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Why do I NEED/WANT an iPad mini??

V

vampyr

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 29, 2008
204
38
I'm just curious what everyone's justifications are for buying this iPad mini??

Yeah... it's an iPad that is smaller, which may make it easier to carry it around.
Other than that.... is there any other reason to get a mini?

It doesn't do anything differently than the iPhone or the iPad. And other than Apple using some sly marketing words to describe it: "Remarkable" "Amazing" "Incredible" "Rich, Immersive" "Powerful" "Beautiful" "A concentration of, not a reduction of..."

I guess what I'm trying to ask is.. is there anything that the iPad mini would allow you to accomplish that you cannot do on any other device??
 
Nope. And I don't buy a single item if I have to justify it that much ... or at all.
The iPad will perform similar to the large iPad and iPhone. You're not going to get some feature that is not on the larger iPad other than the fact that it is smaller and easier to hold with one hand.
 
vampyr said:
I'm just curious what everyone's justifications are for buying this iPad mini??

Yeah... it's an iPad that is smaller, which may make it easier to carry it around.
Other than that.... is there any other reason to get a mini?

It doesn't do anything differently than the iPhone or the iPad. And other than Apple using some sly marketing words to describe it: "Remarkable" "Amazing" "Incredible" "Rich, Immersive" "Powerful" "Beautiful" "A concentration of, not a reduction of..."

I guess what I'm trying to ask is.. is there anything that the iPad mini would allow you to accomplish that you cannot do on any other device??
Click to expand...

Buying to try out the size, if I like it I won't look back and will just stick to the mini upgrade cycle.

Don't need to justify - if you have to, you probably don't need it or can't afford and should not buy it :)
 
Not that it would allow me to do anything that I can't with the iPad 3 I want it for the decrease In heft and size. I mostly browse the Internet and read and the iPad gets tiresome to hold after a while. The lack of retina is a non issue for me. I bought a kindle fire hd and I love the size and now I can go back to iOS with the mini.
 
vampyr said:
I guess what I'm trying to ask is.. is there anything that the iPad mini would allow you to accomplish that you cannot do on any other device??
Click to expand...

Any other device or any other iPad?

I'm assuming you mean any other iPad... I'm willing to bet it's a size thing for most people. It is for me.

It's a question similar to picking a 13" MBP vs a 15" one. It's personal preference. Why pick an Audi A4 over an A6? They're both cars and do the same thing. One is a bit smaller than the other.
 
My justification is I wanted a small (smaller then an iPad) device that easily travels with me. I can use on the subway commuting to read, and a product that fits within my work needs to note taking and surfing.

The Kindle touch satisfied the first part of my need but the lack of a built in light meant reading in less then ideal lighting situations was problematic. The Kindle Paperwhite solved this, so do I buy the new kindle at 149 (non ad version) that only does one thing (and it does it very well) or spend 180 more and get a product that satisfies more of my needs.

No brainer for me.
 
Maybe you should try an Android device, like the Nexus 7, that can do something different. For example, the Nexus 7 wifi "has" gps, and you can get an Android app, that has built-in maps. Therefore, this device could double as a full blown Nav GPS........just one example of getting more, from a different device.
 
Markdek said:
Maybe you should try an Android device, like the Nexus 7, that can do something different. For example, the Nexus 7 wifi "has" gps, and you can get an Android app, that has built-in maps. Therefore, this device could double as a full blown Nav GPS........just one example of getting more, from a different device.
Click to expand...

Not going back to plastic :)

If android devices can use the same/better material and the same sleekness as iPads I may give it a test drive.
 
Cheaper, thinner, lighter more portable. With all the benefits and more of an iPad 2.

What else do you need?

( this reason are for someone that doesnt have an iPad )
 
Skika said:
Cheaper, thinner, lighter more portable. With all the benefits and more of an iPad 2.
Click to expand...
Very well put, I have an iPad 1 and like it but the size is what was the major factor for me not using it as much as I thought I would
 
Hopefully a good replacement for my full sized iPad

I recently sold my iPad 2 and ordered the 32GB iPad mini. Size was the motivating factor for me. The full sized iPad worked fine, but its size prevented it from being as portable as I would have liked it to be.

I briefly considered a couple of Android tablets but wasn't a fan of the plastic feel of them. Surface looks interesting, but only time will tell if they were a bit late to the iOS/Android party. (Hopefully not, if the Surface and Windows teams seek inspiration from the XBOX team.)
 
vampyr said:
I'm just curious what everyone's justifications are for buying this iPad mini??

Yeah... it's an iPad that is smaller, which may make it easier to carry it around.
Other than that.... is there any other reason to get a mini?

It doesn't do anything differently than the iPhone or the iPad. And other than Apple using some sly marketing words to describe it: "Remarkable" "Amazing" "Incredible" "Rich, Immersive" "Powerful" "Beautiful" "A concentration of, not a reduction of..."

I guess what I'm trying to ask is.. is there anything that the iPad mini would allow you to accomplish that you cannot do on any other device??
Click to expand...


