I had a 4 and a mini for most of the past year. The duo was pretty easy to justify as the mini wasn't retina. I kept the 4 at home and took the mini with me everywhere else.
In anticipation (and fundraising) for the new iPad, I sold the 4. I learned to live with the mini as my sole ipad. It was ok, but not ideal. After a long day of photo retouching for work, coming home to read on the mini was fatiguing.
I had always assumed that the fatigue was caused by the non-retina screen. I came to realize that it was also the size of the screen, and the constant scaling required to bring type up to a comfortable size. Chasing text around the screen as I pinched in and out to scan an article was the source of as much eye fatigue as the lack of sharpness.
So when the Air landed, I figured I would just get that and be done with it. Given the much lighter weight and smaller size, I figured it would be a perfect compromise between the screen of the 4 and the size of the mini. So I sold my Mini.
After getting a horribly two toned yellow/pink screen Air on the very first try, I was rather disheartened. I was immediately reminded of the ipad 3 and what a terrible time I had finding an evenly colored one. (ultimately I never quite did, though I found one that was less egregious than others).
I also discovered that with the Smart Case, the Air wasn't quite so airy. I love the Smart Case, and wouldn't use an iPad without it, but the weight made a big difference, and I feared I wouldn't bring it everywhere like I do the mini. It wouldn't even fit in one of the bags I typically carry, which is a small camera bag. The mini fits it great.
I returned the Air. The rMini was not available yet, so I bought another regular Mini. I planned to "borrow" it from Apple until the rMini came out. After 2 weeks, the rMini was still not available. So I returned the Mini and got another Air, resetting the 2 week return period.
I was again struck by the awesomeness of the Air's size and weight. Such a joy to hold and use. Unfortunately, I was also again struck by the awful 2 toned screen; this time yellow/blue.
Finally, the rMini was up for preorder. In light of the rumblings of limited availability, I ordered a wifi only model and an LTE model. I figured I could sell the wifi one if supplies were truly limited, for a few bucks profit, to offset all the cabs I'd taken to the Apple stores returning their crappy Air screens.
Of course, the wifi landed first. By a week. I couldn't resist opening it. The screen was yellowish, but mostly even at least. I returned the yellow/blue Air and used the wifi rMini for a week.
When the LTE rMini arrived, my plan was to return the wifi only one, as the wifi only ones were clearly not in short supply as predicted and there was no demand on the secondary market. So much for that idea.
In the few days I had the LTE Mini (which had a much more contrasty and cleaner white screen than the wifi), I felt slightly underwhelmed, not by the screen, but by the form factor. The Air was still stuck in my mind. If the Mini was the miracle of technology of 2012, the Air holds the title for 2013. It's pure tech sex, except for that whole nasty 1/2 yellow screen thing of course.
On my way to return the wifi Mini, it occurred to me that Apple already has my money, and that I could exchange the wifi for another Air, just to give it one last fighting chance at being the sole iPad I own. Then I remembered that I'd already decided the Air was too big for daily carry, and too heavy with the Smart Case. But being the Apple slut I am, I convinced myself to try one more Air anyway, this time a wifi only model, and that if the screen was good, I would keep it and use it strictly at home, like my old 4.
Well the screen isn't even. But it's much less noticeable than the previous Airs. Sometimes I even forget it's yellowish on the left. But it still bugs me at least once a day. I may return it. I may or may not get another.
But one thing is for sure, for me, a bigger screen at home, for extended periods of reading, is crucial. The mini is just too hard on my 45 year old eyes for long periods of time. And not having to pinch and zoom every article on a web page is very nice. Another thing for sure, the Mini is a fantastic road warrior. Especially when those roads are the sidewalks of NYC.
So much to the chagrin of my wife, who thinks I am truly insane, I am back to being a 2 ipad person. For now anyway. I have until January 7th to make it official.
