Hands-On With Apple's New iPad Air 3 and iPad Mini 5

[AutomaticApple]

Can't see it on the Space Gray model with black bezels.

Unless you take out a microscope. The horror!

 

[RicD]

Ahhh…. got it. So that's why the Apple Pencil 2 could not work with the iPad Mini 5. I totally forgot that the Pencil 2 is recharged by some magical magnetic pairing with the (higher end) iPads.

Not that it's a game breaker for me, since I don't think that I'm the target audience for a tablet stylus (although it's a nice option to have should I ever need to use one). Tablet styli are popularly used for 2 things: 1) graphic designers/drawing artists, and 2) businesses/corporations that require customers to sign TONS of digital signatures (I've seen iPads used for this). I am not going to use my iPad Mini for either 1 or 2.
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I've witnessed LOTS of old people (with poor eyesight) damage their Samsung/Android micro-USB cables or ports because they've tried to force the micro-USB connection the wrong way. Old people do things like that…. such as my 65+ year old aunts and parents. They think that it if they jam it in hard enough, it will go into the port. The stupidity of the USB connectors are that it's not a symmetrical design. Lightning connectors/cables… there is no right-side up or down-side down to think about…. it's a clever intuitive design that is classic Apple thinking.

The USB-C connector is a step in the Apple right direction.

Watch it with using old folks comments, keep in your mind the only reason one becomes old is through “luck of the draw”. Regardless of ones present age we are all a heartbeat away from the eternal dirt-nap becoming room temperature. Your example about issues with the USB plug fits from young through all ages. Often I have seen grammar school kids, high school kids, office workers (age did not matter they had issues with the plug), highly educated folks, all having issues with USB type plugs. Oh, I watched as a youngster attempted to put a USBC into a lighting port; I smiled. Regarding USB type plus I know what I am doing, we all have our day, and sometimes they get the best of me. Example, the other day it would not go in, well D’uh flip it over, well I flipped it 360° not 180°. Yes, I am an official OLD-FART and proud being one. One final comment about age, there is a YouTube video showing an attractive blond (20-ish) at a gas station not able to figure how to fill up her car. WAIT FOR IT...it is a Tesla, BADA-BOOM.

 

[haruhiko]

It might be faster if you use (optional buy) the compatible Apple 18-W USB-C charger with the USB-to-Lightning cable. Apple's website states that BOTH are compatible with the iPad Mini 5 (2019).

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Can you point to somewhere that makes the distinction?

Compatible, but does it fast charge?
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Can't wait for my Mini, although I have to wait another week. Oh well.

I caught in-store pickup stock last Friday after checking the availability every 30 minutes for 2 days. I didn't even place an online order. This strategy played out well.

 

[Solomani]

Compatible, but does it fast charge?

According to post 126, one of the posters on this thread who already has the new Mini, yes it does. Post 126.

#126

 

[scgf]

I don’t get the lightning hate. I think it’s a superior port design to USB-C. But what do I know. I have hundreds of lightning cables so I’m ok with it sticking around. I doubt I’m alone on this.

It seems to be an agenda pushed by tech journalists. Who cares what particular plug is at the end of a cable? Most of us have a plethora of devices requiring a PSU with all manner of different plugs at the device end of the cable. I never hear anyone moaning about that. A big chill pill is prescribed. Guaranteed to work.

 

[solarmon]

The physical-click Home button is what baffles me. I wonder if they are recycling these components from older devices? I'd be surprised, since this clickable button does tend to wear out. The haptic Home button was a smart upgrade, so it's confusing why Apple didn't standardize on that. Maybe the haptic feedback is not as effective on a tablet vs a phone?

This is my 3rd mini! Never had a problem with the home button wearing out.

Absolutely love the pencil. My only complaint about the iPad (beginning with the 2 I had) is how much of a smeary mess the screen can be. Not anymore! The pencil works great, and I haven’t had to clean the screen since taking it out of the box and pairing it with the pencil.

Does anyone know if the pencil will work if I put a glass protector on the screen? Thanks in advance.

 

[Abazigal]

It seems to be an agenda pushed by tech journalists. Who cares what particular plug is at the end of a cable? Most of us have a plethora of devices requiring a PSU with all manner of different plugs at the device end of the cable. I never hear anyone moaning about that. A big chill pill is prescribed. Guaranteed to work.

I think there is value in desiring that your devices all work with a single standard, but I do agree that the issues seem to have largely overblown.

For example, my iPad Pro and my work-issued windows laptop charge via USB-C, while my iPhone 8+ charges via lightning. It does mean I now bring around an additional usb-c to lightning cable with me (which I use to charge my iPhone via my iPad), but otherwise, nothing has changed. I don't do presentations from my iPhone, so I no longer need my lightning to vga adaptor, and my laptop and iPad now share the same peripherals.

So it might mean needing one extra cable here or there, but that's pretty much it. Not really a world-ending repercussion when you think about it.

 

[Arran]

The physical-click Home button is what baffles me. I wonder if they are recycling these components from older devices? I'd be surprised, since this clickable button does tend to wear out. The haptic Home button was a smart upgrade, so it's confusing why Apple didn't standardize on that. Maybe the haptic feedback is not as effective on a tablet vs a phone?

I own an iPhone X and a 12.9” iPad Pro (version 1)

When I bought the buttonless phone (over a year ago) I also stopped clicking on the iPad’s home button. Swipe up from the bottom is just so much easier/faster. And consistent across devices.

I no longer worry about the iPad’s home button wearing out because I simply don’t click it anymore.

 

[tedstoutpa59]

Watch it with using old folks comments, keep in your mind the only reason one becomes old is through “luck of the draw”. Regardless of ones present age we are all a heartbeat away from the eternal dirt-nap becoming room temperature. Your example about issues with the USB plug fits from young through all ages. Often I have seen grammar school kids, high school kids, office workers (age did not matter they had issues with the plug), highly educated folks, all having issues with USB type plugs. Oh, I watched as a youngster attempted to put a USBC into a lighting port; I smiled. Regarding USB type plus I know what I am doing, we all have our day, and sometimes they get the best of me. Example, the other day it would not go in, well D’uh flip it over, well I flipped it 360° not 180°. Yes, I am an official OLD-FART and proud being one. One final comment about age, there is a YouTube video showing an attractive blond (20-ish) at a gas station not able to figure how to fill up her car. WAIT FOR IT...it is a Tesla, BADA-BOOM.