All iPads Ipad mini retina or Ipad air for my uses?

[vgamedude]

I realize this has been posted many times but I would like answers tailored to my personal specific predicament.

I'm looking at getting an ipad, hearing about how tab closing is getting better in IOS 7 beta 2 is making me think I can deal with it more. (If I'm mistaken please do correct me, I do not want a gimped device)

I will probably get an LTE model with alot of storage (ideally 128 but maybe 64) so I want this one to last. I will be using this in bed to watch videos and browse message boards (also lay sideways and use my phone some can I do that with the air or is it too big?), I also like to use devices if im in the bath, sitting on a stool outside the tub not over the water, I will also be taking this with me in the car when I ride places and might even take it into restaurants at times.

I mostly browse the Internet very heavily, so far I pretty much exclusively use my iphone for this and I'm getting fairly tired of it, I browse ( as mentioned) a message very frequently and I have many tabs open at a time (7 all the time on iPhone 4S) so I need something exceptional at browsing the Internet. Other applications will include youtube, hbo go, maybe reading but I think I might get a paperwhite for that, some gaming, things like that. I don't own a laptop so this will be more than likely a laptop replacement. I've had very had experiences with laptops and can't see myself purchasing one.

Also was wondering as a sort of side note if the air is necessary to get if one wants a keyboard? Seems like the mini doesn't have good keyboard cases.

I think that's all for now, thanks for reading.

 

[Ludatyk]

I don't own a laptop so this will be more than likely a laptop replacement.

I think that's the biggest point of all... I don't own a laptop myself, and I have an iPad Air.. And it serves as a replacement for a laptop. However I do have a Mac desktop. And given you want something that your gonna be using for quite sometime... I'd recommend an Air. And also, you can always go and check for yourself... Buy the Air, get a feel for it... And after a few days if you see yourself wanting something rather smaller.. Return it and go for the Mini.

In the end, it's up to you. But given that you don't have a laptop... It'd be more suitable to have an Air over the Mini.

 

[Jason1978]

I have an iPhone, MacBook Pro and I am looking at getting myself a iPad mini. I suspect that I will use it when I'm relaxing on the couch, out at a friends or even browsing in my bedroom before bed. I will be using it for whenever it's too inconvenient to use my MacBook or phone. I chose the iPad mini because it's still big enough to browse etc. But like the other member said you don't have a MacBook or laptop so I would also recommend the iPad air

 

[vgamedude]

I actually went to the apple store today and had a quick look at both of them (maybe 45 minutes, apple store is like an hour and 20 minutes from me though, can't just go there all the time). The mini I felt was great in the hand but the color bothered me, noticably more faded than the air going between the two, also of course the screen was smaller. Neither had a yellow tint, or any book spine effect I could see.

The air on the other had was noticably more cumbersome to hold in hand and operate with the other but the screen was fantastic, so so gorgeous with wonderful accuracy and beautiful saturation, but I could see it being annoying to take into a restaurant or something, definitely couldn't use it on the move in a mall or anything. (Not sure that I would but its something to note).

That's a great point about the laptop thing, this with a keyboard case could allow me to write emails or posts/reports as easy as a laptop.

Does the LTE add any noticable amount of weight?


Also I'm still concerned about bed usage, would the air be usable while I'm lying on my side? An odd question I know, but moderately important.

 

[JGWolven]

Funny you ask. That's primarily how I use my iPad in bed. I'll prop it up with the Smart Cover and lay on my side doing whatever it is I'm doing. Works fine for me.

 

[vgamedude]

Funny you ask. That's primarily how I use my iPad in bed. I'll prop it up with the Smart Cover and lay on my side doing whatever it is I'm doing. Works fine for me.

Good news! Does the browser tab issue and low amount of ram ever hinder heavy Internet users such as myself? That's a very big thing that kind of scares me, I did notice tab reloading at the apple store when I had about 6 or 5 pretty media heavy tabs open but I have heard that ios 7 beta 2 (whenever that releases) will fix it. Should I be worried? Is it a big enough issue to warrant me not purchasing or holding off on the device?

I mean the ram is the only thing that has me concerned on the device. (Minus the size and cost but that's different.)

 

[JGWolven]

Ipad mini retina or Ipad air for my uses?

The issues are there for sure. I deal with crashes maybe two-three times per day but I do have tons of tabs opened. 7.1 has reportedly solved those issues though, so I'm kind of eager to have it released.

