Apple has held an October event in three out of the past four years, but is an event this month still likely after today's surprise iPad mini

Apple just shocked iPad fanatics by launching a new iPad Mini generation, which opened for pre-orders today. Most of us expected Apple to hold a quick but elaborate October event, like last year, to announce the new and improved iPad Mini.

After almost three long years of radio silence on the iPad Mini front, Apple finally decided that yesterday was the day to announce that a new model will be arriving soon. We often consider the Mini to be Apple's most underrated tablet thanks to its compact chassis,