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"Apple has today announced a special launch event on October 23 in the US where the world&amp;#039;s largest technology firm is expected to announce its much-rumoured iPad Mini tablet computer.  Invites issued to the media feature an Apple logo against a psychedelic backdrop, with just the message: &amp;quot;We&amp;#039;ve got a little more to show you.&amp;quot;  The launch event will be held at the California Theatre in San Jose on October 23 at 10am Pacific time (6pm UK time).   According to reports, &amp;quot;mass production&amp;quot; of the new Apple iPad Mini device got under way around a month ago, and the smaller tablet could either go on sale in late October or early November.  Taking into account the previous leaks and statements from &amp;#039;industry sources&amp;#039;, it appears that the new iPad Mini will have a screen size of 7.85 inches on the diagonal, compared to 9.7 inches in the main iPad.  Apple is expected to fit the device with a fast processor, decent camera and long-lasting battery. It is also expected to come with Apple&amp;#039;s new smaller Lightning dock connector for charging and connecting accessories, as well as the EarPod headphones.    The original iPad kickstarted the tablet computer market when it launched in 2010, but the iPad Mini would arrive with lots of competition.  Alongside Amazon&amp;#039;s popular Kindle Fire range (coming to the UK this autumn) and Google&amp;#039;s established Nexus 7, there are other 7-inch screen tablets competing for customers&amp;#039; attention, including devices from Barnes &amp;amp; Noble and Apple&amp;#039;s big rival Samsung.    Sources have suggested that Apple will price the entry-level iPad Mini at around \u00A3180 to \u00A3200, compared with around \u00A3159 for the base Kindle Fire and Nexus 7.  Apple could differentiate its small iPad by offering it with 3G, as other models don&amp;#039;t support mobile broadband connectivity. But it is now thought that cost issues will prompt Apple to just launch a WiFi-only iPad Mini range. We could, however, see at the launch event next week a refresh of the new iPad that debuted in March, including the introduction of the Lightning dock to the slate.  This may also include the announcement of a 4G new iPad coming to the UK on the Everything Everywhere 4G network that will go live on October 30. Apple is further rumoured to be readying the announcement of a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display at the launch event on October 23, which would join the already available 15-inch model.  &amp;gt; iPad Mini &amp;#039;WiFi-only&amp;#039;, but 4G iPad coming to the UK &amp;gt; Apple iPad Mini: Rumours roundup "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/apple/news/a431172/apple-ipad-mini-launch-event-announced-for-october-23/>