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yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
Hi folks,

I'll keep it short and to the point: I currently work at a retailer selling Apple products and I bought an iPad mini on launch day (that is, last Friday). Initially I planned to buy an iPad for myself and another for my mother, but the iPad mini demo unit made me think twice, so I bought one to see if my mother would like it better—it turns out we both like it a lot.

Here's my problem: I still need to buy a second iPad, and even though I sell Apple products at work, I'm having a tough time deciding for myself. (Waiting is not an option.) So I'm specifically asking you MacRumorians to make a decision on my behalf, give me some reasons to buy either one. I'm sure I'll love any iPad.

Some thoughts on the iPad mini over the past few days:

a) Despite the low resolution display, the iPad mini feels refreshingly functional and easy to handle. It's quite light and fits right in my hand.
b) Performance is very good—exactly what I've seen on the iPad 2 when demoing it to customers.

Yet the iPad mini isn't perfect either due to the lack of a Retina display. I guess it's "outdated" design vs. "outdated" display. Sell me one, I'll buy whatever you think is the better choice right now. Thanks!
 
Last edited:

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
I stopped reading when you called people of the site "MacRumorians."

But really, it takes some tech balls to call a 10" iPad "outdated" because it is not a "mini." It is not outdated to offer another size of something. Look at the Nexus line. The fact is, if you're truly unable to hold 1.4 pounds then you need the mini. That's just how it goes. I prefer the larger screen for couch surfing but I truly value a 7" tablet when I travel because I find myself favoring my Kindle. I know it is apples and oranges to compare a Kindle to an iPad but the point is, I find it easier to deal with the smaller form factor when I'm traveling. If I were out and about more I'd probably really want the 7", retina or not.
 

PhaserFuzz

macrumors 6502
Dec 12, 2007
485
37
I would not consider the current iPad design "outdated" at all. People are way over-exaggerating its weight haha. Sure the mini is much lighter, but the iPad is still easy to hold. If you want something more portable than the already portable iPad, then get the mini. If you want faster, more powerful, and much better screen.. Get the regular iPad.
 

yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
Hey, hey, let's keep it civil around here. I've been lurking around since 2004, and I picked up the term MacRumorians back then already. No harm done. :eek:

The design of the iPad is two generations old, how is that not outdated in regard to how the iPhone and iPod are evolving? Even Macs are seeing significant changes in design nowadays. My point was, "old dog, new tricks" vs. "new kid in town".

It's not about which is more comfortable to hold, but which one you would be more comfortable recommending to somebody else. Disregarding my personal needs / wants. Hope this clears everything up. :apple:
 

Noisemaker

Guest
Mar 13, 2009
498
0
Hi folks,

I'll keep it short and to the point: I currently work at a retailer selling Apple products and I bought an iPad mini on launch day (that is, last Friday). Initially I planned to buy an iPad for myself and another for my mother, but the iPad mini demo unit made me think twice, so I bought one to see if my mother would like it better—it turns out we both like it a lot.

Here's my problem: I still need to buy a second iPad, and even though I sell Apple products at work, I'm having a tough time deciding for myself. (Waiting is not an option.) So I'm specifically asking you MacRumorians to make a decision on my behalf, give me some reasons to buy either one. I'm sure I'll love any iPad.

Some thoughts on the iPad mini over the past few days:

a) Despite the low resolution display, the iPad mini feels refreshingly functional and easy to handle. It's quite light and fits right in my hand.
b) Performance is very good—exactly what I've seen on the iPad 2 when demoing it to customers.

I've heard some negatives about the iPad with Retina display, however. It's too heavy to handle easily and it gets uncomfortably warm. I can confirm both points as our demo unit at the store felt very warm just 30 minutes after starting it up and running the demo software (essentially a video slideshow).

Yet the iPad mini isn't perfect either due to the lack of a Retina display. I guess it's "outdated" design vs. "outdated" display. Sell me one, I'll buy whatever you think is the better choice right now. Thanks!

