Incredibly Disappointed with iPad Mini

[adam9c1]

We have Mini1 and Mini2.

Try different web browser.

I did notice latest Chrome browsers are getting slower and slower on my iPhone 5S.

Try to bring it to best buy to upgrade to mini2.
Or sell it on Craigslist.

 

[mi7chy]

Oh, come on. I'm not getting into the old bribery debate. There are user comments too, but I guess those could also be paid plants.

Battery life is a tricky thing though. It can vary widely depending on one's usage. There is no denying that S2 packs a notably smaller battery than last year's model though. Battery life is always going to take a hit as companies keep pairing thinner, lighter batteries with super high res displays.

Companies have penalized the media for reporting the truth so it's not farfetched.

http://www.computerbild.de/artikel/...BILD-An-open-letter-to-Tim-Cook-10953399.html

Some devices get thinner but they also get more efficient display and SoC. Here's an article from the display authority, DisplayMate, on display efficiency improvement.

http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note5_ShootOut_1.htm

 

[zachlegomaniac]

The original iPad mini was only discontinued this last June. I guess for people who bought it then, it had a lifetime of less than three months?

Yeah. My argument is that it hasn't worked for me since September of 2014. It's sad when the Genius Bar tech won't run a diagnostic on it because he, "has one, too," and can't get his to operate without headaches. He said it's just not compatible with iOS 8, and in his honest opinion he doesn't hold out much hope for iOS 9 resolving the issue.

I'm not sure if you were being facetious or not, but even the folks working at the Apple Store today concurred with me. I just wish they had offered something for what I feel like is a poor move on Apple's part. Kinda went in hoping they'd throw me a bone, or at least apologize. Instead they told me there's no way they can improve the experience of using the device at this point.

 

[RickTaylor]

No, I certainly wasn't trying to be facetious. I was genuinely astonished the situation is that bad. I've always been annoyed that Apple prevents its customers from restoring older versions of the software on the iOS devices they purchase, but this is particularly appalling.

 

[RickTaylor]

Just to add, when the iPad mini 3 came out, people (including myself) were surprised they didn't discontinue the original iPad mini right then. We thought continuing to sell it would force Apple to accommodate the older technology longer than they'd want to. Maybe they'll surprise us in iOS 9, but for now it seems they didn't feel that obligated after all.

 

[joeblow7777]

Companies have penalized the media for reporting the truth so it's not farfetched.

http://www.computerbild.de/artikel/...BILD-An-open-letter-to-Tim-Cook-10953399.html

I know it's not far fetched, but I've been following tech reviews and consumer tech itself for long enough that I know which sources I trust, and when they all bring up the same issue, I'm inclined to believe them. I'm glad that you're happy with the tablet, but considering that the 8 inch model costs $500 CDN, and my $270 Nexus 7 is still going strong, the S2 is very tempting, but...

 

[mi7chy]

Anyhow, you can either hope Apple offers an incentive to upgrade but you'll have to wait until iPad Mini 4 is released to take advantage of iOS 9 multitasking otherwise check out Best Buy's promo. The value of your iPad Mini trade in is worth at least $116. If you take advantage of the Galaxy Tab S2 promo you'll get, if I understand correctly, value of $116 plus $50 off towards S2 plus $50 gift card which can be used towards purchase so out of pocket is less than $200 before tax on the 8" and you'll get a better tablet than the upcoming iPad Mini 4.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/clp/sam...in/pcmcat748300529268.c?id=pcmcat748300529268

 

[Reno Raines]

I had a mini 1 I bought a year and a half ago. Even on iOS 7 I noticed it did work up to par compared to my iPad 2 at the time. I sold it last October and got a little over a hundred dollars.

 

[AaronG123]

Same experiences with the iPad mini 1, slow, apps crashed & safari couldn't hold tabs in cache without refreshing.

I sold mine a year if not less after purchasing, mainly due to slowness however the non Retina display irritated me hugely.

Now on a cellular iPad mini 2, better then previous device - however isn't as fast as my old iPhone 5S. I find most of the timing opting to use my iPhone 6 for simply tasks - over the iPad mini 2...

 

[racer1441]

So anyone who bought the iPad Mini Gen 1 should have not bought it, and waited for the iPad Mini 2? I totally appreciate your comment, but that's my point. No one should have bought the Mini 1 (I guess) that wanted to use it for more than two years. It seems kind of like a lousy move on Apple's part. Definitely my biggest waste of money on an Apple product to date.

