Microsoft topped tech headlines on Monday, unveiling the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, the follow-ups to its first self-produced tablets.

The second-generation slates promise performance and battery life boosts, as well as a bevy of new features and accessories. The Surface 2 has a Tegra 4 processor from Nvidia and will be available on Oct. 22 starting at $449 for the 32GB version. The Surface Pro 2, meanwhile, is being billed as a full-blown, workstation-quality business product. Microsoft did not immediately reveal the date of release for the Surface Pro 2, but said it will be priced starting at $899 for the 64GB version with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations also available. For more, check out our hands on with the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2.

Meanwhile, in the first of three announcements expected this week, Valve yesterday revealed SteamOS, available soon as a free gaming OS for your living room. “SteamOS combines the rock-solid architecture of Linux with a gaming experience built for the big screen,” Valve said.  SteamOS will be “available soon” as a free download, Valve said.

Also making headlines yesterday, Google’s Gmail and Google Docs was hit with a service outage. The Web giant initially said the problems only affected 0.024 percent of the Gmail user base but later changed the percentage of affected users to less than 50 percent. At 4 p.m., Google said Gmail service had been restored for some users, and should be back to normal this morning.

For more, check out PCMag Live from Monday in the video below, as well as more stories from yesterday in the links below.

• BlackBerry to Go Private in $4.7 Billion Takeover Deal: BlackBerry on Monday announced plans to sell its business to a consortium led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, which will take the troubled phone maker private in a $4.7 billion deal.
• Steve Jobs’s Childhood Home Eyed as Historic Landmark: From the garage of a Silicon Valley ranch-style home, Steve Jobs and Apple skyrocketed to success in the 1970s. Now, that famed single-story house may become protected property.
• DogVaycay, the Airbnb for Pooches, Launches New iOS App: Going on vacation and not sure what to do with your dog while you’re away? iPhone users need to look no further than the App Store.
• NY Installs ‘Text Stops’ Along State Highways: New York State is taking an unconventional step toward curbing distracted driving by installing special “Texting Zones” along the thruway and state highways.
• James the Robot Bartender Serves Drinks in Binary: We may have to adjust the Three Laws of Robotics to include something about 86ing drunks if a robot bartender being developed by European researchers is able to find employment in an actual pub.
• Hands On With Batman: Arkham Origins, More: Comic book video games might be getting consistently good with three upcoming sequels: Batman: Arkham Origins, Scribblenauts Unmasked, and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.
• New iPhone Release Leads to Violence in N.H., Calif.: New iPhone launch days are a happy occasion for most Apple fans, but some found themselves in the middle of violent confrontations as demand for the sought-after smartphones reached new heights last week.
• Apple TV 6.0 Upgrade Pulled After Devices Bricked: In addition to its new iPhone lineup, Apple on Friday also released an update for its Apple TV set-top box. But users soon ran into problems, forcing Cupertino to pull the upgrade.
• Rockstar Investigating GTA 5’s Missing Vehicles Glitch: Stolen cars are an implicit part of the Grand Theft Auto gameplay, but disappearing vehicles seem to be an unintended consequence of new GTA 5 upgrades.