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The iPad Mini
- Thread starter Radec
- Start date
Baconsammy
Banned
I can't quite tell if you are disagreeing with me or not.. I think it has more to do with weight (and price) than screen size. I have a 7" tablet in the Nexus. I'd trade that screen size if I could get the weight of the Nexus to go with it.
But yeah, I haven't seen a mini yet so I could feel differently when I do.
Speaking solely for my wife and sister, it's about the ability to comfortably put it in their purse. For me if the bigger iPad was the same weight, it would help, but due to the size I still wouldn't really want to walk around outside with it. The Mini fits nicely in my cargo pants pockets. It's also a really brilliant shape, which I hope the larger iPad models adopt in the next revision.
One of the upsides of the high PPI retina screens is even a dead/stuck pixel is hard to spot. I spent 5 minutes in a dark closet today looking for them, but am happy to have found none.
CharminUltra
Member
Please don't. I'll die D:
Wait, how was it $65 off?
virtuoso88
Member
Just opened mine. It's beautiful and a great size (weight). The low res isn't too bad for images/icons but when reading text it's really apparent. I don't think I could get use to it especially since I will hold the screen closer since it's smaller and lighter. Sticking with the iPad 3 for at least another year.
Yea more pics less talking
BFIB
Member
I stopped by my local Best Buy earlier and they had a few out on display.
Overall impressions, for anyone who cares:
-I love the form factor. I really like the smaller tablet market, and while I love my Nexus 7, the build quality of the iPad mini is second to none. By far the best looking Apple product I've seen since the iPhone 4.
-After messing around with friends iPad 3's, and having an iPhone 4 and 4S before my GS3, the screen was jarring at first. I've become so accustomed to "retina displays" that it took me back for a few minutes. Take note that this was also side by side with the new iPad 4. I'm sure once you get used to it, its not that big of a deal.
But, next year when Apple has retina built in, I think that will be my chance to jump back into Apple's world. But congrats to all who got their new iPads, I always feel like a kid at Christmas when I get a new gadget to mess around with.
Overall impressions, for anyone who cares:
-I love the form factor. I really like the smaller tablet market, and while I love my Nexus 7, the build quality of the iPad mini is second to none. By far the best looking Apple product I've seen since the iPhone 4.
-After messing around with friends iPad 3's, and having an iPhone 4 and 4S before my GS3, the screen was jarring at first. I've become so accustomed to "retina displays" that it took me back for a few minutes. Take note that this was also side by side with the new iPad 4. I'm sure once you get used to it, its not that big of a deal.
But, next year when Apple has retina built in, I think that will be my chance to jump back into Apple's world. But congrats to all who got their new iPads, I always feel like a kid at Christmas when I get a new gadget to mess around with.
Baconsammy
Banned
Mini is just over half a pound. iPad 3/4 is just under 1.5 pounds. So nearly a pound difference.
fluffydelusions
Member
Read on another forum that you cannot view full HD content in the mini...720p will work though. Can anyone confirm?
Auron_Kale
Member
Went to the SF Apple store and got to play with the mini, nano, new iPod & 13 MBPR.
Definitely planning on getting my mom a mini for Christmas (16gb wifi) and I'll personally hold off until the retina version.
Typing with the split keyboard was just so much better than on my iPad 3, but I can't go back to the iPad 2 screen.
Mini with retina will be my defacto Comixology reader as the size is absolutely perfect. Love the back of the mini, kinda jealous that my 3 doesn't have that back but eh, it's in a case anyways.
Definitely planning on getting my mom a mini for Christmas (16gb wifi) and I'll personally hold off until the retina version.
Typing with the split keyboard was just so much better than on my iPad 3, but I can't go back to the iPad 2 screen.
Mini with retina will be my defacto Comixology reader as the size is absolutely perfect. Love the back of the mini, kinda jealous that my 3 doesn't have that back but eh, it's in a case anyways.
Do realize how tiny that keyboard is?Honestly the mini seems so good that when they retina-ify it I might say fuck it and just buy one of these.
I'm assuming by then office for ipad will be out. Latest rumour was spring 2013 right
You're discounting the factor of weight distribution. Even at the same weight the center of gravity would be at different points of the hand cause the different sizes.
This is why I ventured into off topic to find this thread in the first place.
*pics of the iPad mini that is, although I did enjoy the completely random picture last time someone asked for pics without specifying.
A5 can play 1080p. It can't technically display in HD (720 or 1080) cause the screen doesn't have the pixels for it but scales to the screen fine, i.e. scales down from 1280x720 or 1920x1080 to fit the 1024x768 screen.
Barbacoatl
Banned
Retina has spoiled me, I'd like to get one eventually when they upgrade the screen. The weight is the only thing I dislike about my ipad.
fluffydelusions
Member
I know it is capable they were even saying the same video would play on the iPhone but mini it wouldn't . Can anyone try playing something 1080p
-Pyromaniac-
Member
I wouldn't actually get that keyboard, I was being silly. Besides the side view of it is fucking thick as hell, defeats the purpose! This looks great if you're a traveller:
more colours here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WeirdOldSnail
easily the nicest travel cases
more colours here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WeirdOldSnail
easily the nicest travel cases
I view it like this - the iPad is a great potential replacement to a laptop. For most people at least.
