Arduino has announced its new Micro board based on the technology of the popular Arduino Leonardo microcontroller, but measuring only a fraction of Leonardo's size.

The Arduino Micro board is a joint effort between Arduino and Adafruit Industries, and comes as a petite microcontroller measuring just 1.9 x 0.7 inches. The gadget can either be attached to a PCB or used on a breadboard, which allows users to easily embed it in DIY projects.

According to Arduino and Adafruit Industries, the Arduino Micro is based on the ATmega32U4 microcontroller. The 32U4 handles the USB directly, which means the board is also capable of emulating a PC keyboard and mouse, as well as other things using the USB-HID protocol.

"[Arduino Micro] makes it easier for makers to embed the Arduino technology inside their projects by providing a small and convenient module that can be either used on a breadboard or soldered to a custom designed PCB," reads the press release.

When it comes to the more technical front, the Arduino Micro features 20 digital I/O pins, micro USB support, a reset button, and a slew of other on-board features.

"It contains everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a micro USB cable to get started. It has a form factor that enables it to be easily placed on a breadboard," reads the description on Arduino's Web site.

"The micro is similar to the Arduino Leonardo in that the ATmega32u4 has built-in USB communication, eliminating the need for a secondary processor. This allows the Micro to appear to a connected computer as a mouse and keyboard, in addition to a virtual (CDC) serial/ COM port. It also has other implications for the behavior of the board," added Arduino.

The Arduino Micro will be available for pre-order starting next week, with shipments set to begin on Nov. 26. The new Micro board will come in two different flavors - one with headers, and one without.

The A100053 retail version with headers will come with a MRSP of €21 (about $27) _ taxes, while the A100053 Retail version without headers will cost roughly €18 (about $23). The Arduino Micro will be available from all major Arduino distributors. For more details, check out Arduino's Web site.