So somehow, you think a 0.25 lb weight difference will be less noticeable than a 0.06 lb weight difference? I'm well aware that the Mini increased in weight (308g to 331g for WiFi, 312g to 341g for LTE). Yes, the extra 30g is noticeable, particularly if you're holding the device single-handed for a long time. However, the new Mini's still considerably lighter than the iPad Air (469/478g).
That's not what I said. I meant that if you owned the previous iPad Mini you will definitely notice the difference in weight with the iPad Mini 2. When the device is that small and light the littlest difference is noticeable. The iPad Air versus the iPad Mini 2 you will of course notice the difference. But the difference is close to being non discernible now that it's so light and the same thinness. Plus you're getting a WAY bigger screen in exchange. The iPad Mini 2 you're just getting the screen that should of been there in the first place and has always been on the full sized iPad. Plus you're paying $80 more for it.
I fully understand that some people prefer the smaller device, and I respect their opinion and right to enjoy whatever they want. But I totally cannot understand why a smaller screen could be better to someone. I get the device being smaller is easier to travel & carry... but the screen itself being smaller? Why would you want that? It's incredibly annoying typing on the iPhone 5 unless you have baby hands. The full sized iPad I can almost type on as good as a full keyboard in landscape mode.
I think once most people who are leaning towards the Mini actually get their hands on the new iPad Air they will change their minds.
You're right. In my case, if I buy an LTE iPad, it could be. I have wifi at home and work.
I have a Share Everything plan and called Verizon to verify it will only cost me $10/mth IF I activate. If the tethering works, then I won't unless needed. I still may change my mind but I would really hate to later wish I had it because I can't add it once a wifi only is purchased and I plan to keep mine at least a couple years.
But your feedback is appreciated, even if it does have me waffling again. This would be a lot easier if it wasn't my first iPad & I knew better how much tethering I may or may not need. Is it true if you tether, you eat up your data plan faster than if you're using cellular?
You are also paying $130 more just for the ability to pay for a data plan... that alone should be enough to steer you away.
Trust me I have been using WiFi only iPads the entire time and I never once wished I had cellular. The whole purpose of a smartphone is to have cellular data access... since if you are moving around a lot to where you lose WiFi you're not going to be able to stop and use the iPad anyway. You can just pull your phone out of your pocket and do what you needed to do on there.
Where exactly would you need to use cellular? Ask yourself that. I'm in NY and we lost power for an entire week here during hurricane sandy. For that entire week I would park in the Burger King parking lot because it got good 4G LTE signal. I tethered my iPhone 5's 4G LTE to my iPad 4 and was downloading movies at 2.4MB/sec on the iPad, and yet the iPhone 5 was still browsing the web at full speed.
The cellular is seriously only necessary if you're a white collar business type who needs access to the internet every second of the day for urgent clients. Even then it's not absolutely necessary since WiFi is everywhere they usually would be.
If you have a Share Everything plan then you can tether with your existing plan. Don't pay extra for any "tethering" options... you can tether for free with third party apps. You could upgrade share everything on your phone to a higher data amount if you think you'll need a lot.
But I want to dispel some rumors about tethering. No it's not slower, no it's not difficult, and no it's not illegal if you DON'T have an unlimited data plan. When you pay for a specific amount of data it's your right to do whatever you want with it. With unlimited it's illegal because you paid for unlimited on your phone and then you're sucking up bandwidth with a totally different device. (I do it anyway...oh well)
It's not difficult either... you simply click on an app and hit "Start" and on your iPad you will see "iPhone Tether" pop up as a WiFi network like any other... and you can even password protect it like your home network to keep others from stealing your bandwidth.
Once you do it once your iPad will remember the network. So anytime you want to tether you pull out your phone and click the start button and you iPad will automatically connect.
Good Luck! Hope that helps
