Microsoft Surface Mini release date: Specs of the yet to be confirmed and highly rumored Microsoft Surface Mini has already been making rounds online for months. Predictions suggest that it will be 8-inch in size, have 5GB of RAM and will run Windows 8.1

TechCrunch reported on the latest hint of the supposed Microsoft Surface Mini. According to the tech site, one consumer electronics vendor has posted two listings of the unit on Amazon, saying that the device is arriving in a not too distant future. The listing claims that accessories for the unit will be available by May 18.

In the event Microsoft does release a Surface Mini, the unit may also compete directly with an upcoming Android device expected as the Nexus 8 by Google, which is reportedly going to be manufactured by Asus.

A gadget review and news site has noted that the Microsoft Surface Mini is likely to be an 8-inch tablet, will sport air gestures and have a 1080P display. Phone Arena noted that it’s likely to arrive sometime this year. It’s expected to have Windows 8.1 and a Bay Trail chipset to ensure longevity.

According to Phone Arena, news sources claim that the upcoming Windows tablet will have some sort of Kinect-like air gesture technology, though there are no leaks or speculations on how such features would be implemented.

Microsoft Surface Mini and is possible arrival in the market was fueled by a comment made by a key Microsoft executive in charge for the Redmond tech-giant’s Surface division. It seems his suggestion has sparked all the rumors on comments on a coming Surface Mini device.

“We have a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface,” was the answer of Panos Panay's, Microsoft VP responsible for the company’s Surface tablets, when asked about the details of the rumored Microsoft Surface Mini, according to Geekwire.com.

It was the Surface 2’s previously announced details that were the focus of the talk but in the end Panay was questioned about the speculation relating to Microsoft’s plan of working on a “Surface Mini”. Panay however was too careful with his words when he answered it and added to his earlier comments, “That’s the best answer I have for you”.

Although for now the horizontal orientation remains the only choice, Microsoft is working on enhancing the hardware with the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. This is in line with existing concern about the Surface device’s landscape orientation, making the tablets bulky for portrait mode use.

Panay repeated what he first mentioned in last week’s Reddit Q&A about the plan of Microsoft to come out next year with Surface 2 having an LTE enabled version. He stressed out however that a version of the Surface Pro 2 with LTE isn’t possible although the devices, as he expects it, will be initially available in the U.S. on AT&T and Vodafone in Europe.

Will Microsoft Mini be a reality by next month? Share your thoughts on the comments sections below.