Rumors swirled across the Internet over the last few days of a purported Oct. 23 release date for Apple's new 7.85-inch "iPad Mini," and now it looks like we have confirmation from the company itself. Apple sent out invitations today for an event Oct. 23 in San Jose, California, likely to unveil the smaller version of its hugely successful iPad.

According to CNET, Apple sent e-mails to members of the press Oct. 16 that in traditional cryptic Apple-speak read, "We've got a little more to show you. Please join us for an invitation-only event at the California Theatre in San Jose on October 23 at 10:00 a.m."

Apple isn't offering many hints as to what the event could be. The invitation isn't nearly as suggestive of the iPad Mini's unveiling as last month's wording was in teasing the iPhone 5. But with hype for the device at all-time high, really, what else could the event be for? At the very least, the word "little" in Apple's invite might still be a sly nudge that we'll be seeing the iPad Mini.

Various sources are reporting Apple will soon introduce a 7.85-inch tablet, a smaller version of its nearly 10-inch iPad.

Apple, of course, hasn't commented on one word of speculation and rumor floating around.

According to MobileGeeks, prices for the iPad Mini will start at 249 euros ($322) for a Wi-Fi-only 8GB iPad Mini, with other memory configurations of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB also available. The high-end 64GB cellular version is listed at about $650, possibly because it has 4G LTE capability.

While we always caution putting too much faith in leaked photos or specs of products until they're confirmed by the company making the device, MobileGeeks is a fairly reliable source for this sort of information. Most recently the site leaked a report that confirmed the eixstence of Samsung's Galaxy SIII Mini smartphone ahead of its debut in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Makers of protective cases for Apple products are also preparing for the iPad Mini's official release.

According to CNET, on Alibaba.com, China's biggest business-to-business e-commerce site, a search for iPad Mini turns up many postings of cases for the device in an array of colors and materials, some of which even say the cases are for "iPad Mini 7.85-inch tablet."

If this is accurate, the case not only confirms the existence of the tablet, but also that it will indeed have a 7.85-inch screen.

Alibaba.com connects many Chinese manufacturers with buyers in China or overseas. "Potential buyers of the cases could be retail stores that want to sell them as soon as Apple launches the new tablet," notes CNET.

Prior to every Apple product launch, Alibaba.com usually becomes the trading platform for cases supposedly made specifically for the new Apple device. This scenario played out similarly with the release of the iPhone 5. Ahead of Apple's release of the smartphone on Sept.21, there were already many iPhone 5 cases sold on Alibaba.com, according to CNET.

Some sources are suggesting the iPad Mini will not have the high-definition "retina display" that's on the current iPad.

A 7-inch tablet would allow Apple to compete directly with rival smaller tablets like Amazon's Kindle Fire, and Google's Nexus 7, which are priced in the $200 range, while Apple's current iPad lineup starts at $399 for last year's iPad 2 and $499 for the third-generation iPad released in March.

If the Oct. 23 even in San Jose is indeed to unveil the iPad Mini, Apple is positioning its device to suck the life out of Microsoft's big release of its first tablet venture, the 10-inch Surface, which will start at $499, and be available Oct. 26.Google is also expected to release a 7-inch tablet, the 32GB version its Nexus 7 device, "sometime around" Oct. 24, according to Droid-Life. 

Apple will hold a press event on Tuesday, Oct. 23 to unveil the iPad Mini, two days before Microsoft unveils Windows 8 and its first tablet, the Surface at an event Oct. 25, according to several reports from sources like Reuters, and All Things D, who cited "people familiar with Apple's plans."

Apple has ordered 10 million iPad mini tablets to be built in the run before Christmas, double what rival Amazon has ordered for its Kindle Fire HD tablets, and double the number Microsoft is building of its Surface tablets in the same period, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal.

Similarly, Japanese Apple blog Macatakara claims that production of the iPad mini is well underway in Brazil, according to "reliable sources" it spoke to.

iPad Mini specs

7.8 inch screen with 1,024 x 768 resolution. The resolution will probably not be retina display, but it is possible it would have the same ppi as found on the iPad 2. The tablet would be able to handle all the apps. The design will stick to the same aesthetics of the iPhone 5 with an anodized aluminum back plate rather than a plastic build.

It will have two cameras, one front facing, for FaceTime or other video chat applications, and another, higher resolution rear-facing camera on the back. Sports a lightning port connector, like the iPhone 5. Likely an A6 processor, although, some sites are suggesting it may be an A5 like the iPad 2.