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All iPads iPad Air or Retina Mini?

petvas said:
It's not that I can't really decide, I will keep the Air and send the Mini back.

Two things made this decision difficult:
  • The form factor of the mini
  • The higher dpi which makes text sharper on the Mini

The Air is the one to keep, but I certainly understand if someone would prefer the mini. I mainly use my iPhone when on the road. I don't need a small device. The only thing is that having so many devices with me, adds up to the total weight I carry, so that's why I wanted to test the Mini and send the Air back. Of course the 135gr difference is nothing, so if I consider the pros and contras of each device, the Air wins for me. I wish though I could keep everything :)
Click to expand...

Keeping everything is the best. :) I would never travel with 3 devices because of the weight, but just being out and about the mini is easy to slip into my purse and carry with me. Truth be told I could get by with my iPhone but I like the size of the mini. At home I use the Air and for reading still prefer my Kindle Paperwhite. Any of the backlit devices are hard on my eyes when used for very long. If I had to pick it would be the Air for me too.
 
Rodster said:
I always zoom in regardless. A small screen tablet is hard on the eyes regardless of who makes it. I usually zoom in my my full size iPad as well.

When I zoomed in on the rMini it looked great.
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You zoom in on a full sized iPad? If so, you should not even consider a small screen tablet.
 
petvas said:
The problem is the small fonts on some websites, but if I zoom in then everything is ok. It depends on the app being used I suppose.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind doing this keep the Mini... it really sounds to me like the Air is more for you though. It's not that much heavier (though it is quite a bit bulkier).
 
alphaod said:
Still you said eye strain is an issue. Do you want to deal with that just over a few ounces of weight?

It does sound like you're trying to justify the iPad mini which in case I would say go with what your heart tells you. Keep the iPad mini if you don't mind the eye strain.
Click to expand...

Try decreasing the brightness of the rmini's screen. I always keep my screen around 45-50% brightness.
1. Helps to save battery power.
2. Helps to reduce eye strain and discomfort.

I find when any of these screens are on higher than 50% they hurt my eyes. The only time I raise them higher is in direct sunlight. This helps to reduce any discomfort I get from using any of my I devices. I'm in bed now in the dark and the screen is about 30% bright. Just enough for me to see everything perfectly but not blinding.

What exactly do you need to bring your MacBook Air for at work? I bring my iPad rmini to work with me but leave the laptop at home. I have a desktop at work to use. Unless you are using your MacBook Air for something that your rMini or work laptop can't do you shouldn't need it daily.

When you travel I can understand but even then if you are not using the iPad, air or rmini, for anything major then what does it matter. I say go with whatever u like more. I went from an iPad 3 to a mini to a rmini and will not look back. I love the small size of the rmini. I just bought a Asus transformer book tablet/laptop hybrid and while I like it for a fully functioning, full windows 8.1 pro laptop, I kind of hate it for a tablet. It is too big for me. Too wide and I don't really like the 16:9 ratio for a tablet. The 4:3 format of the iPad I think is the perfect form. Yes that means there are black bars on movies, but I do so much more than just movies on my iPad.

To each their won though. If you keep the mini and get rid of the air, after 2 weeks you won't even know a difference. I use my mini every day for about 7 hrs. So glad that Apple came out with it. Now if the can come out with a 5" phone that would be better since I am getting tired of looking at the little screen.
 
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Ok, I have done the following:
  • Sold my iPad Air
  • My iPad Mini Retina with 32GB is going back to Apple
  • I got a 64GB Mini with Retina display. 32GB was not enough for me..

I based my decision in the fact that I need something to accompany my Macbook Air.
To answer the question why I need a laptop with me, since I have the company laptop anyway, it's simple: I don't like working with a locked down laptop where I can't install anything.
I want to take my notes using Evernotes on my MBA, surf the Internet using Safari and not IE, etc, etc..The business laptop is used only for things I am not allowed to do otherwise...

