iPad mini Apple is Brilliant

[mikef07]

I keep reading all these complaints about the mini and its specs, but in my opinion Apple is getting exactly what they want.

1) I have an original ipad and am going to upgrade. I was going to go with a mini except that it has no A6 and no retina display. Unlike most here I am Ok that the mini does not have that. Not Ok that I will buy it, but OK that they chose to go that route. Having said that though I will get the newest full size iPad. So instead of me spending $600 or so with Apple I will spend $829.

2) The mini as it stands is the perfect solution for someone like my kids or my wife. My wife wants something she can fit in her purse. Check. She wants something that uses all of the apps we currently own. Check. She wants something that maximizes screen space where apps and web pages can be viewed with the greatest use of space. Check. The mini is perfect for her. She (or the kids) doesn't care about retina display or whether it is an A4, A5, A6, or A2000 chip. She and the kids just want the apps to work and to be able to facetime, email, facebook, and play games. This does every one of those things.

3) Comparing it to the Nexus -

A) Already have all the apps from Apple so it isn't $199 for a Nexus. it is $199 for a Nexus plus the cost of about 20 or 30 games and about 10 apps or so.

B) Learning curve is 0. Already uses an original ipad so adopting this literally takes nothing new to learn.

C) Uses facetime. I am sure that there are other apps for the android that do the same thing, but every person she talks to that has facetime obviously uses Facetime.

D) Screen is XX% smaller. If cheaper is cheaper then smaller is smaller.

E) Weight. It is bigger (screen) and it is smaller (weight)

4) Sure $299 is better than $329, but $30 isn't the end of the world for us so the price is a non issue.

 

[Blackberryroid]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

 

[GoCubsGo]

In other words, Apple is not willing to cannibalize their lineup, this isn't news and people don't seem to understand that.

 

[mikef07]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

Size and weight. Cost is a non issue. Bugged? Not really. More like ideal.


Spec for spec if everything was the same except size and weight, even if the price were the same for a full size one we would still opt for the mini.

Size and weight are the two most important specs for my wife and kids.

I think many of you are going to be shocked by how many women you see over the next year carrying these in their purse.

ETA: DOn't care if Apple releases the Ipad 5 in a month. As long as the ipad 4 does what I expected it to the day I bought it what comes out after that and when is irrelevant.

 

[mwulf67]

2) The mini as it stands is the perfect solution for someone like my kids or my wife. My wife wants something she can fit in her purse. Check. She wants something that uses all of the apps we currently own. Check. She wants something that maximizes screen space where apps and web pages can be viewed with the greatest use of space. Check. The mini is perfect for her. She (or the kids) doesn't care about retina display or whether it is an A4, A5, A6, or A2000 chip. She and the kids just want the apps to work and to be able to facetime, email, facebook, and play games. This does every one of those things.

3) Comparing it to the Nexus -

A) Already have all the apps from Apple so it isn't $199 for a Nexus. it is $199 for a Nexus plus the cost of about 20 or 30 games and about 10 apps or so.

B) Learning curve is 0. Already uses an original ipad so adopting this literally takes nothing new to learn.

C) Uses facetime. I am sure that there are other apps for the android that do the same thing, but every person she talks to that has facetime obviously uses Facetime.

D) Screen is XX% smaller. If cheaper is cheaper then smaller is smaller.

E) Weight. It is bigger (screen) and it is smaller (weight)

4) Sure $299 is better than $329, but $30 isn't the end of the world for us so the price is a non issue.

Are you planning to actually buy a Mini for your wife or more importantly your kids? I looking to buy a 7" tablet for each of my kids this Christmas...I gotta say, I am having a hard time justifying the $329 cost...my kids, probably like most kids their age (9-11), just want to be able to play a few (mostly free) games, to be able to watch a few movies (Netflix mostly) and maybe do some web browsing, email and texting...the Nexus 7 for $199 seem like all I require to meet those needs...

 

[AJAAY]

They are brilliant.

The mini is a niche market and they wanted to capitalize on it. But they also don't want to harm their regular iPad sales.

So you have what we have now. A smaller cheaper less spec iPad, but not too cheap as that too will harm regular iPad sales.

 

[mikef07]

Are you planning to actually buy a Mini for your wife or more importantly your kids? I looking to buy a 7" tablet for each of my kids this Christmas...I gotta say, I am having a hard time justifying the $329 cost...my kids, probably like most kids their age (9-11), just want to be able to play a few (mostly free) games, to be able to watch a few movies (Netflix mostly) and maybe do some web browsing, email and texting...the Nexus 7 for $199 seem like all I require to meet those needs...

