iPad mini I just returned my Mini and here is why

[Hello...]

Love my Mini!#

 

[Jeans89]

Look, I get it, some people want a retina display and there's a really simple answer to that: wait. Don't buy this one, wait until it has it. It's absolutely fine not to want the Mini because it doesn't have a retina panel. But to whinge about 'Apple could have done it but they just wanted to hold it back' is ridiculous.

Couldn't agree more. And I am one of those who are waiting, but I don't mind that many are happy with the first gen. mini. I just hope that Retina will come no later than to the 2nd gen. mini.

 

[siritalks]

****ing hell, the OP is hilarious. It's almost as if he thinks the Mini is just a cheap toy.

Although I agree the screen could be better (it's not bad by any means), the whole piece of kit is a high end device still, and one that is proving to be very popular.

I've owned an iPad 1, 3 and now this mini, and this is by far my favourite. LOVE IT!

 

[BaldiMac]

So than maybe the Mini shouldn't have been released in its current form in the first place?

As far as I can see, The Apple of the last decade wasn't built on the mantra of "rush it and get that crap out the door, who cares about usability because the holiday season is coming up!". But yes, it seems that is the new mantra, and that's exactly what has been signalled to shareholders.

There's nothing rushed about the iPad mini. This idea the the smaller, cheaper version of Apple products has always contained the same technology as the more expensive version is just FUD. Look at the iPod. Look at the iPhone. Look at the Mac.

Again, the iPad mini is a smaller, thinner, lighter version of the iPad 2 with a better screen, better cameras, better speakers, better wireless, siri and a lightening connector. The iPad 2 that was the top of the line iPad just 7 months before the iPad mini release. For $170 less than the iPad 2 was just 7 month before. And $70 less than it sells for now.

 

[kappaknight]

You can't view forums like macrumors or any news site with a busy layout in portrait mode without constantly panning in.

You could on the iPad 1,2 (even at the same resolution) and the iphones load-up the mobile versions. The Mini is the odd one out, and it's because they crammed an OS designed for 10", into a 7.9" screen, without bothering to optimize it for the smaller screen (including the way font renders).

That there is just one example that has nothing to do with following "spec trends" and more to do with usability issues and a rushed product for the holiday season.

Have you tried landscape mode? Different devices have different usage patterns. Yes, the mini may not allow you to view it without zoom, but that's why they gave you the ability to zoom. For others that don't need it, life goes on. Complaining about this is like complaining about not being able to see an 80" HDTV clearly sitting 6 inches from it. "I CAN SEE THE PIXELS ZOMG!!!!"

Yes, I get all that. But there is no need to place an "iPad 4 in an iPad Mini shell". There are screens out there that can deliver much more crisper text (not fuzzy like the mini does) at lower resolutions than 2048 x 1536. That said, I do admit that changing the resolution would have caused no apps to available for the mini. I get that too. And that is probably the #1 reason the mini does not have a better resolution.

So basically what you're saying is you want a marginally better screen and no apps, or that you want a better screen so you can see scaled up phone apps better? Well, congratulations, I do believe there's a whole set of options in the market for people with your taste. For me, I'd rather use good apps on a great product than see crappy apps more clearly.

A mini with a retina screen the same as the iphone 5 (glass wise) would be a definite buy for me

Yes, me too. That day will come hopefully. As an early adopter, I still picked up this first version after checking it out in person. Like all Apple products, I'm sure I won't have an issue finding someone who will gladly buy this from me when I'm ready to upgrade.

I like to think that Steve would have gotten a good laugh over just how many people 'know what Steve would or would not have done'. Basically just the grown up equivalent of a spoiled little child pouting 'But daddy would let me...'

Seriously... if everyone thought like Steve, then he wouldn't be special. Personally, I thought by getting cancer, he could have revolutionized the medical industry. Had he gone to treatment and saw how mediocre or bad some of the processes were, maybe iPads would be a much bigger tool in the medical field right now. Or maybe he could have moved it forward like what he did for animated movies. In the end, what Steve DID do was totally not what I thought he would do...

