Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is lowering the price of Windows RT licenses. The hope is that manufacturers will pass their savings onto consumers in the form of low-cost Windows RT tablets. It could definitely work, but Microsoft will first have to convince manufacturers that Windows RT is worth it.

It’s been a bit of a problem for Microsoft lately as Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it would not be bringing its Windows RT tablet to the U.S. despite showing it off at CES. A few months later, the company pulled its Windows RT tablet out of Germany citing weak demand. Other PC makers have also ditched Windows RT to work on Windows 8 Pro tablets, laptops and hybrids instead.

So, will the price drop encourage those who have ditched Windows RT to come back? The report indicates that those who were burned on Windows RT before are now taking a wait-and-see approach.

These manufacturers will then want to closely watch Acer in the coming months as it’s set to introduce its first 8-inch low-cost ($379) Windows 8 tablet shortly. It’s the first such device after Microsoft lowered the minimum requirements for Windows 8 devices allowing manufacturers to make tablets with lower resolutions, and by extension, smaller screens. It’s not Windows RT, but its success could at least convince manufacturers to create smaller (and cheaper) Windows 8 and Windows RT devices.

Will smaller tablets be the saving grace for Windows RT? It’s hard to say. Even at a cheaper price, it’s hard to justify Windows RT over Windows 8 Pro. Microsoft should maybe just stick to Windows 8 Pro, and its upcoming Windows 8.1 update, and relegate Windows RT to the mound of good, but ultimately flawed, ideas.

Reuters is reporting that Foxconn and Mozilla are planning to unveil a Firefox OS-based mobile device On June 3. The interesting bit about this new report is that Foxconn isn’t working on a phone, but rather a tablet. This would be the first time that Mozilla has shown how its Firefox OS would adapt to tablet computing as the non-profit has only shown Firefox OS running on smartphones thus far.

The question now is – why go with Foxconn? It seems that Foxconn and Mozilla are hoping the relationship is mutually beneficial as Mozilla can sell more cheap devices in emerging markets while Foxconn can diversify its lineup. In regards to the latter, it seems that Foxconn is trying out new avenues of income after finding that unit orders from Apple for iPhone and iPad devices have been slowing down in recent months.

The current report makes it seem like the Firefox OS tablets will be marketed and sold by Mozilla. So far, Mozilla has opted to partner with carriers and third-party manufacturers for its Firefox OS smartphones. It will be interesting to see if it decides to go the Google route and sell its own Firefox-branded devices in the future.

It remains to be seen if Firefox OS will really take off, but the hardware is projected to appeal to emerging markets thanks to its inexpensiveness. Unfortunately for Mozilla, Google’s Android has also been encroaching on that turf for quite some time, and Apple may be offering a cheap iPhone alternative in the future as well.

Mozilla’s advantage in low price may not much of advantage when Firefox OS finally launches to consumers later this year so it had better have a rock-solid OS that people will want to use over Android and iOS.

SamMobile reports that Samsung and Google are teaming up in 2013 to bring a Nexus 11 to market. The rumored tablet would feature an 11-inch display, a 8MP back-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, and an Exynos Octa-core processor. The CPU is notable as it would be the first tablet to feature an octa-core processor. Samsung’s newest octa-core CPU has only been made available in the international Galaxy S4 thus far.

Of course, Samsung doesn’t intend to let Google have all the fun. The company is rumored to also be releasing an 11-inch tablet under its own Galaxy Tab brand. The rumored Galaxy Tab 11 would feature the same specs as the Nexus 7, but it would be powered by a dual-core Exynos CPU to cut down on costs.

As for other tablets, the report says that Samsung is planning to release a new Galaxy Tab 7 and Tab 8 later this year. The company is already releasing a Wi-Fi and 3G capable 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 in May, but the rumored Galaxy Tab 7 would come with dual-sim support for those who frequently travel or want to operate on two carriers.

