 |
| Mock-ups of the Surface Mini with the touch cover |
 |
| Surface Pro stylus magnetically connects to the charging port |
Last year, rumours said that Microsoft was putting together a smaller version of its Surface tablet, the presumed Surface Mini. From the sound of things, we’d be getting a device with a display in the seven-to-eight-inch range, and that the aspect ratio might change to an iPad-style 4:3. But then by the time 2014 started looming over the horizon, these Surface Mini rumors began drying up, and we haven’t heard anything noteworthy in several months now. All of a sudden, though, the Surface Mini is back in the spotlight with new rumors discussing the tablet’s hardware, Microsoft’s release plans, and how the Surface Mini might be positioned within the greater Surface lineup.
 |
| The Surface Pro's Wacom enabled Stylus |
Reportedly, Microsoft intends to really focus on the Surface Mini’s ability to act as a digital notebook like the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro tablets, rather than depicting the tablet as a laptop replacement seen with larger Surface models. That would mean support for a high-precision active stylus, like we see on Surface Pro lineup.
We also hear that the Surface Mini is essentially a done deal at this point, and its release is simply a matter of Microsoft deciding it’s the right time. Specifically, multiple sources have suggested that a launch sometime this spring is likely, meaning we could be just one or two months away from its unveiling. Failing that, it would almost certainly arrive before the end of the year.
We still have oodles of questions: are we looking at another Tegra 4? How about another 1080p display in 4:3 aspect ratio? And what could Microsoft be thinking so far as pricing goes? With the Surface 2 starting at $450, would the Mini be more like $350? If a spring launch truly is in the cards, we’re hoping those answers find their way to us soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment