I wasn’t expecting much, to be honest, but the iPad mini is a great device. Along with many other gadget fans, I watched as it was unveiled and compared to the iPad 2, instead of the latest generation iPad. I was surprised to hear that there would not be a retina display, so I figured I’d buy it just so I could play and write about it. Well, I got it in my hands bright and early last Friday morning when they were released and have been using it throughout the weekend and to this point, and I have to say that I like it better than my iPad 1, 2, or 3 from previous use.
For those that know me, an iPad is something I would rarely ever use, generally. So the device is still somewhat useless for me, personally, though I do have to say that if Apple came out with a 5-6″ iPhone…I’d have the best of all worlds. I have a great, light, laptop already and most of my work is done in the cloud these days, so you would think a device like this would be perfect for me, right? Well..I like real keyboards. I like a device that can stand on its own with its keyboard, without weird cases and covers that you have to actually balance on your lap…which is why they are not laptops…right?
I also like my big screens – I can do more at the same time…I am a creator most of all, not a consumer of digital ‘stuff’…and these are not creator devices…they are consumption devices. This Mini though..really go me thinking. It is SO light and easy to hold, the digital keyboard works perfectly for thumb typing, and I can be productive on it…but when I can’t do something, I need to open my laptop, that is sitting right next to, but then, why switch back when I can continue on the laptop? OR why have an iPad altogether – maybe those Windows 8 Ultrabooks really are the trick? Hey Apple – make a MacBook Pro with a touch screen that is convertible to a tablet! That’s another blog article and wish come true, no? Then again..who would need an iPad if you had one of those!
2. It’s light as a …
I tend to wrap up the night by reading many of my blog feeds, etc, checking Facebook, playing Words With Friends, Scramble, and some others. I’ve tried that same experience in the past with the iPad, but have found that it keeps me awake because it requires me to stay in a certain position to get comfortable. In the case of the iPad mini, it’s light enough that I can pretty much hold it the same way I was holding the iPhone.
Since the iPad mini features a 1024×768 display, you can choose to go with the mobile-friendly version, or go for the full-blown website. I also like that I can use the iPad optimized apps on the smaller screen, or blow up the iPhone apps to full screen.
4. You can type with your thumbs
I figured when I saw the over-stretched hand of Phil Schiller holding the iPad mini, that there was no way this device would let me type like a human being. I was happy to see that when holding the iPad mini in portrait mode, I can type just about as fast as I can on the regular iPhone. For comparison purposes, below I’m holding both the iPad mini and the Nexus 7. As you can see, the Nexus 7 is much easier to hold in one hand.
5. All of those apps!
I mentioned before that you can take advantage of the familiar iOS experience. In my world, that means many iOS apps for both iPhone and iPad. So, out of the box, I just logged in with my Apple ID and then carefully chose which Apps to run on the iPad mini. The iPad mini may not be for everyone, but for my world, it’s even better than the iPad 3, but as I wrote in the beginning…still not really for me. Sure there’s no retina display, and it’s approximately 8-inches instead of 10-inches, but the fact that it can do 1024×768, run both iPhone and iPad apps, and is super light, makes it a better companion for me than a full-sized iPad, again..if I really needed one. The Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle HD are amazing Android-based devices, but the fact that I already invested in the iOS ecosystem makes the iPad mini the best tablet for my needs – yes..if I needed one.