All of this is just a rumor for now, but most of it sounds pretty legit. The Nexus 11 sounds like a natural evolution of Google’s Nexus line. As for Samsung’s other tablets, it loves to release its Galaxy Tab and Note hardware in multiple sizes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Galaxy Tabs in the coming months.

Samsung announced today that it intends to launch the Galaxy Tab 3 in May. The company is also working on a 3G capable version of the Galaxy Tab 3 that will launch in June. Samsung says it has made a number of enhancements to the design and internal hardware to increase performance and usability:

The Galaxy Tab 3 is an upgrade from the Tab 2 in most areas except for the display. Samsung is still keeping with the 1024×600 display that was in the Tab 2. This particular series of tablets is meant for the cost-conscious, but it would have been nice to see Samsung upgrade the Tab 3 to at least a 1280×800 display.

That being said, the target audience for the Tab 3 will probably not care much for the display resolution. It will be marketed at the consumer that wants an inexpensive tablet.

Of course, Samsung will have to compete with Google’s own Nexus 7. The current hardware is already better than the Tab 3, and rumors point to the next Nexus 7 being much better. With Google’s low pricing, Samsung will have to convince consumers that it provides a better Android experience despite having inferior specs.

During its earnings call yesterday, outgoing Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said that smaller Windows 8 devices are on the way. We can assume that he means that Microsoft itself is working on a cheaper, smaller Surface tablet, but don’t be surprised if Microsoft’s partners also announce smaller tablets.

As I’ve said before, smaller tablets may be key to a Windows 8 revival. The touch-friendly OS and Microsoft’s Surface tablets haven’t exactly been flying off store shelves. One of the major reasons is the high cost as the base Surface RT retails for $499. A seven-inch tablet would lower the price barrier for consumers interested in Windows 8 hardware, but were turned off by the high price of entry.

Of course, we have no idea when Microsoft or its partners will release these smaller Windows 8 tablets. A good bet is the latter half of this year as Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1, will be launching around that time. Microsoft is rumored to be completely revamping its marketing with Windows Blue and a cheap seven-inch tablet would fit nicely with marketing that extols an even friendlier Windows 8 experience on desktop and mobile.

Microsoft’s BUILD conference will be held in June of this year, and the company will also have a large presence at E3. While the latter will be mostly focused on the next Xbox, it wouldn’t be an entirely bad idea for Microsoft to show off a smaller Surface that can act as a controller for the company’s next game console.

[h/t: GottaBeMobile]

“With amazing displays, vibrant colors and lifelike images, tablets have changed the way we experience books, photos, movies and more. Yet email, something we do every day, has remained pretty much the same,” says Lee Parry, Senior Director, Mobile & Emerging Products at Yahoo, in a post on the Yahoo Mail Blog. “We’ve been boxed in.”

“There are no folders, no buttons, no tabs – just you and your mail – and you can easily flip through it like a magazine,” he says of the new offering. “We’ve designed Yahoo! Mail to take full advantage of the tablet making reading your email faster, easier and just a little bit more fun.”

The app lets you delete or file messages in bulk, group them by sender, and delete/star/move them by swiping.

In a new survey conducted by Strategy Analytics, the firm discovered that Twitter users are migrating from the desktop to mobile devices at an ever increasing pace. The latest report – “Social Network Profile: Who Uses Twitter?” – surveyed 6,500 people from the U.S. and Europe. The survey found that the number of people sending out tweets from a desktop computer decreased from 77 percent to 64 percent in just eight months. During the same period, the number of people tweeting from mobile devices increased from 56 percent to 71 percent.

“The immediacy of Twitter communications requires devices which are close to hand at every waking moment,” notes David Mercer , VP, Digital Consumer Practice. “By definition this suggests mobile phones and tablets should be preferred devices for Tweeting and the survey evidence points clearly in this direction.”

