Hot on the heels of Microsoft officially putting a $499 starting price tag on its upcoming Surface tablet, Apple has now debuted its new iPad Mini, the long-rumored subcompact version of its game-changing iPad. The 7.9-inch tablet computer is as thin as a pencil, weighs 10.88 ounces and is priced starting at $329. “It’s as light as a pad of paper,” said Apple’s marketing chief Phil Schiller, at the invitation-only release event taking place this morning. The iPad mini will be available for pre-order on October 26. The WiFi version will go on sale Nov. 2 while cellular versions of the device will arrive two weeks later. The Wi-Fi model features 16Gb of storage. The iPad Mini is positioned to compete with Amazon.com’s Kindle Fire HD and the Google Nexus 7, smaller and cheaper devices that appeal to on-the-go consumers who don’t want to shell out for the pricey iPad. Photo: Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller displays the new iPad Mini October 23 in San Jose, Calif (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)