 

[BaldiMac]

You can't view forums like macrumors or any news site with a busy layout in portrait mode without constantly panning in.

Of course, that's not true. But even theoretically, what's wrong with zooming? It's different than a full iPad. That's not really shocking.

You could on the iPad 1,2 (even at the same resolution) and the iphones load-up the mobile versions. The Mini is the odd one out, and it's because they crammed an OS designed for 10", into a 7.9" screen, without bothering to optimize it for the smaller screen (including the way font renders).

Shouldn't that be up to the website designer? I don't think Apple should be modifying websites by default.

Of course the technology is available now. It is in the iPhone, iPad 3, iPad 4. Just a matter of scaling. The Mini is already priced for retina, and it would have been slightly thicker, about 3 more ounces, and profitable. Forget it. People are making excuses and justifying, but just watch how they will rush to buy the retina version.

So, you just made up numbers and declared them inconsequential. That's an airtight argument.

 

[MrXiro]

Yes, that is what you must do.
This iPad Mini commercial spoof sums this whole thread up:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=kYmQUiIykxM

The crying of an infant sums up this thread perfectly. If you don't like it, don't buy it. What's with the same 10 people posting about how they hate it for 10 days straight?

 

[AppleRobert]

No. Apple told me it doesn't need retina. It would have been nice, but apple told me that the $329 price is correct and well priced even without retina.

What am I supposed to do? Just not buy it and wait for the retina version?

That's crazy talk, I have to buy the flawed and over-priced one apple selling me now, and then I will buy the retina one again in 7 months. Your just an Apple hater for not supporting the company.

I guess most would have to agree with the price as they bought it, it was sold out and not easy to obtain a 16gb.

Put this device out in android land though and it wouldn't sell, I guarantee it. That is how strong the apple ecosystem allure is with an even more portable device as well.

 

[syd430]

Have you tried landscape mode? Different devices have different usage patterns. Yes, the mini may not allow you to view it without zoom, but that's why they gave you the ability to zoom. For others that don't need it, life goes on. Complaining about this is like complaining about not being able to see an 80" HDTV clearly sitting 6 inches from it. "I CAN SEE THE PIXELS ZOMG!!!!"

I'm not complaining about seeing pixels, I'm complaining about not being able to read at all without having to pan in. The main pages of websites like bloomberg.com are unreadable in potrait mode. It's just one of many examples illustrating that the 1024x768 resolution wasn't properly optimised (font rendering) for the smaller form factor. Not sure what your TV anology has to do with anything.

Instead of addressing my points, you just ranted on about that I should be greatful that ios allows me to zoom in in the first place and that I just hold it in landscape mode. Sounds like you're just making excuses for the product to me.

Also, your post is probably the most hardcore fanboy post I've seen in years. You were obviously quite angry when you wrote it based on some parts of it, and it was verging on incoherent, but I thought I'd reply anyway when normally I wouldn't bother.

 

[BaldiMac]

I'm not complaining about seeing pixels, I'm complaining about not being able to read at all without having to pan in. The main pages of websites like bloomberg.com are unreadable in potrait mode. It's just one of many examples illustrating that the 1024x768 resolution wasn't properly optimised (font rendering) for the smaller form factor. Not sure what your TV anology has to do with anything.

Instead of addressing my points, you just ranted on about that I should be greatful that ios allows me to zoom in in the first place and that I just hold it in landscape mode. Sounds like you're just making excuses for the product to me.

It's just odd to rant over and over about a problem that has multiple supported solutions. Especially when your proposed solution is the worst of the bunch.

 

[MrXiro]

I'm not complaining about seeing pixels, I'm complaining about not being able to read at all without having to pan in. The main pages of websites like bloomberg.com are unreadable in potrait mode. It's just one of many examples illustrating that the 1024x768 resolution wasn't properly optimised (font rendering) for the smaller form factor. Not sure what your TV anology has to do with anything.

Instead of addressing my points, you just ranted on about that I should be greatful that ios allows me to zoom in in the first place and that I just hold it in landscape mode. Sounds like you're just making excuses for the product to me.

