iPad mini event set for October 23, a few days before the launch of the Surface Windows 8 tablet

As we get closer to Christmas, we’re going to see a bunch of interesting new gadgets in stores including new tablets. Of those, we expect the 32GB Nexus 7, the iPad mini and the Microsoft Surface to be soon launched.
The first one is almost official, having been spotted online a few times already, but Google is yet to announce it. The third one is already announced, and will hit stores on October 26 to challenge the iPad dominance, but also existing Android tablets.
The second one keeps showing up in rumors, with Apple expected to soon unveil it and then almost immediately release it. AllThingsD reports that Apple will “hold a special event this month at which it will showcase a new, smaller iPad.” Nothing new there, right? But “people familiar with Apple’s plans” said that the iPad mini event will take place on October 23.
The location of the event is not disclosed yet, but the publication suspects Apple will host its second major event of the fall at its own Town Hall Auditorium, a place where various other products were also announced, including OSX Lion, a MacBook Air version and the iPhone 4S.
Apparently Apple is going to put some pressure on Microsoft during the last days of October, announcing a new iPad version just a few days before the Windows giant releases it’s new OS version, Windows 8, alongside a new flagship product, the Surface tablet.
Apple is rumored to be getting ready to sell as many as 10 million iPad mini units in the Christmas quarter, and considering the popularity of the bigger version, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the iPad mini sell like hot cakes.
We’ll definitely follow up closely the intensifying battle in the tablet business, with all the main players getting ready to launch new products. And let’s not forget about that rumor that says a 10-inch Nexus-branded tablet is also being developed by Google and Samsung.
What (Android) tablet will you buy this Christmas?

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