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With Christmas on its way, the big tech companies are preparing to unleash their new tablet offerings.

Apple is all set to announce the iPad mini to fans waiting with eager anticipation.

But Microsoft's tablet the Surface is set to hit the shops too.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the Microsoft Surface...

1. The Surface is 9.3m thick - a fraction thinner than the iPad's 9.4m. It weighs around 680g - just slightly more than the iPad's 660g.

2. There are two versions available - the Surface, which will run the Windows RT operating system with an ARM CPU, and the Surface Pro which has Windows 8 Pro and an Intel CPU.

3. The display measures 10.6in (27cm) with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

4. The Surface has a widescreen HD Display while the Surface Pro has a Full HD Display.

5. Both models have Microsoft's ClearType HD display technology and support an ultra-wide viewing angle and auto-adjusting screen intensity.

6. The case is magnesium, helping to keep it lightweight.

7. They have a built-in kickstand - slimmer than a credit card at 0.7mm - to hold it upright, making typing or watching videos easier.

8. There are two keyboard covers available - the Touch Cover and the Type Cover. They attach with a magnetic strip and serve both as a protective cover and, when unfolded, as a keyboard. A built-in gyroscope and accelerometer sensor tell the covers whether to accept the keystrokes. The Touch is 3mm thick with a touch-sensitive keyboard. The Type Cover is thicker and includes a tactile keyboard.

9. The release date for the Surface Pro is 26 October 2012, at the same time as Windows 8 becomes generally available. The Surface Pro is expected early next year.

10. A 32GB Surface without Touch Cover costs £399 from the Microsoft online shop. With the cover it is £479 while the 64GB version with Touch Cover costs £559.