Отзывы о Планшет Apple iPad mini Wi-Fi

Background:
I have been an Apple fan for a while but I (try) to keep my ratings objective. I bought this to replace my aging iPad 1, which sadly is too underpowered to stop from randomly crashing. The model I purchased was the 16gb black, WiFi only model.

Form Factor: 5/5
Like most Apple products, the iPad mini feels really solid while still being thin and light. It is light enough that you can easily hold it up with one hand, yet heavy enough that you can tap the screen or push the buttons without pivoting it too much. Size wise, it feels small when carried, but when you are using it feels like you have significantly more real estate, which leads me to my next category...

Display: 5/5
I was initially hesitant coming from a 9.7" tablet that I would be losing screen space. This, however, is not a big problem, since the retina display lets you see much smaller text with significantly less eye strain. This is what ultimately sold me on the tablet. When I was in the store, I brought up an online math textbook on this iPad, the non-Retina mini, and a Galaxy Tab 3 7". The iPad mini retina simply looked the best.

Power: 4/5
I think it is a bad idea to directly compare tablet power in PC terms (processor speed, memory, etc.). A better metric is how responsive the tablet is. I find that this iPad is very quick to respond to finger taps and button presses. Web pages load much, much faster than on my original iPad (which is to be expected) and my iPhone 5. However, this power comes at the expense of heat. When downloading large files or using high-power applications, it tends to get a little warmer than I would like. It's not problematic, but it is just something to be aware of.

Battery: ?
I haven't fully drained the battery yet so I'm not going to give it a rating yet, but I have noticed it drains about 10% in an hour of web browsing + streaming music, so I expect it gets about 10 hours. This is in line with what Apple claims, so I expect this rating will be a 4.5 or 5 out of 5.

OS/Apps: 4/5
I personally don't like the look of iOS 7, but it gets the job done and done well. While it doesn't have the nitty-gritty customization that Android has, it is very integrated. Control Center is a nice addition; Music, Mail, Newsstand, Calendar, and Maps have all been improved upon and function well. iOS may not be very interesting but it does a fine job, and of course you have the whole App Store to find 3rd party apps in case you don't like the Apple-designed ones.

Storage Space: 4/5
16gb is tiny (there is no doubt about that) BUT physical storage space is becoming less and less relevant. Because I use Spotify and Netflix/HBO Go for most of my media consumption, I don't use more than 3-4gb of space on the tablet. What's left is space for apps and documents... 16gb holds quite a few apps. But, if you like having a large offline media collection, go for the more expensive models, which brings be to my next point...

Price: 4/5
What? 4 out of 5 for price on an Apple product? Yes, I said it. If you don't use that much offline space, this iPad is a solid value at $399. My experience with Apple products is that they last longer than average, so you can expect to get 3-4 useful years out of it, which is most or all of high school or college. Now, I feel paying $100 for an extra 16gb is outrageous, but I'm not reviewing that model. Don't get me wrong, this is a premium product, but for what you get $399 is fair.

Camera: 4/5
Don't take pictures with a tablet. That being said, the front and rear cameras are fine for video-chatting (which I suppose is what they are really meant for). Aside: I don't understand video-chatting with a tablet. All you see is the underside of someone's face.

Comparison to other tablets: 5/5
Let's face it: there are other tablets on the market with features that the iPad doesn't have. The Surface can run PC applications. The Galaxy 3 and Nexus are both a bargain. But when you put the entire package together, the iPad wins every time.

I suppose these average out to a 4.5, but I'll round to 5 stars because of useful miscellaneous features, including the smart cover, Lightning port, and dual-speakers which are pretty good for a tablet.

I am/was a very light tablet user for until about 2 months ago (as of writing this review). I got a second hand Kindle Fire 7" HD from a family member who upgraded and I really liked having the KFHD. I got the new (as of writing this) iPad mini w/retina as a Christmas gift.

There is a LOT to like about this tablet, and I am very grateful for the gift, but when I compare it to the Kindle Fire HD 7", I wonder if it is worth the premium cost. So rather than review this item comparing it to nothing, I will compare it to my previous (and much less expensive) Kindle Fire HD 7".

Pros:

- syncs up with my two Apple computers and iPhone perfectly, Kindle does/did not do this

- uses iMessage so I can respond to most text messages from my iPad

- the hard is absolutely beautiful, second none compared to ANY other tablet, in my opinion

- the retina display is absolutely gorgeous

MAJOR PROs:

- Being an Apple device, you get access to the best app store on the planet. I know that sounds like an Apple commercial but compared to the Kindle marketplace, I have such a better variety of GOOD apps and games to play. I never gamed on my Kindle Fire for more than 10 minutes, I found myself playing some App Store games, upwards of 45 minutes; I never thought I would game on a tablet for that long

- The Operating System seems more stable. My apps crash less often, and I feel more in control of my apps. With the Kindle Fire HD 7, you can't 'close' apps; it's just not how it works (by close I mean actually stopping the apps from running in the background, when you double click the home screen and swipe them up to 'stop' them). Everything seems more fluid and less clunky as well, compared to the KFHD. This gives a huge benefit to the ease of use category for the iPad.

Cons:

- Something is awkward about the speaker placement on the iPad Mini compared to the Kindle Fire. I -think- the sound is better on my Kindle Fire overall and the speak placement is definitely better. When holding the iPad in landscape mode (the only mode I use) your hands easily cover up the speakers, so a lot of the time you are muting or attenuating the sound, which gets annoying. This was not an issue with my Kindle. I work in audio and this gets under my skin; I am surprised they (apple) haven't discovered that people really enjoy landscape mode and should take that into consideration when placing the speakers on the device. I almost feel like they want me to use it in normal (portrait) mode, but that's not going to happen.

- Although the OS on the iPad seems more stable and fluid, I feel (as of having the iPad for almost 5 days) that I prefer the layout of the Kindle Fire devices over the iOS layouts. I really liked the carousel on the Kindle and the way everything was laid out. This might change as I use the iPad more, but I still think I prefer the Kindle layout.

- The form factor is a little different than the Kindle Fire HD; the iPad is wider, even though the screens are about the same size. This makes holding it a little more of a challenge than the Fire. I find searching for a comfortable landscape position on the iPad a little bit more of a challenge than on the kindle fire. Just the other day I was 'face timing' with a friend and I kept covering the microphone (which is on the back of the device) with my hand causing the person on the other end to have to repeatedly ask me to repeat myself and inquire as to what is up with my microphone. This never happened with the Kindle Fire on Skype calls or the similar.

- The price, but I got this as a gift, so I can't really complain about it.

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The verdict:

Overall I prefer the iPad to the Kindle Fire HD 7", but the Kindle Fire is a VERY close 2nd to it. If I was making the purchase myself and not getting either as a gift, I would have a hard time justifying the extra 200 (or 180) dollars for the iPad.

Hope this helped someone.

I have an Apple iPad MC707LL/A (64GB, Wi-Fi, Black) 3rd Generation, iPhone 4S, Apple iPod touch 16GB Black/Silver (5th Generation) NEWEST MODEL, and a Apple TV MD199LL/A which through AirPlay integrates programming and iTunes onto my TV.

So why buy the iPad mini?

For me it was the 5mp iSight camera (1080P video capable), screen size and portability. The iSight camera takes fantastic photos, and through Photo Stream (enabled on your device) you are able to share up to 1000 photos with others on your network. (Beautiful video quality too! Get the Action Movie FX app to have a lot of fun posting to Facebook.) The iPod touch 5th does have the iSight camera too, but a 4" screen, which for me is a tad small to see and edit photos as I would like to do.

The mini's 7.9" screen size is very functional for 'on the go' email, photo viewing, games and makes reading my Kindle books (free Kindle app available) much more enjoyable.

Overall dimensions of the device make it very slim and lightweight, making slipping it into my purse or backpack a breeze.

Height:
7.87 inches (200 mm)
Width:
5.3 inches (134.7 mm)
Depth:
0.28 inch (7.2 mm)
Weight:
0.68 pound (308 g)

The Apple iPad mini pairs easily with Bluetooth devices like keyboards and headsets too. I don't really see the point in pairing with a keyboard, as with this screen size typing up a term paper is possible - but not likely. However, pairing with a stereo Bluetooth headset to enjoy a movie or listen to music works really well and makes for fun entertainment during the morning commute. (Assuming you're not driving!)

Facetime (720P) works well on the mini, as does emailing - assuming you have a solid Wifi connection; 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz). NOTE: Many apps and functions of all iOS devices, depend upon Wifi to be enabled and to have a solid connection before they will work correctly.

Good news for anyone who wants to enjoy this device.

Like the iPad, the mini has accessibility features that allow users with disabilities to use the device. Including...

VoiceOver screen reader
Guided Access
Support for playback of closed-captioned content
AssistiveTouch interface for adaptive accessories
Full-screen zoom magnification
Large text
Option to invert colors

Built-in apps get you started enjoying the mini right out of the box, without having to download apps. They include...

