Microsoft's "Xbox Surface"

After Microsoft successfully unveiled its flagship line of Microsoft-branded tablets last month, the rumors of an "Xbox Surface" in the making have once again come up, reprising the same set of rumors which initially came out last June.

Highlighted in a story published by the Taiwan-based Commercial Times, word that an "Xbox Surface" is forecasted to be in production by December had been revealed, with the same report noting that the "Xbox Surface" will be released sometime in between January and February 2013.

As gadget rumors and speculations are known to take root in between a product's announcement and release dates, the then-announced hardware specs of Microsoft's Surface had led many in envisioning it as a potential "tablet game console", leading to speculations that Microsoft may just come up with a "spin-off" Surface-product variant that is more tuned for mobile gaming experiences.

Given the popularity of mobile gaming and mobile gaming standards (Angry Birds anyone?), the prospect of a "gaming specific tablet" can't simply be brushed off as a novelty item, though it would beg to ask questions that delve into product feasibility and overall device functionality.

As tablets have steadily become mainstay electronic gadgets taking the place of laptops as portable computer options, the prospect of tablet standards invading the gaming industry can not be ignored, as brands like Ouya and Archos (with its GamePad) are steadily building up their respective line of followers.

As rumors come, it is difficult to tell if an "Xbox Surface" will truly be revealed by the first quarter of 2013, but given the hardware and software capabilities of the Surface, it doesn't take much to envision the possibility of an actual "Xbox Surface" to roll out. (FREEMAN)