I just found out that the iPad Mini is wider than my iPod Touch 4 is long and therefore will not fit in all of my shirt-pockets.

Anyway, it looks like the iPad Mini is a miniaturized iPad 2.

10/24/2012 2:16:31 AM

they could've probably dropped the price to $299 and sold a lot more units, but that would involve needlessly suing a lot of other electronics manufacturers for proprietary things like "backlit displays" and "icons"

10/24/2012 2:19:14 AM

I think the odd thing about it is the fact that the bezel margins for the sides are way too thin to hold it properly without your thumb or fingers getting in the way of the screen when holding it certain ways. I bet you Apple will say "you're holding it wrong" or "use a case to fix it".

I mean for my nook, kindle and playbook's margins, they have ample space for my thumb to not get in the way in any position when I hold them like I'm reading a small book, but not too large to be distracting. Out of the three, I think the playbook is the best looking and I love the actual device even though its the most software limited OS. Plus the idea of extending the touch screen to the margins with off screen gestures to control the menu is brilliant.

Quote :

"they could've probably dropped the price to $299 and sold a lot more units"

Yeah, I'm just flabbergasted that they couldn't even drop it to a simple 299 price point. $329 msrp just seems like an odd number to launch with.

10/24/2012 2:40:45 AM

There's a reason that the 8" form factor hasn't taken off.

Go through any china-tablet reseller site. There are literally dozens, if not hundreds of 8" android tablets out there. The form factor blows. It's a weird screen ratio for content (doesn't display video or books/magazines well), it's a weird physical dimension (still too big to thumb type easily, too big for pockets)

When I was buying android tablets to try them out, I spent a long time looking for an 8" model to buy. But everyone continually complained with how shitty they were due to all the above problems (in addition to the issues common with Android Chinatabs).

10/24/2012 3:25:58 AM

supposedly, there's some sort of software-based protection against accidental touches. So with the Mini (and maybe the regular iPad too with a software update?), you can have a finger on the screen and still perform multitouch gestures.

They even show a kid flipping through a book with one finger of the other hand resting on the screen in the promo reel.

10/24/2012 9:43:08 AM

does it have GPS and 3G or LTE? This might be the perfect size to leave in the car as an awesome Waze GPS.

10/24/2012 10:02:26 AM

GPS, yes. Lte/cell is available just like the regular iPad has multiple versions with and without cell data connectivity.

10/24/2012 10:06:36 AM

It only has GPS if you buy the LTE version. It has wifi based GPS if you buy the wifi only version which is not suitable for driving.

10/24/2012 10:09:19 AM

The more I read about this thing,, the more I am like WTF hahaha Apple has really outdone themselves this time. However, the sheep will make this a worthwhile endeavor for the company.

10/24/2012 10:42:42 AM

Wait nevermind, Waze is available on Android.

10/24/2012 11:36:48 AM

who would actually spend 500 bucks for an ipad mini lte version to use mainly as a car gps? damn... just might as well hire a limo where you need to go.

10/24/2012 2:03:45 PM

Two incomes, no kids. Gotta spend it somewhere (right now my iPad lives in the car, but its too big to really mount anywhere so it mostly lives its life riding around and occasionally being used to search for a restaurant)

10/24/2012 5:27:17 PM

I guess I'd be more interested in this if we didn't already have an iPad and a Nook Tablet so iTablet and handheld tablet are covered (not perfect, but covered).

Seems like they're trying to jam something into a marketplace that's saturated with solid offerings. And they aren't even offering anything that's strictly better than what's out there.

If they wanted to break the "Must Buy Every Apple Product Spell" they've got on a lot of the hardcore fanboys this seems like a good way to do so.

10/24/2012 6:47:44 PM

I am interested to see how the low rez screen holds up to the retina display

10/24/2012 7:00:10 PM

Quote :

"I think the odd thing about it is the fact that the bezel margins for the sides are way too thin to hold it properly without your thumb or fingers getting in the way of the screen when holding it certain ways. I bet you Apple will say "you're holding it wrong" or "use a case to fix it". "

Not to argue with you, but do you feel this way about many of the new large screen Android phones (Galaxy III)?

10/24/2012 7:15:00 PM

With something you have to hold on the side, like the ipad and other large tablets, it helps to have a nice size bezel.

It's not the same with something you can hold in your palm like a phone or even 16:10 7 inch tablets (even though I think they can benefit from a larger bezel too, like the new Kindle).

I haven't held the ipad mini so I can't say for sure, but it seems like holding it in your palm would be uncomfortable sometimes.

10/24/2012 7:38:09 PM

Quote :

"Not to argue with you, but do you feel this way about many of the new large screen Android phones (Galaxy III)?"

Its different with a much small device like the Galaxy III (of which I find way too large for my tastes) that you can still fit in the palm of your hands. With a larger device, Apple's main photo (below) would be extremely uncomfortable for me to grasp in that manner. If Apple actually made it a 7" device instead of 7.9", I don't think it would be so much of big deal in terms of size.

10/24/2012 8:15:36 PM

Quote :

" What a terrible product release. The ONE thing I love about my iPad and the wife's iPhone are the retina displays. To release an 8" display with not only a non-retina display, but at a lower dpi than all of its competition (and a higher pricepoint to boot) is just nuts."

As a developer I'm glad they did it that way. You can use the same visual assets for iPad 2 and IPad Mini. Having 2 to deal with sucks enough.

[Edited on October 27, 2012 at 12:19 PM. Reason : a]

10/27/2012 12:18:40 PM

Except as a developer you shouldn't be using the same UI on an 8" tablet that you do on a 10". It's going to mean smaller hit targets, smaller text and smaller everything else. Shrinking a UI by 2 inches might be easy for you to do (actually no work), but its probably not the best experience for the user.

