Apple will be finally lifting the veil on the iPhone 5 come September 12. After that mystery is solved, we can move on to the other more pressing mystery – the iPad Mini. The device has been churning in the rumor mill for some time now, but we still know next to nothing about it.

The veil of secrecy that was draped over the iPad Mini has been lifting ever so slowly. Previous rumors have placed the iPad Mini’s size at a respectable 7.85-inch display. The device has been described as a big iPod Touch due to having separate buttons for volume control. We also know that the device will probably retail for anywhere between $249 and $299.

Of course, these rumors still don’t answer the all important question of what the device looks like. The fine folks at MacRumors are hoping to enlighten us with an excellent 3D render of the iPad Mini that’s based upon the various reports and leaked parts.

The mockup seems to be spot on with the current rumors, but we won’t know anything for certain until its unveiled. It was previously speculated that Apple would show off the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5 at the same event on September 12. New reports suggest that to be not the case as Apple is rumored to be prepping the iPad Mini for an October reveal.

Apple might want to reveal the iPad Mini sooner rather than later, however, as Google and Amazon are both dominating the 7-inch tablet market. Amazon is also prepping to launch the Kindle Fire 2 this month after an event that’s scheduled for September 6. An iPad Mini announcement could kill Amazon’s momentum as they head into the holiday season, but only if it’s priced competitively.