Also, your post is probably the most hardcore fanboy post I've seen in years. You were obviously quite angry when you wrote it based on some parts of it, and it was verging on incoherent, but I thought I'd reply anyway when normally I wouldn't bother.

Many of the sites I go to are unreadable on my iPhone 5's retina display. It has nothing to do with the PPI (for me) and everything to do with the size of the font that the iPad/iPod displays at. There really should be a font size optimizer on Safari so you can set standard font size as opposed to using a bookmarklet every time I go to a page that isn't well optimized for tablet use.

As for your own complaints about the previous poster.

He's right... it is why they added the ability to zoom in. It isn't the iPad's fault that your favorite website can't QC their website on a tablet.

And yes the website's fault... it's easier for the websites to QC their product on 1000 different tablets/browsers than a hardware company to QC on a billion websites.

The only "solution" on the hardware front would be to blow up text sizes natively.

 

[kas23]

I see you think your opinion is the right one. I have seen them. Their screens are OK but don't look better to me than the mini. More pixels but not better at all. Add in cheap bodies and poor OS and apps and the mini is way better in my opinion.

And nice backtracking there. You claimed that the technology exists for a retina display in a small tablet. Now it doesn't matter, anything to "prove" the mini is not good enough. Typical.

Show me exactly where I said a "retina" display is needed for the mini to have a better screen. Then ask yourself again if I backtracked.

----------

You're really not getting this. Yes, Apple could have put a 1280 x 800 screen in the mini (although that does depend on how much headroom the A5 has to drive a higher resolution screen at the same performance level as the 1024 x 768 panel it does now). But as you said that would kill app compatibility and that makes NO sense whatsoever. Does the tech for that solution exist? Yes, but (and this is the critical part) it's not a solution Apple would ever use because it would be stupid beyond belief!

Seriously, Apple have spent all this time and effort building up the App store, have around 250,000 iPad apps that'll work immediately on the Mini and... you want them to throw it away for a screen with minimal benefit to the end user just to satisfy the spec nerds? Oh, and as you're changing aspect ratios you'd also need to do an entirely new build of all the apps, it wouldn't be a case of scaling to fit. To put some figures on it the Nexus 7 has 216 PPI screen where the mini has 163PPI. But, of course, that's with a 7" screen in the Nexus which we know Apple doesnt like. If they kept the same diagonal 7.9" (for arguments sake) you'd be looking at 191PPI.

I'm just in disbelief that you'd think a minor improvement in PPI is worth throwing away everything that makes the iPad line special and fragmenting the lineup. The route they've chosen will almost certainly result in a retina display running at a higher PPI than the iPad 3 & 4 somewhere in the next two years with no disruption to the consumer whatsoever. To go with your suggestion they'd either have to dead-end the product when they made that transition or continue with two entirely different target platforms in the same product line thus wrecking the massive advantage they hold over the rest of the industry and starting over for a gain that the vast majority of the customer base won't give a damn about.

Oh, and Awakener, I did the maths (albeit crudely) up-thread, you're not looking at 3oz and a slight increase in thickness, more like double the weight and almost double the thickness. Again, that's NOT a product Apple is going to make and they're right not to. Small tablets live and die on the form factor first and foremost, putting out something like that really WOULD have been something "Steve would never do".

Look, I get it, some people want a retina display and there's a really simple answer to that: wait. Don't buy this one, wait until it has it. It's absolutely fine not to want the Mini because it doesn't have a retina panel. But to whinge about 'Apple could have done it but they just wanted to hold it back' is ridiculous. The numbers don't lie, you HAVE a point of reference in the iPad 3 and 4 for weight and power requirements and if you really think that Apple should have released a Mini (note: Mini) iPad that weighs more than 500g and is almost as thick as a Macbook Air I'd suggest you maybe don't have a great grasp on what Apple's market is...

Full disclosure: I have a mini coming for work use as the size and weight is absolutely key for me. I have no problem with the resolution whatsoever, though of course I would have preferred a retina panel. Will I upgrade when a retina product drops? I have no idea, depends what other improvements there are, how the current mini is performing, how much I like the form factor etc. But for me a retina screen is a nice feature to have, not an essential and the current Mini fits my requirements damn near perfectly.