Thanks again for the reply.

iPads are two year products. That isn't new.

 

[Jsameds]

May as well wait a couple more days for iOS 9 as a last resort before taking any action.

 

[zachlegomaniac]

iPads are two year products. That isn't new.

Great point. They are two year products. I'm glad to realize that now that I have owned one myself for over two years.

Also, I never said the iPad was new after two years in the statement you quoted, however, just that it wasn't very operable.

Thank you for your insight.

May as well wait a couple more days for iOS 9 as a last resort before taking any action.

Agreed. It's right around the bend, and anything would be an improvement. The Genius yesterday said he was reluctantly hoping for the same thing as an iPad Mini 1 owner. Thanks!

 

[adam9c1]

For best performance keep it at the stock OS it came out with.

 

[bufffilm]

iPads are two year products. That isn't new.

It's moronic to say that.

 

[racer1441]

It's moronic to say that.

Not at all. We see this all the time. Someone buys a computer and, clearly with out any common sense, expects it to keep up with the latest and greatest software and apps for ever. That's not how this works. OP wants to rant and complain because they didn't know better, and that is their right, but still, not a new thing for those who know how technology works.

 

[Apples n' Stone]

Not at all. We see this all the time. Someone buys a computer and, clearly with out any common sense, expects it to keep up with the latest and greatest software and apps for ever. That's not how this works. OP wants to rant and complain because they didn't know better, and that is their right, but still, not a new thing for those who know how technology works.

Because if you buy a 2012 device with early 2011 hardware, it must work brilliantly in Mid to late 2015. Obviously with an A5 Chip, when we have an A8X in the current iPad from last year. Granted, I would be a bit irritated if a device was still supported and sold but rendered unusable. But on the other side of the coin I usually upgrade iPads every two year. (The Air 2 was my first exception to that rule.) my Mini 2 however I expect to last, that might have been a smarter option if you take into account the mini was sub-par when it originally came out anyway. (For those who don't know that, see iPad Mini vs iPad 4th Generation)

 

[zachlegomaniac]

Not at all. We see this all the time. Someone buys a computer and, clearly with out any common sense, expects it to keep up with the latest and greatest software and apps for ever. That's not how this works. OP wants to rant and complain because they didn't know better, and that is their right, but still, not a new thing for those who know how technology works.

I definitely agree with you, racer.

As a wiser consumer I will make sure a brand new product has the latest and greatest specs, and not just dive in head first on the purchase of a piece of technology when it debuts. Thanks for listening to me rant and complain. It can be cathartic when you feel like you got burned, but part of being a good consumer is doing your homework (as you've pointed out) so that you feel satisfied with your decision, and are happy with your purchase. It also means managing expectations as to a products' life. I've had such great luck with Apple products working for me for a lot longer than two years, but obviously the iPad Mini is very different than some of Apple's other devices.

 

[newellj]

For best performance keep it at the stock OS it came out with.

That, and not installing any apps other than the original apps that were native to that version of iOS. Not installing any music, photos or video content also helps to keep performance as good as possible.

Seriously, there are issues both ways. Stand still and apps won't install or won't upgrade to versions with features you need or want, and security vulnerabilities don't get patched. Upgrade and you do risk performance problems on older hardware like the A5 SoC devices. With older hardware, the best thing to do may be to go slowly and read as much as possible about others' experiences (problems) before upgrading but even then your experience may wind up being different...

 

[iOSUser7]

That, and not installing any apps other than the original apps that were native to that version of iOS. Not installing any music, photos or video content also helps to keep performance as good as possible.

Not sure why you answer him like he is a troll, I mean he is right in a way it's sad but true today it is not recommanded to update Apple devices more than the stock OS it came with to avoid any problem like the OP have now.

