Microsoft has created a new device it hopes will get a big market share of the mobile device industry. Microsoft's new tablet, the Surface Mini, features an Intel Bay Trail CPU with a full 1080p 8.5-inch touchscreen. The device is said to fall in the same category as the iPad Mini 2, LG G Pad and the long awaited Google Nexus 8. Microsoft was initially scheduled to launch the Surface Mini together with Surface 2 and Pro 2. However, this did not happen because some of the members of the team had to be diverted in order to assist with the Xbox One project.

How does the Surface Mini differ from the Pro 2 or RT?

Surface RT has Microsoft RT as its Operating System. The display is 10.5 inches and it has a multi-touch screen with a 2048 MB memory. Although it features good industrial design and solid stand and keyboard options, it is plagued by poor hardware. The OS misses out on app support and is inflexible.

Pro 2 has an Intel 4th Gen Core i5 processor and Windows 8.1 Pro as software. The display is a 10.6 inch ClearType Full HD Display. It has excellent battery life and a good mixture of touch, keyboard, mouse, and pen movements. The Windows 8.1 is an improvement but the device is quite thick, making it heavy in weight. Also, the base storage is not quite adequate enough.

Microsoft Surface Mini promises to be an excellent advancement for Microsoft's tablet lineup. The camera can distinguish between the hand movements and the face of the user. It is supposed to be a whole lot better and smoother than the "Air Gestures" for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4. Surface Mini will run completely with Windows 8.1 Update 1. It is also reported that it has Windows RT and Windows Phone OS, which means that Surface Mini can have the functions of a tablet PC as well as smartphone.

Microsoft is planning a June 2014 launch for the Surface Mini and a selection of new hardware, expected to happen during the Computex 2014 in Taipei, Taiwan. Rumors say the tablet will be priced to compete with the iPad Mini and Google Nexus lineup devices.