According to early reviews about the recently-unveiled iPad Mini, the much-talked about smaller, 7.9-inch, tablet from Apple is an amazing and mighty powerful device, which boasts a physical design that is much more attractive that the existing 7-inch tablets on the market.

The iPad Mini has a stylish and pleasurable-to-hold aluminum exterior, which is notably different, and much more solid, from than the plastic exteriors of its closest competitors - the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.

Though the iPad Mini has a bigger screen than that of Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD - both of which have 7-inch screens -, it is lighter and thinner than its rivals; and even, surprisingly, narrower than the Kindle Fire HD.

One of the best features of the iPad Mini is that it is capable of running all of the same apps - as many as 275,000 - which are currently available for the bigger iPad. The sheer number of apps for the iPad Min gives it a distinct edge over the Kindle Fire HD which essentially is an e-reader; and even the Nexus 7 because the apps available for Android-based tablets are comparatively much less in the number.

However, with a rather expensive price-tag of $330, the iPad Mini becomes a slightly less tempting tablet as compared to the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD --- two extremely well-built and easy-to-use devices, which are much more affordable, at $220!