iPad Mini

iPad Mini

The infamous 8-inch version of the iPad has wallowed in the rumor mill for months. Now, some outlets are reporting that the device is actually going into a manufacturing phase. The size makes sense, both in terms of how Apple offers multiple sizes for the MacBook line and as a way for the company to fend off recent challenges by Google (with the Nexus 7 tablet) and Amazon (with the Kindle Fire). That's a regular-sized iPad to the left.

Microsoft's Surface Tablet Pro

The tablet with the funky cover/keyboard combo will likely arrive this fall, but the big splash will come in 2013 with the Pro model, which will have a legit Intel i5 dual-core processor. Why is a Microsoft tablet such a big deal? It’s the future of Windows computing, that’s all. Swipes and gestures on the new Metro interface are one thing, but the Office Touch apps might finally make business users pay attention.