How many iPad mini, rMB owners out there?

zainjetha said:

Hi guys,

Currently got a 13-inch MBA as my primary machine, and also iPad mini 3 and an iPhone 6.

I'm thinking that my iPad mini may possibly become redundant for a few reasons:
1) the only reason when I use it is in bed, when I can't be bothered to reach for my MBA. Find it easier to be productive on the Air, though mini is perfect for reading etc.
2) the gap between my iPhone 6 and Mini isn't justifiably large for the small portion of time in which I use it.

My reasoning is that with the rMB being incredibly light, I might choose to opt for this almost always and wonder if the rMB has made anyone has retired their rMB as a result.

It may be the case that a 6 Plus might solve the need and bridge the gap for me - I frequently carry it with me, and wouldn't mind doing so if the iPhone remained at 4-inch or so, but maybe I'd be more inclined to carry the rMB more.

I am waiting to see if there is a revised retina iMac at WWDC and would love one of these - iCloud syncing is getting better daily and my email etc is all iCloud, IMAP/Caldav/Carddav so it wouldn't be a nuisance. All peripherals would stay plugged into the iMac - haven't plugged anything into my Air at all so far except for iDevices which could sync with the iMac instead or Wifi Sync with the rMB after an initial setup with a lightning cable.

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Hold on, are you sure I didn't write this post? My exact same situation. So yeah, me! I currently have the iPhone 6, iPad mini 2, and the rMB. I had the 13" rMBP before the rMB.

I definitely won't go for the 6+. Way too big. Sure, for some people it eliminates the need for an iPad, but I like to use the optimal size for each device that I own. For me, that's a phone the size of the 6.

Regarding the iPad, I don't use it much anymore. I used to use it a bunch, but in the past 1-2 years I have rarely used the iPad. I have mentioned this before, but I'm old-school and prefer using a desktop OS for many of the things you would typically use an iPad for. The only thing I really use my iPad for is reading documents such as PDFs. And my #1 writing app on the iPad is now coming to the iPhone, so that creates less of a need for me. I see the iPad as more of a convenience thing, as it's really useful in some situations but it's not a necessity.

The rMB is so thin and light that I have been using it almost exclusively since I got it. I even did this with my rMBP, but now it's even more so with the rMB. I'm also interested in the Retina iMac, and the recent price cuts make it even more tempting. I have always used my laptops without an external monitor or iMac, but the Retina iMac definitely has my interest.

I have been thinking about selling my Mini. But I'm going to wait until October to see what Apple does. If the Mini 4 has the same specs as the Air once again, then I'll probably upgrade.

zainjetha said:

So, in theory - I could manage with an iPhone 6 and a rMB?

I will give this a go - my Mum is after an iPad mini, so this wouldn't go to waste at all.

The iPad is certainly great in certain 'lazy' situations and was imperative when I had an iPhone 5. I also had a 15-inch retina Pro then, which was only good for using at a desk and would exhaust me carrying it on my shoulder.

Let's see what happens when I get the rMB. If I miss the Mini after giving it to Mum then I will grab the Mini 4 later on this year, especially since it is going to be very thin according to rumours.

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How are tasks like reading an iBook on the rMB?

I guess, for 'kicking back' the Mini is amazing - after a while of sitting on my iPhone 6 I will eventually get fed up and reach for the iPad if the MBA isn't already on. But it takes a while before I get fed up enough, if I'm browsing long enough. In the end, I get fed up of using the mini for extensive periods of time and resort to the laptop, haha.

I'm just wondering if the 6 Plus could carry out both functions. I'm all for consolidating, and though the 6 Plus would look a bit inappropriate in a pair of skinny jeans - I don't wear those, so it's fine. It's normally on my desk or on a surface, and it could easily slip into an inner jacket pocket.

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Sounds like a good plan. I think someone can definitely get by with just the 6 and the rMB, that's what I'm basically doing right now as my iPad doesn't see much usage.

