The iPad Mini is slated to be announced today in a "Apple Special Event" in San Jose today and Apple will be offering a live stream of the event, which it normally doesn't do for its product announcements.
Under the heading "Apple Event," Apple has added a new entry for an "Apple Special Event" on the Apple TV that is set to stream live beginning at 1:00 p.m. EDT, 10:00 a.m. Apple will also be streaming the event live on its website, which means desktop and notebook PCs can watch the event live but it will have to be via Apple's Safari browser.
Apple is expected to announce a number of new products beyond the iPad mini including new Mac computers, an updated version of iTunes and an updated third-generation iPad with a Lightning port and an optically bonded display.
As BGR pointed out, all iOS devices- iPhone, iPad or iPod - will have access to Apple's live stream as well. Users can simply open the following link in Safari to watch the press conference live.
Apple has increased competition in the tablet market since it first rolled out the iPad. Google launched its Nexus 7, which features a 7-inch screen in July and retails for $199. Meanwhile, Amazon introduced its latest version of the Kindle Fire HD in September for $159. Amazon's new tablet is offered in 8.9-inch and 7-inch models.
The iPad Mini will be slightly larger than that on the Kindle Fire or NOOK HD and would cost significantly less than the full-fledged iPad. Analysts think it will be price-tagged at somewhere between $250 and $350.
In terms of display, the WSJ reports that the iPad Mini will have a "lower resolution" than the most recent full-sized iPad, which implies no retina display. Apple first introduced the Retina Display with the iPhone 4 in 2010. The iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 all have screens with resolutions higher than 320 pixels per inch, which is dense enough that spotting individual pixels is difficult. The result is that images look crisp and text is clear.
There are a few rumors going around that the Mini will have 3G because it appears to have a plastic cover on some of the alleged leaked iPad Mini parts for the 3G antenna.