Safari - web browser that's fast and has Google set by default.
Photos
App Store - make sure you have your Apple ID ready to grab free and paid apps.
Maps - turn on location in settings to use Wifi for directions.
Photo Booth
Reminders - useful for keeping yourself on track.
Camera
Mail
FaceTime - a great alternative to Skype.
iTunes
Music - sync with your PC or Mac and make sure 'sync' is checked when you do to upload your music to your device.
Clock
Calendar - integrates with MS Outlook 2010.
Messages - send text, voice or photos to others with 'i' devices, and save on cellular data fees!
Newsstand
Videos
Game Center
Contacts - use iCloud to store your contacts, messages, emails, photos and do back-ups. *Free 5GB of iCloud is yours!
Notes

SECURITY APP TIP: get the free 'Find My iPhone' app (works with iPads too...) and set up a passcode to limit access to your settings so that this app cannot be disabled should your device be stolen or lost. By using this free app you are able to locate the device (a general area) when it connects to the Internet. You can also disable the device so that if stolen, it's not going to be 'enjoyed'!

Students, commuters, frequent travelers, and gadget lovers will adore the iPad mini for it's highly portable fun and functionality.

Those seeking a tablet for working on spreadsheets or writing a novel, go get an iPad instead.

iPad mini cases I like...

OtterBox Defender Series Hybrid Case for iPad Mini - Black (77-23834) - for those who want extra 'bump' protection! The only negative to this one is no 'magnetic' sleep function because it doesn't have a cover, it has a built-in screen protector instead.

Snugg iPad Mini Leather Case Cover and Flip Stand with Elastic Hand Strap and Premium Nubuck Fibre Interior ('Distressed' Brown) - Automatically Wakes and Puts the iPad Mini to Sleep - fits well, looks good, and has the sleep/wake feature via a magnetic closure. Well padded, but it doesn't provide the same 'bump and drop' protection as the Otterbox Defender.

Everyone else already covered the essential characteristics, features and functions of the ipad mini, so instead, I'd approach this review on a practicality basis to let you know how it works for me.

Things I'd like to touch on are non retina, slower A5 processor, screen size, and physical build quality

LACK OF RETINA DISPLAY

I've seen countless reviews of people complaining that the non retina display on the ipad mini is a pain to use and the fuzziness of texts is unbearable to read ...well...it's not!!!!! Yes the ipad mini screen display could've been a lot better and sharper than it currently is but to be honest, I think users of iPhone 4/4s/5, ipad3/4, and all other iDevices that currently use retina screens are just spoiled by being accustom to apple having retina that they have a state of mind that they won't accept anything less than retina quality from apple.

A lot of other mobile companies have screens a lot worse than retina but yet still people accept it mainly because their expectations for the other brands aren't as high as what they'd expect from apple...people love the non retina MacBook Pros...and reading texts on that machine isn't a pain or unbearable right?

I'd love to see retina on the next releases of the new ipad minis schedules for later this year but in the mean while, I'm pretty satisfied with the existing display...it's not great, but it's also far from being bad.

A5 PROCESSOR

This is the reason I took away 1 star from making this product earn a 5 star review....the major blow to me of this device is that it has an A5 processor and not that it lacks a retina display...for those who are unaware, the A5 chip comes with built in RAM which only has the capacity of 512mb...doing basic things on the ipad mini doesn't require an A5x or aA6 chip but with the more intense apps like Waze, graphic intense games, and even Facebook, you'd begin to experience some slow downs on your device...again, not unbearable, but definitely not a smooth experience as one would like.

Is it a dealbreaker? If I'm relying on just specs on paper, then YES....however, if I'm basing my purchase of an ipad mini on actual use of the device forgetting specs and just seeing how the device works in real life situations...then NO...although the ipad mini only has 512mb of RAM it's not a slouch. iOS is very hardware efficient and you won't feel the lack of 1gb RAM on iOS as much as you would on an android device running jelly bean for example.

SCREEN SIZE

this is honestly the best screen size I've experienced on any tablet thus far. You can easily type with both thumbs while holding the ipad mini in portrait mode (something that wasn't possible with the classic sized iPads unless you split the keyboard).

A 7.9" screen is a joy to carry around as its not too large and not too small neither. My sentiments are that 7" is a little too small for a tablet as they're phones already close to that size such as the galaxy note series. At first I wasn't too sure how I'd feel about the extra .9 of an inch thinking to myself that it's not a significant amount of extra real estate to satisfy me seeing as I previously owned an ipad 3, but to my suprise, it's just the right size for my personal taste.

I know you probably heard this countless times before but I too think that this should've been the size of the iPads all along as now that I own a mini, I'd never go back to that 9.7" of the classic iPads...I find myself carrying around and using my ipad mini a lot more than I did with my ipad 3 even though it was faster and had a better display....this ipad mini simply is what a tablet is supposed to be....PORTABLE!!!

PHYSICAL BUILD QUALITY

The ipad mini is a wonderful piece of hardware. Detail given by apple in the production of this machine is simply amazing. From the moment you hold it in your hands you'd feel the love and great R&D they put into this device. It does come with a few drawbacks but the pros by far outnumbers the cons.

It is the nicest lookin ipad yet, best screen size in my opinion, best with regards to portability and it does everything it's bigger brothers do, a bit slower, but in real time it's only a few milliseconds slower though which to me is not substantial.

Next gen ipad mini with a faster processor and retina screen WILL be the best ipad you can possibly get, but for now I'm pretty satisfied with the ipad mini and can safely recommend this device to anyone looking for an excellent, lightweight and portable tablet

I was a bit hesitant to spend $300+ on a non-HD tablet, seeing as the Nexus 7 is only $199, but I'm very glad that I did. I am by no means an apple fanatic, I traded my iPhone 4 for a Galaxy Nexus and never looked back. However, the tablet ecosystem is much different than smartphones right now. I find myself using the iPad mini almost always over my phone now, aside from texting and calling. Here's my list of pros and cons:

Pros:
Fantastically smooth- seriously. You really don't need to compare android tablet specs with iPad's. The iPad will always have a lower clock speed and less ram, yet somehow perform beautifully and rarely have a hiccup. This has a dual core 1ghz, and my phone has a dual 1.2ghz. Yet, the iPad rarely skips a beat, while I have to occasionally kill apps or reboot my phone to keep its performance smooth.

Battery is fantastic- I use this thing a LOT. Like, a few hours throughout the day. I blast music on the speakers, surf the web, tumblr, facebook, flipboard. Yet I only have to charge it maybe once every other day. I've played a half hour of music from the (also fantastic) speakers, and the battery moved 1%. It's great.

The speakers are rich and loud as hell- I often used my roomie's laptop before I bought the ipad, and it worked. Now I have to use my ipad to listen to music, simply because it's louder and richer than the laptop speakers. And it's not a netbook, it's a standard 15.4 incher. The iPad mini is LOUD, in stereo. The bass even rocks. It's not extremely prominent, but it's a step up from the tinny wannabe bass from this laptop or my phone.

Extremely easy to jailbreak- for the tinkerers out there. I love to tinker, thus the android phone I own. But with evasi0n jailbreak, you literally plug the iPad into the computer, hit a button, 5 minutes later, jailbroken.

Slim, sleek, and light- This thing is a feat of technology, reminiscent of the first iPod nano. It just makes you think, how the hell did they fit all that into this tiny case? Holding the ipad mini for extended periods proves to be comfortable and painless, and it literally just slides into my backpack effortlessly when I'm traveling. I never wanted an iPad before, simply because they were too big, and 7 inch tablets were too narrow and small. This ipad gets it right.

iPad specific apps- This is a big point in the android vs iPad wars. Android tablets are generally cheaper than iPads, with faster and higher capacity internals. On paper, they win over the iPad in every way. But where the iPad really outshines them is the apps. Many 7 inch android tablet apps are just scaled-up versions of their phone counterparts. But the iPad, being popular as it is, has developers writing entirely new versions of their apps specifically for the larger tab. And they look great. They're functional, convenient, and reliable. Apps like flipboard, youtube, and tumblr come to mind. Whereas on a Nexus 7, these apps are just scaled up (10 inch tabs get a tablet version of youtube, which is actually pretty cool though).

UI (user interface)- Apple is known for taking simplicity and perfecting it for the masses. The iPad's UI is the pinnacle of their design. It just works, and it works well. Apps are organized in a 4x5 grid, with room for 6 on the dock at the bottom. The notification bar pulls down from the top just as it has since iOS5, and holding the home buttom gives you a nice greeting from siri. But the multitouch gestures are really where it shines. 4 fingers swiped up opens the multitasking bar. While in an app, 4 fingers swiped side to side switches between other open apps. And my favorite, 5 fingers pinched in at any point takes you back to the home screen. I had always griped about having to hit the physical home button, and this solves that issue. Also, swiping to the left of the multitasking bar gets you to quick settings, such as music control, brightness, volume, and orientation lock. Nifty.

Cons:

The non-retina display- Honestly, I think the only reason this bothers me is because my phone has a 720p HD display, which is becoming the norm these days, with high end phones getting 1080p this year. The screen isn't bad, it's bright and colorful. It's just not extremely crisp. It's especially noticeable when reading smaller text. I'm sure later this year Apple will find a way to cram a retina display in, and maybe I'll upgrade. But probably not, because it's honestly not that big of a deal in everyday use. The device is still an extreme pleasure to use. And this is my only con.