I don't really read too many books, but reading some PDFs isn't too bad on the rMB. I just would never go the 6+, the 6 feels perfect in my hand and I want to retain that feel. At that point, screen size doesn't matter for me.

I don't want to copy an paste my post from another similar thread, so here it is:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=21285291#post21285291

In summary:

• The iPad mini 3 is my personal computing device, use it extensively and daily (my reasons in the linked post)
• The incoming rMB is going to replace my 2011 maxed 11" MBA as my professional work machine only
• The iPhone 6 serves as my phone, go to point and shoot camera and only video camera, as well as the pocketable computer for both work and personal use.
• Retired the Mac mini and now have the wife's abandoned 2013 11" MBA as the home seever connected to an external monitor and our external home media server RAID 10 setup as per signature.
• iPads for each of us (Wife and two kids)
• ATV's at each of the big screens in the house.

I can see having only a laptop and a phone, if the laptop is your preferred form factor for both work and play (iPad form factor for me though has been a revelation for personal home use since I got an iPad 2 in 2011)

Its all about preference really, though. There is no one magical solution or universal "perfect" setup.

PDFierro said:

. And my #1 writing app on the iPad is now coming to the iPhone, so that creates less of a need for me.

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May I ask what that app is? Ulysses?

Hi

I fit this description. This is my setup

The iPad mini 3 is used when travelling for personal reasons. I travel a lot so its great for videos on the plane / taxi / hotels. It's also my goto web browsing device at home
The iPad air 2 is my company issued device. Used exclusively for business travel.
The iPhone 6 is my phone and browsing when out in the day
My retina iMac is my main store everything device. I have 3 Thunderbolt hard drives attached that store my years of photographs. I have it running a apple display as well so i have great screen real estate for editing

I have an RMBP 13 inch and this was my mobile photo editing goto machine. I think it still will be.

Finally my new rMB will be used as my photo editing device for light work / replaces the mac I take on holiday with the family. Currently getting its first use in Paris
Great for linking to the sling box at home to keep the kids entertained at night. Also been good for lightroom (light editing of raw files). It replaces my 11 inch MBA which has been wiped and ready for my daughter to use when she goes to sixth form college next year.

Loving the rMB so far.

Josh

rMini rMB 6 plus here.

Traverse said:

May I ask what that app is? Ulysses?

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Final Draft Writer. Previously, only the Reader app was available on the iPhone. I think with the iPhone getting bigger, more and more developers will go away from doing iPad-only writing apps. Many of them are already available on both devices, but some are not.

Add me to the list.

rMB for personal/home computer. I use this all the time for iTunes, video, gaming, browsing, etc. Love it.

iPad Mini (first generation). For a while, this was my favorite piece of consumer electronics ever. Now, the A5 processor is seriously showing its age and it's the last non-retina display I deal with. I mainly use it for reading comic books, and plan to replace it with either a retina Mini or an iPad Air later this year -- depending whether the Mini catches back up to the Air in quality.

iPhone 6. Love. Except for the silly protruding camera. 6+ is way too big.

Retina MacBook Pro 15". Work machine. A great computer, but I only use it for work to enforce work/personal time boundaries. Bigger than I want to use while lounging around.

thadoggfather said:

rMini rMB 6 plus here.

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Same here see my signature.
Love my 6+
The iPad is used for Youtube music videos , Formula 1 races etc.
= not redundant.

I do find a mini redundant, but not the iPad. My iPad Air mostly lives by my bed, used for e-reading, browsing, and watching videos (Air Video mostly). It can't be replaced by a phone for those jobs. But a rMB isn't going to replace an iPad for them either. rMB is used on the sofa and when travelling, iMac is used for serious work.

PDFierro said:

Sounds like a good plan. I think someone can definitely get by with just the 6 and the rMB, that's what I'm basically doing right now as my iPad doesn't see much usage.