Of course I could just use an iPad for note taking, but the MBA is much better for that. Copying/pasting a lot of stuff, researching, reading documents, commenting them, etc..is a job for a laptop and not an iPad. I also have a lot of Excel files using Macros that don't work on the iPad (even with 3rd party software).
 
I have to say for me this was a difficult decision. I thought that once I got to the Apple store I would immediately know which one was right for me. But even after 30 minutes of going from one to the other, I really couldn't find a real reason to choose one over the other. I finally settled on the Air for no apparent reason--but now that I have it at home, it is really a great little tablet. Would I have been happy with the Mini? Probably. But the Air will be a great addition to my Apple family. :)
 
Hey you finally made up your mind, now just stick to your decision and be happy! :D
 
iPad Air or Retina Mini?

Carl Sagan said:
Relax I'm just messing, not attacking. Just found it amusing the way it was written.;)
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Yes, it was a bit amusing :)

First world problems.,,others don't have anything to eat and we deal with so serious issues...The world isn't fair I guess..
 
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petvas said:
I am currently in a small dilemma, which device I should keep, and I would like to hear the thoughts of others about it.
Let me first try to explain to you my setup:
At home I have a 27" iMac that I use as my main computer. My iMac is my digital hub and acts as a file server among other things.
I also have a 11" Macbook Air that I use when I sit on my couch, or at bed, and of course when traveling. I always felt somehow limited by just having an iPad instead of a laptop, running OS X. It's not that I do complicated stuff when on the road, but I want to feel that I can do everything if the need arises.
I also want to have an iPad for reading books, light internet browsing, twitter and stuff like that..For gaming I use my iMac at home and I have no interest in playing on my iPads (but from time to time I do use it for casual games, maybe 2-3 times a year).
In last October I purchased an iPad Air Wifi only with 128GB. I love the screen and I appreciate the screen estate.
However, after I got my Macbook Air this January, I felt that it is just too much to have a laptop and a full sized iPad with me when traveling. Please also note that when I go to the office I have to use a Lenovo laptop :(
At the office I take my Macbook Air with me and I would like to also have an iPad with me too.
Carrying two laptops and an iPad Air around is not exactly nice, and my bag is heavy...
I thought of replacing my iPad Air with a Retina Mini, so I got one this week, a Wifi only 32GB model.
I like the small form factor but somehow the small text causes me eyestrain sometimes. I also can't seem to be able to forget the difference in screen quality between the Air and the Mini.
What should I keep? The Air or the Mini? I really like having a small device that doesn't add up to the total weight I carry withme in my bag every time, but on the other hand I like the iPad Air's better screen. I can see the difference immediately.
Should I just send the Mini back to Apple and keep the Air?
I am open for your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Sell the macbook air, get a 13" MBPr and keep the iPad Air. Well thats what i would do, i have a 27" iMac, 15" MBPr and iPad air, although the 15" stays at home mostly. My wife has a 13" MBPr, next time for me too.:)
 
I want a light laptop, an ultra notebook. The rMBP isn't exactly small and light, like a MacBook Air. I decided to keep the Mini, but with 64 instead of 32GB. Today I received the new mini and interesting enough it's screen has much better color saturation. The washed out effect is not there and my eyes don't get any strain.
 
petvas said:
I want a light laptop, an ultra notebook. The rMBP isn't exactly small and light, like a MacBook Air. I decided to keep the Mini, but with 64 instead of 32GB. Today I received the new mini and interesting enough it's screen has much better color saturation. The washed out effect is not there and my eyes don't get any strain.
Click to expand...

Glad you got that resolved. It might have been a bad screen or something in the first one. There was a rash of that when they first came out. I lucked out and had no problems with mine that I can tell. Enjoy.
 
Main reason I swapped over from my Air to my now Retina Mini

I like reading books pm if you do then get the mini....it's far easier to hold :)
 
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