Overall, I'd highly recommend the mini. It's a great tweener for the iPhone and full sized iPad. It's become my go-to device, and I really enjoy using it everyday. If you have the extra capital and are in the market for a reliable, responsive tablet, go for the iPad mini.

I just gave my iPad Mini to my husband (first version) and got this gold one for myself as an upgrade. I loved my first mini and presently my husband is watching a movie on it as I write this. He loves his "hand me down." This new gold one is out of this world though. I am an artist so the visual clarity and beauty in this newest version is beyond compare. It is just breathtaking.

I have two regular iPads (versions one and two) plus a Mac Air. I love the Mac Air and almost found the regular iPad too close to the Mac Air (I got the Mac Air after the iPads). The Mac Air with the iPad Mini, newest version, is the best combo. There are simply things I cannot do on an iPad that I need the Mac Air for. For example, I do a lot of complicated things in Keynote and Pixelmator. The iPads have their own great versions of those programs but when I need to do something complex, only the Air will do. So when I want to relax with something truly light, portable, fits in my purse, or even in a holder around my neck, I switch to my mini. Those two cover everything I do. I still use my other iPads but not as much. It is the perfect size for doctor's offices, hospitals, restaurants, rec centers, coffee shops, for showing friends things, and so forth. So this is now my top recommendation. Get a Mac Air and an iPad Mini.

I originally for the first mini got only the 16G. For this newest version I got the 128GB as I don't want to be bothered with worrying if I have enough room left on it. I only get the WiFi enabled because everywhere I go has WiFi. I also got the Apple warranty.

I only have one cautionary note. Apple will no longer let you use someone else's connectors. So you must continually get all your cords and chargers from Apple or you'll get an annoying sign that says it is not Apple compliant. On every Apple product I've owned, these cords do not hold up. It has now gotten to the point that my husband has decided he is duct taping them industrially from the moment they first come in the house. I finally agreed with him today as my Mac Air cord split. These cords are not cheap either. That is my only criticism of Apple. It makes terrible cords for all of its products. So go out and buy yourself some industrial tape for taping it up at its weakest point.

I switched to Apple from PCs for Xmas of 2006 and have never looked back. My husband followed me. We are both seniors and use technology all of the time.

I got the zoogue thin case to go with the mini. i've tried just about every case and the zoogues always win hands down.

iPad mini review

I passionately love the iPad mini. My friends said it was pointless but its not. It is physically smaller than the iPad but it has the same excellent quality. Its a lot lighter than the iPad. You may think its to small it's not, the commercials kind of make it look smaller, you get used to the size very easily. The size is very convenient and it still feels like the full iPad experience.It is fast as well. The camera is nice and the speakers aren't bad like the iPod touches. I actually prefer the size it's not big and bulky, you can take it out in public and feel a lot less awkward than with a real iPad. If you want a tablet for strictly work use maybe the iPad is a better choice, however if you're just going to use it for a work and games, entertainment, photos etc. I definitely recommend it.

Display
It has a gorgeous display. It is not retina display but I've compared devices with and with out retina and there is virtually no difference in the display. It also has an awesome battery life. It isn't less than the iPad. Apple really did go back to the very beginning and put a lot of effort into this device. It is much better than the kindle fire. This device's light weight, beautiful display, fast speed, quality speakers and camera, makes it easy to use, take on the go, present, and enjoy!
Camera
It has a camera, the pictures are like cell phone pictures, but if the room which you're in is bright and you give it a second to get focused the camera is magnificent, especially outside on a sunny day!

Siri
As you probably know this device includes Siri. Siri I often don't use because I'm not in the habit of it. But when I do remind my self it is helpful. Not only is it helpful but to play around without, it has a (specific) response to everything you say. Also I find it really neat that if I'm typing a document I can just press a button and it types what I say, which is wonderful for rough drafts and stuff! This also works if you're searching something etc.

Space & Apps
I got the 16 gb version however the space I had available was only about 13gb, which really wasn't too bad, just take in to consideration, that 3 of the gbs won't be available for use because of what is already installed (no, you cannot delete what is already installed). So, if you're someone who takes lots of videos, photos, plans to make movies, have apps where a lot of data will be contained (iMovie, pages, etc.) Get the 32 gb one, or you can do what I do is take videos and photos, then upload them onto my computer, then delete the data entirely from my iPad, beacause videos and pictures take up a lot of space, however one or two short videos are fine. Just manage your space, but 16 gb is really a fine amount (I'm only at 7).

The apps on apple devices are magnificent, it's not just fun games, there are some for creating documents, educational ones, apps for teachers, photo editing, the Holy Bible! Even medical apps, that give you instructions for medical emergencies or problems, and there is a really neat one on the brain, apps that help you find your iPad if it's lost! There also is iMovie, if you are unformiliar which it, it is this really neat program that allows you to make movies, it simple, and looks extremely professional it s only $5 in the App Store, so worth the money!
V.S Other Products
Yes, there are cheaper things like the Gooogle Nexus tablet, Samsung Galaxy Note, KINDLE FIRE, and other android tablets/computer tablets, but if you have any i-device (iPod touch, iPod nano, iPhone, etc.) you know the experience is way different than android and for many people way better. It isn't much more, and I know people who have gotten rid of there other tablets (in perfectly good condition) for the iPad mini. And it also had a variety of e-reading apps. And the computer/tablet devices are neat... but $700 more. Besides flash it has all the abilities as computers (refer to "Space & Apps"), and for the few flash-involved I'm sure there is a computer somewhere in your house.

In conclusion, this device is wonderful. I've been exposed and experienced with multiple devices, this is still awesome! In conclusion, this device is amazing. I switched several people to the iPad mini. Tablets are all made by intelligent people, but this device is made my geniuses. It has, Siri, good speakers, nice camera, very convenient size, for watching movies viewing photos etc, still light, compact, portable. Beautiful display, cheap price, good battery life, best device ever!

Hi

Before I give you the review, let me tell you about my background. I am a college student who is very into tech. I've owned many tablets, and even more phones. I buy them used and sell them used, so I swap between a lot of devices. It's a bad habit, I know, but I really want to find that perfect device.

Tablets I've owned:

-iPad 1,2,3
-Galaxy Tab 10.1
-Nexus 7 (2012)

I bought the iPad mini because I recently bought an iPhone 5 (from Nexus 4) to compliment my Macbook Air. I always went with Android devices because of how cheap they were, but I decided to splurge on an iOS/Mac ecosystem and see how well they sync together. I chose the iPad Mini because I think that the original iPads are too big. Also I like how thin the bezels are for the mini.

So now you know why I bought the mini, here are my list of Pros and Cons.

PROS:

- Display. Yes I know, it's not retina, but it is still an IPS display. I would take an IPS display with 720p over any other display with 1080p. It's vibrant, colors are sharp. A retina would make it even better, but for me it's not that big of a deal.

- Size and weight. So slim and light it's sexy. This is the main reason I picked this Mini over and iPad with retina. All the old iPads I've used, I never find myself using them often because it's tiring to hold them up for anything longer than a few minutes. WIth the mini, it's much easier.

- Build quality. The main reason I've always envied apple users, their products are always such beauties.

- iPad specific apps. Android tablet apps are just scaled up versions of phone apps, which makes the experience very dull. On the iPad, many apps have iPad versions, which uses the screen real-estate much better.

- Internet. Browsing the web in safari is much better experience than on an Android tablet. It's faster, smoother, and everything just fits on the screen.

CONS:

iTunes. The lack of file management in iOS. This is the MAIN reason I'm having such a frustrating time on the iPad. I like my iPhone, but dislike the iPad because of iTunes. It boils down to what I do on my iPhone vs what I do on my iPad. On the iPhone, I generally use it to go online, call/text, take pics, siri, youtube, email, etc. Very common stuff. On the iPad however, all I really do is read ebooks and watch videos. Given that, the reason I dislike the iPad is that it relies on iTunes way too much. I can't simply drag and drop video/ebook files into the ipad like I can do with any android device, I have to sync through iTunes. That itself is not that big of a deal, EXCEPT that iTunes only recognizes SOME of the very common files. For example, I have a lot of TV series saved on my Computer. Mostly all TV series files and some movie files are in AVI format, which is an extremely common video file type, but iTunes does not support it. If I wanted to get those files onto my iPad, I'd have to convert the entire collection from AVI to MP4 individually, then drag them into iTunes, then sync it up with my iPad.

Lightning. It's rare, and very expensive. Basically all the microUSB chargers I have are useless now. Not many people have the new 8pin lightning cords lying around, so you're SOL if you go out without your cord and your iPad dies on you. With android devices, there are microUSBs all over my house and in my car, so do most of my friends, so it's no worry. Also the lightning cords are very expensive. Often $20+. MicroUSBs, on the other hand, is often less than $2. The only clear advantage I can see of owning a lightning is that you can plug it in any side you want...big whoop.

Lack of stereo speakers. Since I watch videos on it all the time, I wished it had stereo speakers like the Nexus 10 and the new Nexus 7.

