Rumors of Apple working on a smaller iPad, dubbed the iPad Mini, and Amazon on a larger 10-inch Kindle Fire are on a spree. The recent report from The New York Times joins the rumor bandwagon, along with reports from Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, and confirms that Apple is working on a smaller iPad that has a less than 8-inch display.

Folks at New York Times, claimed on Monday that Apple is planning to release a smaller iPad with 7.85-inch display this year. Talking about the price, the publication claimed that the iPad Mini will cost significantly lower than the 9.7-inch iPad, which is currently priced at $499.

iPad Mini will lure in customers that are looking for Apple tablets in different sizes and price groups. The exact specifications of the tablet are yet unknown. According to rumors, iPad Mini will have 7.85-inch display with resolution of 1024 X 768 pixels. The Wi-Fi version of iPad Mini is likely to cost $299, while the LTE version will cost higher. iPad Mini is anticipated to debut in October along with the much-awaited iPhone 5.

Analysts Horace Deidu said in an interview with the Times that the new device could be introduced more as a larger iPod Touch rather than a smaller iPad.

In addition, the NY Times' report also reveals that Amazon is working on a larger Kindle Fire, along with an update to the current 7-inch model. The publication did not mention any specific screen size, but rumors suggest that the display size will be around 10 inches.

According to CNET, the larger Kindle Fire will have a screen size of 8.9-inch. The tablet will have a resolution of 1920 X 1200 pixels and will debut in the last quarter of 2012. The second wave of Kindle Fire tablets is also believed to come with 4G LTE connectivity.

With impending launches, the 10-inch Kindle fire and the iPad Mini will have gizmo buffs gleeful. The onslaught of the tablet giants continues with the multitude of options making it a consumer paradise and the buyer the ultimate winner in the battle of the biggies.