The mini is a great supplement to people who need / require a laptop. The Laptop + Mini combo makes a greater combo than a Laptop + iPad.
So if you can do without a laptop - get just a normal big ipad. If you can't do without a laptop - get a mini.
jts
...hate me...
It will only not do it if it's buggy or acting up for some reason. It is supported. Refer to the spec page:
http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/
virtuoso88
Member
Reading on comic glass with the mini is a lot more comfortable and enjoyable. I wonder how much weight will be added if/when it gets retinaed.
Yup...definitely like the black more (iPad 4). I have both of them side by side at home, and the image generally pops more on the black. Letterboxed bars look blacker on the white, but black details within the screen appear less black...odd.
My main issue with the white is that it doesn't look very white under incandescent like. It looks very yellow/beige. It looks much nicer in stores under fluorescent light.
My main issue with the white is that it doesn't look very white under incandescent like. It looks very yellow/beige. It looks much nicer in stores under fluorescent light.
345triangle
Member
do you need to do anything at all with it beyond write?
if not, iA writer. $0.99, universal, dropbox & icloud syncing, looks great, helps you write.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
If they do go retina next year, I wonder how much it will add to the weight/form factor. Right now it's perfect. Might stick with this one until the second retina revision if it adds too much. Or I'll get the one next year then sell it a year later like I plan to do with this one.
So mine finally ran out of the initial charge it came with, seems really good battery life. Leaving it to do a full charge now.
Has there been any tests yet with the new retina iPad's 12W charger to see if the iPad Mini draws more than the 5W iPhone one it comes with?
That's what I've been thinking about as well, it's really perfect like this so wouldn't want it getting thicker/heavier. Really love using it, so might skip a generation as nice as retina would be in it.
When they do get it like this and with retina it would be the ultimate device really, quite surprised by how much it all feels just right.
Has there been any tests yet with the new retina iPad's 12W charger to see if the iPad Mini draws more than the 5W iPhone one it comes with?
That's what I've been thinking about as well, it's really perfect like this so wouldn't want it getting thicker/heavier. Really love using it, so might skip a generation as nice as retina would be in it.
When they do get it like this and with retina it would be the ultimate device really, quite surprised by how much it all feels just right.
Target is running a 2-day sale - all iPads, excluding the minis, come w/ a $40 Giftcard. Combine that w/ a 5% discount using their debit card, or credit card and you have another $25 off the 16gb, $30 off the 32gb, etc. Essentially $65 back in my pocket.
LumpOfCole
Member
I just bought an iPad Retina today. It's my first iPad and I think I love it. The speed of browsing and moving around is so fluid. Now I just need to learn how to get my totally legal .mkv video collection on the iPad without having to worry about Handbrake with each file.
sweetvar26
Member
You should probably go to a store and check it out yourself to make sure that you are alright with it.
I thought the cycle would be 12 months but I got it wrong this year, updated in 6 months. I hope the iPad 5 will be next October, but it does need a redesign, so not sure if they will wait that long.
Then again, they probably don't want to piss off more customers releasing another one in 6 months.
I think they just finished moving all the update cycles to the Fall which makes more business sense with the iDevices.
I'm loving the form factor of my mini but the text is just god damn bad. It actually hurt my eyes to sit in bed last night and read on it... I am so unsure about whether to take it back and get the 4 now because I really love the form factor but I don't want to strain my eyes.
Also, is anyone finding the Smart Cover horrible? I use it in bed every night as a stand and the viewing angle is just horrible. There are comparisons on iMore and you can see that it's way more slanted than on the original ipad... Also I miss being able to fold the Smart Cover behind the iPad half way and holding it like that...
Also, is anyone finding the Smart Cover horrible? I use it in bed every night as a stand and the viewing angle is just horrible. There are comparisons on iMore and you can see that it's way more slanted than on the original ipad... Also I miss being able to fold the Smart Cover behind the iPad half way and holding it like that...
I'm finding browsing in landscape fine, seems to be just the right size for text to look fine with sites at full size.
Not so keen on that in portrait though.
While testing the iPad mini I bought early with all the websites I always browse and all the applications I always use, I couldn't get used to the screen size. I was using the mini sideways most of the time to read and it wasn't ideal. Went back to the Apple Store and exchanged it for a new 16GB iPad.
I love the mini, specially the weight, but I can't trade screen size for less weight. Pretty sure by next year the iPad 5 will be updated following the line of the iPhone 5, iPod touch and iPad mini and weight will be reduced significantly. By then, I will sell this one and get the new design if it ever happens.
I love the mini, specially the weight, but I can't trade screen size for less weight. Pretty sure by next year the iPad 5 will be updated following the line of the iPhone 5, iPod touch and iPad mini and weight will be reduced significantly. By then, I will sell this one and get the new design if it ever happens.
