplex sees in a single day.

"The [Surface 2 listing] definitely looks like a new device," suggested the ad firm, which based its data on the 393 Windows Store apps running its AdDuplex software.

"But the second one theoretically could be just a change in what Surface Pro with Windows 8.1 installed reports."

AdDuplex went on to speculate that the preview version of W8.1 didn't change the device name, so it's either a later build like the Windows 8.1 RTM or a new version of Surface Pro altogether.

Logs float idea of a Nokia tablet

Even though Nokia doesn't have a Windows tablet on the market, the Finnish company has strongly hinted that it is working on such a device.

The logs could back up this years-in-the-making promise, with Nokia device sightings happening as early as October of last year, according to the ad firm.

"The device was named RX-107. Then we've seen RX-108. And then RX-113, 114, 115, 116. Interestingly enough we haven't seen RX-109 through RX-112."

"It's hard to say if all of these are just variations of one device progressing through development stages, or 2 device lines (107-108 and 113-116) or something else."

We should get further clarification next month, as Nokia is rumored to finally unveil its first Windows tablet in New York City on Sept. 26.

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Matt Swider