The typical support lifecycle for a tablet seems to be around two and a half years if you ask Apple; or until you reach the parking lot if you buy from an Android OEM. When Microsoft released the Surface last month we had no reason to believe they would be pushing for anything different, but then again, they want you to believe its more laptop than tablet right? Microsoft has finally professed their support intentions for the Surface, and we are cautiously optimistic they are moving the bar forward.

It’s been a slow build over the last several years, but for the first time ever, NPD is reporting that tablet displays are shipping in greater quantities than those destined for notebooks. This doesn’t mean notebook computers are dead by any stretch of the imagination, but it does bring to light an interesting trend that is only likely to accelerate.

The tablet market is a pretty cut throat place to be these days. On the high end Apple simply dominates with the iPad, on the middle ground Google’s new Nexus line carefully appeals to those with a strong sense of price vs. performance, and Amazon fills out the low end. This isn’t to say Amazon’s tablet offerings aren’t well spec’d, but simply put, they aren’t worth the investment if you aren’t willing to commit to Amazon’s content ecosystem. Barnes & Noble has found itself awkwardly positioned against the competition these days, and are likely hoping a price cut on its older tablet lineup will help set them apart.