Interestingly enough, the survey found that mobile Twitter use is highest in the UK with the U.S. coming in second. Italy, France and Germany round out the top five respectively. As for demographics, the survey found that Twitter is most popular among the affluent, as well as teenagers and students.

The demographic findings could explain why Facebook is losing popularity among teenagers while Twitter’s own popularity is only increasing. It could also explain why celebrities like Justin Bieber are so popular on the service.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft is now in the planning stages of a 7-inch Surface tablet. The interesting part is that a 7-inch tablet wasn’t initially part of Microsoft’s Surface strategy, but the popularity of smaller tablets have reportedly forced the company to reconsider.

Microsoft already hinted that it was working on a 7-inch tablet last month when its newly updated OEM guidelines said that Windows 8 now supported a minimum resolution of 1024×768. The resolution is perfect for cheap 7-inch tablets. At the time, Microsoft said the new resolution rules were for “partners exploring designs for certain markets,” but it seemed pretty obvious that Microsoft would be making a 7-inch Surface tablet of its own.

A smaller, cheaper tablet could be just what Microsoft needs as Windows 8, and Surface tablets, have failed to capture much of the mobile market. Most of the problems stem from the high cost of Surface tablets with the Surface RT starting at $499. A 7-inch Surface could probably come in under $300, which would allow Microsoft to undermine the price of the popular iPad Mini. If Microsoft was truly crazy, it could even price it below the Nexus 7 at $200. Such a scenario is highly unlikely though.

All of this is just a rumor for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become reality sooner than later. It only makes sense for Microsoft to build a 7-inch Surface, and its own efforts may lead other OEMs to create cheaper 7-inch Windows tablets to help Windows 8 gain a little more marketshare.

In a recent Windows Certification Newsletter, Microsoft announced that Windows 8 now supports a minimum resolution of 1024×768. The company says the new rule is for “partners exploring designs for certain markets.”

So, what does this mean? A lower resolution could point to Microsoft opening up to putting Windows 8 on smaller devices, including 7-inch tablets. The current stable of Windows 8 tablets all size in at either 9 or 10-inches, and the price reflects that. The high price commanded by the current stable of Windows 8 tablets has definitely been an obstacle for consumers, and a lower resolution, lower priced tablet may just be what the company needs.

The possibilities don’t stop at 7-inch tablets either. ZDNet speculates that Microsoft may be using its partnership with Nook to create a Windows-powered eReader that would have access to Barnes & Noble’s extensive collection of eBooks. The 1024×768 resolution would be a perfect fit as it would finally allow Microsoft to sell cheap hardware.

Of course, all of this is mere speculation for now. All we know is that Microsoft is relaxing its certification requirements. It’s too early to tell if OEMs will start making 7-inch tablets, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to hear something along those lines later this year.

Nook announced today that in-app purchasing will soon be a reality on Nook HD and HD+ apps. The Barnes & Noble subsidiary will be working with Fortumo to provide developers with all the tools needed to implement in-app purchasing in apps while also providing developers with real-time insights on revenue.

“We are thrilled to bring in-app purchasing to Nook with Fortumo for our community of developers so they can foster a profitable relationship with their customers, while also providing our Nook customers with a more in-depth app experience and an even wider selection of popular apps,” said Claudia Romanini, VP of Nook Apps, Nook Media, LLC. “We look forward to adding thousands of more apps that feature in-app purchasing over the coming weeks and months to expand Nook’s already wide array of digital content offerings.”

This latest addition to the Nook development environment brings the Nook HD up to par with Amazon’s Kindle Fire and other Android tablets that have offered in-app purchasing for the past year. It’s also an important addition to the Nook development environment as it encourages more developers to bring apps to the platform. As we all know, any hardware is only as good as its apps, and the Nook definitely needs more apps, especially revenue heavy games, to survive in the highly competitive tablet market.

In-app purchasing will be available to developers starting in the first half of April. For more details on how to start offering in-app purchasing in Nook apps, check out the Nook developer portal.