CONCLUSION:

So there's my reasons. I am not a fanboy of android nor apple, they both have their pros and cons. The iPad is still the best tablet to browse the web for, which is probably what a lot of you will do. But if you're like me and sees yourself watching videos on it and reading ebooks, and has a huge library saved in your computer, then you might want to get an android tablet.

ABOUT THIS REVIEWER

I'm a Prime Amazon customer. In this household we use Amazon to shop for all sorts of things. I am an early adopter and love tech, but as we have come to rely on technology more and more, it has become less of a toy and something that simply has to work all the time, whether for an online web conference or for the kid's homework.

ABOUT THE iPAD MINI

Construction: I was getting ready to write this review and managed to set my iPad mini on a bar-height kitchen counter top precariously, and it fell to the floor. Hitting a wood floor no less. Happy to report nothing happened. No scratches, no dings, operating just fine. Didn't plan to start by writing about the construction of the iPad mini, but this is a device you'll move around a lot, take in the car, stuff in airplane seat pockets, cram into backpacks. This thing is amazingly light, but built like a tank. It can take it.

Use: It is a joy to use. Clear screen, easy operation, all the features work all the time... And of course you can find an application for just about anything. Here is the best part, if you have more than one Tablet around (we have a couple iPads in the household), everything works the same way on the regular and the mini sized iPads. Even better, using one account shared on these devices means that we only have to purchase an App once and we can use it on a couple different iPads.

Choices: My wife prefers the larger iPad for email and my teens like the larger one for movies and drawing, but I love this mini size for travel. It's just personal preference. You can argue specs all you want, but basically the mini and the regular sized iPads are identical in function, battery life, apparent resolution, and so forth. The only question is your own preference as to size and weight. (And the Mini is less expensive than the full size.)

Apps: Email is a breeze, web browsing is simple and quick, and if you are into photography, this little gem offers an amazing still shot and video camera. And with all those apps it can be just about anything from a network diagnostic tool to a book collection, from a banking tool to a game pad, or a weather forecaster to a music player...

COST OF OWNERSHIP

When it comes to picking a Tablet, think about the purchase price over time. I have PC netbooks in the house that lasted less than a year. Most of the PC laptops lasted 2 years or so. But the Apple products simply don't quit. We have an original iPad that is as good as new, and Apple desktops and laptops that keep getting handed down from one family member to another because they don't stop. Yes, they are more expensive to purchase at first, but we save a huge amount of money because they keep working for years and years. We don't have money to waste, that's for sure.

TOTAL ECOSYSTEM

And here is the real decision point, at least for this household. It's all about the ecosystem, or the suite of hardware and software that work together. I'm no longer content to have a cool laptop, or a great Tablet.. I want it all working together, and this is where Apple products shine. We have personal and family calendars that update on our phones, tablets, desktops and laptops. We do the same with email and magazine subscriptions and so much more. We can share photos and music on all of these devices and on the TV as well (hooked to an Apple TV box). We can save files "in the cloud" and access them from anywhere, anytime, on any device. This is how it is supposed to work. My son is into programming and finds the Unix-based environment of the Mac to be the best place to work. My daughter is into photography and has professional-level tools at the ready. My wife is doing genealogy research and helping the kids with school (and life in general), and I have a company to run. It's all on this integrated, connected, suite that works all the time, without nearly any effort from me to keep it running. And backups? All automatic and all in the cloud, and yes, I've had to recover from backups before and it worked like it was supposed to.

As I said at the start, we use Amazon Prime all the time. Love it. But I want the technology in our household to be what we want it to be, not a constant reminder to buy more. Really disappointed that Amazon created their Kindle Fires as a way to sell more stuff. And yes, you can turn off the adds (by paying to do so), but not the recommendations. Beyond that, though, the Kindles and Kindle Fire are not part of an overall solution that can work together.

SAFE and STABLE

We used to be a PC household, but that required 10 to 15 hours of month of "tech support" time from me to keep the computers and laptops and network operating. No longer. It just works. I also appreciate that the UNIX backbone of the Mac OS is less susceptible to viruses and the like. I don't have tim

My current device list is: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, and now the iPad Mini. We actually purchased this iPad mini for our two year old son. Previously, he owned a Nabi 2, but he always had a hard time using it, specifically the “return” and “home” button. He is a wiz on our iPhone’s and my iPad Air, so we sold it and went with the Mini.

First of all, as compared to the Nabi 2, the iPad Mini is much thinner, lighter, faster, and has a better display. The iPad Mini is the perfect size for my toddler who is able to hold the iPad Mini and carry it around with no problems.

In terms of speed and performance, the iPad Mini 1st gen is obviously at the end of the spectrum. You won’t find a Retina screen here, nor the fused screen panels, nor the newest and greatest Apple processor and graphics card. However, that being said, the iPad Mini is still a great tablet that has a lot of power under the hood, especially if you are simply using it to play games and surf the web. For the light use I mentioned, this price point is perfect. It is also extremely portable – even more so than the iPad Air due to its small size.

Although I own an iPad Air, the iPad Mini has its own experience – it is even more convenient to pick up and use on the fly because of its small size. My wife also loves it because it is smaller to hold in her hands while reading books on it. My toddler, of course, absolutely loves it. We paired it with an HHI iPad Mini case and a Zagg InvisibleShield HDX screen protector which makes it almost indestructible.

As far as capacity, because this was primarily my toddlers iPad, we went with the 16gb WiFi only. If you plan on storing a lot of photos or videos, then I would recommend one of the higher options. As far as the cellular feature, I currently have that on my iPad Air and I have never used it. No matter where I am, there is always WiFi. Even if there is no WiFi, you can always use the tethering mode with your cellphone and use its cellular data. Save your money and just buy either a new version of the iPad Mini, or a higher capacity.

So, if you don't mind a slightly slower experience and not as crisp of a display as the Retina display, the iPad Mini is the perfect choice for you. Whether you are buying this for yourself, your toddler, or even an elderly adult, the Mini is extremely easy to use and is most importantly, always FUN!

Conceived from its sleek, glossy 10" counterpart, the new iPad Mini boasts one gigantic new trait over the full-sized iPad: the ability to hold it in one hand. This almost revolutionary twist on the device that sparked a frenzy in the tablet world has finally brought joy to those that have held out hope of such higher portability in an iPad for so long. But does the iPad Mini live up to the hype? Absolutely.

Turns out, the iPad mini is indeed more than simply a shrunk-down iPad, though there may be an argument for it actually resembling something more along the lines of a blown-up iPod touch. In any case, the big question: is the iPad mini right for you? I'll endeavor to answer that for you here by taking you hands-on with the new model, plus I'll share from my past few years of iPad ownership experience altogether, especially for those who haven't yet had an iPad to call their own.

Plus, in hopes of making this the most helpful iPad mini review on Amazon, I'll also reveal a treasure trove of info on how you can legitimately download tons of quality apps and games for free!

For those interested, I've also compiled two iPad listmania lists:

Must-Have iPad Accessories: http://www.amazon.com/lm/R1M3AJDBR2BCA7?tag=1pad-20&ie=UTF8
iPad vs. Other Tablets: http://www.amazon.com/lm/R3QLZ307253XU6?tag=1pad-20&ie=UTF8

My reviews tend to run long, so I've organized information by section, with headings, to help you quickly locate any specific info you're after. For example, see the heading "Downloading Apps and Games" for the info on obtaining free apps and games!

First, let's compare hardware specs between iPad mini and iPad, and what each means for you:
+ Device: iPad mini vs. iPad (4th gen)
+ Weight: 0.68 lbs vs. 1.44 lbs -- over twice as light as the iPad
+ Thickness: 0.28" (7.2mm) vs. 0.37" (9.4mm) -- thin as an iPod touch
+ Display: 163 vs. 264 pixels per inch -- less-crisp text, but equally long life for a smaller battery
+ Resolution: 1024 x 768 vs. 2048 x 1536 -- half as many pixels as the current iPad, but still sharper than an iPad 2
+ Battery: 10 hours (16.3 Wh) vs. 10 hours (45 Wh) -- smaller, lighter battery lasts just as long as the iPad
+ Processor: A5 (dual core) vs. A6X (dual core with quad core graphics) -- same as the new iPod touch, but not quite as powerful as the latest iPad, yet it doesn't need to be because the iPad mini display totes a quarter as many pixels!
+ Price: The iPad mini has a price tag that is indeed much more attractive than the 10" iPad. It's actually closer to that of the iPod touch.

===== First Impression =====

At first sight, there's a feeling of novelty to the iPad Mini, especially if you've used a 10" iPad or tablet. The more you use it, however, the more you realize that this is the size an iPad was meant to be: perfectly portable. The 10" iPad is so bulky and heavy in comparison, and I felt uncomfortable, embarrassed and awkward taking it with me and using it places, especially waiting in line. Not so with the iPad mini! It's super light, more than half the weight of the 10" iPad, and its sleek rounded edges are much more comfortable for carrying than the sharply-tapered edges of the iPad.

My initial reaction to the unveiling of the iPad mini was one of slight disappointment, mainly because it was closer to 8" than to the desired 7" of other tablets in its class. Why would Apple bother bringing a smaller iPad to market that's still not quite as small as some of the other 7" tablets floating around? Ah, but I was wrong.

