As rumored, Apple has finally unveiled their latest product in the iPad line: the iPad mini. The device has a 7.9-inch display with a resolution of 1024×768 pixels, a dual-core A5 processor, a Facetime HD camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the back.

The press present at the event were able to get a hands on after the event, and posted their first impressions. Check them out after the jump.

From TechCrunch:

The finish of the device is matte on the back, making for a very nice feeling in the hand. The weight is really the most impressive part, though – as with the iPhone 5, but to an even greater degree, the iPad mini feels almost weightless when compared to its predecessors. It’s so thin and light as to feel almost like a prop, rather than a functional device.

From The Verge:

The display on the mini looks incredibly sharp, and even though the resolution is lower than the 3rd and 4th generation full-size iPad, it doesn’t immediately seem like a 1024 x 768 display. The smaller, 7.9-inch surface area certainly helps squeeze the pixels.

From Engadget:

It’s still not “small,” though. While a fully outstretched adult hand can generally grasp it without help from the other, you’ll still want both for typing and using apps. It’s still too big for your average pocket, and it’s not going to save you a heck of a lot of room in your knapsack compared to the 9.7-incher.

iPad mini has the same resolution as the iPad 2, so all existing iPad apps that work on the iPad 2 will work on the iPad mini without any need for developers to modify their apps. The iPad mini starts at $329 for the base 16GB Wi-Fi model, followed by the 32GB Wi-Fi model at $429, and finally the 64GB Wi-Fi model at $529. The LTE models cost an additional $130. Finally, colors. All models are available in the same color schemes as the iPhone 5: black/slate and white/silver.

Pre-orders begin on Friday, October 26, with the Wi-Fi models shipping on November 2nd, and the LTE models starting to ship two weeks later.

[via MacRumors]