All iPads Any way to experience iPad mini display size on a full size iPad?

[ozaz]

I'm thinking of downsizing to an iPad mini.

To help me decide whether or not do so, I was wondering if there was any way to get a feel for the iPad mini screen size using my regular iPad?

For example, I was wondering if there was any app that shrunk content down to the size as the mini screen, from which I could try out reading the web, reading some PDFs, watching some videos etc?

Or perhaps there is some other way?

Of course, I could just try a mini in an Apple store, but really I'd like to experience the smaller display size over a longer period before deciding whether or not to downsize.

 

[Shawnxie920]

There is nothing better about IPad mini than normal ipad except for better portability. No need to downsize unless you are a traveller. It's much more comfortable to view contents from a bigger screen.

 

[Baklava]

If your device is jailbroken you could buy and install a tweak called OS Experience via Cydia and minimise a window to the size of an iPad mini screen (which is a fantastic tweak btw). This is the only way I know of experiencing both screen sizes.

IMO the difference is huge. But because of portability I decided to go with the mini.

 

[Night Spring]

Take a screenshot on the full size iPad, then rotate it and view it the other way. That is, if you took the screenshot in landscape, view it in portrait, and if you took it in portrait, view it in landscape. That approximates the size of the mini.

 

[ron7624]

Take a screenshot on the full size iPad, then rotate it and view it the other way. That is, if you took the screenshot in landscape, view it in portrait, and if you took it in portrait, view it in landscape. That approximates the size of the mini.

Pretty cool idea. I've got both and that kinda pretty much does it.

 

[ozaz]

There is nothing better about IPad mini than normal ipad except for better portability. No need to downsize unless you are a traveller. It's much more comfortable to view contents from a bigger screen.

I often travel with my laptop, so I'm thinking that if I had a mini rather than full size ipad, I'd be more inclined to bring it along as well.

If your device is jailbroken you could buy and install a tweak called OS Experience via Cydia and minimise a window to the size of an iPad mini screen (which is a fantastic tweak btw). This is the only way I know of experiencing both screen sizes.

IMO the difference is huge. But because of portability I decided to go with the mini.

Thanks for the tip. I'm not into jailbreaking, but I might give it a go.

Take a screenshot on the full size iPad, then rotate it and view it the other way. That is, if you took the screenshot in landscape, view it in portrait, and if you took it in portrait, view it in landscape. That approximates the size of the mini.

Thanks, that does seem to give a decent approximation.

It produces an image that is 148 x 110 mm (184.4 mm / 7.26" diagonal)

I've calculated the dimensions of an iPad mini display (from the 7.9" diagonal and 4:3 ratio) to be 161 x 120 mm, so about 10 mm longer along each side. Is that correct?

Following your portrait/landscape trickery, I notice that if I view a video on the full size iPad in portrait mode, I can get a feel for watching video with a height of 82 mm. What is the height of letterboxed video content (i.e. prior to double tapping to fill the screen) on the iPad mini when viewed in landscape? By my calculation it should be about 90 mm.

Thanks