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oh my gosh you're so smart and witty :eek: its not so much the weight but the overall size and the footprint of the device. You don't have to lift weights to notice size difference between 2 devices... I wasn't complaining about the weight, I was pointing out that there is still a significant difference in size.

A lot of people really are overreacting here. The difference in weight between the Air and the upcoming mini is the same as a small stick of butter, and the difference in size is literally this:

apples-new-ipad-air-l-and-ipad-mini-tablets.jpg
 
Air for me. Mini seems too small and reminds me of an iPhone which I already own to satisfy my small, portable device.

I very much prefer the larger screen on the Air. It makes for a more immersive experience IMO.

Why do people keep saying stuff like this? The mini is about 5 times the size of the iPhone. They aren't even remotely the same thing.
 
Guys, the mini is awesome, the air is awesome, the iPhone is awesome. Let's all just get along and realise that the mini is better for some things and the air is better for others and different screen sizes suit different people's needs. If you want to go and vent your frustrations, go troll on an android forum; this in-fighting and "my iPad is better than your iPad" nonsense is not constructive.
 
It may be the "flagship" but it's not as popular anymore. The mini is where it's at. Anyone buying the Air is just itching to buy something as soon as possible. They know they are getting something inferior and will be crying when the mini retina is released!!!

Thought I'd try to get this thread off to a good start.

I bought the mini because of weight. I preferred the larger size.

With Ipad is all about WEIGHT!

With Mini getting heavier and ipad lighter I decided to give the Air a try.

Right now I like the it. Weigh is good but could be even better. If I can get my hands on the mini retina in time, I might go back to that model.

I did find myself enlarging all the time on the mini.
 
I am excited to see how the minis higher res screen looks compared to the air. While they have the same pixels the mini has them more compact brining the dpi higher and it should be quite a bit sharper.
 
I liken the analogy to that of a camera. A large dSLR (which I own by the way) is only of any use if you have it with you when you want/need to take a picture. that is why Smartphone cameras are so popular - you always have it with you.
I swapped the iPad 4 for a mini on a temporary basis and while I prefer the larger screen size, the simple fact is I use the mini more because I have it with me more often. That is why I will be buying a mini retina when available.
 
This is what you get when kids are allowed on the net. Buy what you want and need and be happy stop worrying about what others have. You're happy with waiting for rMini great, let those with AIR enjoy their table including me.

Just don't return screaming of your delayed device due to constraints cos Air owners will be laughing at you, especially the ones trying to knock the AIR right about now in this thread. Life is too short arguing over a tablet is nonsense.

No doubt there will be threads with "Returning rMini for AIR way too small" etc thats just life
 
This is what you get when kids are allowed on the net. Buy what you want and need and be happy stop worrying about what others have. You're happy with waiting for rMini great, let those with AIR enjoy their table including me.

Just don't return screaming of your delayed device due to constraints cos Air owners will be laughing at you, especially the ones trying to knock the AIR right about now in this thread. Life is too short arguing over a tablet is nonsense.

No doubt there will be threads with "Returning rMini for AIR way too small" etc thats just life

You can't mix a can't we all just get on post, with a mini sucks air great post. They're contradictory.
The mini is the perfect tablet for some, the air for others. They're both great, now can't we just get on.
 
A lot of people really are overreacting here. The difference in weight between the Air and the upcoming mini is the same as a small stick of butter, and the difference in size is literally this:

Image

I keep saying the weight is neglible... a few ounces really does not make a difference..... but the big difference is the overall size and footprint of the device... when you hold an iPad Mini in your hand and hold an iPad Air you can tell the big difference in overall size.... I'm not talking about weight or thinness. One is not better than the other, they are just made for 2 different types of people. There are those who are going to use it only at home sitting on the couch or lying in bed.... For those folks the Air is great why not get the bigger screen...........Then there are those who use it on their commute to work or always on the go for these folks the smaller size and portability of the Mini is great.

My overall point is that if you are person number 2 the Air doesn't all of a sudden become small enough to work for you, its still a significantly bigger device than the mini... putting it in perspective of course.
 
It may be the "flagship" but it's not as popular anymore. The mini is where it's at. Anyone buying the Air is just itching to buy something as soon as possible. They know they are getting something inferior and will be crying when the mini retina is released!!!

Thought I'd try to get this thread off to a good start.

I'm assuming you're joking. So I'll respond with.......LOL
 
One is not better than the other, they are just made for 2 different types of people.

No, they're really not, at least not the particular binary division you're trying to establish. Unlike the older iPads, there's really no significant difference between the Air and the mini in terms of portability (and even then most of that difference was exaggerated). The idea that the device on the right is for travel, and the one on the left is only for using at home because it's too big, bulky or heavy to take with you is nonsense, and really just smacks of inventing reasons to justify your decision to buy a mini. In the real world it is just as easy to use the Air while in a vehicle or even while walking down the street as it is to use the mini.

apples-new-ipad-air-l-and-ipad-mini-tablets.jpg


The following illustrates a significant difference in size. The above does not.

ipad-and-ipod-touch.png
 
I went from a regular iPad to a mini last year. I did it mainly because of the weight issue. The full size iPads became uncomfortable to use after 10-15 mins. They were not akin to one handed use for long. However, a few months into ownership of the mini I regretted it. While I think some people prefer the smaller screen. It was just too small for long-term use. Now we have a full size iPad at almost the same weight as the mini. I will be going back to the full size without hesitation. However, it really comes down to ones personal usage scenario. The great thing is you have options.
 
