Apple unveils a revamped iPad and the new iPad mini

Today, Apple introduced its much anticipated iPad mini and, surprisingly, also introduced its next-generation iPad only 7 months after it had unveiled its third-generation tablet computer.

The iPad mini has a 7.9-inch display screen, which is 1.8 inches smaller than the original iPad’s screen, but it has the same 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. However, the iPad mini doesn’t have the Retina display feature.

The storage capacity on the iPad mini ranges from 16GB to 64GB; the tablet has Apple’s A5 processor, 10 hours of battery life and the new Lightning connector. It also includes a FaceTime HD front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel iSight camera.

The 16GB iPad mini that has Wi-Fi connectivity starts at $329. A 32GB iPad mini will cost $429; a 64GB iPad mini will cost $529. The Wi-Fi-enabled iPad mini can be preordered beginning Oct. 26 and will be shipped Nov. 2.

A 16GB version that has the capability to run on an LTE wireless telecommunications network also will be available starting at $459. A 32GB and a 64GB LTE version will cost $559 and $659, respectively. Consumers can preorder the LTE-enabled iPad beginning Oct. 26; it will be shipped mid-November.

Unexpectedly, Apple also unveiled its fourth-generation iPad less than a year after it had introduced its latest iPad in March 2012.

Apple’s fourth-generation iPad uses Apple’s new A6X processor, which allows it to perform twice as fast as does the third-generation iPad, which has an A5 processor. The newest iPad also has a FaceTime HD camera and a Lightning connector.

The pricing for the fourth-generation iPad is exactly the same as that of the third-generation iPad. Wi-Fi-enabled 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models will cost $499, $599 and $699, respectively. LTE-enabled 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models will cost $629, $729 and $829, respectively.

The Wi-Fi-enabled models can be preordered beginning Oct. 26 and will be shipped Nov. 2. The LTE-enabled models can be preordered beginning Oct. 26; they will be shipped mid-November.

In addition to the two new iPad products, Apple unveiled a revamped iMac computer lineup that includes a 1TB hard drive, 8GB of 1600-megahertz memory, a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor and a NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor. The latest iMacs also have two Lightning ports and Fusion Drive, which is storage that combines 128GB of flash with a 1TB hard drive. The 21.5-inch-screen iMac has a 2.7-gigahertz (GHz) quad-core i5 processor and starts at $1,299. It will be shipped in November. The 27-inch-screen iMac has a 2.9-GHz quad-core i5 processor and starts at $1,799. It will be shipped in December.

The Mac mini computer also received the faster Intel Core i5 processor and Lightning connector. A Mac mini that has a 2.5-GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at $799 and is available today.

Apple also introduced a 13-inch MacBook Pro that has 2560 x 1600-pixel Retina display. The ultraportable notebook computer includes an Intel dual-core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 768GB of flash storage, and a 7-hour battery life. A 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,699 and is available today.