Apple Introduces New 7.9-Inch iPad Mini Starting at $329

nickn said:

Comparing the new 32GB Nexus 7 to the 32GB Mini, the Nexus has a far faster CPU, a slightly better GPU, a standard USB port, a higher resolution screen and thus a far higher PPI, but yet costs over $180 less. Sure, the new iPad Mini will be a hit.... People will also surely love the new crApple maps app on iOS 6, which will work even better since the wi-fi mini will not a have a GPS, unlike the Nexus 7, and passbook will work great, especially with no NFC capabilities, again, unlike the Nexus 7. What a failure of a product Apple has excreted...

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Apples and oranges. You can't compare raw specs - you need to compare benchmarks because performance is what matters. I would expect Java apps to require a faster CPU - and more memory - to come close to performing as well as apps written in a language designed for compiling (e.g. Objective C or even C#).

simmo0916 said:

$329 is £206...

The iPad Mini - Starting at £269 in the UK!

Im not enjoying the £60 markup at all.

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Remember though that US prices don't include tax, whereas UK does!

The word play is truly amazing. "Still" up to 10 hours battery life? Shouldn't it be longer to begin with, considering it's a smaller display that's not even retina??

I'm surprised how openly they compare this to a iPad 2, something that's now 2 generations old.

Keep up your minuscule improvements game Apple. People will buy this no doubt. But for me, I waited till the 3G for the iPhone, I can wait another year for a satisfactory iPad mini.

My post from 3 days ago. I got everyone of my guesses correct. Yes, I'm that good.



My proposed spec list.

7.85 inches
1024 x 768 resolution (Same as the iPad 2)
A5 processor (Same used in the iPad 2)
512mb of ram (Same as the iPad 2)
16 gig base model (I just don't see how 8gig will fly at $329)
5 mp camera rear camera (I could be wrong on this one)
HD front facing camera
lighting port
No GPS in the base model
$200 build cost ($129 Apple tax, opps, I mean profit)



But what I don't understand is the the iPod touch at $299. Leads me to believe that Apple could very well release a 8gig mini at $329 which is just not enough space. How many people are going to pass up a 16gig iPad mini for $30 more over the overpriced touch? And the only reason I said A5 and not the A6 is because I highly doubt Apple will make the mini faster than the iPad 3 unless Apple is revising it as well. There will be no need to have a power hungry A5X chip in the mini at 1024x768 resolution and the A5 does fine at that resolution.

And many people tend to forget that Amazon still has their 16gig 8.9" Fire HD with 1900x1200 resolution and $299 price tag coming out on 11/20.

chrisrosemusic1 said:

Blatantly just cashing in on their success now. A new Retina iPad at this stage is pure greed - a 7 month life cycle is disgraceful.

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Apple’s two greatest crimes: offering users more too soon, and offering users more too late! Apple always fails...

(I’m not sure which users would benefit by not improving the iPad now at the same prices. Who would that help exactly? People would be getting less, not more!)

hkpuipui99 said:

The word play is truly amazing. "Still" up to 10 hours battery life? Shouldn't it be longer to begin with, considering it's a smaller display that's not even retina?

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It’s a smaller device—that means a smaller battery. The reason they compare to the iPad 2 (still a current model even now, and still a great one) is that it’s comparable in performance and therefore battery needs.

cdmoore74 said:

But what I don't understand is the the iPod touch at $299. Leads me to believe that Apple could very well release a 8gig mini at $329 which is just not enough space. How many people are going to pass up a 16gig iPad mini for $30 more over the overpriced touch? And the only reason I said A5 and not the A6 is because I highly doubt Apple will make the mini faster than the iPad 3 unless Apple is revising it as well. There will be no need to have a power hungry A5X chip in the mini at 1024x768 resolution and the A5 does fine at that resolution.

And many people tend to forget that Amazon still has their 16gig 8.9" Fire HD with 1900x1200 resolution and $299 price tag coming out on 11/20.

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iPods cost WAY less than iPhones (unsubsidized)—making something THAT small is not easy or cheap. (Notice nobody else is doing anything comparable to the iPod Touch.) If you need pocket-sized, there’s a bit of a cost with that.

As for Amazon... some nice eReaders for sure, and that’s enough for some, but they are poor all-around app platforms. You just can’t do what an iPad can do without an iPad. [URL="http://www.bekkelund.net/2012/10/22/outlawed-by-amazon-drm/“]And with Amazon's DRM policies lately, I don’t think I’ll ever forget Kindle now....[/URL] They can take your Kindle AND all your content away from you, never give it back, never tell you why, never let you get another one, and never offer you a chance to appeal! They can, and they do.

ArchAndroid said:

Everything's amazing

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Glad you're enjoying the kool aid.

Lighter and thinner are great, but the fact is, not only is the screen not retina, it's lower resolution than the kindle at $130 less.