Baconsammy
Banned
My sister messaged me tonight that she's taking her Mini back because the text while reading in the dark is terrible. I tried to tell her before she bought it that it's not a good ereader due to the lack of retina, but I guess she had to learn the hard way. I tried reading on it tonight and stopped after a page. It's headache inducing. For games and videos this thing is top notch. For reading, it's a major fail unfortunately. Not sure what I'm going to do with mine, but I have two weeks to decide so I won't rush the decision. This thing definitely needs a higher PPI though. My sister got over the difference in price, but couldnt get past the text clarity. I imagine she's not alone. She'll definitely be back when retina is added because the size is just about perfect.
Oh, come on. I've read tons of books on my iPad and iPad 2s when I had them and this is even better than that
fluffydelusions
Member
Yeah checking some web pages was the 1st thing I did on it. The text really is terrible to look at.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Headache inducing? Maybe I just have superhuman eyes. It's noticably worse than retina, but not so much that it physically bothers me. And this is before re-acclimation.
virtuoso88
Member
we use to surf the net with a dialup modem too...once you go retina it's hard to go back. At least on a device you hold that close. My air is fine but ipad/phone is not.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
if it wasn't out of hand already, now it is
Baconsammy
Banned
Sorry, but I find it to be awful. I'm used to retina, and e-ink on a Kindle. I didn't buy the mini for reading, thankfully, because as an e-reader its a major fail. Everything is just fuzzy, which I could feel starting to strain my eyes. Games and videos without a lot of text are great though. As I said, this thing will be leaps and bounds ahead of everything else once it gets retina. That's its one glaring flaw right now unfortunately.
Baconsammy
Banned
Mine's been charging for quite awhile now. Appears to be as slow as charging the iPad 3 was, which I hated. I doubt I'll ever require a charge during the day, so I'll just need to make sure it's on the charger every night when I go to bed.
Yeah, it's not critical because the battery life seems ridiculous. The initial charge it came with lasted all day with the brightness up to how I'd normally have it.
The Mini's charger is just the 5W iPhone 5 one though, so if it would draw the 12W of the new retina iPad one it would make a massive difference. I'd pick one up if so.
I plan on it. I'm walking into a Best Buy tomorrow ready to be woo'd by the mini....but my eyes will be for bigger action.
Money isn't an issue for me.. I mainly use the iPad in bed or sitting up so was really looking forwards to a lighter version.. I have a MBP Retina, an iPhone 5 and had an iPad 3 so I knew that going back would be a task.. Nothing else bothers me.. Images + Icons are a bit more pixellated and I can deal with that but when it gets to the point when I have to actually focus my eyes harder to read words on a webpage then it just is a bit of a downer for me because I actually love the form factor of the device so much...
i'll give it a few more nights and will take it back if I don't adjust to it.. Wouldn't it still be technically worse than the iPad 2 because the text on websites is smaller and equally pixellated and therefore harder to read..
Baconsammy
Banned
The constant focusing is what I think was bringing on my headache. No matter how much I squint or refocus, it's never clear enough. I owned an iPad 1. Couldn't read on that thing either. Just terrible for my eyes, but I had a Kindle back then too so it wasn't a big deal. I skipped the iPad 2, but my wife got one. I never used it since reading on it wasn't an option again. iPad 3 changed that, but ultimately the weight and size bothered me enough to get rid of it. The Mini is just perfect outside of the screen. Put retina in this thing along with a faster chip in the future, and game over.
Just wanted to comment on a few apps that were new to me:
Rayman Jungle Run is awesome. McTube for youtube viewing is great. Especially the ability to download audio versions of the videos and play them in the background. The new Podcast app is total dogshit. Why would you separate it out from where it was before? And for whatever reason it won't play my podcasts via airplay. Lame. Google Search with voice puts Siri to shame. So fast and so accurate.
SuperPac
Member
Been playing around with a mini tonight and just love the form factor. The split keyboard of the mini is better than the one on the big iPad as well. The whole non-retina thing isn't really as jarring to me - noticeable, yes, but not a deal breaker. As much as I like my iPad 3, the size and especially the weight of this device make it a better device for reading and even writing posts like this. I find thumb typing to just be a lot easier on this than the big model.
Seriously thinking about replacing my iPad 3 with one of these (but the wifi + cellular model instead). Ahhh!
Seriously thinking about replacing my iPad 3 with one of these (but the wifi + cellular model instead). Ahhh!
everthustodeadbeats
Member
Been fooling around with my Mini tonight and I think this will be the iPad I replace each year. The iPad 3 will be my around the house iPad.
I can put the mini on my desk at work and easily get away with sneaking some peeks at the superior version of flipboard. It's best for reading my newspapers. It's best for finishing a quick chapter of a book at lunch.
I dug my Nexus 7 for being a smaller tablet, but I have no regrets switching from that to the Mini. I get my Cave shooters, I get better versions of apps that I use, and it is absolutely sick how thin and light it is.
I can put the mini on my desk at work and easily get away with sneaking some peeks at the superior version of flipboard. It's best for reading my newspapers. It's best for finishing a quick chapter of a book at lunch.
I dug my Nexus 7 for being a smaller tablet, but I have no regrets switching from that to the Mini. I get my Cave shooters, I get better versions of apps that I use, and it is absolutely sick how thin and light it is.