Regarding the iPad Mini 1st gen, the following 3 questions should be asked:
1) Was Apple capable of doing better? - yes
2) Should Apple have done better? -yes
3) Was it necessary for Apple to do better? - nope
#3 is why Apple didn't go "all-out" on the iPad Mini - they didn't have to. look how frustrating it has been to get an iPad Mini in a store, whether it's the Apple Store or Best Buy. why introduce new costs with higher resolution displays etc, when the focus point marketing studies already predicted how successful it would be (and predicted correctly). to top it off, Apple is selling every iPad Mini it gets in stock at the store. it wouldn't have made sense to introduce a Mini with higher costs.
#2 is just a personal opinion of mine, as they could have at least put a better resolution display in the Mini (maybe not Retina, but something in between)
#1 Apple has so much $$$ it could develop its own battery to meet the demands of Retina better
Amazing to me how some folks can arm chair quarterback the iPad Mini. It's pretty tough to find folks returning their minis because 'Apple could've done better'
As you've said, they're impossible to find and sitting atop the 'Most Wanted' Christmas gift wish list of many.
Battery technology is and has been improving---and evolving. I do believe Apple is using some of that cash for energy R&D---as well as a plethora of 'other' design and engineering challenges. My Mini is well exceeding Apple's 10 hour mark! It's amazing how long it lasts on a single charge
As far as your assertion that Apple could've landed somewhere between Retina and Non---then you're talking about a new resolution...and app incompatibility. That makes NO sense!!
It will come---Apple won't rest on their collective asses and not continue to 'better' the display. At this time, the technology is just NOT available in the yields they would need to bring a retina display to market AND get it in the hands of the masses...They're having a helluva time just getting these current models out!!!
Sorry, I have to disagree. Colors are not on par with the retina iPad. They are on par with the iPad 2. There have already been tests on this and its obvious colors are not nearly as saturated as on the iPad 3/4. This is particularly noticeable on anything that is green or purple. The iTunes store icon for example looks obnoxiously undersaturated when comparing to the new iPad. And anything thats supposed to be green has a yellow tinge on the iPad mini/iPad2.
The mini only produces roughly 62% of the Adobe sRGB color spectrum while the iPad 3/4 product 95%+. Lets not get ahead of ourselves calling the iPad mini screen great. Its good not great. Colors are simply not as saturated.
http://www.displaymate.com/iPad_mini_ShootOut_1.htm
I don't think CR went so far as to say the colors were the same...they said the display is 'good'---as did Anand in his very lengthy review---and as would I after owning it and the iPad 3 and 4. No, it doesn't match the color gamut of it's big brother--BUT it's as good or better than MOST consumer monitors and TVs we use each day. The retina iPads are truly and most likely the MOST accurate monitors folks that are buying the iPads have ever owned!!!
Most folks aren't investing in professional NEC color calibrated monitors...they're using the bundled monitors that came with their rig or one of the dozens of sub $300 monitors at Best Buy.
The mini's screen IS good---it's not a color correction monitor for grading RED Raw footage---but for casual use; surfing, movies & music, FB, Twitter, etc...it's just fine. I don't remember these complaints pre-retina...nor do I hear it from MBP owners that aren't retina fortified. If one needs to fill in the Adobe or sRGB gamut, they'll invest in a high end monitor---Most folks will never own such a display...unless they do buy into the retina gear. As it becomes more ubiquitous, folks will enjoy the saturation of colors....but right now, in this day n age of a 'non retina' optimized internet...it's not necessary to enjoy 99% of folks' daily computing task 'needs'
The mini is an excellent piece of engineering...I love mine, and have since purchased one for my folks and another for my son as Christmas gifts. This coming from an iPad 3 & 4 owner, as well as the 15" rMBP
J