A user guide writer at Microsoft Corp. has made a not-so mini-mistake in revealing the existence of a Surface Mini tablet by mentioning it four times in the user manual with the larger Surface 3 that went on sale today.
It seems strange that a user manual for one product would mention another, yet unreleased product. But more understandable when you consider that Microsoft was originally planning to release both tablets to the market at the same time, according to Neowin. The publication reported that a last minute decision was made to hold back on the release of the tablet, even though some had rolled off the production line ahead of Microsoft’s unveiling of the Surface 3 tablet. Microsoft even teased some press with an invitation stating “Join us for a small gathering.”
The mentions in the user manual seem to corroborate that story. Microsoft may be waiting to launch the smaller hardware when it has completed the touch interface for its Office software.
Neowin reports the tablet will have an eight-inch screen, an ARM processor, and rely on an accessory cover instead of a built-in kickstand.
Here’s the four references to the Surface Mini tablet in Microsoft’s user manual for the Surface 3:
It seems that both the Surface Mini and the Surface 3 will use the same Surface Pen with Bluetooth connectivity.
According to Neowin, the Surface Mini won’t have a kickstand. That makes sense as the smaller form factor is more likely to be used in-hand. Here, Microsoft explains how to lock screen orientation.
The Surface Pen gives both the Surface Mini and the Surface 3 some interactivity to OneNote, including quick access via a one-button click.
