There is no doubt about it, Microsoft are playing hardball. They want to become a part of the thriving tablet mobile space, even if it means annoying the partners who will be building similar tablets running Windows 8.

Tech Radar spotted a raft of job advertisements over at the Microsoft Careers site and the publication said that Microsoft are already planning a Surface 2 tablet. It would appear that Microsoft are hiring, to create a fully fledged team to take the project forward.

Many analysts felt that Microsoft would launch a single Surface tablet to drive the platform forward, even at the annoyance of partners such as Acer. If they are planning on creating a series of devices then the relationships could become even more strained.

JT Wang, CEO of Acer, spoke to the Financial Times. He told them to ‘Think twice' about the tablet and wasn't very pleased about Microsoft's plans to compete in the same hardware space.

Tech Radar add “the scope of the jobs Microsoft is recruiting for shows that this isn't just keeping Surface up to date with future processor improvements” and that the company appears to be “building up a full product design and development team to keep innovating (and keeping PC OEMs on their toes with some healthy competition).”

Microsoft are looking for positions ranging from “mechanical engineers to component specialists and materials experts to driver developers and audio engineers (plus manufacturing and packaging designers)”.

Microsoft are clearly keen to recreate the success they have had with the Xbox and Xbox 360. They were late to market in the console sector, and they still experienced fantastic success.

The Xbox 360 is actually the best selling console on the market. Can they oust Apple from the top spot however? Very few experts feel they will be able to make a dent in the market, never mind challenge the leader.

As they say, time will tell.

Kitguru says: Microsoft have big plans for the Surface tablet, there is no doubt about that.

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