All I was arguing is that better screens, ones with better resolutions do exist. And they were available for Apple at the time of the Mini's production. To say that this technology doesn't exist is very misleading. But, please, keep perseverating on the weight and thickness, which by the way, don't seem to be hindering the Fire and Nexus.

 

[syd430]

Many of the sites I go to are unreadable on my iPhone 5's retina display.

The iphone 5 generally loads mobile versions for most popular sites, including this website.

The mini on the other hand, runs the ipad version of ios, which was designed for a 9.7" screen not a 7.9" one. All these websites were previously legible on the original ipad and ipad 2, and iPhones load the mobile versions. The mini is the only odd one out that requires constant panning in.

Usability was an afterthought. Rushing this product out before the holiday season for the gullible masses took priority. Despite what people here say, this is a departure from Apple's strategy of the past 10 years.

People keep talking about it selling out. We all know it was going to sell out regardless of what it had in it, thanks to the momentum apple currently enjoys from its other ios products. If apple keeps releasing dud products like this however, people are eventually going to catch on and that momentum is going to reverse in the long run.

 

[rockyroad55]

Don't like it? Don't buy it. Each person has different needs.

This is seriously going to be my exact post for every one of these threads.

 

[BaldiMac]

The iphone 5 generally loads mobile versions for most popular sites, including this website.

The mini on the other hand, runs the ipad version of ios, which was designed for a 9.7" screen not a 7.9" one. All these websites were previously legible on the original ipad and ipad 2, and iPhones load the mobile versions. The mini is the only odd one out that requires constant panning in.

Usability was an afterthought. Rushing this product out before the holiday season for the gullible masses took priority. Despite what people here say, this is a departure from Apple's strategy of the past 10 years.

People keep talking about it selling out. We all know it was going to sell out regardless of what it had in it, thanks to the momentum apple currently enjoys from its other ios products. If apple keeps releasing dud products like this however, people are eventually going to catch on and that momentum is going to reverse in the long run.

Again, multiple solutions to your "problem". iPhone-optimized versions of websites didn't all magically appear the day the iPhone was released. Many websites still don't have a mobile version. If web developers want to push an iPad mini version of their website, they can. Most websites are actually legible with the iPad mini in portrait mode, including MacRumors.

In the meantime you can:

• Visit the mobile version
• Use landscape mode
• Tap to zoom
• Use the RSS feed

This isn't the travesty of usability that you are trying to push.

 

[AppleRobert]

Syd430,

Folks owning an iPad3 saw some selling or returning it for the Mini. If it was a dud, why?

Isn't it better than the first or second iPads? Isn't it a cheaper way to get into Apple's ecosystem for a first timer? The form factor is great. I don't own a great car, I do not need it nor other products I see more than I want to spend. The alternatives I bought are not duds.

 

[syd430]

He's right... it is why they added the ability to zoom in. It isn't the iPad's fault that your favorite website can't QC their website on a tablet.

You're not understanding what I'm saying. Read my post above (#101.)

Also, I wonder if anyone else is noticing a clear pattern here with these responses. I bring up technical short-comings about the device that no ios other devices have including even the original ipad released in 2010, and I get basically the same response for aspect I bring up: "they couldn't do this because it would bring the cost up" or "they couldn't do this because it would make it run too hot, thicker or heavier".

And the thing is - I agree with all the "but they couldn't" posts, so as I've said before, If it wasn't technically possible or financially feasible to produce this thing with a good enough user experience then:

Maybe it shouldn't have been made at all until it was ready.

That approach is how Apple revived itself and prospered in the last 10 years, however we're seeing a departure from that now under Cook. It's all about rushing something out before Christmas now. It might work this year, but consumers in the long run are not idiots, and they will eventually catch on.

 

[BaldiMac]

You're not understanding what I'm saying. Read my post above (#101.)