It's sooo silly

Mini is AWSOME

Air, it's bigger sibling is AWSOME

Mini and Air

I would agree. I always liked the bigger iPad because the specs were better than the mini. I bought a Nexus 7 v2 for the size (I have a MBA so I don't need a full 10" tablet), and that was a big mistake.

I am getting the mini when it comes out. I love that the specs are pretty much the exact same aside from the size.
 
Stick a 7" tablet along side the pic showing the Air vs the Mini size. So that was my progression. The 7" android tablet became too small when I bought the Mini, then that became too small after I got the Air and it is smaller than the 3 and 4 and has less weight.

Bingo!

Heck, half the people who bought the Mini wanted a bigger screen which they have been accustomed to for years with prior iPads. Now they can have their cake and icing too!!!!!!
 
Heck, half the people who bought the Mini wanted a bigger screen which they have been accustomed to for years with prior iPads. Now they can have their cake and icing too!!!!!!

??? Call me confused but why would someone who was accustomed to prior iPads buy the mini but wish for a bigger screen? Surely they already had that with the prior iPad? I'm assuming you were referring to resolution?
 
It may be the "flagship" but it's not as popular anymore. The mini is where it's at. Anyone buying the Air is just itching to buy something as soon as possible. They know they are getting something inferior and will be crying when the mini retina is released!!!

Thought I'd try to get this thread off to a good start.

Why do people keep saying stuff like this? The mini is about 5 times the size of the iPhone. They aren't even remotely the same thing.

I think what they are getting at is that their iPhone suffices when they aren't using their iPad. Therefore, going with the larger iPad makes sense for them.

I don't get why people are arguing over this. i guess just for something to do. Air vs Mini...who cares. it's all about how you use it and a lot about how you want to carry it.

If holding it one hand is super important to you and the 1 pound Air will still get heavy after long use.....then you definitely need to get the mini. And most women who like to carry their tablet with them everywhere they go will probably want the mini too because it can fit in their purses.

For somebody like me, the air is perfect because its the size of a magazine and literally just as thin as one now. That to me is very portable
 
No, they're really not, at least not the particular binary division you're trying to establish. Unlike the older iPads, there's really no significant difference between the Air and the mini in terms of portability (and even then most of that difference was exaggerated). The idea that the device on the right is for travel, and the one on the left is only for using at home because it's too big, bulky or heavy to take with you is nonsense, and really just smacks of inventing reasons to justify your decision to buy a mini. In the real world it is just as easy to use the Air while in a vehicle or even while walking down the street as it is to use the mini.

Image

The following illustrates a significant difference in size. The above does not.

Image

I really have 0 need to justify anything to anyone on the internet... If I want a mini I get a Mini because that's what I like...I am simply expressing my opinion from holding both in my hand. Lets just agree to disagree but don't make any assumptions about me from a simple post on a website. My girlfriend has the full size iPad Air she just upgraded from the iPad 2 so I have access to both in my house. I never bought any iPad until the mini came out because I prefered its form factor.
 
I for one find people who prefer a mini to be subhuman, and worthy of extermination by extreme prejudice. All because they prefer a slightly smaller tablet to my full size iPad Air.

DAE flamewar? ;)
 
??? Call me confused but why would someone who was accustomed to prior iPads buy the mini but wish for a bigger screen? Surely they already had that with the prior iPad? I'm assuming you were referring to resolution?

The mini for portability mostly and size and weight. If the 4th gen had the weight and size of the Air, bet more folks would have gotten it because of the larger screen regardless of resolution.
 
i think the size difference has to be seen in 2 ways

the just plain size difference between 2 objects is almost the same
but so would be 2 shoes on your feet, a 40 to a 42
problem is that one will fit you perfectly and the other will be unusable

now is not that a bigger or smaller ipad might be unusable but surely less comfortable or by enjoyment by some or by 'handling' in relax time (myself) or in the wild

if Apple designed a 7.9inches it means they know some people would go that way for a size reason

they look very similar in size and weight, but the difference might be a lot more bigger than some thinks
 
No, they're really not, at least not the particular binary division you're trying to establish. Unlike the older iPads, there's really no significant difference between the Air and the mini in terms of portability (and even then most of that difference was exaggerated). The idea that the device on the right is for travel, and the one on the left is only for using at home because it's too big, bulky or heavy to take with you is nonsense, and really just smacks of inventing reasons to justify your decision to buy a mini. In the real world it is just as easy to use the Air while in a vehicle or even while walking down the street as it is to use the mini.

I disagree on the point that people are inventing reasons to justify buying a mini. It really is just a matter of preference.

I am not saying that the iPad mini is for travel and the iPad Air is for staying home because that is obviously not true and some people will keep their iPad minis at home and some people will travel with their iPad Airs. But some people do prefer the smaller size of the mini and I don't see why everyone is making a big deal of it and saying the people who want the mini are just trying to convince themselves.
 
Of course there are reasons for each size, otherwise there would not be a market for both.

I think people who expresses extreme polarizing comments don't really believe those themselves. In the end, if you pick the Mini or the Air, you are in for some trade offs, for some people the trade offs are more obvious than others. Even if you can afford both, there will still be trade off when you have to pick which model to take with you.
 
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