I am. My ipad will be passed down to the oldest and my wife and middle child (while wife is driving) will use the ipad mini. The problem with the Nexus is that you now have to buy apps and games twice if you want it on both platforms. Most people are not willing to do that. FIFA soccer for example runs around $10. Do I really want to buy it twice? Nope. I can name tons of games that are not free that they play:

Minecraft
Wheres my water
Wheres my Perry
Plants vs zombies
etc.

 

[Satnam1989]

I'm totally with the guy who created the thread....I usually buy my apps/games when they are on sale for as little as $0.99-$2.99....I own over 500 apps that are regularly updated (well over 50% of them at least)...sure I didnt buy them all in one day or year...its been almost 4 years since I been buying apps but the fact they are still useful to me and all my devices....nothing beats that...not having to pay for so many games and apps is amazing....moving to/from android = waste of money over time....where as in sticking with apple = money well spent. Even if you buy apps on android...not all of them work on all their devices (they suffer from scaling, hardware specific etc)

 

[mwulf67]

I am. My ipad will be passed down to the oldest and my wife and middle child (while wife is driving) will use the ipad mini. The problem with the Nexus is that you now have to buy apps and games twice if you want it on both platforms. Most people are not willing to do that. FIFA soccer for example runs around $10. Do I really want to buy it twice? Nope. I can name tons of games that are not free that they play:

Minecraft
Wheres my water
Wheres my Perry
Plants vs zombies
etc.

So, between two kids and a wife you are buying one Ipad Mini...not criticizing or making fun of your buying/hand-me down strategy...it all sound very reasonable under the circumstances...

However, those are not my circumstances... I am not looking to hand down my iPad 2 to upgrade to the 4...nor is my wife...we both have one...no, what I am looking to buy two 7" tablets straight up for my two kids...

I understand that not all games are free...and I am sure my kids will want to re-buy a couple like Minecraft...but games come and go...most tablet/iphone/ipod games are light and rather disposable...even if you buy one, you play it for a while and then move on to something else...most games are only a few bucks, if not 99 cents, for that very reason...so, even if re-buying is an issue to start with, it won't be after a few weeks/months...

So, I can either buy two N7s for $400...or two iPad Minis for $658...that's a $258 cost difference...how many games do you think I can re-buy before I care?

Once again, I am not criticizing anyone for buying a iPad Mini...I just don't see the value in it for me and for what I am trying to accomplish...

 

[mikef07]

So, between two kids and a wife you are buying one Ipad Mini...not criticizing or making fun of your buying/hand-me down strategy...it all sound very reasonable under the circumstances...

However, those are not my circumstances... I am not looking to hand down my iPad 2 to upgrade to the 4...nor is my wife...we both have one...no, what I am looking to buy two 7" tablets straight up for my two kids...

I understand that not all games are free...and I am sure my kids will want to re-buy a couple like Minecraft...but games come and go...most tablet/iphone/ipod games are light and rather disposable...even if you buy one, you play it for a while and then move on to something else...most games are only a few bucks, if not 99 cents, for that very reason...so, even if re-buying is an issue to start with, it won't be after a few weeks/months...

So, I can either buy two N7s for $400...or two iPad Minis for $658...that's a $258 cost difference...how many games do you think I can re-buy before I care?

Once again, I am not criticizing anyone for buying a iPad Mini...I just don't see the value in it for me and for what I am trying to accomplish...

Hey that is fair, but understand for us we also have me and my wife. With 3 ipads total and 4 probably not too far behind we want to buy one platform. The Apple platform works for us.

SHould you go the two route and you want to add to it you either have to buy another Nexus or you are going to buy software for both or you are going to end up not having the same software on each machine.

It is nice that my wife can pick up any ipad in our house and have access to her email, favorite websites, banking apps, games, facebook, etc.

If she doesn't have her ipad, but the kids have theirs then she can check anything she wants. If the kids forget their ipad or the battery is dead so it is at home charging she can hand over hers with the same games on it.

Not to mention all of our iphones also have the same software. So 3 phones (kids have one of the phones with no service) and 3 (soon probably 4) ipads we can buy a game once and we are assured it works on all of them

If I was starting out at no ipad, no iPhone, etc., then I probably would look at it a little differently.