Also, I wonder if anyone else is noticing a clear pattern here with these responses. I bring up technical short -comings about the device that no ios other devices have including even the original ipad released in 2010, and I get basically the same response for aspect I bring up: "they couldn't do this because it would bring the cost up" or "they couldn't do this because it would make it run too hot, thicker or heavier".

And the think is - I agree with all the "but they couldn't" posts, so as I've said before. If it wasn't technically possible or financially feasible to produce this thing with a good enough user experience then:

Maybe it shouldn't have been made at all until it was ready.

That approach is how Apple revived itself and prospered in the last 10 years, however where seeing a departure from that now under Cook. It's all about rushing something out before Christmas now. It might work this year, but consumers in the long run are not idiots, and they will eventually catch on.

Or, you are ranting about a minor problem and ignoring the solution.

 

[syd430]

Or, you are ranting about a minor problem and ignoring the solution.

The fact that it can't properly display probably half of all websites, when no other ios device has this problem, sounds like a pretty big deal to me.

It was just one example of many however, I haven't even bothered yet to get into the part about all the screen elements being too small to touch. Not suprising however, when an OS designed for a 10" screen is crammed into a much smaller 7.9" screen.

How do you think the sizing of screen elements was determined for the 10" ipad? They were determined through R&D as to how big touch elements should be for an average hand. In the case of the mini, everything was just shrunken down arbitrarily. It was cheaper that way than to build a new OS with an optimised interface.

So that sounds like two big and very specific problems that I've brought up - poor font rendering everywhere (including the OS itself) and non-optimised toch elements in the OS. Not minor with any stretch of the imagination.

It's also funny how people keep suggesting in this thread and other threads to "just load the mobile site". If people are resorting to loading a mobile version just to gain some level of use ability on an ipad, then you can probably say that "they blew it".

 

[BaldiMac]

The fact that it can't properly display probably half of all websites, when no other ios device has this problem, sounds like a pretty big deal to me.

Except you just made that up!

It was just one example of many however, I haven't even bothered yet to get into the part about all the screen elements being too small to touch. Not suprising however, when an OS designed for a 10" screen is crammed into a much smaller 7.9" screen.

Again, an uninformed rant. Touch elements on an iPad should be the same 44 pixels as on an non-retina iPhone. Since the iPad mini and the non-retina iPhones share the same pixel density, the touch elements are the same size as they are on an iPhone.

So that sounds like two big and very specific problems that I've brought up - poor font rendering everywhere (including the OS itself)

Their is nothing wrong with the font rendering. Maybe you are referring to a minimum font size?

 

[MrXiro]

The iphone 5 generally loads mobile versions for most popular sites, including this website.

The mini on the other hand, runs the ipad version of ios, which was designed for a 9.7" screen not a 7.9" one. All these websites were previously legible on the original ipad and ipad 2, and iPhones load the mobile versions. The mini is the only odd one out that requires constant panning in.

Usability was an afterthought. Rushing this product out before the holiday season for the gullible masses took priority. Despite what people here say, this is a departure from Apple's strategy of the past 10 years.

People keep talking about it selling out. We all know it was going to sell out regardless of what it had in it, thanks to the momentum apple currently enjoys from its other ios products. If apple keeps releasing dud products like this however, people are eventually going to catch on and that momentum is going to reverse in the long run.

Not my favorite site. They had a mobile version for a minute but then stopped using it. The page is as equally unreadable in portrait mode on the iPad. They are the ones who chose not to make it mobile.

 

[MrXiro]

You're not understanding what I'm saying. Read my post above (#101.)

Also, I wonder if anyone else is noticing a clear pattern here with these responses. I bring up technical short-comings about the device that no ios other devices have including even the original ipad released in 2010, and I get basically the same response for aspect I bring up: "they couldn't do this because it would bring the cost up" or "they couldn't do this because it would make it run too hot, thicker or heavier".

And the thing is - I agree with all the "but they couldn't" posts, so as I've said before, If it wasn't technically possible or financially feasible to produce this thing with a good enough user experience then:

Maybe it shouldn't have been made at all until it was ready.