A lower res device at a much higher price is a hard sell.

iEnvy said:

Because we haven't heard that before

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Exactly... Apparently every product and decision that Apple has made since Steve left the company is the beginning of the end for the company. One of these days they'll actually get that "Apple-killer" product right.

iPad mini, huge let down.

iPad Mini: They Blew It

It's a wonderful device. I would leap at it except the price is asinine.
$329 for 16Gb? $429for 32Gb? Not a chance.
I was going to get one but not now. Drop those prices by $100 each and I'll think about it. I am a full died in the wool, bleeding in five colors Apple fan and have been since my Mac Classic over 20 years ago. Even I think they fornicated upwards here.

I had a fear that TC was more of a bean counter than Jobs was. This proves it. They totally blew a chance to decisively win the tablet war. They had a chance to grab Samsung and Amazon and the others by the throat and bury them but no. They got cheap and priced it too high. The bean counters won and Apple will lose. This will be a huge boost to sales of the other guys laptops.

I can't say I'm happy with a $329 price but they did build it. Retina one will be out in 12 months or less...

I can now sit back and chuckle at those who posted "Apple will never build an iPad Mini."

Call me a lemming... I'm buying one. I have my original iPad to my 11 yr old daughter for her birthday anticipating the Mini coming out. She'll get this in a couple years when I upgrade next.

Deleted.

yanki01 said:

no retina = no bueno.

as i like the smaller size and style of it, the lack of the retina display might steer away other customers. the iPhone 4 had retina display and that's 2yrs old already. the iPad 3 had it aswell, i dont get it?

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The more disappointing realisation for me is that Apple will have to update the iPad Mini in the future. Seeing the update of the iPad 3 today, it might even be in spring or shortly thereafter. Knowing that, why would I want to spend money on this device? It almost feels like an outdated product.

hkpuipui99 said:

The word play is truly amazing. "Still" up to 10 hours battery life? Shouldn't it be longer to begin with, considering it's a smaller display that's not even retina??

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If the entire device is smaller, you're working with a smaller battery.

ncaissie said:

One word on iPad 4 "Fail"

How many ipad 3 owners are upset? Raise your hand!
And $329 NOT!

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Hand up.
My 4 month old device is already replaced.
Sad thing is retina really needs the A6- so the 4 gets that right.

If you buy the mini prepare for the same.
Mini w/ retina and A6 will be released in the spring.

F Apple I'm getting a Kindle.

(Hope i can still get a decent price for the 3)

Unified Product Cycle

ncaissie said:

One word on iPad 4 "Fail"

How many ipad 3 owners are upset? Raise your hand!
And $329 NOT!

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I am upset, but just cause I did not see this coming myself. I have long argued that the iPhone, iPod and iPad--any iOS device--should be on the same fall release schedule. This does that for Apple and streamlines the entire product line, which is a far better model for any company to maintain. Do I want a new iPad 4? Sure. But since I have been told by the CFO of my household that I have to to skip every other generation, at least now I only have to wait until fall of 2013 versus the spring of 2014!!! To me the iPad Mini only getting an A5 processor is a far bigger let down.

Oracle1729 said:

On a related note, apple stock is currently trading down 2.5% today. At least shareholders live on planet Earth.

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How often has stock gone up after a keynote, or after quarterly earnings for that matter? Not too often you'll find, and a bad correlation.

milo said:

A lower res device at a much higher price is a hard sell.

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Unless it's shiny and has an Apple on the back.

Note: I will not be buying one.

munkery said:

Fairly disappointed in the iPad mini. Priced a little too high given the spec.

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really? think of it this way.. it's $70 cheaper and 2" smaller and LIGHTER than ipad 2

ncaissie said:

One word on iPad 4 "Fail"

How many ipad 3 owners are upset? Raise your hand!
And $329 NOT!

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Me

At least disappointed

can you hold it with one hand?

the width is almost a inch bigger than the nexus 7.

Nexus 7 is easier to hold in one hand.

iPad mini is 30 grams less than Nexus 7. gotta see in the store.

nickn said:

I purchased my Nexus in July, and since have had perhaps 4-5 crashes total. Compared to my iPad 1, which crashes around every 5-10 minutes on iOS5, I am extreme happy with the Nexus. Perhaps that guy got a DOA one?

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My iPad 1 crashes all the time as well. It's frustrating to use now. I might just have to check craigslist the next couple of days for a 3rd gen iPad, definitely will be cheaper now I don't think I will go for an iPad Mini, I'm tempted, but it probably won't run iOS 7 next year. Or if it does, a crippled version.

Can't believe Apple undercut the Galaxy Note on price, and trumped it on size. Samsung take that! Oh wait, that's not the new iPhone 5s, nevermind.

I would have only been interested in the iPad mini at a price under $250 and with a retina display.

I'm actually kinda narced they've made this cheap, I'd have preferred it if they made it a little thicker, with a retina display for $100 more.

I'd quite like the form factor, but it looks like I'll get a 4th gen full size one instead.

Oh well

No Retina Screen,no A6x chip, no buy, I'll stick with my iPad 3,next iPad will be #5