It seems that Apple's marketing strategy involves a good deal of rumour-mongering. Or perhaps it is just their undeniable technological sex appeal that has us all so eager to get a glimpse of what will come out of Cupertino next. In any case, we're here to feed into the vicious cycle by …

The iPad mini doesn't arrive in stores until November 2, but our US colleagues got to spend some time with one after Apple's media event at the California Theater in San Jose. Their conclusion: Yes, it's a small iPad-but there's more (and less) to it than that. Here are their hands-on impressions.

It wasn't exactly the best kept secret. For weeks the rumour mills churned out tidbit after tidbit with supposed details of a smaller, more compact iPad. Speculation swirled and finally on October 23rd Apple unveiled the mythical iPad Mini, just as the rumours suggested.

pricey compared to 7-inch tablets; no Retina display; no HDR or panorama options for camera; beautiful design; great battery life; fits in one hand

pricey compared to 7-inch tablets; no Retina display; no HDR or panorama options for camera

The iPad mini is a 7.9-inch version of Apple's popular iPad, and offers a polished tablet experience in a smaller package. It's too expensive however, and its display resolution doesn't measure up to competing tablets, or other iOS devices.

Ultra-thin and light; Handles ebooks and iPad apps well; Camera; storage and optional 4G make for a full iPad experience

Over £100 more expensive than rivals; Low-resolution display; A5 processor isn't particularly quick

Small and light enough to take everywhere but big and clever enough to be considered a full-blooded tablet, the iPad Mini provides a near-perfect balance – for a price

Like the iPad; but easier to handle; Beautifully built; Battery life is impressive

No Retina Display means a lack of detail; Expensive compared to the Nexus 7

A hands-on look at Apple's new iPad mini 7.9 inch tablet.

The iPad mini's a beautiful size, and a beautiful package the puts the production rivals of all its seven inch rivals to shame: Asus will really have to up its game for its Nexus 7 follow up.

The Good - Extremely well made and designed - Thin and light - Larger, more useful display area than the 7-inch Android competition - Great for content consumption and gaming on the go - Unbeatable tablet app selection The Bad - Lower resolution than the Android competition - Non-resolution...

- Extremely well made and designed - Thin and light - Larger; more useful display area than the 7-inch Android competition - Great for content consumption and gaming on the go - Unbeatable tablet app selection

- Lower resolution than the Android competition - Non-resolution independent UI results in more zooming in on text - Less practical as an all-purpose device against the larger iPad

Don't confuse the "mini" in "iPad mini" with "lite"--with the exception of a Retina display, this slimmed down iPad gives you the full iPad experience, including access to over 275,000 iPad-optimized apps, in a device that's about half the overall size and weight of the standard iPad.

Most of the full-size-iPad experience in a smaller; lighter package; All existing iPad apps run natively; Wireless capabilities and cameras on par with fourth-generation iPad; Very good performance; Incredibly solid construction and beautiful design

No Retina display; Some apps and websites feel a little cramped on the smaller screen; Landscape keyboard is too small for easy touch-typing

Forget the headlines and exit the hype train at the next station. The iPad mini is here and it's not the shining beacon we all expected it to be, but it damn-well got close.