I'd appreciate some opinions from you folks. I currently have a 16GB iPad 3 which gets fairly consistent use. It's mainly used for browsing, facebook, email and reading(iBooks and some magazines. I'll occasionally play the odd game, watch some movies and show people my photo stream.
In the next few months, I'll be putting my head down to start studying again (Preparing for Emergency Medicine fellowship) and have previously used iPads for my textbooks. With my current iPad (I previously had a 64GB Gen 1), space has been an ongoing issue. I usually check usage on a monthly basis and delete as required. This is with very little in the way of music, photos loaded.
My partners MacBook recently died a horrible death so she's been using my iPad quite a lot. It seems to fit her needs which are browsing, Facebook and emailing. For the bigger stuff she has an account on the 21 " iMac and I also have an 11" MBA. Admittedly since the iPad 3 arrived, the MBA doesn't see much use unless A: partner is using the iPad or B: I have a presentation to write.
I've recently considered getting a second iPad and giving the 3 to my partner. I'm well aware of the impending 5 /mini 2.0 later this year but my sights are currently set on a refurb model as the prices are quite appealing. My opinion of the 3 is that the screen is amazing but it's not a very comfortable iPad to hold. This applies regardless of whether I'm on the couch or in bed. It's heavy. I've been trying out the demo minis in local stores and find the weight very appealing. It's incredibly comfortable to hold and seems pretty responsive in my limited testing. I've compared the screen with an iPad 4 and there's no denying that the difference between retina/non-retina is noticeable. I didn't particularly mind it in the shop but I can't comment on how I would find reading on a mini for prolonged periods.
My dilemma is this. Regardless of how much I try to convince myself to stick to a full size, I keep coming back to the mini. The refurb store in NZ has two mini options currently: iPad mini 16GB or 64GB. The 64GB runs for 649$ (a 16GB iPad 4 is 619$)/32GB iPad 4 749$). All I want from the "new" iPad is portability, good battery life, comfort in the hand, a decent useable lifespan(~2 yrs) and it has to be comfortable to read on for long periods.
From my reading it seems to win on the form factor requirement. With regard to lifespan, I know it has less RAM than my iPad 3 but if it can run ios7 comfortably I'd be happy. I'd appreciate comments on how people find its responsiveness and how useful it is for long periods of reading.
Many thanks
In the next few months, I'll be putting my head down to start studying again (Preparing for Emergency Medicine fellowship) and have previously used iPads for my textbooks. With my current iPad (I previously had a 64GB Gen 1), space has been an ongoing issue. I usually check usage on a monthly basis and delete as required. This is with very little in the way of music, photos loaded.
My partners MacBook recently died a horrible death so she's been using my iPad quite a lot. It seems to fit her needs which are browsing, Facebook and emailing. For the bigger stuff she has an account on the 21 " iMac and I also have an 11" MBA. Admittedly since the iPad 3 arrived, the MBA doesn't see much use unless A: partner is using the iPad or B: I have a presentation to write.
I've recently considered getting a second iPad and giving the 3 to my partner. I'm well aware of the impending 5 /mini 2.0 later this year but my sights are currently set on a refurb model as the prices are quite appealing. My opinion of the 3 is that the screen is amazing but it's not a very comfortable iPad to hold. This applies regardless of whether I'm on the couch or in bed. It's heavy. I've been trying out the demo minis in local stores and find the weight very appealing. It's incredibly comfortable to hold and seems pretty responsive in my limited testing. I've compared the screen with an iPad 4 and there's no denying that the difference between retina/non-retina is noticeable. I didn't particularly mind it in the shop but I can't comment on how I would find reading on a mini for prolonged periods.
My dilemma is this. Regardless of how much I try to convince myself to stick to a full size, I keep coming back to the mini. The refurb store in NZ has two mini options currently: iPad mini 16GB or 64GB. The 64GB runs for 649$ (a 16GB iPad 4 is 619$)/32GB iPad 4 749$). All I want from the "new" iPad is portability, good battery life, comfort in the hand, a decent useable lifespan(~2 yrs) and it has to be comfortable to read on for long periods.
From my reading it seems to win on the form factor requirement. With regard to lifespan, I know it has less RAM than my iPad 3 but if it can run ios7 comfortably I'd be happy. I'd appreciate comments on how people find its responsiveness and how useful it is for long periods of reading.
Many thanks
