Apple sends out invites for 23 Oct launch - is it the iPad mini?

Apple on Tuesday extended invites teasing recipients that on 23 October in San Jose. "We've got a little more to show you," the invites said - presumably the iPad mini with a 7.85-inch screen.

The event is slated to take place at 1pm EST (6am NZT).

The iPad Mini (sometimes called the iPad Air), with 1024×768 screen resolution similar to that of the iPad 2, would fit in a category with devices like the new 7-inch, $199 Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7. The regular iPad's screen is 9.7 inches diagonally.

Apple Insider reports that Apple is plotting two dozen iPad configurations, with expectations that a 8GB model might be the standard, in either black or white.

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Apple, according to supply chain sources, has directed component makers to cook up some 10 million iPad Mini tablets in the fourth quarter. Between the regular iPad and iPad Mini, Apple could sell nearly 30 million units this quarter,according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani.

In addition to the iPad Mini, speculation is that Apple will unveil other products, such as a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.