September was a pretty hectic month for those trying to keep up to date on the latest technology. Many companies launched their latest devices including Nokia, Motorola and Amazon, with attentions turning towards Apple and their offerings later on in the month. This month certainly is going to burn a hole in the pockets of technology fanatics out there.

As you have probably guessed, Apple still dominates the market for tablet computers. In fact, seven out of every ten tablets in the second quarter of 2012 were iPads. However, many manufacturers are trying to complete with the iPad directly by introducing smaller and cheaper devices. The Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 perhaps being the most noticeable of these, however speculation is rife that Apple will be introducing their own mini tablet computer this year.

Whilst sales are still strong for the iPhone, the company has managed to lose the lead in the smartphone market to Samsung. Although Samsung have benefited from their Galaxy S III which was launched in June this year, whilst Apple were still relying on old technology. The iPhone 5 introduction may end up swaying these figures. Let’s take a little look at some of the newest gadgets, and what we may be expecting from various manufacturers.

Firstly we have the iPhone 5. This new model works with many 4G services around the world, and thus that is going to give a massive boost in sales to the iPhone. It seems the design has also changed considerably with a larger screen in place. Whilst the software update didn’t go as smoothly as Apple as anticipated, one thing is for sure, this product is going to sell well.

Whilst the iPad Mini hasn’t been officially announced yet, it seems all but certain that this device is going to come our way. It would only take a couple of minutes of browsing the internet to find a plethora of information on this. Some of the most successful tablets on the market nowadays are those that boast 7 inch screens and with a much lower price tag, Google Nexus 7 I am looking at you here. It is believed that Apple wants a slice of this pie, and thus they are set to launch an iPad Mini at some point this year. Apple is keeping their lips sealed however.

If the iPad Mini is going to be launched, then it is going to have direct competition from the latest tablet computer from Amazon, the Kindle Fire HD. This device is available in a number of different flavours, and the way that it is tied into the Amazon ecosystem is sure to drive a number of sales. Sadly there are a few let-downs in its software, but that doesn’t seem to be affecting sales of the device that much.

Motorola hasn’t launched a hit device since 2004 with the launch of their Razr. Once a pioneer in the industry they have taken a bit of a backseat as of late. However, under the guidance of their owner Google, Motorola is set to return in a loud way. What is going to be launched is uncertain, whether it will be a new cell phone or a tablet. It will be running the Android Operating System however. This will be the first launch of a product since Google took control of the company in May of this year. Excited is an understatement.

The launch of Windows 8 will occur at the end of October this year. This version is intended to work on both computers as well as tablet devices. We can also expect a phone version to launch as well. The cell phone manufacturer, Nokia is relying on the Windows System being a success as they have a number of windows phones under the Lumia brand to be announced.

The Windows Surface Tablets have caused a bit of a stir in the industry recently. This is because it is one of the first pieces of hardware that Microsoft plans to market by itself, this means it will be directly competing against the company’s competitors. There are two surface computers in the pipeline, both with screens slightly larger than the iPad. One will be a ‘cut down’ model which will have a cell phone chip, whilst the other will run on slightly more expensive chips from Intel. They will both be launched at the same time as Windows 8.

Finally we can look forward to a brand new phone system from Research in Motion, part of their popular Blackberry Brand. It is fair to say that their current phones are decidedly ancient, especially when you compare them to the latest smartphone offerings. However RiM are determined to generate the profits they once enjoyed, and the Blackberry 10 will be launched in the early part of next year.