Finally I can tell you once your kids get a tablet they are going to want to play games head to head with their friends who have tablets. My guess is that their friends are going to be using ipad, ipad minis, or parents ipad.

Just something to think about.

 

[VFC]

...... The problem with the Nexus is that you now have to buy apps and games twice if you want it on both platforms. Most people are not willing to do that. FIFA soccer for example runs around $10. Do I really want to buy it twice? Nope. I can name tons of games that are not free that they play:
........

I purchased FIFA 2012 for my Nexus 7 for $.25, Night Sky $.99, Asphalt 7 $.25, Dead Trigger $.99, Zen Pinball $.99, Bridge Constructor $1.99, Frontline Commando $.99, RipTide $.99, etc.

It cost me nothing to install my favorite iPad 3 apps on my N7; I used the $25 Google Play credit that came with the N7 and took advantage of the many app sales.

Apple charges significantly more for the same apps.

 

[mikef07]

I purchased FIFA 2012 for my Nexus 7 for $.25. Night Sky $.99, Asphalt 7 $.25, Dead Trigger $.99, Zen Pinball $.99, Bridge Constructor $1.99, Frontline Commando $.99, RipTide $.99, etc.

It cost me nothing to install my favorite iPad 3 apps on my N7; I used the $25 Google Play credit that came with the N7 and took advantage of the many app sales.

That is great. The apps YOU need are there. If those apps were everything that we needed that would make sense. How about minecraft, FIFA 13, Madden 13, Wheres my water, Wheres my perry, real racing 2, angry birds, etc?

What about word, pages, numbers, excel, etc?

As someone pointed out many people have 50+ apps that they have paid for. I won't pretend that anybody has the same needs as I do, but it was well played by Apple. We are in their ecosystem and here to stay and the ipad mini provides us with exactly what we need as does the new ipad 4. Some people might use all free apps or 25 cent apps all day long. If that is the case and the Nexus fits their needs then it makes sense to go with that.

Then for us every single time a game comes out that we agree to get for the kids we have to buy it twice and hope that it is available on the nexus (FIFA 13 for example). Not worth it TO ME.

 

[TreyCox]

I'll say it again. I'll take extremely light over Retina display any day. That's just me. It's just a little over half a pound. That's spectacular.

 

[VFC]

That is great. The apps YOU need are there. If those apps were everything that we needed that would make sense. How about minecraft, FIFA 13, Madden 13, Wheres my water, Wheres my perry, real racing 2, angry birds, etc?

What about word, pages, numbers, excel, etc?

I didn't check for those but I did purchase Office Suite Pro for $.25

 

[Poochi]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

I love the size, but I hate the weight when using it for a long time.

Hopefully next iPad (5th generation) is lighter.

iPad 2 was good with its thinner and lighter profile, but I can't stand reading on an iPad without retina.

 

[roland.g]

My wife mentioned that we need another iPad for the kids and for us since we both use it a bit. I said the mini was coming. She said why have something smaller, but I'm sure once we see it we will either:

A) get a mini

Or

B) pass the iPad2 down and get a retina.

If we go with A, at some point I would sell our 2 and get a retina. But I might wait to see if a new one comes out in the spring/early summer.

 

[vanz]

Kids these days. You get them a nexus, they'll be happy at first, but when they go to school and get ridiculed by the other kids that have higher priced tablets like the ipad mini, they'll go home and beg for the ipad mini.

May as well avoid all that and just go for the ipad mini.

 

[mwulf67]

Hey that is fair, but understand for us we also have me and my wife. With 3 ipads total and 4 probably not too far behind we want to buy one platform. The Apple platform works for us.

SHould you go the two route and you want to add to it you either have to buy another Nexus or you are going to buy software for both or you are going to end up not having the same software on each machine.

It is nice that my wife can pick up any ipad in our house and have access to her email, favorite websites, banking apps, games, facebook, etc.

If she doesn't have her ipad, but the kids have theirs then she can check anything she wants. If the kids forget their ipad or the battery is dead so it is at home charging she can hand over hers with the same games on it.

Not to mention all of our iphones also have the same software. So 3 phones (kids have one of the phones with no service) and 3 (soon probably 4) ipads we can buy a game once and we are assured it works on all of them

If I was starting out at no ipad, no iPhone, etc., then I probably would look at it a little differently.

