The iPad Mini
A 3 month review
Model: MD541LL, 32gb black slate cellular (Verizon)
Question: Do I love it?
Answer: YES
How's that? Well ......... I suppose sommmmme background is in order. I'd always loved the idea of having just a small laptop screen with a GPS built in upon which I could load maps and aviation charts and even nautical charts.
And finally Apple came out with the iPad (1) and I quickly picked one up ...... and quickly sent it back. See I had gotten the wifi-only version which I discovered doesn't have the GPS chip in it. Too quick on the draw lol.
So the cellular version made it's way home with me. But a little extra play with it this time revealed that it was too large, too heavy and too pixelated to really meet my needs and desires. Sold it.
The concept was great, smooth OS and attention to detail in the hardware.
Then Retina. I thought maybe the 3 might make the difference. Nope. Still had that large, heavy, unwieldy feeling.
Returned it.
Three weeks later, Oct 23, 2012
iPad Mini announced! I knew immediately that it would be perfect overall. Same resolution as the iPad 1 but in a smaller screen would mean tighter pixel density and it really is just fine.
What I didn't expect is how much easier it is to type on it, horizontal or vertical and even better still after discovering the split keyboard function lol (fingers on the H and J and separate. But before letting go you can slide the split keyboard up/down).
Another surprise was the thinness. That wasn't a requirement but it has turned out perfect.
The rounded edges, the lightness, the attention to design details and to sweeten the pot, incredible battery life, 10-12 hrs for me ...... it all adds up to a top notch package.
A little more on battery life; web surfing, some games, some video, but mostly content creation! Yep, creation.
Content Creation
This review for example, written entirely on this Mini using Pages for iOS (then copypasta into this forum). No external keyboard.
iMovie for iOS and iPhoto for iOS, well worth the price for each.
The camera connection kit adapters, both the USB adapter and SD adapter, have made it into my bag. Easy, breezy, beautiful import of video and RAW pics. I've brought in 1080p30 video from GoPro, Canon 7D and 1DX and 720p24 from a Nikon P7000 as well as RAW photo files from each of those cameras.
iMovie video: http://youtu.be/yVVx4SsW9G0
Shot entirely on GoPro, imported direct to ipad, edited in iMovie and uploaded to YouTube. Just to say that I did it that way lol.
iPhoto screenshot:
Even GarageBand is in here too! Still learning some music technique and theory.
Aviation Use
Sure, not something everyone uses it for but the Mini is soooooo much better for this vs. the regular iPad.
So far I've only tried it on a kneeboard (there are yoke mounts, suction mounts, etc). I didn't like any of the commercial kneeboards so I made my own concoction out of a basic kneeboard I had.
Onscreen there is Foreflight. It makes for proper flight planning, weather checks, terminal diagrams and of course keep track of yourself while in the air.
Another extremely useful app is Cloudahoy and once again that internal gps chip comes in handy. This app will run in the background and it keeps track of your flight path, altitude, speed, etc. With the companion website you can later review it in 3 dimensions using Google Earth (it can also be done on iPad if you're part of the Cloudahoy beta).
This screenshot is a landing into MIA.
Naked
Yep, I run the Mini naked. Well, I use an Apple Smart Cover. I like its utility for watching movies and reading. That's right, reading. Perfectly fine on the Mini. Sure it will have retina one day but if it impacts battery life negatively then I'm staying with the original until resolved.
I understand about protecting the Mini. But I don't want to ruin the thinness hehe. What I have done is put some strips of gaffer tape on the back. Maintains the Mini's svelte nature while providing separation from the surface it's resting on. Also, being gaffer tape instead of duct tape, it provides some grip and having a rubber based adhesive, instead of a glue base, it leaves no residue.
Verdict
Yep, I love it. It's a near replacement for a laptop. It's what I took to New York for a week and I didn't lack for utility. The Remote Desktop apps work just fine. Web surfing is fine.
