Exciting news this week from Apple as they announce the highly anticipated iPad mini, for almost three years we've been waiting patiently for a slightly smaller tablet to compete with the likes of the Asus transformer, Amazon Kindle and Acer iconia... Finally its here and aimed at users wanting some thing slightly more affordable and portable starting from $399.00
One of the biggest questions people had was would the iPad mini lack any features that the iPad 2 and 3 have? Nope.... not at all!
As the name states, the iPad is a miniature version of the iPad 3 and has all the same features just in a smaller foot print making it easily portable and more usable to people on the go/

Here's every thing you need to know about the new iPad mini:
* Sporting a 7.9" display with the same resolution and screen quality as the larger iPad 3 now packed in a small foot print ready for battle!,
* Built-in apps.

Straight out of the box, iPad mini is ready for big things. Map out your next adventure. Then shoot it in 1080p HD. Ask Siri to help you find the best pizza in town. Watch a webcast or a movie. Read a book or a magazine. Check email. Send messages. Or stay in touch face to face over FaceTime. You’ll be amazed at how much is built in.

* Powerful A5 chip.

iPad is known for its fast, fluid performance, and iPad mini doesn’t disappoint. It features the powerful and power-efficient A5 chip, which makes everything you do feel smooth and natural. From the little things like switching from app to app and swiping from page to page, to the big things like editing photos, watching movies and playing games.

* The lighting connector from this years iPhone 5 has now found a new home in the iPad mini making it easier to charge and virtually impossible fool proof.

* 10-hour battery life.

iPad mini wouldn’t be an iPad without an incredible battery life. Even with so much performance packed into such a small space, it still lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge.5 So you can read, watch, play, write and create whatever you want, as long as you want.

* Wave hello with FaceTime video calling.

With FaceTime built into iPad mini, you can make a video call over Wi-Fi or cellular.2 The front-facing FaceTime HD camera gives everyone a great view of you, while the iSight camera on the back lets you show others what you’re seeing. So even when you’re out and about, your friends and family are never out of the loop. You can hear every laugh and see every smile. And with the 7.9-inch display, you’ve got more than enough screen to take in the whole scene. You can also use the front-facing camera for taking self-portraits or recording 720p HD video.

* Record HD video in full 1080p.

An impromptu performance on the train platform, the winning shot at your daughter’s soccer game, an awesome 360-degree view from the top of the mountain — the iSight camera on iPad mini lets you capture all these unpredictable, beautiful, spectacular moments. In 1080p HD, no less. The spacious iPad mini display gives you a great view of whatever you’re filming. And with automatic video stabilisation, your recording is free of bumps and shakes. So your videos are instantly ready to share.

* Shoot 5-megapixel still images.

The 5-megapixel iSight camera features a backside illumination sensor that captures great-looking pictures whether by sunlight or candlelight. When you shoot photos, the big, beautiful iPad mini display becomes a big, beautiful viewfinder — giving you plenty of room to compose your shot. Autofocus, tap to focus, and tap to set exposure functions mean every photo you take instantly becomes frameworthy. And with built-in face detection that automatically balances focus and exposure across up to 10 faces, there’s more room for more grins. So everyone look at iPad mini and say “Cheese”.

* Advanced Wi-Fi technology. Built in.

iPad mini features advanced Wi-Fi that’s up to twice as fast as any previous-generation iPad. With dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) 802.11n Wi-Fi and support for channel bonding, download speeds can reach up to 150 Mbps.6 Translation: the things you do every day may start to feel a whole lot faster.

* Only 7.2mm thick, thats 23% thinner than the iPad 2 and weighing in at only 308grams, A comfortable device to hold with only one hand.

* Next-generation cellular connectivity.

If you want to connect to the Internet even when you don’t have access to Wi-Fi, choose iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular. It can make ultrafast cellular network connections around the world — including advanced wireless networks such as HSPA, HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA. So you can download content, stream video and browse the web at amazing speeds — without a contract or long-term commitment

* Just ask Siri.

Siri is the intelligent assistant that helps you get things done, just by asking. Talk to Siri as you would to a person. Ask “Do I need an umbrella?” or “Did the San Francisco Giants win last night?” or “What time is the barbecue on Sunday?” Siri not only understands what you say, it knows what you mean. It figures out the right apps to use to find the right answer. Then, just like a personal assistant, Siri provides you with the information you need

So after seeing all these jam packed features, would you upgrade? I think so!