MINYANVILLE ORIGINAL This holiday season comes at a critical time for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). With the release of the iPad Mini and the rise of rival tablets like the Google Nexus 7 the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface RT and the huge number of e-readers that also compete in the tablet market Apple is running into some stiff competition for holiday sales. But the company’s announcement of the iPad 4 only seven months since the last one seems to indicate that Apple is running scared following the market that it usually prefers to lead. The announcement also continues a habit of Apple’s: ...