It's all good
A 3 month review
Model: MD541LL, 32gb black slate cellular (Verizon)
Question: Do I love it?
Answer: YES
How's that? Well ......... I suppose sommmmme background is in order. I'd always loved the idea of having just a small laptop screen with a GPS built in upon which I could load maps and aviation charts and even nautical charts.
And finally Apple came out with the iPad (1) and I quickly picked one up ...... and quickly sent it back. See I had gotten the wifi-only version which I discovered doesn't have the GPS chip in it. Too quick on the draw lol.
So the cellular version made it's way home with me. But a little extra play with it this time revealed that it was too large, too heavy and too pixelated to really meet my needs and desires. Sold it.
The concept was great, smooth OS and attention to detail in the hardware.
Then Retina. I thought maybe the 3 might make the difference. Nope. Still had that large, heavy, unwieldy feeling.
Returned it.
Three weeks later, Oct 23, 2012
iPad Mini announced! I knew immediately that it would be perfect overall. Same resolution as the iPad 1 but in a smaller screen would mean tighter pixel density and it really is just fine.
What I didn't expect is how much easier it is to type on it, horizontal or vertical and even better still after discovering the split keyboard function lol (fingers on the H and J and separate. But before letting go you can slide the split keyboard up/down).
Another surprise was the thinness. That wasn't a requirement but it has turned out perfect.
The rounded edges, the lightness, the attention to design details and to sweeten the pot, incredible battery life, 10-12 hrs for me ...... it all adds up to a top notch package.
A little more on battery life; web surfing, some games, some video, but mostly content creation! Yep, creation.
Content Creation
This review for example, written entirely on this Mini using Pages for iOS (then copypasta into this forum). No external keyboard.
iMovie for iOS and iPhoto for iOS, well worth the price for each.
The camera connection kit adapters, both the USB adapter and SD adapter, have made it into my bag. Easy, breezy, beautiful import of video and RAW pics. I've brought in 1080p30 video from GoPro, Canon 7D and 1DX and 720p24 from a Nikon P7000 as well as RAW photo files from each of those cameras.
iMovie video: http://youtu.be/yVVx4SsW9G0
Shot entirely on GoPro, imported direct to ipad, edited in iMovie and uploaded to YouTube. Just to say that I did it that way lol.
iPhoto screenshot:
Even GarageBand is in here too! Still learning some music technique and theory.
Aviation Use
Sure, not something everyone uses it for but the Mini is soooooo much better for this vs. the regular iPad.
So far I've only tried it on a kneeboard (there are yoke mounts, suction mounts, etc). I didn't like any of the commercial kneeboards so I made my own concoction out of a basic kneeboard I had.
Onscreen there is Foreflight. It makes for proper flight planning, weather checks, terminal diagrams and of course keep track of yourself while in the air.
Another extremely useful app is Cloudahoy and once again that internal gps chip comes in handy. This app will run in the background and it keeps track of your flight path, altitude, speed, etc. With the companion website you can later review it in 3 dimensions using Google Earth (it can also be done on iPad if you're part of the Cloudahoy beta).
This screenshot is a landing into MIA.
Naked
Yep, I run the Mini naked. Well, I use an Apple Smart Cover. I like its utility for watching movies and reading. That's right, reading. Perfectly fine on the Mini. Sure it will have retina one day but if it impacts battery life negatively then I'm staying with the original until resolved.
I understand about protecting the Mini. But I don't want to ruin the thinness hehe. What I have done is put some strips of gaffer tape on the back. Maintains the Mini's svelte nature while providing separation from the surface it's resting on. Also, being gaffer tape instead of duct tape, it provides some grip and having a rubber based adhesive, instead of a glue base, it leaves no residue.
Verdict
Yep, I love it. It's a near replacement for a laptop. It's what I took to New York for a week and I didn't lack for utility. The Remote Desktop apps work just fine. Web surfing is fine.
It's all good