Samsung takes on iPad Mini with Galaxy Note 8.0

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Samsung Electronics is beefing up its tablet range with a competitor to Apple's iPad Mini that sports a pen for writing on the screen.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 will have an 8-inch screen, putting it very close in size to the Apple's tablet, which launched in November with a 7.9-inch screen. It's not the first time Samsung has made a tablet that's in the Mini's size range: it's very first iPad competitor had a 7-inch screen, and it still makes a tablet of that size, but without a pen.

The Korean company will start selling the new tablet during the second quarter, between April and June, at an as yet undetermined price.