 

[vgamedude]

The issues are there for sure. I deal with crashes maybe two-three times per day but I do have tons of tabs opened. 7.1 has reportedly solved those issues though, so I'm kind of eager to have it released.

I just wonder how smart it is for me to jump into an ipad purchase based on the hope of a software fix I've yet to see.

There isn't a solid release date for the new version either is there? They should really rush it out for such a major issue, if I could see this fixed I doubt that I would maintain any hesitation.

 

[JGWolven]

If you bought an Air now, you most likely would experience some crashes - but I doubt to the point where you would want to throw something through a window to break. No idea when 7.1 may be released.

 

[Night Spring]

I just wonder how smart it is for me to jump into an ipad purchase based on the hope of a software fix I've yet to see.

There isn't a solid release date for the new version either is there? They should really rush it out for such a major issue, if I could see this fixed I doubt that I would maintain any hesitation.

What will you do if the Safari clashes never get fixed? Buy an Android or Windows tablet? Buy a laptop? Simply do without?

If your answer is do without, I suggest you go and get an iPad now. An occasionary clashing device is better than no device at all, IMO. Also, I think people tend to over exaggerate the effect of those crashes. It can be a bit annoying, but it's not like it makes the iPad unusable. You crash, you reopen Safari, and just keep going where you was before the crash.

 

[vgamedude]

If you bought an Air now, you most likely would experience some crashes - but I doubt to the point where you would want to throw something through a window to break. No idea when 7.1 may be released.

It's not just the crashes, I could deal with a couple of those, I'm worried that there is a consistent problem with pages having to reload because they run out of ram.

Like say I'm on a website writing a post, I scroll to a new tab to check something and then go back to my old tab to finish my post and then it reloads. That's what I'm really worried about.

 

[vgamedude]

What will you do if the Safari clashes never get fixed? Buy an Android or Windows tablet? Buy a laptop? Simply do without?

If your answer is do without, I suggest you go and get an iPad now. An occasionary clashing device is better than no device at all, IMO. Also, I think people tend to over exaggerate the effect of those crashes. It can be a bit annoying, but it's not like it makes the iPad unusable. You crash, you reopen Safari, and just keep going where you was before the crash.

Eh I don't know what id do. Probably wait for the next ipad and suffer with a cheap tablet or my phone. I have had bad experiences with android (well samsung really) had to return one of their phones twice, both had the same problems and the device had input lag that was noticable. It was a note 3.

 

[luckylisp]

Also I'm still concerned about bed usage, would the air be usable while I'm lying on my side? An odd question I know, but moderately important.

I use my Air on my side in bed all the time. It's perfect. Going by everything you said it seems the Air would be better suited to you than the mini. Good luck with your decision.

 

[JGWolven]

It's not just the crashes, I could deal with a couple of those, I'm worried that there is a consistent problem with pages having to reload because they run out of ram.



Like say I'm on a website writing a post, I scroll to a new tab to check something and then go back to my old tab to finish my post and then it reloads. That's what I'm really worried about.

Some of the 7.1 preview videos on YouTube show multiple tabs open without refreshing, so that looks like it may be resolved as well.

 

[samiznaetekto]

Like say I'm on a website writing a post, I scroll to a new tab to check something and then go back to my old tab to finish my post and then it reloads. That's what I'm really worried about.

Until Apple implements persistence of data (at least what you enter on web forms) to disk, you'll still have occasional loss of input like you described. Because when you switch to another tab, it may need more memory to load some additional data, and starve out the other tabs.

I won't hold my hopes high for this to happen, though. Remember, Apple is no longer "hungry and foolish" as Jobs once preached in his speech to uni graduates. Apple is now a fat ignorant billion-pound Godzilla who doesn't care about this thing called "people". I'm not jumping from this Titanic as yet, but just in case learning how to operate those emergency boats.

 

[Jason1978]

Ipad mini retina or Ipad air for my uses?

There is an update coming really soon. So I would not worry about that if I were you. Apple always fixes glitches when they can. I would not let this change your mind about buying it.

 

[vgamedude]

Until Apple implements persistence of data (at least what you enter on web forms) to disk, you'll still have occasional loss of input like you described. Because when you switch to another tab, it may need more memory to load some additional data, and starve out the other tabs.

