A rumor had shown up a little bit ago saying that Microsoft would be extending its distribution for the Surface line of tablets to third-party retailers. Well, Staples has officially confirmed that they are carrying the Surface RT for $499 with an e-mail advertisement saying so.

The rumor said that Microsoft is expanding the places that the Surface RT is sold because of poor demand for the device. Some estimates say that they have in excess of 2 million tablets still in stock, though Microsoft has not confirmed this. By expanding availability, more people can check out the device, and Microsoft can hopefully move more product.

I have a feeling more stores than just Staples will be carrying the device, though I haven't caught word of which those will be. Meanwhile, if your local Staples is one of the select stores where the Surface RT is available, you can head on down and check it out. Check Staples' website to see in-store availability.