iPad Mini: The Mini is Apple's weakest offering

[bonskovsky]

I think the iPad mini is Apple's weakest offering. It doesn't live up to the iPad standard because it doesn't have a retina display. It's not as powerful as an iPhone because it isn't small enough.

There's not enough packed into it that makes it a desirable product. It's like most tablets that are release where it's a generation behind from the moment that it's released.

It's on the iPod touch standard now. It's there, but it's just not a flagship product. If you compare it to the Galaxy Note, it's not even as good because it has no calling capabilities.

[7thson]

You are entitled to your opinion, but how do you explain the huge popularity of it if its their weakest offering?

[ZBoater]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

...There's not enough packed into it that makes it a desirable product....

LOL! Funny!

[JPNFRK7]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I think the iPad mini is Apple's weakest offering. It doesn't live up to the iPad standard because it doesn't have a retina display. It's not as powerful as an iPhone because it isn't small enough.

There's not enough packed into it that makes it a desirable product. It's like most tablets that are release where it's a generation behind from the moment that it's released.

It's on the iPod touch standard now. It's there, but it's just not a flagship product. If you compare it to the Galaxy Note, it's not even as good because it has no calling capabilities.

So the iPad 1 & 2 weren't true iPads either because they didn't have a retina display?

[craigsharp]

Typing this from my mini at the moment, as for my family and I we absolutely love our mini! Very desirable to my 8 year old daughter, my wife who loves her retina iPhone 4 and myself who has been an apple user since 2003... We use it more than our MacBook and it fits perfectly in my youngest daughters diaper bag for easy carry on long and short trips. So I would venture to say we aren't the only family who is in love with our mini.

[rocknblogger]

Originally Posted by 7thson

You are entitled to your opinion, but how do you explain the huge popularity of it if its their weakest offering?

Price and the Apple logo

[luqtotheman]

I agree.

The mini is weak, they just made it because they knew they had to compete with the Nexus 7.

I hate when people say the regular ipad isn't portable as if its 15 pounds. I don't see the point in having a mini if I have an iphone 5. To me the mini doesn't do anything better than either iphone 5 or ipad.

mini is good for kids and women so they can put it in their purse.

[bonskovsky]

I could tell you what compelled me to buy every Apple product I own. But as for the mini, there was nothing that compelled me to buy it. If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

I looked at it for about 5 seconds.

[zephyrnoid]

Wow. I haven't stopped bye in a while. As I anticipated months ago, the Mini would fall short and it did in one particular area, form-factor. I've been happily carrying my Nexus7 in most of my overcoats while my Mini toting buddies have to stow them in carry cases and the such. I do wish I had two cameras rather than one but hey, I saved $200 over the Mini.
So we shall see what 2013 brings in the way of new tablets.

[mrsir2009]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I could tell you what compelled me to buy every Apple product I own. But as for the mini, there was nothing that compelled me to buy it. If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

I looked at it for about 5 seconds.

You could also say that the 11" MBA is Apple's "weakest" offering when it comes to Macs.

[akdj]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I think the iPad mini is Apple's weakest offering. It doesn't live up to the iPad standard because it doesn't have a retina display. It's not as powerful as an iPhone because it isn't small enough.

There's not enough packed into it that makes it a desirable product. It's like most tablets that are release where it's a generation behind from the moment that it's released.

It's on the iPod touch standard now. It's there, but it's just not a flagship product. If you compare it to the Galaxy Note, it's not even as good because it has no calling capabilities.

Lol...comedic post of the day. As an iPad mini AND A Galaxy Note owner I can tell you with certainty that the mini lays waste to the Note. We also returned our Nexus 7. Unavailability of tablet optimized apps, a crappy 'portrait' functionality, and still very, VERY Sticky...the iPad mini is as smooth as any iOS device. I've also got the iPad 4 and I've owned each iteration of the iPhone. IMHO, the mini is the 180° opposite of Apple's weakest device. In fact, for anyone that's been around longer than 30 days (talking to the OP)---the Mini is clearly one of Apple's most recent successes. Easily outselling the Nexus and/or ANY other tablet smaller than the iPad itself.

What a joke. On well....always fun to read comments from the ignorant.

J

[flavr]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I could tell you what compelled me to buy every Apple product I own. But as for the mini, there was nothing that compelled me to buy it. If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

I looked at it for about 5 seconds.

Starting this ignorant thread is an obvious cry for some attention...

Ive owned

4 imacs
4 macbooks
1 powerbook
2 ibooks
2 ipods
3 iphones
iPad 1 and 4
time capsule
3 mac desktop towers
apple tv

the iPad mini is the best user experience and Apple product Ive owned so far...hands down

enough said, anything more is wasting my time giving you the attention you crave by starting this foolish thread...Im disgusted i even replied

[Luis2004]

I think it's so dumb to proclaim an opinion as if it were fact.