 

[DSTOFEL]

Anyhow, you can either hope Apple offers an incentive to upgrade but you'll have to wait until iPad Mini 4 is released to take advantage of iOS 9 multitasking otherwise check out Best Buy's promo. The value of your iPad Mini trade in is worth at least $116. If you take advantage of the Galaxy Tab S2 promo you'll get, if I understand correctly, value of $116 plus $50 off towards S2 plus $50 gift card which can be used towards purchase so out of pocket is less than $200 before tax on the 8" and you'll get a better tablet than the upcoming iPad Mini 4.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/clp/sam...in/pcmcat748300529268.c?id=pcmcat748300529268

I just used the best buy deal to get the 8 inch Galaxy S2. I found the language in the deal to be a bit tricky. Here is how it worked for me. I had a kindle fire HDX to trade in for the Samsung using this deal. I got $50 for the trade in....even though the trade in value was less (in so minimum $50 trade in). In addition to the trade in, I received $50 gift card. So, I had $100 in trade in plus gift card to apply to the purchase of the S2. I'm finding the S2 to be a fantastic small tablet. The display is beautiful. The only negatives in my opinion are the battery life and speakers. The battery life seems to be a trade off Samsung made for making such a thin and light device.....a trade off that I'm okay with. By the way, I owned the Mini original and Mini Retina 2 as well as the Air Original (which I just passed down to a family member). This is my first venture into Android and so far, I'm enjoying it.

 

[mi7chy]

I just used the best buy deal to get the 8 inch Galaxy S2. I found the language in the deal to be a bit tricky. Here is how it worked for me. I had a kindle fire HDX to trade in for the Samsung using this deal. I got $50 for the trade in....even though the trade in value was less (in so minimum $50 trade in). In addition to the trade in, I received $50 gift card. So, I had $100 in trade in plus gift card to apply to the purchase of the S2. I'm finding the S2 to be a fantastic small tablet. The display is beautiful. The only negatives in my opinion are the battery life and speakers. The battery life seems to be a trade off Samsung made for making such a thin and light device.....a trade off that I'm okay with. By the way, I owned the Mini original and Mini Retina 2 as well as the Air Original (which I just passed down to a family member). This is my first venture into Android and so far, I'm enjoying it.

What are you getting for battery life? I'm consistently getting 8+ hours on the Galaxy Tab S2 8" for browsing, videos and productivity apps. Also, it'll get better after a few complete discharge/recharge cycles. Got 8:14 after 1st charge and 8:44 after 2nd charge.

As far as Best Buy trade in offer, if you've got something nice it's probably better to sell privately as you'll get more for it then pick up some $20 junkers to trade. Just make sure it shows up in their database even if it has $0 value they'll take it. If you trade in two you get $150 off.

 

[adam9c1]

That, and not installing any apps other than the original apps that were native to that version of iOS. Not installing any music, photos or video content also helps to keep performance as good as possible.

Seriously, there are issues both ways. Stand still and apps won't install or won't upgrade to versions with features you need or want, and security vulnerabilities don't get patched. Upgrade and you do risk performance problems on older hardware like the A5 SoC devices. With older hardware, the best thing to do may be to go slowly and read as much as possible about others' experiences (problems) before upgrading but even then your experience may wind up being different...

My wife has the mini1.
She mainly uses it for facebook, pintrest, Safari, and slight email.
I held off for long time before upgrading the OS from 6.

I think I will migrate myself to iCloud drive, and save documents etc there, then do a wipe and start fresh.
I have accumulated lots of app data, yet I only use few apps. Maybe this will speed things up on my phone.

 

[newellj]

My wife has the mini1.
She mainly uses it for facebook, pintrest, Safari, and slight email.
I held off for long time before upgrading the OS from 6.

I think I will migrate myself to iCloud drive, and save documents etc there, then do a wipe and start fresh.
I have accumulated lots of app data, yet I only use few apps. Maybe this will speed things up on my phone.

How far (to which version) did you update? My only remaining A5 device is an iPod Touch Gen 5. I've kept it on 7.1.2, though that might be the worst of both worlds, since it is slower than 6 and since on various other devices iOS 7 didn't seem to run noticeably faster than iOS 8 (but those devices were all newer: iPhone 5 and 5S, iPad Mini 2 and Air). The iPod throws off a lot of complaints about apps that can't be updated every time I sync it. :-/

 

[adam9c1]

Hmm.
Just checked, she is still on 6.1.3
I guess she updated her phone only.

My 5s is on 8.3
MiniR is on 8.3

 

[newellj]

I am generally in favor of updating, but with an A5 device, if you're not experiencing problems because you can't update existing apps or install new ones that need a higher version of iOS, I'd leave it where it is. (My rMini is on 8.4, FWIW, and I have no complaints with it.)