What are your needs for the device? That will greatly determine which one is the better fit.
 

clyde2801

macrumors 601
The 4, with it's improved horsepower, shouldn't have to work as hard as the 3 doing the same things, so it SHOULD produce less heat. It should have longer legs than the 3, since the updated internals should be capable of handling presumably ever more increasingly hungry apps over time.

The mini is great if you want to get in cheap, but I think Apple will come out with something spectacular next year to entice people to upgrade. Like the original iPad, Apple depends upon the novelty and form factor to generate interest at first, then seriously update the internals and features on v2. Expect mini v2 to have twice the ram and (ducks behind a wall of sandbags) a retina display.

The regular iPad is a more matured product line, and should have more incremental updates. The 4 was barely a footnote at the keynote despite the better internals, one improved camera, better wifi and lighting connector. The feeling I get here on the forums is that the perceived difference between the newest model iPad and its predecessor is the least of the updates so far.
 

yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
The 4, with it's improved horsepower, shouldn't have to work as hard as the 3 doing the same things, so it SHOULD produce less heat. It should have longer legs than the 3, since the updated internals should be capable of handling presumably ever more increasingly hungry apps over time.

The mini is great if you want to get in cheap, but I think Apple will come out with something spectacular next year to entice people to upgrade. Like the original iPad, Apple depends upon the novelty and form factor to generate interest at first, then seriously update the internals and features on v2. Expect mini v2 to have twice the ram and (ducks behind a wall of sandbags) a retina display.

The regular iPad is a more matured product line, and should have more incremental updates. The 4 was barely a footnote at the keynote despite the better internals, one improved camera, better wifi and lighting connector. The feeling I get here on the forums is that the perceived difference between the newest model iPad and its predecessor is the least of the updates so far.

This is super helpful—exactly what I'm looking for! I like your point that the regular iPad is more mature, that's true.
 

pasadena

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2012
828
185
Seattle, WA
yousifabdullah said:
It's not about which is more comfortable to hold, but which one you would be more comfortable recommending to somebody else. Disregarding my personal needs / wants. Hope this clears everything up. :apple:

I wouldn't recommend either one to anybody without knowing their personal needs / wants for such a device.

Now I could tell you why I chose the Mini vs the regular one, but that wouldn't be a recommendation, and could very well be well off mark if your needs / wants / tastes differ from mine.
 

nStyle

macrumors 65816
Dec 6, 2009
1,488
987
Confused on how someone selling you one today is going to get to you any faster than you just buying something in the morning :confused: This is, of course, considering shipping.
 

yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
Confused on how someone selling you one today is going to get to you any faster than you just buying something in the morning :confused: This is, of course, considering shipping.

I didn't mean it literally, of course I would buy the actual product myself from a retail store, I want someone to just give me the good old salesman treatment making me excited about something I don't personally need / want. Can't be so hard, are we all just so focused on specs nowadays? :)

Like I said, I'll love either one. Both will do the job just fine, I won't be doing anything extraordinary that would be easier / simpler on just one of them. That's what I have a Mac for. All I'm asking is someone telling me why they bought the iPad they currently have, be it the iPad mini or the 4th generation with Retina display. Basically, I want to buy what the masses are buying. (I have my own purposes for stating it like this, I do know how to make a conscious decision, right now I just want someone to kick my butt and say A or B. That's all! :))
 

mikeydeezy

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2010
617
71
MN, USA
I hate to add to the same damn complaints of the mini but...


I, too, sold my mother on the idea of an iPad. She got my old, new iPad.

I bought the mini. All was well. Cute device. Then I went to my favorite forum. Jesus Christ. I have poor vision admittedly and I felt myself straining to read.

Long story short my mini is sitting in the back room of best buy while I'm heading home with a 4th gen.

If you intend to do any long amounts of reading and didn't get blessed with hawk vision then go Retina.
 

clyde2801

macrumors 601
I wouldn't recommend either one to anybody without knowing their personal needs / wants for such a device.