However, I do agree that the mini is Apple's weakest offering. But that's like saying that Cadillac's weakest offering is the ATS. Yes, it might be, but it's still a Cadillac!

[darngooddesign]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

...If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

iPod Shuffle

[Fruit Cake]

It's not the full experience of an iPad for sure, but it seems to hit the spot, in that it will do most of what people want from an iPad. For me however I make good use of the retina screen so ipad4 all the way for me.

[bonskovsky]

I don't even know why they make 11 inch MacBooks. But hey, Macs are great!

Something about the iPad mini is missing. I mean it's literally a carbon copy of everything else Apple makes. Just a different size.

Does anyone else think that they whipped this up in response to the rumors? It just feels that way.

[Kadin]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I don't even know why they make 11 inch MacBooks. But hey, Macs are great!

Something about the iPad mini is missing. I mean it's literally a carbon copy of everything else Apple makes. Just a different size.

Does anyone else think that they whipped this up in response to the rumors? It just feels that way.

I don't see that at all. I'm very impressed with it and honestly I don't have one single gripe. Yeah Retina would be nice... but at this price/size/weight, I'm perfectly happy without it.

[bonskovsky]

Did Apple ever give a reason for not having retina? I mean, retina is like, a no-brainer. It still boggles my mind. You do legitimately feel a difference. I look at the iPad mini as an iPad 1 chopped in half.

And if they come out with a mini 2 with retina, I'm just going to say, "Nope, too late!"

[Kadin]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

Did Apple ever give a reason for not having retina? I mean, retina is like, a no-brainer. It still boggles my mind. You do legitimately feel a difference. I look at the iPad mini as an iPad 1 chopped in half.

And if they come out with a mini 2 with retina, I'm just going to say, "Nope, too late!"

I think it's easy to guess at why they didn't. They still wanted to make a certain amount of profit per unit and if they included retina at this price, obviously it would have meant less to them. Plus there's the consensus that Retina in a thin design like this would be quite difficult to do so...

[costabunny]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

And if they come out with a mini 2 with retina, I'm just going to say, "Nope, too late!"

....hey I know how you feel; I really dont like the new VW passat. If they bring one out later that has the 4x4 in the super deisel engine thenI too will say Too late!

....or I might just not buy the one I dont like, and have me a nice big glass of STHU

[dtjay7]

I love my iPad Mini and my 11" Macbook Air. I also have an iPad 3 and it just sits unused, because while it may have a superior display, the Mini has the better form factor for my use. I use the Kindle app and the full size iPad just gets too heavy after a while.

[mcdj]

"It's not as powerful as an iPhone because it isn't small enough."

Huh? What does that even mean? If you're trying to get people to see your point of view, it helps to have a coherent point of view.

If I gave you an iPad Mini tomorrow, you'd love it. Desire it. Use it every day.

Your post is a thinly veiled attempt at rationalizing why you don't/can't have an iPad Mini. Yes, the iPad Mini is a sour grape, right up until you taste one.

[Droidrage729]

I respectfully disagree all of apples products have an audience and a purpose that caters to different users. I have one and I love it and I'm looking forward to getting a new one.

[adildacoolset]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I could tell you what compelled me to buy every Apple product I own. But as for the mini, there was nothing that compelled me to buy it. If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

I looked at it for about 5 seconds.

People aren't necessarily disagreeing with you on that.

They're disagreeing when you say that it's not very desirable. Because the mini looks to be loved by many. That extra $100 over a nexus 7 is a premium. Apple always charge a premium for it's logo.

I know it sucks, but once you get past that, it's a very desirable product. And I've learnt that the app experience is extremely crucial. In my experience, I had to look for android tablet apps for my dad's note 800. Only a few months ago. The experience sucked so much.

1. Despite the note 800 having a resolution barely higher than Samsung's phone, the apps were very very pixelated. Really, why can't Google also make a distinction between tablet and phone apps?

2. Building on that, another app I downloaded was clearly built for a phone. Everything in the app was at right top-right corner. Stupid.

After that, I gave up. Google, IMO, did a very bad move by blurring the distinction between a tablet and phone app. It's up to the developers to include "HD" at the end of their app.

That's a reason why people would want the iPad. Apps. It does it much better than android tabs

[QCassidy352]

Originally Posted by bonskovsky

I could tell you what compelled me to buy every Apple product I own. But as for the mini, there was nothing that compelled me to buy it. If the iPad mini is not their weakest offering, what is?

mac pro or ipod classic, both of which are literally years out of date.