Apple Intros iPad Mini, Fourth Gen iPad

APPLE PADS: Apple officially unveiled its new iPad Mini and a fourth generation iPad today, which will both hit stores on Nov. 2. The iPad Mini sports a 7.9-inch screen, but is also relatively expensive at $329, over $200 more than competitors like Amazon’s Kindle. The iPad Mini Wi-Fi model will be available in three memory configurations: $329 for 16GB, $429 for 32GB, and $529 for 64GB. Two weeks later on Nov. 16, Wi-Fi + 4G models hit the shelves at $459 for 16GB, $559 for 32GB, and $659 for 64GB. The fourth generation iPad looks much like the iPad 3, though with upgraded components, including an A6X processor, which doubles CPU and graphics performance. The new iPad will come in white and black, and starts at $499 for the 16GB version. It has the same new Lightning connector found on the iPhone 5, an upgraded "HD" front-facing camera (720p), and 2X faster Wi-Fi. While several have wondered why Apple would update its best-selling iPad3 just six months later, others feel the company is prepping to battle Microsoft’s upcoming Surface tablets. (10/23p)