Finally I can tell you once your kids get a tablet they are going to want to play games head to head with their friends who have tablets. My guess is that their friends are going to be using ipad, ipad minis, or parents ipad.

Just something to think about.

Thanks, all true..and I am/we're not starting out from scratch...we have 2 iPads, 2 iphones, 2 iPod Touchs, and a handful of other Apple devices...I do understand and appreciate the Apple ecosystem...all things being equal, I would love to keep everything inside it...unfortunately, the way Apple priced the Mini, things aren't equal...prior to yesterday's announcement, I was expecting and willing to spend a little more to keep everything in same ecosystem...I am just not willing to pay $258 more...

I don't view this probable purchase (two N7s) as some overreaching permanent IT solution that has to integrate seamlessly with what I current have with regard to my other Apple devices....we have other entertainment devices outside of the Apple ecosystem in our household - PS3, Wii, PCs, DSs..at the end of the day, adding one more doesn't seem like that big of a deal...especially if the price is right...

 

[SeanR1]

I am. My ipad will be passed down to the oldest and my wife and middle child (while wife is driving) will use the ipad mini. The problem with the Nexus is that you now have to buy apps and games twice if you want it on both platforms. Most people are not willing to do that. FIFA soccer for example runs around $10. Do I really want to buy it twice? Nope. I can name tons of games that are not free that they play:

Minecraft
Wheres my water
Wheres my Perry
Plants vs zombies
etc.

So, spend $129 to save $10-$20 on some apps? Really? I can understand not liking Android, but to use this excuse doesn't make sense.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

I cannot disagree more with your former point. Many people find the ~7" form factor much more comfortable to use. I't more comfortable for kids because it's smaller for their hands and lighter so that there's less chance to drop it due to fatigue. For women, it easily fits in their handbags and, again, it's lighter.

As for people that already own an iPad, yes, unless the weight/size is a serious problem, I don't see people ditching them for the mini.

 

[brig2221]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

I HIGHLY disagree with your presumptive statement. I have had an iPad 2 since it came out, and although I love it, I definitely want something with a smaller form factor, and most definitely something that is lighter and easier to hold.

I think 7.9" is PERFECT, given that it still retains enough size to be useable as a "tablet", but small enough and light enough that it can easily be held with one hand.

I use my iPad predominantly in bed, on the couch, etc, and I find using the larger iPad cumbersome at times given it's size and weight.

Now I know my opinion certainly won't rank as majority, but don't kid yourself and think that there aren't A LOT of other people out there like me that aren't power users and don't need an A6 chip or a Retina display. The smaller form factor and huge reduction in weight is perfect for me. Now, would I take a Retina screen, absolutely, but by no means is it a deal breaker at this point. The positives definitely outweight any negatives at this point for me.

 

[Nighttracker]

The only reason that the iPad mini exists is because of the price. There is absolutely no need for the iPad mini. It's a completely useless device.

For people with an iPad, why would you even think of getting the iPad mini?

It's just made for people who wants an iPad, but can't afford one. Or it's just for people who really are bugged by the size of the original iPad, which I highly doubt that.

Agree 100%
Well said.

 

[Stuntman06]

For those people already using iOS devices, changing to a Nexus 7 is going to take some effort and money. The same could be said for people going from a Nexus 7 to an iPad Mini.

For someone new to mobile devices, the iPad Mini and N7 are more even. N7 has the advantage of price for both the device and some apps. There are differences in size and it depends if you want something slightly bigger or slightly more compact. The N7 has a higher pixel density while the iPM has more tablet optimised apps. As for differences in OS, that depends on your personal preference.

 

[mantan]

There should be a parenthetical "(for me)" at the end of every subject post regarding the mini rather the declarative statements that imply what's good for each OP is how everyone should feel.

It's going to be a very different value proposition for every customer. For some the iPad Mini makes sense. For others it doesn't.

It doesn't make anybody a sheep, a fanboi, cheap, unrealistic or whatever names both sides like to throw if they go the other way.

 

[mikef07]

So, spend $129 to save $10-$20 on some apps? Really? I can understand not liking Android, but to use this excuse doesn't make sense.

Yes. Spend $129 for a larger screen and that I don't have to spend $100 or so on Apps right off the bat + an unknown amount of $ into the future every time we buy an app (for example FIFA 13 - $7 x 1 time instead of 2).

We probably spend $10 or so per month on apps and/or games so that saves $120 per year give or take.

Oh and all of the other things written above such as Facetime which the kids do with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.