We've seen Microsoft attack Apple in the past through clever commercial spots and by launching a comparison website but now Redmond is going after Cupertino's hardware directly. From now through October 27, Microsoft will offer at least $200 to anyone that trades in their old iPad.

There are a few caveats worth mentioning from the get-go. Instead of cold hard cash, traders will receive a gift card to the Microsoft Store that can be used toward the purchase of a Surface tablet or any other Microsoft gear. Eligible devices include the iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad 4 and you must bring it (along with the power cable) to a physical retail location as it doesn't appear there is an online option.

It's all part of Microsoft's plan to convince iPad owners to dump Apple and play for their team. Doing so thus far has proven difficult as Microsoft was forced to slash prices on existing models after a $900 million write-off.

If you are on the fence about whether or not to get a Surface tablet, you'd be well advised to hold on to your money for a couple of weeks. That's because Microsoft will be unveiling a refreshed line of Surface tablets on September 23 in NYC. The revised flagship machine is expected to ship with Intel's latest Haswell processor for improved battery life and 8GB of RAM. The Surface 2, on the other hand, will be powered by Nvidia's Tegra 4 SoC and will run Windows RT 8.1.