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Microsoft announces a 'small gathering' on 20th May

by Mark Tyson on 6 May 2014, 10:30

Tags: Surface

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We have seen rumours of a Surface Mini tablet intensify recently and now it seems like Microsoft has all-but-confirmed that such a device will be officially revealed for the first time on 20th May. Various media outlets have received an invite to an event on that date in New York City.

The 'Surface Event', subtitled 'join us for a small gathering', is expected to be presided over by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The event will start at 11am E.T. which is 4pm in the UK. While the 'small gathering' may be a reference to the size of the event it is most probably the usual pun-tease, as favoured by tech companies for these unveiling events.

Rummaging through the previous rumour pile we think that the Surface Mini will sport a 7.5-inch screen (the sweet spot between 7 and 8-inches you see) which is expected to boast a 4:3 aspect ratio 1,400 x 1,080 pixel resolution.

In October Surface VP Panos Panay confirmed new Surface hardware with both bigger and smaller screens would be released. At a Microsoft Store event at Seattle University Panay said "We have a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface".

Our most recent Surface Mini rumour came from an Amazon retailer listing a specially made smartcover for the Microsoft Surface Mini which is pre-orderable now but not available until 18th May - pretty close to this event.

There remains a lot to be discovered about the Surface Mini such as the processor/architecture, the pricing, accessory and stylus plans. Hopefully we will be far more enlightened a fortnight from now, after the 'small gathering' in New York concludes.



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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Each to his own, but until/unless MS stop trying to shove MUI down our throats and give me the option of my damn menu screen back, with the ability to ignore MUI and MUI apps entirely in W8, I'm militantly indifferent to whatever the hell they do with either phones or tablets, of whatever size, spec or price. I'm not even interested enough to look at the spec, because I wouldn't take one if they gave it to me, never mind any chance I might actually pay money, any amount of money, for it.
The MUI would work well on a tablet but as I use mine mostly for media, I have a simple requirement: no HD screen no sale.

I am not going to transcode my movie collection yet again.

Then there is an issue of price. My rooted Nook HD+ cost me £180 and some fun rooting it to stock android. Admittedly it is bigger (9.7" screen) but I would bet the MS Mini Surface will be £4-500
cjs150
The MUI would work well on a tablet ….
Indeed it probably does/would. That's not my point, though.

I'm so annoyed at MS trying to force MUI on desktop users, where it doesn't work so well, in order to promote their tablets and phones that I'm running a personal boycott on their tablets and phones. Until and unless they change tack, and tone, I don't care how well it works on tablets or phones, they can shove them.
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This is soon to be a non-issue, Microsoft already announced that the start menu will return in a “future” update. This is likely to be the Fall 2014 update. It's will have a start menu on desktops & laptops, while keeping the standard start screen on tablets.
@ cjs150, there's no way the Surface Mini will cost £4-500. I expect closer to £200 ($349 USD) to be priced as a premium device (above other 8-inch Windows 8 tablets), but lower than the iPad Mini. I'd say the sweet spot would be $299 though.