That approach is how Apple revived itself and prospered in the last 10 years, however we're seeing a departure from that now under Cook. It's all about rushing something out before Christmas now. It might work this year, but consumers in the long run are not idiots, and they will eventually catch on.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day"? If they sat on it and never released it they would never know what real world issues would occur. Your rant, or whatever this is, would cause a stunt in the growth of technology. Just because something does not work for you does not mean the QC team at apple encountered the same issue. Heck it would seem the majority of the public isn't having the same issue as you. Otherwise there wouldn't be xxx million iPads sold.

Actually I'm sorry. You're wrong, generally, consumers ARE idiots. A lot of them on this site have a decent knowledge of technology. But most of the rest of the world isn't up to speed. Most didn't even know there was an 4th gen iPad.

You live in the world of the hard core geek. Don't think the rest of the world shares your view on tech.

 

[hkfan24]

The iphone 5 generally loads mobile versions for most popular sites, including this website.

The mini on the other hand, runs the ipad version of ios, which was designed for a 9.7" screen not a 7.9" one. All these websites were previously legible on the original ipad and ipad 2, and iPhones load the mobile versions. The mini is the only odd one out that requires constant panning in.

Usability was an afterthought. Rushing this product out before the holiday season for the gullible masses took priority. Despite what people here say, this is a departure from Apple's strategy of the past 10 years.

People keep talking about it selling out. We all know it was going to sell out regardless of what it had in it, thanks to the momentum apple currently enjoys from its other ios products. If apple keeps releasing dud products like this however, people are eventually going to catch on and that momentum is going to reverse in the long run.

The ONLY thing I see you talk about is website viewing on an iPad mini. Anyone else notice this as well? I'm going to copy and paste my post towards you that was on page 3 that you have YET to respond to. You're only viewing the iPad mini usage in one opinion.....yours. You have yours, we have ours. This right there tells you that not everyone cares about website viewing/panning issues if its even an issue at all for the average consumer. I'm a big time tech junkie and I'm an even more hardcore audio/videophile with the equipment to back it up and I'm extremely critical of viewing and clarity but even I know when to understand that the world population loves options and not everyone is hardcore with tech. I copied and pasted my quote below. My last sentence says it all.

Says who. You? I'm reading this site as we speak on a mini and haven't panned or zoomed in once. You're not looking at the bigger picture here. A smaller sized ipad works well in many cases. My son for example loves his new mini and my wife loves hers as well. She loves the fact that she can now throw it in her purse and conceal it easier than she ever could before we sold her ipad 3. My son would sometimes drop my ipad 3 because of the size/weight. Heck this past weekend we went on a small trip and fit my son's mini inside his Nintendo 3DS XL bag making it much more convenient. At the end of the day, the ipad mini is doing everything the bigger ipad has done but in a smaller shell. It does what its supposed to do. You keep claiming in so many threads that the mini is basically a mistake overall but you're flat out wrong. The mini is here to stay and will only get better from here on out.

I do understand your views and opinions from your perspective but you should understand others and their perspectives, needs, wants, and uses. The mini serves a purpose whether you can find a way to expand your outlook or not. I for one as a long time Apple customer am thrilled that we have an option with ipad sizes. We are no longer in the age of "one size fits all."

Different people, different preferences.

 

[Kayakphotos]

I don't see why introducing a device that is slightly lacking in tech specs is something new for apple?

iPhone 2g = cool concept, but slow and no 3G data. Replaced by a more well rounded better performing device the next year.

Ipad 1 = cool concept, but low RAM and single core processor. Replaced by a more well rounded better performing device the next year.

The same can probably be said for just about every innovation apple has introduced.

 

[klover]

I don't see why introducing a device that is slightly lacking in tech specs is something new for apple?

iPhone 2g = cool concept, but slow and no 3G data. Replaced by a more well rounded better performing device the next year.

Ipad 1 = cool concept, but low RAM and single core processor. Replaced by a more well rounded better performing device the next year.

The same can probably be said for just about every innovation apple has introduced.

The mini is simply a new iteration of the iPad line, it shouldn't be regressive.