Now I could tell you why I chose the Mini vs the regular one, but that wouldn't be a recommendation, and could very well be well off mark if your needs / wants / tastes differ from mine.

Good points. OP, your preferences and use scenarios are pretty relevant. Do you want to have something you can slip inside of a jacket or suit pocket to quickly check email or pull up a web page? Do you want to do a lot of mobile photoshop work? Do you envision reading actual e-pubs or pdf's on the device? Are you into the latest mobile games and want the best visual experience possible? Or are you an occasional solitaire or angry birds during a slow moment sort of guy?

I've got a tricked out LTE iP3 that I use with a logitech ultrathin keyboard smart cover, and I carry the two inside of a targus leather iP1 portfolio. I use it to carry important epubs and scanned professional pdf reference manuals and scanned client files in lieu of taking paper folders with me out of the office. The magnetic horizontal lock of the cover allows me to comfortably use it for extended periods reading documents, docketing hearings and conferences, typing emails, browsing the web, etc., either sitting at a desk or on my lap. I don't carry it on me, but am never more than three minutes away from it.
 

yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
I hate to add to the same damn complaints of the mini but...


I, too, sold my mother on the idea of an iPad. She got my old, new iPad.

I bought the mini. All was well. Cute device. Then I went to my favorite forum. Jesus Christ. I have poor vision admittedly and I felt myself straining to read.

Long story short my mini is sitting in the back room of best buy while I'm heading home with a 4th gen.

If you intend to do any long amounts of reading and didn't get blessed with hawk vision then go Retina.
Thank you so much for this reply. I could call it a day (or just say "/thread"), you're the first one to understand what I was looking for in an answer! A+

To everybody else: I don't understand why I have to keep saying this over and over again, disregard my personal needs / wants and sell me on the idea. A good salesman can sell anything to anyone without knowing the slightest bit about his customer. I'm a salesman myself, I know very well why people would buy the iPad mini over the regular iPad, or vice versa, and I know very well that both will do for my purposes—which are irrelevant to this discussion—as I just wanted someone to tap on my shoulder and say: "Yousif, buy this. Have a nice day." Yes, I'm a complicated person. :D
 

clyde2801

macrumors 601
Okay. The next girl you're interested in....when she asks about the piece of personal technology you've identified with and invested in....do you want to admit to her that you've got a mini:(, or that you have THE LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL ONE KNOWN TO MANKIND?!?:eek::D
 

yousifabdullah

Cancelled
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
127
3
Okay. The next girl you're interested in....when she asks about the piece of personal technology you've identified with and invested in....do you want to admit to her that you've got a mini:(, or that you have THE LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL ONE KNOWN TO MANKIND?!?:eek::D

Sir, you make a valid point. Didn't know this would become so difficult haha! :cool:
 

pasadena

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2012
828
185
Seattle, WA
Thank you so much for this reply. I could call it a day (or just say "/thread"), you're the first one to understand what I was looking for in an answer! A+

To everybody else: I don't understand why I have to keep saying this over and over again, disregard my personal needs / wants and sell me on the idea. A good salesman can sell anything to anyone without knowing the slightest bit about his customer. I'm a salesman myself, I know very well why people would buy the iPad mini over the regular iPad, or vice versa, and I know very well that both will do for my purposes—which are irrelevant to this discussion—as I just wanted someone to tap on my shoulder and say: "Yousif, buy this. Have a nice day." Yes, I'm a complicated person. :D

Because salesmen sell anything to anybody, but then the customer has buyer's remorse at best, feels cheated at worse. I wouldn't want that to happen to you because of me :eek:

Plus, I'm no sales(wo)man so I would probably end up selling you the one I didn't want you to buy :p
 

sealos

macrumors regular
May 12, 2008
169
21
If you can wait a couple of weeks (waiting for the LTE pre-orders to be delivered), you can buy my black Mini 16gb wifi + cover for cost.

Let me know if you can't find one before then.
 
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