Apple unwraps iPad mini

Apple will begin to sell a new 8-inch version of its tablet dubbed the iPad mini in US stores on Friday to compete with other smaller tablets including the Google Nexus 7, but it set a high price tag os $329 that could curb demand.

     The 7.9 inch tablet marks the Apple's first foray into smaller-tablet segment. Apple hopes to beat back incursions onto its home turf of consumer electronics hardware, while safeguarding its lead in a larger tablet space.

     Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook and marketing chief phil Schiller took the wraps off the new tablet, which essentially has most of the functions and features of the full-size iPad but smaller.
    Priced at $329 for a WiFi only model, the iPad mini is a little costly, but some analysts see that as a bid to retain premium pricing levels. The focus on growing competition was evident as Schiller - at the iPad mini's launch event, compared the iPad mini with Google's Nexus 7 tablet, citing featire by feature why the new Apple device was superior. It is unusual for Apple to single out a specific competitor in its product launches. "Theirs is made of plastic," Schiller said, referring to the Android tablet. "The entire Android product is thicker and heavier."
      In a surprise move, Apple also announced a fourth-generation full-sized iPad just six months after unveiling a third generation device to much fanfare. The latest tablet, which again sells for $499, is faster and slimmer and comes just days before Microsoft is due to show off its own "Surface" tablet.
    Apple also unveiled thinner MacBook Pro with a Retina display.

	iPad mini	Nexus 7	iPad 4th Gen	iPad 3rd Gen
Screen	7.9-inch 1024x786 display	7-inch 1280x800 HD  display	9.7-inch 2048x1536 display	9.7-inch 2048x1536 display
Front camera	1.2 Megapixel	1.2 Megapixel	1.2 Megapixel	1.2 Megapixel
Back camera	5 Megapixel	NA	5 Megapixel	5 Megapixel
Battery	Up to 10 hours	Up to 10 hours	Up to 10 hours	Up to 10 hours
Weight	312gms	340gms	662gms	662gms
Memory	16GB or 32GB or 64GB	8GB or 16GB	16GB or 32GB or 64GB	16GB or 32GB or 64GB
RAM	512MB	1GB	1GB	1GB
Processor	Dual-core 1 GHz	Quad-core Tegra 3	Quad-core 1.5GHz (speculated)	Dual-core 1 Ghz
Size (HXWXD)	200x134.7x7.2mm	198.5x120x10.45mm	241.2x185.7x9.4mm	241.2x185.7x9.4mm
Connectivity	WiFi-n, Bluetooth, 4G LTE	NFC,WiFi-n, Bluetooth	WiFi-n, Bluetooth,4G LTE	WiFi-n, Bluetooth,4G LTE
Connector	Lightning connector	Micro USB	Lightning connector	30-pin connector port
OS	iOS6	Android 4.1	iOS6	iOS6
Other features	Microphone Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Gyroscope GPS	Microphone Accelerometer Gyroscope GPS	Microphone Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Gyroscope GPS	Microphone Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Gyroscope GPS