I don't really read too many books, but reading some PDFs isn't too bad on the rMB. I just would never go the 6+, the 6 feels perfect in my hand and I want to retain that feel. At that point, screen size doesn't matter for me.

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I sold my 6+ for the same reason, was ok for 3 months but the phone bezels and size always bugged me vs screen size. LG just nailed it with the G3 but no Android again for me, been there done that. So I have a 6 and rMB, I need a tweener, reading is not great on the rMB the 6 is too small. I don't need the newest and there are some great clearance deals on Mini 2's, so i'm trying to catch the falling knife to get the best price. Best Buy has Mini 2 128GB w/LTE verizon for $534. AT&T for less.

burgman said:

I sold my 6+ for the same reason, was ok for 3 months but the phone bezels and size always bugged me vs screen size. LG just nailed it with the G3 but no Android again for me, been there done that. So I have a 6 and rMB, I need a tweener, reading is not great on the rMB the 6 is too small. I don't need the newest and there are some great clearance deals on Mini 2's, so i'm trying to catch the falling knife to get the best price. Best Buy has Mini 2 128GB w/LTE verizon for $534. AT&T for less.

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The Mini 2 is a far better value than the 3. They are basically the same. I'll keep my Mini 2 until the 4 is announced and decide then.

My setup: rMB 1.3/512/SG, iPad Mini 2, iPhone 6.

The new rMB, which replaced a 2011, 11" Air, is my only full-fledged computer. I attach an external monitor at my home desk. I'm on the road a lot for personal and work purposes and will use the rMB for both. I'm sure I'll be fine with it, as it's an upgrade in every way from the 2011 MBA, which served me well for four years.

I use the iPad Mini 2 for light gaming, surfing/reading in bed and on the sofa, and for showing photos around. And much to my surprise, I often use the Mini as a personal/work travel computer. Perhaps this is because it's got instant Internet access, unlike the rMB, which requires tethering. I sometimes pair the Mini with a Logitech Keys-to-Go keyboard (absurdly thin and light) and it does much of what I'd do on the rMB.

The iPhone 6 is for calls, photography, texting, checking weather, Apple Pay and other quick-access stuff.

Since I'm away from home a lot, the thinner and lighter, the better.

zainjetha said:

So, in theory - I could manage with an iPhone 6 and a rMB?

I will give this a go

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Makes me glad I skipped the pads all together, I could consider the iPhone 6 Plus or the Google Nexus 6

This may just be the blatant first world problems post I have ever seen.

But while we're on the subject, I think iPhone 6 Plus and any Apple 13" or smaller notebook (depending on your own power needs) is the way to go. Both devices sync and integrate nicely, and you get excellent portability for such a capable setup.

*Bump*

Since there are more rMB in the wild now, I was curious to hear more thoughts on this.

Keep all your devices. In the future, households that can afford it will have more tech rather than less. Have a tablet in every room.
The thinking of "phone + computer and nothing else" is dead. Tech is no longer going obsolete like it used to.
Have an iPad, laptop, phone, maybe another tablet, desktop PC, etc. it is not overkill or unnecessary, it is how we will work in the future.

I have a rMB, iPad Mini and iPhone 5S. I still use my ipad to read (weirdly enough, some things I like to read on the rMB, mostly technical stuff. But entertainment reading is solely on the iPad. I even like it better than the Kindle), or watch movies when I'm not home, or play basic games. I also like to use it as a secondary screen for documentation when I work. All in all, I think an iPhone 6 would make it more redundant than the rMb does.

Now, if I didn't have already have it, would I buy one ? Probably not.

Having been using my rMB for 1 week now...

1. I just have to say I love it, huge upgrade in every way from my 2011 11" Maxed CTO MBA
2. I don't use it any differently than that old machine though, so I stand by my earlier post about my segregated use cases...love the combo of these three devices...rMB, iPad mini 3, iPhone 6.