Until I held it in my own hand, I failed to realize that Apple had made better use of the iPad mini's size than most 7" tablets do. What matters in a 7" tablet class isn't the screen size but the actual device size. The iPad mini is 3mm shorter and 7mm wider than the 7" Kindle Fire HD, yet it touts nearly an inch more of physical screen size.

===== Interaction Experience =====

Naturally, the iPad mini shares the iPad's same phenomenal multi-touch interface that is undisputedly second to none. Android tablets and other devices may tout "multi-touch" support, but usually this just means they support 2-finger gestures like pinch-style zooming. Apple, on the other hand, gives a whole new meaning to the term, supporting up to ten simultaneous touches, and app developers have certainly leveraged that capacity. For example, one popular app supporting ten simultaneous touches is the Piano app.

===== So What Can the iPad mini Actually Do? =====

Naturally, there are things you can do with the iPad mini right out of the box. You can browse the Web with Safari, set up your email, download your photos and videos from your computer via iTunes, as well as shoot new photos and videos using either of the two built in cameras. You can also surf YouTube via Apple's built-in YouTu

Be sure the Itunes 10.7 or later software is loaded on your computer and works before you buy this.
I could not get it to work and APPLE tech support would not help. They foolishly (IMO) said they
only support Apple. DUH.,.there was an error message...and all that was needed (I think) was to delete
a file in the folder the error message gave. YOU would THINK Apple tech support could have helped.

Not to worry Hewlett Packard Tech support got me up and running. Thank goodness I have a new PC and under warranty.

The ONE star is for a COMPANY that WILL not support their product on a PC.
I just spent $659 on an apple product and smart cover with Houston slaes tax.
THAT is the very last dime APPLE will see from me. As a new customer to APPLE I was appalled.

NOW the reason to use Itunes is A) to buy them online...and B) to be able to backup your device.
You do not have to be able to use the software on another device (like a pc or mac)..it is a safety feature.
Also be careful syncing..because you can wipe out all IPAD data. Make sure the IPAD controls the data.

I love my new ipad mini...
I got the smart cover and highly recommend.

The camera feature was great.

I installed dropbox so I can access my travel documents.

Things I learned:
When buying these IPADs..first of all if you want one asap..you need to go with 32 MB or LARGER.
The 16MPB go quickly.

Then you have to DECIDE which IPAD to buy the unit configured with A data plan provider or none (wifi only).
That can be AT&T, Sprint, Verison. AGAIN...check the data plans offered because you can buy them separately from regular plan.
AND you are stuck with the data plan provider.

I got AT&T...and wanted to use it for my trip this week to Mexico.
AT&T refused to sell me international data service until I had a data plan
for three months. I am not a happy camper.

AHA..not to worry.
THAT restriction is ONLY if you call AT&T and prebill contract for two years.
If you buy the service yourslef month to month you CAN add international immediately.
At least right now!

You can buy from ipad mini...or online

<...>

you first MUST buy a data plan..and THEN you can immediately purchase an international plan.
AND you can start the international plan any date up to one year in advance.
It starts midnight eatsern time on day you select.
I just picked the day before to be sure I had service AND you can log in and change the international date.

And if you CANCEL att domestic plan..if you do they charge domestic data to international data or something. Read the terms and conditions.

The att ipad domestic plans are month to month...you have to cancel 7 days in advance. They say they bill two hours in advance.
RIGHT NOW...if you exceed your data..they do not bill you for more..
your plans just stops until the next autorenew date. That is awesome!. Phew. However you can go online and add more time. This
changes to a new 30 day period. Data does not roll (bummer).

They allegedly have a non-autobill option for doesmetic. I could not figure it out.
They give your device a cell data number for billing.
International does NOT autobill.

Use this address to view your iPad Data Account.
<...>

If you already have data you can use the email address / password on the right side to log in.
If you don't have data you can use the Sign Up For Service button.
There is not a lot of information on the page, so not sure if it will fit your needs or not.
You can show the credit card information used on the account under the Edit User & Payment information page.

I got the Ipad mini unit asap in person..on BLACK Friday...so I could get the unit immediately...and buy one with a data provider.
Be careful in your choice of data provider.

Love the ipad mini. It is much better than the Kindle Fire for travel/web access and photos.
It has a camera and with dropbox, it automatically backs up pictures online, etc.
I can share folders with friends using dropbox.

The unit is small enough to take with.
Battery lasts fine (8 hours) and the smart cover shuts it on and (sleep mode).
I did have problems because I oops kept failing to fully plug it in. Make sure the usb is fully engaged.
You do not have to turn unit off...just put it in sleep mode..uses very little battery.
However it charges BEST when the unit is off.

FYI-It does NOT use a jump drive. Mini has the tiny "lightening" port.
I suggest dropbox on a big pc rather than hacking it...and reformatting the jump drive.
Someone said they got jump drive to work using a camera attachment.

I just wanted a small device for traveling

I was very disappointed when Apple announced the iPad Mini with the same screen resolution as the iPad 2. True, it looks sharper than the iPad 2 at first glance, because the pixels are spread over a considerably smaller screen, but still, when you hold it close at reading distance, you can see the pixels, and the Retina Displays on the other iPads have conditioned me to expect NO pixellation - just sharp, sharp viewing even with nose almost on the screen. If sharper viewing is what you want in a 7" tablet, you will have to get the Google Nexus 7 or the Kindle HD Fire - Displaymate, which specializes in monitor calibration and reviews, grades both of those competitors higher than the iPad mini. (I will post the link to the Displaymate review in "Comments.")

But neither the Nexus 7 nor the Kindle HD Fire has perfected the overall "user experience" like Apple, or has so many useful, and highly-tuned, Apps.

Also, iPad minis are flying off the shelves. Most adults are buying minis for themselve, but a sizeable chunk, like me, are buying them for their kids since they only cost $29 more than the iPod Touch, the previous kids' favorite.

Why, if the mini is just shy of perfection and we know (strongly suspect?) that Apple will, indeed, introduce a Retina Display mini next year, is it nevertheless such a big hit this year?

Well, first of all, you have to hold it to believe it. It just feels so _right_. The mini is remarkably thin, just like the new iPhone 5 and new iPod Touch (5th gen). This slimness translates into really light weight, and the more squared edges translate into much easier holding. It is considerably bigger, in terms of surface area, than most other 7" class tablets, but holds just as comfortably in the hand and makes other 7" class tablets feel clunky and cheap in comparison

Apple favored the books and web browsing experiences over movie/tv viewing. The screen is close to 4:3, so 16:9 movies/tv end up being letterboxed. But since the Apple has more square inches of viewing surface than other 7" class tablets to begin with (the Apple is actually 7.85" on the diagonal), the net resulting picture is about the same actual size as the "full screen" version on other 7" class tablets.

The smaller size with much lighter weight totally changes the viewing/reading experience. Hold it in one hand while you lie in bed and your wrist doesn't feel strained from the weight of a full-sized iPad. With two hands you can view or read for hours, just like on an e-reader.

If this had a Retina Display, I'd give it 5 stars, and wish I could give it 6 or 7, it's THAT good.

For kids (who read a lot less, and play games a lot more), this IS 5 star, right out of the box. An amazing 10-13 hours of battery life; a good screen, the Apple App universe. It is MUCH better proportioned for kids' smaller hands than the full-sized iPad (which probably feels to their hands like a 12.5" would feel to us).

In terms of hardware, this has the same zippy processor as the iPad 2, but a vastly upgraded camera on both the front and back. The front is now HD FaceTime, the back is 5 megapixels with autofocus (but no flash). It has SIRI. It has 16gb, which should be fine for a lot of "fat" video games; the $299 iPod Touch has 32gb, but that is positioned more as a portable media player with emphasis on "music."

My 8 y.o. daughter uses this to watch Netflix, watch Amazon Instant Video, do dental surgery (there is a kids App for that? good grief and shades of Little Shop of Horrors!), practice foreign languages, etc., etc., etc. Formerly she borrowed her mom's iPad 2, but she much prefers this, though I can't tell whether that is because it's her "own" or because it works better (but she didn't complain that I didn't get her an iPad 2, and that would have cost the same price - iPad 2's were discounted this season, while minis were not).

There is a lot of speculation about why Apple didn't come out with a Retina Display on this one out of the box. Here are my thoughts:

1. Apple sold a LOT of original iPads and iPad 2s and there wasn't really "consumer demand" for the Retina Display on the iPad 3. This was more a technology "push" from Apple than a "must have" from consumers. As more e-readers transfer their allegiance from reflective "e-ink" e-readers to tv-screen style tablets, though, Retina Display or its equivalent is more and more of a "must have."

2. Current Retina Display technology on larger devices - above the size of iPhones - calls for really, really bright LED's behind the screen - the "aperture" or "tiny window" for the pixel is so small on the larger Retina Display screens that you need a stronger light to illuminate it (the transistors have to fit in the same "cell" as the display pixel, which is why the "aperture" is relatively as well as absolutely smaller). So you need more lights, or large

The Apple iPad Mini is popular enough now that everyone knows why it's so great. It's a lightweight, diverse utility. I'll just highlight some of the new improvements and what I love about the iPad Mini with Retina over the previous gen iPad Mini.

