iPad mini Advice needed before switching to iPad mini

bigboar said:

You are correct. I shouldnt have been so harsh about it. It just didnt meet the needs of what I was looking for. I hope everyone who bought the mini enjoys it as it is still a great apple product.

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yeah everyone has different wants/needs. the mini is great for portability/big ipad is good for screen quality

I travel full time every week across the country/countries for "work" ministry. My ipad is my mine computing device. I also own a 3. I bought a white mini. I loved it but retuned it. Not because of the screen but actually the size. It ended up being just to small for my use. I study and build lessons all from my ipad. Then I teach from it. The full size ipad just fits my personal needs better than the mini.

I was disappointed because I really wanted the mini to fit my needs. I love the look of it. But I type a lot. And do not want to carry the extra Bluetooth keyboard around. The mini's keyboard was just to small for me.

Also the font was to small in Safari for me. My eyes are not bad either. I don't ned glasses.

I recommend you try a mini. You have the holiday return policy.

Today, I just returned my iPad 4. I just do not see myself going back to the big iPad. I had a 3 and gave it to my wife and bought a mini and a 4 to replace mine. I did buy my wife a mini for Xmas so now ill have to figure out what to do with the 3....I did go on a work trip this past weekend too and found that the Mini works as an even better presentation tool at dinner. Much easier to hold and just as easy to see.......typing isn't bad at all either, although I do have a Bluetooth keyboard that I even used with the iPad 3.

bigboar said:

The screen stinks! That is my honest negative report after owning one....

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Save your breath bigboar, some people will do anything to defend or justify a brand/device.

Awakener said:

The Mini display does not format webpages well, letters look tiny, blurry and jagged. It isn't just non-retina, it looks washed out. Also, the extra 50% larger screen of iPad makes a big difference. The iPad is about same size and weight as a hardback book, so it is not much more inconvenience than carrying a mini. Stick with iPad 3.

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Awakener said:

The Mini display does not format webpages well, letters look tiny, blurry and jagged. It isn't just non-retina, it looks washed out. Also, the extra 50% larger screen of iPad makes a big difference. The iPad is about same size and weight as a hardback book, so it is not much more inconvenience than carrying a mini. Stick with iPad 3.

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I don't feel that the screen on my mini looks washed out at all. Granted it's not as crisp as the retina screen on my iPad4 but compares favorably with the iPad2. Text is a bit small when viewing web pages on safari, but that's easily solved by changing the default text size in an alternate browser such as Perfect.

Awakener said:

Save your breath bigboar, some people will do anything to defend or justify a brand/device.

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same with you defending retina. we get it, you don't like the mini....so don't buy it. tons of people love it...

rmhop81 said:

same with you defending retina. we get it, you don't like the mini....so don't buy it. tons of people love it...

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But you don't get it because I am not defending retina. There are some fine non-retina displays.

zboater said:

i'm sorry, but this is simply not true. I realize different people perceive images differently, but to say this is just outright wrong.

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+1000

CiccioAtSea said:

So my situation is that:

I travel A LOT; since I've got my 3rd gen iPad I'm using it as my main computing device (together with my iPhone), it is great for everything I need to do and I'm using my laptop less and less everyday since I got my ipad.

I use it for everything, EVERYWHERE... Sitting at my desk, during the lunch, in the bathroom, in the bed before sleeping, everywhere.

Now the mini is out and I feel I would love it; I saw it in a store few days ago but I couldn't play with it too much...

People already owning one... any advice? Do you think it could take the place of my full size ipad? Or, since I use it so much, it would be just too small? How do you feel it when reading and typing? What about playing?

I consider myself an "heavy" iPad user but I can't figure out if I could "survive" or even enjoy a mini more that a regular ipad.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts and helping me in this important but difficult decision.

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I have an iPad 3 and a Mini. Before the mini was announced I used my iPad 3 at work (I have to use logmein to type in data on a remote computer) it was the only time i really used it unless i went away on a trip. I would come home and it would sit in its bag till i went back to work or charged it for work. When im home I sit on my desktop if I want to do any computing. Ive used it well laying in bed watching tv but typing on it well lying down is a nightmare. I like the split keyboard but my fingers are too big for the tiny keys plus its to heavy and unwieldy to hold up well laying down for long periods of time.

When the Mini was released I had no interest in owning one really. I thought it was a great product and bought some as gifts but I figured my ipad 3 was fine for work no real need. That was until I used one in the store. I had been spoiled by my iPhone 5 which kind of pushed me even further away from my iPad 3. iPhone 5 is so fast and so light and thin. When I used the mini in the store i was amazed at how light it was and how easy it was to type on it with 2 thumbs well holding it. I was sold. I needed the cellular version since the wifi at work is horrible. so I waited for the 4g minis to ship and scooped one up.

I absolutely love the thing. ive had it since saturday and I havent put it down. I take it with me everywhere and tend to use it well even walking from the car into wherever im going. its just so comfortable to hold and a joy to use. the only time I kind of miss using the 3 is at work. because I would lay the 3 down and not have to hold it and the retina screen made it easier to see the desktop of the remote computer. so the mini feels a little bit confined but thats an hour a day and now im using the mini for so many more things I wouldnt bother lugging the ipad 3 around for.

The screen is kind of a letdown. but I see apples point. I usually update every time apple releases a new product so I can deal with the screen for now. when they put an A6 and retina in this thing. I may not update for a few years. I really can't imagine anything else it needs. its pretty close to perfect now. with retina and super fast processor it will be THE PERFECT TABLET.

CiccioAtSea said:

So my situation is that:

I travel A LOT; since I've got my 3rd gen iPad I'm using it as my main computing device (together with my iPhone), it is great for everything I need to do and I'm using my laptop less and less everyday since I got my ipad.

I use it for everything, EVERYWHERE... Sitting at my desk, during the lunch, in the bathroom, in the bed before sleeping, everywhere.

Now the mini is out and I feel I would love it; I saw it in a store few days ago but I couldn't play with it too much...

People already owning one... any advice? Do you think it could take the place of my full size ipad? Or, since I use it so much, it would be just too small? How do you feel it when reading and typing? What about playing?

I consider myself an "heavy" iPad user but I can't figure out if I could "survive" or even enjoy a mini more that a regular ipad.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts and helping me in this important but difficult decision.

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Used my iPad 1 for work for 2 years. Now have a mini and love it. Perfect size and no issues typing notes while in meetings. Gaming is a lot easier too!

kodeman53 said:

To state the obvious, you're the only one who can answer whether the mini is too small. Buy it, use it exclusively for a week, test all the apps you use on your iPad, then decide. If it doesn't meet your needs return it and get your money back.

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^Thats my advice in a nutshell.

Love my MINI... bought it specifically to travel with in my purse, everyday.
So far, I've been able to do everything on my MINI that I can do on my ipad2.
And...this is my first experience with SIRI... love it!!!

most people will complain about the weight of Ipad 3 but you seem fine with it so if needed an upgrade then get Ipad 4.

People are saying they got better battery life from the new chip.