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Column: Microsoft faces a tough crowd

It was only eight months ago that Microsoft released the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, but here we are again, with a press event scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT tomorrow.

Bloomberg believes that Microsoft will show off a smaller, “mini” version of the Surface, as well as upgrades for the current lineup. Details are scarce, and the rumor mill has been relatively quiet about this product announcement — a silence that, in its own way, speaks volumes.

Microsoft’s tablets haven’t done well. The software giant was forced to write down $900 million on unsold stock last year, and while sales have improved in recent months, this progress owes more to steep price cuts than it does to last September’s upgrades.

At 2 pounds, the Surface Pro 2 isn’t all that portable. Hobbled with Windows RT, the Surface 2 isn’t all that useful. Throw in a Windows 8 experience that’s still under development, and you’ve got yourself a tough sell.

Full story at Minyanville.