Pros:
+ Free iWork suite with new iDevices! Free Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Just download them in the App Store.
+ Gorgeous retina screen aids in reading text. I'm a medical student and I read a lot of books and articles on my iPad mini. My eyes don't have to strain as much because the text is rich and crisp.
++ Fits in a lab coat/ white coat! Big bonus for other students in the medical profession
+ Incredibly thin and lightweight with a beautiful design. Nothing else on the market really compares to the aesthetics of Apple products, in my opinion.
+ Apple's App Store- no other online market comes close to the App Store. The selection in variety and premium content is bar none
+ iCloud - Building an Apple environment works flawless with the iPad Mini. My iCal syncs nicely, my contacts are added, iMessages auto-updates. All of my daily routine stuff is imported directly onto my iPad using iCloud services.
+ AppleCare for $99 extends your warranty to 2years and covers accidental damage

Cons:
- Like all beautiful Apple products, the casing is delicate and prone for chips and scratches. Buying a case is a must. This argument could go on for hours on buying a case to protect your investment versus "needing" to shell out more money for a $400+ product that can't handle normal wear. In my opinion, buying a case is more for resale value, as well as to preserve the beautiful aesthetic. If the latter is not as important to you and you don't intend on selling it at any point in the future- going without a case is acceptable too. (You'll just make a lot of people nervous)
- SquareTrade offers a 3year warranty for around $129 that covers accidental damage as well. They have a sterling reputation of BBB website and are well-known for their great customer service. It's a better deal than AppleCare, in my opinion. With that said, the beauty of AppleCare is that you can waltz into a store and have them fix it for you without dealing with a third party to either ship-n-fix (two day turnaround) or file for reimbursement from Squaretrade.
- No education discount for students or teachers

Additional note: Keep a lookout for promotions through Apple. In the summer they usually offer a "back 2 school" special that includes a $50 iTunes gift card with a new purchase. Also, Clearance on the Apple website usually has good deals on older models. iPad Mini Retina is a current gen and will eventually have clearance/refurbished stock as well at discounted prices. These items come with a standard 1-yr Apple warranty and you still have the option for AppleCare for 2yrs. These can only be purchased online and either shipped to your home or store. If you're patient enough with shipping and finding the product you want on clearance/refurb, then it's a great way to save money on a purchase.

I bought an iPad Mini shortly after they came out. I had been looking into getting a regular iPad, but felt that the size was just a bit more than what I wanted. When the Mini came out, I went to look at them and was instantly hooked by the size of the device...it was exactly what I had been looking for.

Over the year that I had it, I really enjoyed using it. However, I found myself every once in a while wishing that it was a bit more snappy. I thought that maybe I would just need to upgrade to the full sized iPad if I wanted the quicker responses and such that I was kind of hoping for.

I had resisted upgrading to the Mini with Retina because I didn't think that it would really be much of an upgrade. Sure, it had higher pixel density, and a faster processor...but it couldn't be THAT much of an upgrade, could it??

Well, I ended up getting to a point where I was a bit tired of dragging my big heavy laptop around with me, and was planning on using my iPad as a bit of a replacement for the computer. I started looking at articles and reviews about the Mini with Retina, and found out that I couldn't have been more wrong on the idea that it wasn't much of an upgrade. Benchmark tests showed the Mini with Retina to be a MUCH faster and more powerful device than the original Mini.

I didn't hesitate to make the purchase after finding out the information about the upgrades in performance.

When the device arrived, I was pleasantly impressed by how much it felt the same. Form factor and weight were nearly identical, and it was a very natural transition going from the original Mini to the Mini with Retina. I was then, of course, wowed by the speed and snappiness of the new Mini with Retina. It was SO much more responsive than the Mini, and I wasn't really aware of what I was missing.

The other thing that truly stunned me was how much of a difference the display actually DID make. Even after making the purchase, I still figured that the display couldn't be THAT much better than the original Mini...however, with the Retina display things are so much more crisp, in particular text. I can't see the pixels that I was able to see on the original Mini, and it just looks better overall.

I've been really impressed with the iPad Mini with Retina. It took everything that I liked about the original iPad Mini and made it better. If you're looking for a small tablet, the iPad Mini with Retina should be on your list.

Update November 28,2012:
After using the mini for a while, I have to say that I now hate my ipad....and only use it when the minis are being used by my wife and kids....in fact, nobody wants to used the ipads any more. I also do notice a difference in speed. I think what is slowing me down is my router and possibly having too many things connecting to it. Unfortunately, I Lso find that I have a hard time connecting sometimes and sometimes the screen freezes and does ot let me do anything. This does not happen at regular times or during specific times, but seems to occur randomly. I recently was unable to connect to the app store, though I had full internet access, etc. after about fifteen minutes I was able to connect. I do not know what happened or what changed. I still think the keyboard is too small for me, but I have large hands and nobody else in the family seems to be complaining. Maybe I would do better if I got to use it more. I did see someone with a kindle fire and with nly a short look at it, I think the mini blows it away.....thought I like that the kindle has the sd card slot......if I find anything else worth noting I will update my review. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Ok, so here's the thing, I have an iPad and a second generation iPad. My wife wanted the mini, so I bought it for her.....I just ordered a second one for me! I really like it more than the others. While it is significantly smaller, almost half the size, the actual screen size is comfortable and does not feel small. The borders are narrower than the full sized iPad, so the actual screen size is 4 13/16" x 6 3/8". The screen itself is very sharp and clear, and I feel like I'm 20 years younger (or at least my eyes feel that way). I wish I could say the same for the video quality. I take off a full star for that. Indoor quality with good lighting is mediocore at best (I wonder if something is wrong with mine?). Very grainy playback. I'm not impressed....I have not been able to play this on one of my HDTV's, perhaps it will show better, but I doubt it. My cell phone takes better video. I don't think I can be very happy about it, and I find it very hard to believe that this records at full HD, 1080p. If there is a way to tweak it, I wouldn't know because (here comes complaint number 2) it doesn't come with a user guide! No paper guide and no tutorial app (really, apple? There's so much new stuff, and no app, nothing???). I shouldn't have to search online or go to the apple store for information on how to maximize the use of my tablet.

That should complete my complaints.....though you might hear a little more later. Now for the good stuff.... This thing is light! Two fingers light. The screen is also very bright and does a good job resisting finger prints. The LED Backlit display is crisp when viewing images and video that are actually made in good quality. The screen resolution looks much better than my second generation, but that's kind of an optical illusion I guess. They say the resolution is the same for both, so it must just look better because the screen is smaller. Here are some more stats:
FaceTime camera: 1.2 mp photos and 720p video.
iSight Camera: 5mp photo and 1080p video; f2.4 aperture; video stabilization; tap to focus and control exposure.

Browsing is speedy, but honestly, I don't see much difference between my 2 and this. Viewing pages are fine and everything looks normal and sharp. Pages come up quickly and scroll fast. Zooming is also quick. I LOVE that you can multitask! Updating apps occurs in the background.

Lots of great app, including photo and video editing and FaceTime, but for me, the reason to order a second one is Siri. Yup, that wonderful little digital assistant who will do anything for you...well, just about. I didn't know how much I needed Siri until I started to use it. I can now make appointments on the fly, make reminders, and organize my life in a way that was not previously known to me. This is THE best way for me to deal with so many different appointments, reminders, etc.. The sad part is that now I know I need an iPhone, as well! The children love the novelty of Siri, but I find it to be probably the most useful technology for me. It will be life-changing for me.....as long as I continue to use it. It will be so nice to finally be organized. Along with Siri is the ability to dictate message, etc. Just hold the microphone icon down for a second and start talking. I think that it is in need of some real sophistication, e.g. dragonspeak type quality. It will not place punctuation, and needs to be trained (I don't know how to do it yet, as I am still searching to see if that is even possible) to get better accuracy. An unofficial test estimates 70% or so accuracy, sometimes better if I speak slowly and there is no backround noise.

The sound is also very good. Very clear. Not that loud, but then, you can't expect ro

Like some of us, I bought my iPad 3 early this year and really enjoyed it. The entertainment values coupled with the productivities boost make iPad a worthwhile purchase. For iPad mini however, the competitors are real and decisions are harder than ever before. It maybe the most promising tablet of today but does it deserve your hard earned cash?

Below is my observations after using it for some time:
-perfect form factor. Feather weight, incredibly thin yet feel substantial.
-good for games that require lots of maneuverability.
-huge number of existing high quality iPad apps available for iPad mini.
-most ideal ebook reader period.
-act as a portable digital album with enough real estate for detail showcasing.
-perfect for work use. Much lighter to carry and pass around showing demos etc.
-less awkward for camera use.
-less awkward to pull out in the middle of a bus ride and watch a movie.
-sustain much longer period of holding without hand straining.
-one hand holding. not quite one hand usage but feels great to be able to hold comfortably in one hand.
-bring everywhere, use anywhere. almost pocket sized and serve well as nightstand and desk accessory (alarm clock, desk weather display etc).
-perfect travel companion. ultra long battery life. easy to pack, carry and use at all times.
-perfect notetaker/notepad. In meetings/conferences, easy to carry around and write on.
-perfect for children. it may be mini but the most ideal iPad in terms of size and weight for them.

minor negatives:
-would prefer bigger screen for mindless browsing.
-retina hd for video playback won't hurt.
-easier to mistype in portrait mode.
-some games just look better on the bigger iPad.
-Apple may screw us by releasing a retina display iPad mini with the same price early next year.
-not an inexpensive tablet. Costs almost the same as a slightly used iPad 3.
-complements but does not completely replace the iPad. May need to carry both in same cases.

