According to media reports Microsoft is working on a new tablet called the Surface "mini." The device is expected to start shipping by the end of 2013.

According to Paul Thurrott's "supersite for windows," Microsoft "mini" will ship a little later than the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. The device will take on the Apple iPad mini once launched.

The Microsoft Surface "mini" is reported to be an ARM device. It comes with a Qualcomm processor. The operating system on the device is said to be the Windows RT 8.1 and not the Windows 8.1.

The report confirms that the Microsoft Surface "mini" will come in an 8 inch screen. This was previously reported to be the screen size by the same Web site. Additional details of the device were not available.

The report comes with a heavy disclaimer that the specs, price and release date mentioned in the Web site are subject to change. Most of the devices have been planned for launch just before the upcoming holiday season.

Microsoft is being perceived as being very aggressive lately, especially, when it comes to marketing. There have been a series of ads by the company taking on the competition. The ads mock the products of rival companies.

Recently Microsoft took down ads which mocked the newly launched iPhones. The ad put on YouTube reportedly showed two Apple employees talking to a man referred to as "T." The man was only shown from the back.

The ad poked fun at the Apple devices like the rumoured iWatch and about the colours of the newly launched iPhones. The ad also targeted Apple as lacking in innovation.

The man in the ad seemed to resemble Apple founder Steve Jobs. Jobs, who passed away in 2011 due to cancer. The ads by Microsoft reportedly got bad feedback from the viewers for being distasteful.

The marketing battle is on Twitter as well. Nokia mobile, recently acquired by Microsoft, recently released ads to poke fun at the competition too.

One ad targeted Samsung showing it break like a Kit Kat chocolate. Click here to see the picture and read about the ad by Nokia targeting Samsung.

Another ad accused the iPhone 5C as being an imitation of the Nokia Lumia series. The new colour offerings on the iPhone 5C are said to resemble and follow in the footsteps of Nokia. Click here to read about the tweets targeting the new iPhones.