I won't hold my hopes high for this to happen, though. Remember, Apple is no longer "hungry and foolish" as Jobs once preached in his speech to uni graduates. Apple is now a fat ignorant billion-pound Godzilla who doesn't care about this thing called "people". I'm not jumping from this Titanic as yet, but just in case learning how to operate those emergency boats.

But surely the ram (if they fix the way it's allocated and used) will be sufficient to have 7 or so tabs without reloading?

 

[samiznaetekto]

But surely the ram (if they fix the way it's allocated and used) will be sufficient to have 7 or so tabs without reloading?

It may depend on other factors as well. Suppose you loaded your 7 tabs and along with other apps loaded before, you have almost no free RAM left. Now you need to look up something (for example, launch 1Password to copy a credit card # to Clipboard to insert on Amazon order page). When you launch an app and the system doesn't have sufficient amount of free RAM, the OS sends a low memory message to each app. It's up to each app how to handle it. Some apps are nice and try to unload some resources to reduce their RAM footprint so they don't get booted out altogether. Safari, being an Apple app, is such an app. It tries to reduce its footprint by unloading the memory taken by its tabs, only keeping the URL of the tabs so it can reload them when needed. Here ya go again - losing shipping address and other info you put into the order form.

Apple doesn't care about you, the cash is pouring in anyway, why bother?

 

[Night Spring]

Like say I'm on a website writing a post, I scroll to a new tab to check something and then go back to my old tab to finish my post and then it reloads. That's what I'm really worried about.

Reloading is somewhat of a problem, and yes, I've lost forum posts I was writing because of it. Is the problem enough to send me back to my iPad 3? Not at all. If it's not fixed in the next software update, I'll train myself to write my forum posts in notes and paste them into the web form.

For me, the advantages of the Air (lighter than the 3, runs iOS 7 faster than the 3, longer battery life than the 3) outweighs any drawbacks caused by Safari reloading and crashing. But if it really bothers you, you could wait and see what the next iOS update brings. I think it should come out by the end of December or early January, just based on the timing of past update releases.

 

[samiznaetekto]

I'll train myself to write my forum posts in notes and paste them into the web form.

It's funny that Microsoft used to be ridiculed for their browser and Windows in general that if you write something, copy it to Clipboard often (and definitely before submitting a web form), because program can crash. I spent most of my life on Windows, and Ctrl-A/Ctrl-C was a second nature.

Now, we are trained by Apple, like monkeys, to do the same. Oh the irony.

 

[Night Spring]

It's funny that Microsoft used to be ridiculed for their browser and Windows in general that if you write something, copy it to Clipboard often (and definitely before submitting a web form), because program can crash. I spent most of my life on Windows, and Ctrl-A/Ctrl-C was a second nature.

Now, we are trained by Apple, like monkeys, to do the same. Oh the irony.

Which Windows version was this? Can't say I ever had to do *that* in Windows.

And yes, using Apple software often involves changing your thinking to adjust to the way Apple do things, rather than how you think things should work. Just look at all the threads started by people confused about how things work in iTunes.

 

[vgamedude]

Reading on this forum in the ios 7 beta 2 thread people say tabs still reload if you just have 5 and like go to a twitter app or something then come back. Ugh this is so annoying! If they just had 2 gbs of ram I would want this thing so much!

Would I be doing myself a disservice passing on the ipad this generation only because of the RAM? I'm also afraid that when ios8 comes out and the new iPads do that 1gb will be way too little to run even remotely well. I think they'll try to gradually use more ram to take advantage of the 64 bit chip.

In just really frustrated at this, I do want one but maybe I should just wait until I'm sure I dunno.

 

[alex2792]

I would go with a Windows tablet for web browsing since IE is hands down the smoothest touch browser out there and also offers flash support.

 

[vgamedude]

I would go with a Windows tablet for web browsing since IE is hands down the smoothest touch browser out there and also offers flash support.

I might, but again, one of the things I do the most is download tons of stuff from dodgy sources (I do this soooo much on my iphone) and I can't think of anyway id be able to do that on a full windows tablet. If it wasn't for that id probably buy it.

 

[s2mikey]

Some of the 7.1 preview videos on YouTube show multiple tabs open without refreshing, so that looks like it may be resolved as well.

And then there's us lucky soils who have put seen this reloading or crashing even with the current OS version. It's weird.....

To the OP, get the Air. The mini is just too mini.