So who should rush out and buy iPad mini now? Road warriors and avid book readers will most benefit from the perfectly sized iPad mini. It weights only 10.88 oz (0.68 pound) which is at least 10% lighter than the nearest 7" competitor (nexus 7), not to mention much thinner (a ridiculous 30% thinner) and with a larger screen to boost! the most current iPad with its 1.44 pounds, is more than double the weight of mini which maybe significant if you are holding and carrying it all day. gamers may be slightly disappointed since it is equipped with the old A5 processor chip and the non-retina display (1024 x 768) is less than ideal when compared with the current retina (2048 x 1536) iPad. However, the screen resolution is very much comparable to its current 7" competitors where 1280 x 800 pixels is the norm. But keep in mind that the iPad mini processor (dual core 1.0 Ghz 512mb RAM) is the weakest among its peers (nexus 7 quad core 1.2 GHz 1GB RAM, kindle hd dual core 1.2 GHz 1GB RAM). I doubt any one will notice the difference but performance geeks may beg to differ.I am also a bit disappointed that the iPad mini with its much smaller size and lower screen resolution, does not have significantly better battery life compared to its bigger sibling. I was also hoping to see a micro usb and hdmi port, but that didn't materialize.

Photographers rejoice! With its perfect size, we can finally find reasons to use iPad mini as a camera as well. Its 5 MP rear camera resolution is adequate for taking casual pictures as it has the same resolution as its more expensive sibling. Shooting 1080p videos is also supported which is great. It feels really comfortable holding the iPad mini for shooting videos given its ample screen size in an ultra lightweight package. iPad mini beats out all its closest competitors, including google nexus 7 and kindle hd as they have 0 MP. they don't come with rear facing camera at all! Unfortunately wifi-only iPad mini does not come with GPS, otherwise Garmin, watch out! It would have make a perfect portable navigation system. Its the one area where nexus 7 has an edge as it has both NFC and GPS built in. NFC (Near field Communication) is an amazing piece of technology that allows us to use our mobile device as credit card payments and even transferring of data or images to other NFC-enabled devices just by touching. I hope Apple can consider adding this to their future products as this would make iPad mini even more awesome. iPad mini however has a 64 GB storage option (which I recommend) and 4G LTE connectivity option which are not available among its rivals. Mini tablets cross shoppers may also find the iPad mini physical appearance much more appealing. While kindle hd and nexus 7 do feel good in my hands, iPad mini feels even better as the build quality is undeniably more superior. Who doesn't like the sexy unibody aluminum buil

I bought Mini ipad, Dell window 8 pro, & Samsung tab 8". I compare them side by side. The screen & resolution of Mini ipad is the worst as compared to others. After seeing the text on Dell & Samsung tab 8" (1280x800 resolution), I don't want to read any thing on Mini Ipad ANY MORE. 1280x800 should be the minimal resolution for reading. The text looks nicer, sharper, much easier to read, and importantly, puts much less strain on your eyes. Text on Ipad Mini appears blurry as compared to Dell & Samsung, therefore, is hard to read on such small device.

Web searching & emailing & reading experience is best on Dell window tablet b/c it is a regular computer. Android & Ipad can not compare to it. There are many webpages that I can not zoom in & out, & text is too small to read w/o zooming on Ipad Mini. Also, Dell is faster opening the webpages.
. Longer screen of Dell & Samsung is better for reading b/c it could include more text in landscape view. But, Ipad Mini is better (to me) to watch video b/c its wider 4:3 screen size produces larger screen view for movie viewing.

Pictures & games look good on ALL these three devices.

All these 3 devices are beautiful in their own ways and all are light & are comfy to hold. BUT, Mini Ipad is very slippery b/c of its very smooth back side. However, one needs to buy a jacket for it any way. Ipad Mini is wider, so, is harder to hold in one hand (in portray view) AS COMPARED to slimmer Dell & Samsung tablets.

No SD card to expand is a HUGE disadvantage for Mini Ipad.

No USB port is another HUGE disadvantage for Mini Ipad (one got to pay extra $$$ for a USB adapter).

Many basic, common functions for daily use are lacking or are very difficult to use in Ipad Mini, & so, are HUGE disadvantages, i.e: files transfer, video transfer, or documents (words/PDF) transferring & reading/editing .... Even if you pay for doc/Word editing apps, those edited files will not appear like what you make them when you open them on your regular computer/laptop. You don't want to go through few hundreds edited pages to proof read again. How can it be used for school works as people have claimed ?? I'm wondering !!!
. I recently found few free apps that allow users to easily perform some of the above functions (transferring & viewing mostly) - this is one of big reasons why I bought Mini Ipad for my kids JUST NOW. Ipad forums show that ALL Ipad users have been suffering this limit for decades ......
. BUT, despite of these facts, & even though after many years, many Ipad fans still SHAMELESSLY deny its limitation, or lie about it, or still blindly defend it - many of them are probably on Apple pay roll, trying to push the sale by lying.

One thing that Ipad Mini wins over others is its apps & games. But, Android device is not far behind, and reality is you don't see much difference between them when you look for apps for your daily needs, your daily uses.

Also, The cost for Mini Ipad is high for its value at this current time, and is higher than other devices which have many better features. Ipad Mini should be around $200 or less.

My kids' relatives have Ipads, and kids like to play games together. Therefore, I have to buy Ipad for them instead of other devices. I buy Dell device for myself. Ipad Mini probably is OK for whoever just needs entertainment or social media, and is willing to accept its limitation.

I finally broke down and bought the IPad mini with retina display. I found a great deal on Amazon from an outside seller who was selling one they hardly ever used. The price was so low that I couldn't resist. It is my first experience with an IPad and I was curious. I have the Samsung Tab S, the Tab Pro, and the Galaxy Tab 4 and I love them. I have been using the Samsung phones and tablets since they first came out. I am a big fan of android so I was a little apprehensive about using the Apple OS. My IPad arrived in 2 days and is in pristine condition, in the original box with the original charger. I really think I got an excellent deal from an excellent seller. I was impressed with the fact that the seller put up photos of the IPad so I could actually see it before buying it. I've been using it for a few days now and feel that I can give an objective review. The initial set up took longer than setting up the Samsung tablets, but it was not difficult. The retina display is very nice, but not as sharp as the Amoled display on the Tab S. The IPad is quite a bit slower than the Samsung tablets. The app store is not as good as the play store. Installing apps is much slower and having to enter my password every time I open an app is a big pain in the neck. Another huge difference is that there is no back button on the IPad and I really miss it! Manuevering around the IPad with no back button is clumsy and frustrating. Searching on the Web also takes longer than with android. I think that the IPad is in so many ways out dated. The build quality, although nice, I think the metal back will easily scratch, and it is much heavier than the Samsung tablets. The screen of the IPad picks up finger prints and smudges much more than the Samsung. The feel of the IPad is slippery and harder to grip too, whereas the grip of the Samsung tabs, although plastic, is much better. All in all I like the Samsung tabs better. They offer many more qualities than the IPad mini. Their technology is much better and they are smarter and easier to use. I was also disappointed in Siri, it seems that no matter what I asked, it could not answer, I prefer asking Google! The battery life on both the IPad and Samsung is about the same, the IPad lasted just a bit longer, and charging was slower on the IPad by about an hour. The Samsung take about 3 hours to charge fully and the IPad takes about 4 to 41/2 hours. I am glad that I bought the IPad mini to experience it, and I now know how happy I am with my Samsung tablets. So in conclusion, I recommend the IPad mini with retina display hesitantly. For those who love Apple they will probably like it and for those who have not experienced the IPad I would recommend the Samsung tablets.

Well...it's the iPad, so it's already the best tablet out there you can buy. I was a little skeptical about the retina display at first, but upon glancing at the screen...I LOVE IT. The idea behind the retina display, is that Apple make the resolution the best your eyes can possibly see. So even if you make the resolution better than the retina display, the human eye won't notice it. Even before comparing it to an iPad without the retina display, I could tell the difference. I think it's necessary, and worth the extra $40 or so to get it.

You can view all the specs on Apple's website: http://store.apple.com/us/ipad

I like the size of the mini the best. It's easy to carry around, but big enough to serve as a nice "computer" screen. You aren't as mobile with the regular-sized iPads as you are with the iPad mini. If you carry a purse around, ladies, you'll find this size to your liking.

