Is the iPad Mini Worth Buying?

By Becky Worley | Upgrade Your Life – 22 hours ago

Apple has unveiled a new member of the family: the iPad Mini. This device is a clear response to the market pressure the cheaper Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 have placed on the existing iPad. So how does this scaled down version of the iPad compare with its newly refreshed big brother and the Android tablets that still come in at a lower price?

Comparing Specs with the Competition
Screen Size: iPad Mini's screen comes in at 7.9 inches, compared to the 9.7 inch screen of the iPad and the 7 inch screens of the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7. With a narrower bezel, iPad Mini fits a bit more screen into the same real estate.


Resolution: 1024x768 — this is not the Retina display that Apple touts as its high end screens on the iPhone 5 and the bigger iPad. Rather, it's the same resolution as the iPad 2, but with more pixels per inch. Also, the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD have higher resolution 1280x800 screens.

Thickness: 7.2mm thick — that's roughly 1/3 of an inch, or a little thinner than a pencil, and significantly thinner than either of the leading competitors.

Weight: .68 pounds, 53% lighter than the fourth-generation iPad. Competing Android tablets weigh slightly more: Nexus 7 tips the scales at .75 lbs, and the Kindle Fire HD at .88 lbs.

Processor: The dual core A5 chip is same as the iPad 2 that came out in 2011, and even Apple says the A6 chip in the iPad 4 and the iPhone 5 is twice as fast for some tasks as the A5. The Nexus 7 has a newer quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and the Kindle Fire HD has a 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor, but you can only compare the performance of these processors against the iPad once you benchmark them in the real world; the numbers and specs don't tell you everything. But I'd give the edge to the Nexus 7 purely on hardware.

Cameras: iPad Mini: front and rear-facing cameras. The camera on the back is a 5 megapixel, same as the iPad 4 but lower res than the iPhone 5's 8 MP camera. The Nexus and Amazon tablets have only front facing cameras that are lower resolution than the Mini.

[Related: iPhone5 — Is it Worth the Money?]

Other Specs
The Mini will come in a Wifi-only model and an LTE version with access to cellular networks on the go. It will use the new smaller lightning connector so you'll need all new charging cords and adapters if you have lots of accessories with the previous 30-pin connector.

Apple says it gets 10 hours of battery life, is made primarily of aluminum & glass, and it comes in both black and white. It will be available for preorder on Friday, October 26 and is set to ship November 2.

Price
iPad Mini 16GB WiFi only — $329 ($459 for the 16GB with LTE cellular connectivity)
iPad 4 16GB WiFi only — $499
Kindle Fire HD 16GB — $199

Nexus 7 16GB: $249 — But rumors are flying of an even cheaper Nexus tablet releasing next week and/or a big price cut on the Google tablet in time for the holidays.

So What Should You Buy?
Nothing about the technical specs of the tablets makes any one of them a clear winner. Apple has an advantage in that the user-experience on the iPad and IOS is preferred by many, myself included. After living with both flavors, it's just easier, cleaner, and less hassle for me to use an iPad over a Nexus 7. In my opinion, the iPad Mini will benefit from that advantage as well.

But if I were a committed Android phone user, if my digital media was all purchased from Amazon or the Google Play store, or if price was my only consideration, I would NOT get the iPad Mini.
The final decision these days is about ecosystem- where are you going to buy and live? In Google/Amazon world or in Apple world?

If Apple had priced the mini in the $249 range, I'd say they would have nailed the coffin shut on competing tablets. But at $329 that's still a steep price tag, and many will find Android and Amazon tablets under the Christmas tree this year and enjoy them almost as much as those who unwrap the iPad Mini that costs $130 more.

[Related: Where to Get the Most Money for Your Old Gadgets]
Ethics statement: I have used both an iPhone and a Samsung Galaxy phone this year. I have tested and lived with the iPad and the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD. I love a deal and always wish that the cheaper one were as good or better than the more expensive one. Sometimes that's true, sometimes it's not. I am giving you my honest opinion and I am not paid for recommendations.

Special thanks to the folks at Bay Street Emeryville for providing the location.

Source:  http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/upgrade-your-life/ipad-mini-worth-buying-000622097.html

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iPad Mini

iPad Mini prices rumoured to start at S$390

 

Updated 10:19 AM Oct 16, 2012

 

REUTERS

LONDON - Apple's iPad Mini will start at £200 (S$393) and will be equipped with at least 3G connectivity, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Information apparently taken from the inventory of a German electronics retailer suggests that the Apple iPad Mini will start at £201 for an 8GB version and go up to around £520 for a 64GB version with WiFi and mobile connectivity.

The leaked screenshot shows 16 configurations of the new device, with WiFi and mobile versions of each memory size. Recent reports had suggested that the new iPad would not have mobile connectivity.

The new Apple tablet is expected to be announced at an event in California next week but, so far, the company has not even confirmed that it is holding an event.

Even if the screenshot is genuine, it is possible that the data had been added by the retailer on a preliminary basis and do not represent Apple's intended pricing.

If the prices are correct, then the entry-level version of the new tablet, which could be called the iPad Mini or the iPad Nano or even the iPad Air, would cost slightly more than those of key rivals.

Google's Nexus 7 - seven-inch Android tablet, launched in July - costs £159, the same price as Amazon's seven-inch Kindle Fire HD.

In recent weeks, speculation about Apple's forthcoming tablet has increased, with photographs circulating that purported to show the new device and rumours about Apple's plans for a launch event.

Early speculation suggested that Apple would unveil the device at an event on Wednesday but, as the date drew closer and no invitations were issued, attention shifted to next week.

Last week, technology website AllThingsD reported that the new iPad would be unveiled on Oct 23rd.

Further rumours over the last few days suggest that Apple is also preparing to launch a 13-inch version of its Retina MacBook Pro. The company launched a 15-inch version at its WorldWide Developer Conference in June. AGENCIES

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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iPad Mini

Apple 'planning to call it iPad Mini'

04:46 AM Aug 29, 2012

 

Rumours are rife that Apple will be launching a smaller version of the iPad in October. BLOOMBERG

SAN FRANCISCO - Even though Apple remains tight-lipped about the possibility of a 7-inch iPad, pundits are certain of its existence, even dubbing it the "iPad Mini".

And it seems the Cupertino-based company may like the name.

Citing an unnamed source, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara said Apple is officially planning to call the forthcoming 7.85-inch tablet the "iPad Mini". The source added that the device will sport the familiar iPad logo on the back of the case, reported PC Magazine.

The launch of the "iPad Mini" is thought to be in October, said technology news site AllThingsD, citing several unnamed sources. Initial reports said both the new iPhone and smaller tablet will share a stage at an Apple event on Sept 12.

The idea is that both announcements would likely be blockbuster events and Apple would want to leverage on two big announcements leading up to the annual shopping binge.

Tech blogger John Gruber of Daring Fireball said recently: "I don't think Apple would want reviews of both a new iPhone and new-size iPad appearing at the same time. Why share the spotlight? Why have another Apple product battling with the iPhone for top spots in news coverage?"

According to AllThingsD, sources concurred that Apple will take the opportunity to hog headlines by releasing the new iPhone and new diminutive iPad separately. AGENCIES

Source: www.todayonline.com

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