Technically Nokia isn't yet owned by Microsoft. The Nokia board has recommended the sale, but it's not done yet.

There's always the tiny possibility that the merger won't be accepted by the Nokia shareholder meeting (which is next week, IIRC).

Microsoft didn't release this and in fact Microsoft can't legally influence Nokia in any way until the sale has been approved by all relevant governments.

Given the physical design of this vs. the Surface RT, I'd take the Nokia in a second.

The reality is, with umpteen-thousand RTs clogging the Microsoft warehouse, that'll be what they try and push.

Difference seems processor, color options, and keyboard usage functionality. I assume MS would develop Lumia line having its own tablets, otherwise it does not make sense to release sole Lumia tablet and then shutter the line down in future, when they did have the choice of not releasing at all.

This one has LTE; Surface LTE is just rumours at this point, AFAICT.