After last October’s launch of the Surface RT tablet, Microsoft on Tuesday announced the release date and pricing for its Surface Pro – Microsoft’s full-fledged, fully-powered tablet. Learning from past mistakes, the tablet will be available in the US and Canada on February 9 in all places the RT version is available – including Best Buys and Staples. Featuring an i5 processor and a full version of Windows 8 with no application restrictions, the 64 gig model will cost $899, and an option to double the storage bumps the price up to $999. Neither version comes with the optional – but strongly recommended – keyboard, which will drive the price up another hundred bucks when bundled with the Pro. As we shift into a post-PC world, Microsoft is eager step up to Apple in the tablet world. October’s Surface RT was sluggish and sales were light – Microsoft is going to need the Surface Pro to fare much better than its predecessor if it’s to be considered a success.