I only went for the 16GB because of all the cloud storage options available if I need more space. I usually keep everything on some cloud based platform, so the main thing you would need space for on the iPad are apps. If you are a big music person and like to use apps like GarageBand a lot, you might want to spring for more gigs. Same if you like a lot of gaming apps. For more practical, every day use though, the 16GB is more than sufficient.

If you're looking for a case for this iPad, I would recommend the Fintie cases located here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G93TCMO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are a lot of flimsy cases made for the iPad, but the Fintie ones are very well made, inexpensive, and have magnetic screen covers - which is something you definitely want.

There's not really much difference between this and the iPad mini 3, so for almost the same product, get the iPad mini 2 retina. Even if you don't think you need a tablet...this one will change your mind.

***Pros :)
-Great mobile size - fits in small bags, purses, etc.
-Retina display is gorgeous
-High-functioning tablet that squashes the competition

***Cons :(
-No headphones, so use the ones that came with your cell-phone or buy new ones if you plan to use them

This is the first Apple tablet I bought. Unlike the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, the fingerprint sensor has been 88% accurate. Even on top of the manufacturer provided screen protector. However, it did not produce any additional value than the computers and devices I already have. With all the buzz and marketing articles, I am surprised to believe that consumers are still buying more tablets than Intel PCs.

iOS 8 as a whole is not comparable to Android 4.4.4. Lots of things on iOS 8 have matched up to the Android version 1 year ago. The iPad mini 3 is comparable to Nexus 7 2013. On the apps side, there are about 5 to 10 times less free apps per category (File management, System tools, keyboards). The Swift key app fails to swype right out of installation and configuration although it worked on iPhone 6, 6 plus. That was frustrating. Nexus 7 2013 has swype right out of the box. The Youtube app proved to get stuck and sticky when you scroll the progress bar. I tested my internet and the same Youtube content on a different device. It was the app's problem but I'm surprised that the app's quality could be this bad. Play store and App store probably have the same amount of apps for users. But in App store, most apps are paid apps (sure, Apple wants your money of 30% cut). I could only find 1 free file manage app that mounts to my Windows share for watching a video. On Android, there are many more free apps but some may have bugs. Apple does not have control over the pricing of the apps but are you really interested in buying into those apps by saving on lunch bills?

I expected the sound volume to be louder than HTC one m8's and my LG G3's. It turned out to be slightly less than LG G3's and a lot less than the boomsound of HTC's. I tested it when I took a shower. I rather just use my LG G3.

Finally it comes down to pricing. Nokia just announced its Intel Atom based N1 tablet ready to ship before end of February 2015. It has similar specifications but priced at $240. Both are manufactured by FoxConn. It's fair to assume Apple took at least $160 from the $400 price tag. So I returned it Apple store and got my $400 + tax back

I'm an avid reader and a writer who has tried every portable device under the sun. Smart phones (even the large ones) are too small to read comfortably or to type; laptops simply are not portable enough due to short battery lives; and other tablets were uncomfortably large for me (I've got small hands.) I've tried taking notes directly on screens with a stylus; I've tried Bluetooth keyboards; and I've tried typing directly on screens. Everything was either too large or too small. Other, similarly-sized tablets tend to lag, or the battery life is very poor.

I've been an Apple holdout for a while. I had a little iBook a long time ago, and the system issues, general uselessness of the battery, the severe problems with transferring Word, Corel, and other word processing documents, and all-around, irritating, proprietary nature of Mac turned me off for several years. Don't get me started on what I thought of the pricing.

After doing a lot of research, however, I took a chance on an iPad mini. It was the perfect size (decent screen, super thin, super light) the battery life is supposedly long (it is--seven hours on the brightest screen setting, several days on standby, 10-12 hours with a low or medium bright screen) extremely portable (very, very important) easy to backup (and from the backup, export to different formats if needed) and does exactly what I need it to do (word processing, graphic art, reading, and surfing.) I have never been happier with an electronic device. (I also use it as an iPod. And as a player for my Google Drive. It's fabulous.)

To repeat, it's absolutely perfect for me. I can work on it for hours, it's powerful enough for professional art programs, it's great for writing (the native note app, Google Drive, the Corel app, and a couple of others) and it is by far the best screen for reading I've come across.

I tried a Bluetooth keyboard, thinking the screen would be too small to type on. The Bluetooth was a dud--it only worked once--but that was a happy accident. The iPad mini is exactly the right size for me to comfortably type onscreen.

I have no complaints with Safari. It's super-fast and while it isn't my favorite search engine ever, it naturally does the job. The only issue I had was figuring out how to open a link in a new tab. (This took me a week. I can be a little slow.)

Now that the rave is over, there are a couple of caveats.

First, while the screen is the perfect size for me to type on, I'm a small female with hands about 2/3 average size, so it may be too small for some people to comfortably type on.

Second, there are (as noted by other reviewers) no USB ports. If you need a lot of memory, this is not the device for you. There is no easy way to expand it. This was actually a little disappointing for me, but Google Drive and Dropbox solved the problem for me. (I'm a lucky person who is never far away from a WiFi signal.)

Also, there is no way to replace the battery. When it starts dying, it's done.

It doesn't have the retina display that comes with the larger iPads. (It's still a better resolution than many other devices, but hey--no retina display is no retina display.)

Finally, there isn't really any way to get around the price. It costs more than some laptops, and certainly more than the other tablets of its size.

Personally, I think it's worth it. The sheer portability and quality of the item is incredible. The fact that it is literally perfect for everything I need to do makes it even better--for me.

I strongly recommend the iPad mini, with one caveat: do your research. Make absolutely sure you know exactly what you need and what you want, and invest in a product that meets that. This is not the item for someone who needs a lot of onboard memory or a ton of power. Someone who wants just to surf or just an e-reader may be better served with another product, too--but then again, maybe not (like I said, this functions as the most delightful e-reader ever.)

I love it, and I think most people will. Have fun =)

I had contacted the seller for information on a refund for the item because my wife was having some difficulty in the operation of the item. So, I thought that because the item has only been used a few times and in new condition and that I had all the original packaging, that the seller would take the item back with little to no problem. The response was that the item had to be returned in it's original packaging, obviously with an unbroken seal to get a full refund. Well, in order to use the item, you have to take it out of the original packaging (duh) and was offered an amount that was a third of what I paid for it; obviously I declined to return the item and downloaded a users guide online for $0. This is the problem: when you order something online you open it and try whatever item you ordered to make sure it works or it fits you or whatever only to find out that the item isn't right and you want to return it - sometimes as in this case it's just not worth it. I'm sorry I didn't just go buy it at Staples or Wal-Mart.

UPDATE: Funny enough, after the owner of Always Innovating read my review he sent the following e-mail to me:

Always Innovating:
I apologize that this transaction did not meet your needs. Customer satisfaction is very important to us, and our feedback % means a lot to our business. If you would like, I can send you a complimentary cover for your ipad ( please let me know what color) if you are able to remove the negative feedback.
Thanks

My Reply:
Thanks, but I had purchased a cover at the same time I purchased the iPad... I have no need for another cover. Unfortunately, unless you want to refund my money in full as previously requested (minus a restocking fee of course), the review stays. I'm sorry, but I'm sure you could easily resell this item for close to what you sell them at brand new

Always Innovating:
If you would like, I can issue you a 10% refund and you can keep the item.
Thanks

My Reply:
You are totally and completely missing the point. You previously stated that "Customer satisfaction is very important to you"; well, I am a customer and I AM NOT satisfied with the product or the way your company conducts business with it's customers. It appears to me that all you seem to care about is a negative review which clearly states the facts. I also noticed a couple of other reviews of dissatisfied customers with similar complaints. It is an insult to offer me a bribe of 10% of the $312.00 I paid in good faith to your company for a product for which I am stuck with because your company refuses to refund my money, unlike many other companies I have dealt with on Amazon. So again, unless you decide to refund the money I paid, I will return the item, (which is in pristine condition) I refuse to help you.

Needless to say, I have not gotten a response. It appears as though "customer satisfaction" IS NOT A PRIORITY TO ALWAYS INNOVATING.

Last year I was trying to decide what kind of a tablet to get, I already owned a MacBook so I decided to buy a Black iPad Mini. The iPad Mini’s price is at the top end of the market, but I would argue that the price is worth it. One year later and I am very happy I made that decision. It makes looking something up so much more simple, quick, and easy than ever before.
The size of the product is nice, for travel. The iPad mini is made out of very high quality materials, which helps the product from feeling cheap. The overall assembly quality is also very high, making it feel like a quality product that will not fall apart in your hands. One of my favorite features is iCloud, where many of Apples of the features work interchangeably between my MacBook, iPad, and iPhone. For instance, if my iPhone dies I am able to make calls and texts off of my iPad. I would say for my next tablet I am considering getting a larger tablet, but I am certain I will be getting an Apple product. When I was shopping around for a tablet, I did not see another one that felt the same in terms of quality and usability. I would highly suggest an iPad to anyone looking for a good working quality tablet.
There are drawbacks however. One feature of the iPad Mini that could be upgraded is its battery. The battery will last a long time if you have the screen brightness low but, if you have it high the battery will diminish quickly. My best solution to the battery problem is to leave the brightness on about 50% that way you can see the screen and the battery lasts for a long time.