Apple's marketing;) Lot of people just buy iPad without having a real use/need because its 'cool' and its the trend. I'm not saying anything against iPad but Apple's marketing always played a big role when it came to the average consumer.


I'm considering switching to mini because I sometimes felt the 9.7" to be big and heavy, I'm sure mini would fit my needs perfectly.
 
John Adams said:
I have an iPad three and think I would like the size and portability of a Mini better, but don't want to give up the retina display.
Click to expand...

sfwalter said:
Exactly! That is where I am at.
Click to expand...

It's really a step backward to get one after owning a 3. The mini is more like a small iPad 2. It's perfect for people who still have the OG iPad or no tablet at all. There's really no positives about it when comparing it to the 3 except for size. And even that's not considered a positive to people who prefer a larger screen.
 
boshii said:
It's really a step backward to get one after owning a 3. The mini is more like a small iPad 2. It's perfect for people who still have the OG iPad or no tablet at all.
Click to expand...

#1 It's a huge step forward in terms of portability.

#2 It's parallel in terms of performance.

#3 It's half a step back in terms of screen quality.

#4 It's debatable depends on how much screen real esate you need.

It's a win if you value #1 more so than #2 and #3.
 
The iPad mini addresses some key issues with the iPad 3

1) bulk and weight. I still have not gotten used to the weight of the iPad 3. It might not be that heavy on paper but I believe that for each person's hand there's a threshold level at which a certain weight starts feeling "cumbersome"
2) battery charge times. The iPad 3 takes a very long time to charge. While this might not affect some folks who use it occasionally during the day and charge it at night, for those of us who are heavy users and travel a lot we need an equally long lasting device that can recharge quickly even while doing work and charging at the same time.
3) commuters. Even full size iPads are sometimes too big to "bust out" while commuting or on the move. You say why not just use the iPhone? Because on a trip in a place youre unfamiliar, your iPhone is your lifeline...always use other devices first to avoid draining your iPhones battery and accidental drops
 
obviously it's for different sizes for different markets.

i, for one will be going to buy a mini since i already sold out my ipad 2 few months ago and i need a smaller ipad to be more flexible when travelling.
 
I do not have an iPad. For some reason I always stopped short of buying one for portability reasons as I want take it with me most places if I invest that kind of cash. Between an iPod Touch and an iPhone I have a lot of money invested in iOS apps that I would like to use between the devices. I do admit to mainly using the Touch for music and podcasts at home now while I find I access the internet a lot on my phone and usually from Wifi areas - like from home now because I don't want to turn on my main computer. I did not do this with my Droid when I had it and it was always shutting down so limited when I went online with it. My Droid experience also gives me pause in getting a non iOS tablet due to problems with the apps force closing ALL the time. I don't need the 4g but may find I want it later if it gets used as much as it should....will find out from first hand experience. The only thing I hesitated on with the mini was how many GB and what color. Experience with this one may show me why I need the full sized iPad, or that I made a wise choice in waiting.
 
I got one but I have also never owned an ipad. What drew me to it is its size. I have been a long time android user but my wife got an iphone 5 through work and after using it for a day I immediately fell in love with it. I promptly sold my evo lte and got an iphone 5. The mini is my first apple tablet and after ordering the mini last night my acer iconia tablet is going to my son.
 
I have an iPad 3 and when I heard that the iPad mini isn't retina then my decision to switching from an iPad 3 to a iPad mini ended. I choose not to do the switch.

But what makes a person go from a larger iPad to a smaller one?

Of course the bigger the screen size the better but when it comes to portability we must have a limit.

Apple has found that a 10" screen is that limit.
There iPad mini are for those who want a tablet device at a lower price.

So what makes me want to switch my iPad 3 for a smaller iPad? The weight of it and to be able to hold it with one hand most of the time since it is much lighter.
 
bigboar said:
I got one but I have also never owned an ipad. What drew me to it is its size. I have been a long time android user but my wife got an iphone 5 through work and after using it for a day I immediately fell in love with it. I promptly sold my evo lte and got an iphone 5. The mini is my first apple tablet and after ordering the mini last night my acer iconia tablet is going to my son.
Click to expand...

Eewwww. Acer Iconia? Did he have a bad report card? :p
 
If I were considering an ipad mini it would come down to usefullness. Take the ipad 4. Sure it has retina and a speedy processor but what's the point of having all that if ergonomics and weight will dissuade you from using it as much as you'd like to?

I would suggest that anyone with ipad 3s that are even remotely tempted by the ipad mini give the mini a test run for a week or so and see the device they reach for more often. If the ipad 3 starts to collect dust I'd be asking myself why I'm keeping it around.

I've changed my stance recently and believe ipad 3 owners interested in switching are being given too much of a hard time about supposedly "downgrading". It's like a relationship. If you're starting to look elsewhere, maybe you're not being satisfied at home and need to move on even if the one you're with is way more attractive.
 
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