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 …

Potential buyers of the Apple iPad are often put off by the price or the size and weight of the ubiquitous tablet computer. The new iPad Mini could be just the thing to tempt those fence sitters – it's smaller and lighter as well as cheaper than the full-size 10in iPad.

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.

The 7.9-inch touchscreen device bridges the gadget gap between Apple's 4-inch iPod Touch, and the 9.7-inch

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

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.

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

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