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Before we have a look at the tablet itself we have to discuss the price Apple have set for the iPad mini. When we all heard the news that Apple were going to release a mini version of their popular iPad tablet there was both excitement and amazement. This is a product that I believe Apple released out of necessity to compete with the smaller and cheaper tablets on the market. There was just too much of a price difference for consumers when choosing between the full size iPad versions and competitor tablets. Pricing the iPad based on memory, for me, is still one of Apples problems. Android tablets allow users to increase their memory by simply upgrading their memory datacard which can be very cheap.
For me it is slightly overpriced considering the cost of competitor mini tablets such as the Kindle Fire, Nexus 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. So let’s have a look at how much the iPad mini will cost you:
iPad Mini Wi-Fi
16GB – €339/£269/$329 32GB – €439/£349/$429 64GB – €539/£429/$529
Ipad Mini Wi-Fi + 4G
16Gb – €469/£369/$459 32GB- €569/£449/$559 64GB – €669/£529/$659
The Product
Dimensions –I think Apple have done really well here to create a 7.85in screen into a tablet which is almost the same size as competitor 7in tablets. They managed this by thinning down the long side borders and it has made a considerable difference and you will be able to fit it into generous sized pockets.
Weight – The mini weighs in at just 308g which is lighter than the Kindle Fire at 395g and the Nexus 7 at 340g. You may wonder what difference this makes but while holding it for long periods of time, which we do with tablets, you will hardly even notice it in your hand. The weight and size allow to comfortably hold it in one hand.
Screen –When it comes to the screen, the iPad spec is at slightly worse than its competitors. It is 1,024 x 768 compared to the competition having 1,280 x 800. In reality you will hear people complaining about this but for me it does not impact the quality of the iPad Mini screen.
Keyboard – In my opinion, the onscreen keyboard is an aspect that Apple has always been far superior in and the mini is no different. Typing is responsive and smooth compared to Android based devices which can sometimes be a bit slow to respond to touch. With all smaller tablets it is easier to type in landscape but as most of us are used to texting on smart phones this is not an issue.
Battery – As with previous iPads, the battery life is good and will last about nine plus hours. This tablet has the new lightening connector which makes the charging process very quick.
Camera – We all enjoy the camera capabilities on our devices these days and the mini comes with a front and back camera. The front camera is essentially for those of us that FaceTime and Skype. For some reason Apple did not include a Panorama option on the rear camera, not quite sure why.
Conclusion
Applications for me are a big part of any tablet and the ipad apps work well on the mini and I do prefer the Apple App Store over the Android Market, however that is just personal preference. I find it difficult to get over the price structure for the iPad Mini and I think this may cost them dearly. In these tough times I am willing to sacrifice the advantages of the iPad Mini and spend my hard earned cash on a cheaper alternative.
