Microsoft’s still new to the hardware game, launching with two 10-inch Surface tablets in the past six months.  But Microsoft’s also late to the tablet game, entering a severely crowded market that’s ripe with handset variety.  So it’s not surprising to hear that Microsoft’s working on a smaller Surface tablet at 7-inches, that would compete with Apple’s iPad Mini and Google’s own Nexus 7.  According to this morning’s report from The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft recognizes the need to offer different sizes and prices to appeal to a wider consumer base.

Will Microsoft’s tactic win, and can a 7-inch tablet better promote the Windows 8 operating system?  I’ll be discussing this topic, as well as Samsung’s latest handset sizes, on this morning’s Live NewsDesk show with Kristin Feledy.  Stay tuned for the live stream, which you can view below or on our TV hub.

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