10/27/2012 1:07:12 PM

^
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/10/03/why-an-ipad-mini-is-just-workable/

Quote :

"As far as physical dimensions go, seven inches is the minimum size Apple could ship for a 1,024 x 768 display while retaining HIG integrity. A 7.5-inch screen would come closer to matching iPhone physicality, and eight inches would about equal it. In fact, 7.85 inches would be perfect. That's because 7.85 inches represents the same PPI as non-Retina iPhones (163 ppi). As Rich Gaywood points out, the screen could be cut from the same master sheet of glass on the same manufacturing process, just twice as big in each dimension. At 7.85 inches, the 44-point touch target is the exact same size on the iPad mini as on the iPhones, the screen graphics drawn to the same physical scale, and so forth. In fact, that's exactly what today's rumors seem to suggest will happen."

10/27/2012 6:54:15 PM

Because a 3.5" phone UI really makes sense being scaled up to 8".

10/27/2012 7:00:25 PM

worked for the normal ipad

10/27/2012 7:04:56 PM

The UI isn't what's being scaled up, it just happens to be using the same touch point sizes.

10/27/2012 7:18:45 PM

It's like noen doesn't know what he's talking about

10/27/2012 7:34:59 PM

The article is talking about non-retina iphones being scaled to 7.85 inches.

My point is that there are only two drivers left to buy an I device: the retina display and the app store.

Releasing a non-retina tablet and talking about how it scales perfectly from the iPhone 3GS for HIG, when we are now 3 generations past that, with HIG based on the retina display is completely pointless.

10/27/2012 11:48:33 PM

I'd say Retina displays and broader iOS, not just the App Store.

10/28/2012 12:16:36 AM

Quote :

"The article is talking about non-retina iphones being scaled to 7.85 inches."

No.

Quote :

"My point is that there are only two drivers left to buy an I device: the retina display and the app store."

For techies, this might be true. The other 90% of the population probably doesn't even know what a retina display is.

10/28/2012 8:17:10 AM

They don't know what it means, but they know about retina and want it.

10/28/2012 8:46:14 AM

Good thing Apple sells an iPad with a Retina display then, isn't it?

10/28/2012 9:04:59 AM

Wow, new nexus models really put the shame on the iPad mini.

32gb with HSPA+ cell data, higher res screen, for 30 bucks less ($299)

10/29/2012 1:50:45 PM

But the Nexus devices don't run iOS6, so they are clearly inferior.

10/29/2012 2:44:04 PM

^

10/29/2012 6:03:37 PM

I feel like I am trapped when I use iOS. Android is much more pleasurable to use ... whatever floats your boat.

10/29/2012 10:44:32 PM

10/29/2012 11:04:17 PM

lol at "Ultra-fast MIMO Wi-Fi" as a selling feature

10/30/2012 8:51:32 AM

Yeah, my comment was definitely tongue-in-cheek. I prefer Android, and I can say that because my wife has an iPhone and, while she prefers iOS, she often wishes she had some of the nicer features in Jelly Bean.

10/30/2012 9:02:36 AM

Yeah after ditching the iPhone for Android I'm not looking back. Trying to sell my iPad now. I rarely use it because i feel crippled using iOS.

10/30/2012 9:18:12 AM

Parody advertisement for iPad Mini... actually accurate though, which makes it not a joke?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os87PLlyU4k




[Edited on October 30, 2012 at 11:20 AM. Reason : .]

10/30/2012 11:19:11 AM

They had a funny segment on Conan about it.

10/30/2012 11:26:53 AM

Too expensive and no retina display.

But wait, in a few weeks possibly ipad mini-s with retina display, iOS 6.0.2 with updated fixed maps and $249

11/14/2012 2:48:22 PM

I actually bought one and am very happy with it. Resolution (in terms of ppi) is better than my galaxy note 10.1 and my old ipad 2 that I had no problems reading on. Size is better for me than the regular ipad/10" tabs and the extra .9"/4:3 aspect is infinitely more usable than the nexus 7 which I don't use now because of. The weight, battery life (I get at least 12 hours and usually more), and size (especially thickness) really make it about perfect for my uses. I figure when they come out with the next model, I'll sell this one for $75-100 less than I paid and pick one up if I want it. Overall though its a great tab if it fits your needs and ignore the specs. The specs are really either pointless (proc speed is irrelevant as long as it performs well and it performs better than the tf300 I had and the Note 10.1 around 50% of the time), better (battery life and connectivity), or equal than every other full fledged small tablet except the Nexus 7 (kindle fire is NOT a tablet and the nook really isn't either).

11/14/2012 4:43:57 PM

Holy Crap! Already announcing a retina Mini!

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/apple-confirms-ipad-mini-retina-display-new-imac---1C6630274

11/14/2012 4:46:14 PM

Can't tell if serious...

11/14/2012 5:32:59 PM

nothing in that article says anything about a 2nd gen Ipad Mini with Retina... It's also from last month, so a lot of that is old news. But like the parody... just wait 7 months for Apple to make one.

11/14/2012 6:28:16 PM

11/14/2012 8:09:46 PM

that would have been a huge dick move by Apple if they announced a week after the Ipad Mini's were shipping that they would make one with Retina a month later... for less money... lol

I would totally go out of my way to go to every coffee shop near my area and ask ipad mini users if they feel boned with being an early adopter...

11/14/2012 8:19:31 PM

they are going to add 3G to it and call it the iPhone Mega

11/14/2012 8:40:58 PM

iPhone Phablet

[Edited on November 14, 2012 at 8:58 PM. Reason : Or iPhablet]

11/14/2012 8:58:03 PM

iPwnt is more like it.

11/14/2012 9:59:20 PM

is the iPad mini decent? Was thinking of getting my sister one

11/15/2012 3:11:12 PM