My iPad mini

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Confession time: I will admit it. After all the fuss I made about my husband wanting to go out and buy this new toy I ended up with it instead. There were lots of excuses as to why we needed to get one. I will be merciful and not list them.

Not a great photo I know. My Droid is really not a happy camper these days.

iPad mini

It arrived Friday and the first thing I did was to restore it so it matches everything I already have on my regular iPad. That means that I did not actually ‘play’ with it until Saturday.

I must say that I am truly amazed. After trying the smaller form factor with other tablets I did not see how this was going to replace my regular iPad. Apple really did do a fabulous job when they designed this. You do not feel like you are looking at a smaller screen. Technically you are, but you don’t really notice it. Seriously…

This iPad mini is also much more portable, obviously. I could actually see the camera getting used because you are not pulling out a large device to try to take a photo.

The smaller form factor also means that the Kindle app is more inviting. Make no mistake. I love my Kindle. But I can see the Kindle app getting some use while I am waiting for an appointment. It saves me taking 2 devices – one for work and one for reading.

This iPad mini weighs so little that you really have to hold it yourself to understand why everyone is commenting about it. If you own a Kindle reader, then that gives a good idea of what the weight is like.

At this point I want to take some time to give my husband some credit. He actually let me spend time bonding with my iPad mini before he took it from me for ‘testing’. Testing? He needed to see if the apps he uses would translate well to the mini. Testing obviously went well because he placed an order for a mini for himself. LOL

I have so little doubt at this point that this will replace my larger iPad that we have placed the larger one for sale. Yes. This is the same ‘me’ that said I had no interest in a smaller iPad. Today I eat my words…

Now if I could just get Verizon to let me upgrade my phone to an iPhone before my contract actually allows the upgrade, then all my devices would be playing well together. Soon…

So what do you think? Will you be taking the new iPad mini for a spin?

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Filed in: Technology

Comments (15 )

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  1. findingourwaynow says:

    I went to check it out. I am seriously thinking about it. What I really want is the new HD 27" desktop. 🙂

    • Geek Girl says:

      Yeah, I have been holding discussions with my husband about getting a new iMac myself. I have never had one. I have had everything else but an iMac. With all the blogging work I do along with all the writing I am now doing it really makes sense to have a regular desktop to work on.

  2. findingourwaynow says:

    I love my current one. It makes working on all the stuff I do SOOO much easier.

    The HD version comes out sometime at the end of Novemeber and my awesome husband is getting it for me for Christmas WOO! HOO!

    • Geek Girl says:

      OK so like I am now officially jealous! LOL

  3. namirusso says:

    My mom has her eye on my iPad – after all, she hijacked my iTouch. I might just convince her if she gets me the mini, she could have the iPad…then again, she might just do what your husband did and get one for herself. Thanks for the review.

  4. Geek Girl says:

    Hey – if she gets her hands on the iPad mini, you will never see it. Yes. It's that good.

  5. Dan Meyers says:

    Very interesting – so do you think it will cannibalize the regular iPad sales? I like the point you made about it being a little better to take pictures with. Nothing cracks me up for than when I see someone taking pictures with their giant iPad… it just doesn't look right!

    • Geek Girl says:

      Yeah, like that camera in the big iPad was never going to get used by me. I can really see this taking a bit out of the larger iPad sales. For those who travel, this is great. For kids it is totally great. Only time will tell. But it has made a believer out of me and in short order.

  6. JeriWB says:

    I would much rather have the mini, but I'm about to inherit my husband's full-size iPad as soon as he gets the new Microsoft Surface tablet. Maybe after I use the iPad more, I will learn to appreciate its size and heft 😉

    • Geek Girl says:

      When I first heard about the Surface I wanted one too. However, after all the reviews, even from the MS fan boys, I am rethinking that. Glad you are getting an iPad however you get it. 🙂 You will like it.

  7. So we just put together a page comparing effective screen display area on iPad Mini, Nexus 7 and Playbook, using News 360 as the common app – and the results are really stunning – the Mini not only has 60% more effective screen display area – and that would be a huge gain by itself – but look at the quality of the app!

    On the Mini – the app is really impactful and engaging, not quite so much on the Playbook and just downright crude on the Nexus 7 – see here – http://zencarthelp.com/screen-display-content-dif

  8. Geek Girl says:

    It's a pretty remarkable difference.

  9. I am not convinced. I was considering the full size Ipad for a bit until I found that the Nexus 10 will have essentially the same cameras as the Ipad 4, with more screen resolution. Considering I am entirely Microsoft already it just makes more sense to me.

    • Geek Girl says:

      I totally understand. I am used to looking at the specs and having those help me make my decisions. In this case the pros totally outweighed the cons for me. 🙂

  10. I still need more convincing whether to buy the new ipad mini or would just stick with my current ipad 2, my children were asking me to buy the mini so they could have my old ipad. The ipad mini seems to be a good gadget to try the only thing I don't like about it is it's price tag it could have been more affordable in a way.