iPad mini unboxing: super slim, very light - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slurpy 

I honestly think this could be the nicest looking product Apple has ever made. Once you get used to it, the large iPad seems like it has a ridiculosly large bezel. This thing is almost all screen. And the materials and back looks gorgeous. 

I kind of agree. For me, it is not so much a case of the bezel on the iPad being large. It's a case of, for many tasks, the iPad Mini seems large enough. You get used to the lower resolution display after a while.  One thing, however, shows that Steve Jobs wasn't wrong. There are certain cases when text enough is awkward because, the same text field (in terms of pixels) the iPad is just a bit small here. Selecting text requires a bit of trial and error. I find myself still not quite adjusted to it. This is perhaps what Jobs meant by needing sandpaper.

Having said this, the moment I gripped the Mini in my left hand, I had an instant feeling that this was going to sell at least as well as the iPad. It just fits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX 


There is lots of wasted space in the box. Most of the box's thickness is because they need room for the PSU's thickness but they don't fill that space with much of anything. I'd like the box to be elongated so the PSU and headphones are at the bottom edge of the box which would allow the box to be much thinner thus allowing for less overall volume being used for packaging. This would negatively affect the aesthetic of the box being the length and width of the product they are selling so I'll be surprised if they go that route.

Wait a second. What do you mean by head phones? The iPad (or MIni) does not come with head phones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anantksundaram 


Buy a 10W charger if you need one, and stop whining.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycomiko 

One thing i noticed with mine. it only comes with a 5w charger. Apple should ditch that, 10W or above, all around.

I personally don't think it's a big deal. But you can whine all you want; it's a free country. Anyone who tells you to stop must have an empty life that they need to lash out at people to give themselves some meaning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anantksundaram 


Spoken like someone whose life must surely have a lot of meaning!

Just feeling sorry for you. That's pretty meaningful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harbinger 

Just feeling sorry for you. That's pretty meaningful.

Ditto.

Sounds like we're good!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX 


I mean the Lightning cable as it's the only other wired component I could have possibly meant when I misspoke.

Ok. You had me looking back in my box wondering if I had left the earbuds inside!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harbinger 

Ok. You had me looking back in my box wondering if I had left the earbuds inside!

Don't feel bad, I went digging as well lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anfboymn 

Non retina = piece of cheap shit

Wow.  Have you actually bothered to use it and see?

Have been using mine since Friday morning and can't put it down.  It is much easier to hold than the current iPad and much easier to see than the iPhone 5.  The screen is great.  Even watched a movie on it already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bergermeister 

 

Wow.  Have you actually bothered to use it and see?

 

Have been using mine since Friday morning and can't put it down.  It is much easier to hold than the current iPad and much easier to see than the iPhone 5.  The screen is great.  Even watched a movie on it already.

Mostly agree. But those textboxes are a bit on the small side, don't you think? Maybe they can enlarge them for both iPad and iPad Mini.

BTW, vertical scrolling does not work on my ibooks. Is it working for others?

Originally Posted by Harbinger 
BTW, vertical scrolling does not work on my ibooks. Is it working for others?

When you switch to it, what happens?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX 

There is lots of wasted space in the box. Most of the box's thickness is because they need room for the PSU's thickness but they don't fill that space with much of anything. I'd like the box to be elongated so the PSU and headphones are at the bottom edge of the box which would allow the box to be much thinner thus allowing for less overall volume being used for packaging. This would negatively affect the aesthetic of the box being the length and width of the product they are selling so I'll be surprised if they go that route.

Personally I do not like the design of the packaging for iOS devices. The one thing I would change is I would rather have the device deeper into the box because it is too easy for it to slip out upon opening the box since it is sitting completely loose right at the very brim. I know they think it is a better presentation as the device is the first thing you see when opening the package but with my recent experience opening my iPhone 5, the device did slide right out of the box onto the granite countertop in the kitchen just as I was pulling the top off because it was rather snug, hence, I was struggling a bit and the box was not level. Fortunately the phone was undamaged but it could have been had it dropped further than the few inches that it did. I'd rather leave the drop test to the repair sites.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirozha 

I spent about 15 minutes with an iPad Mini at the local Apple store last night. I can tell you this is an absolutely brilliant device. For most tasks that the iPad is used, such as light email, web browsing, YouTube, Netflix, iTunes for Movies or audio, and especially ebooks, iPad Mini is a better device than iPad. For those who try to use iPad as a laptop substitute, full-size iPad is probably a better choice. iPad Mini is so light and thin that you can easily hold it in one hand while reading or typing. So, you use it in a different way than you do the full-size iPad. I can see how the adoption of this device by retail sector as well as by healthcare sector will be rapid and enormous. You really have to play with it to understand that this device will open many doors that remained closed to the iPad. Also, iPad mini is a perfect fusion of an ereader and a high-end tablate. I really believe informed consumers on a budget will be choosing iPad Mini over Android tablets or Amazon Kindle Fire. As for the resolution, because of the smaller screen size than full-size iPad , the same resolution as on iPad 2 seems a lot sharper than on iPad 2. I could not discern pixels on the iPad Mini as I can on my iPad 2. So, iPad Mini is not a fail with the current resolution. The cameras on iPad Mini are much better than on iPad 2, so if you do FaceTime or Skype between two iPad Minis, video quality will be better on both ends than it is with iPad 2 or even iPad 3. The back camera is good enough and the size of iPad Mini is small enough that you can use it as a photo or video camera (unlike a full-size ipad). So, those who do not want a smart phone could opt for an iPad Mini and have similar camera handy. All of this in one device for $329 I presents a compelling reason to own an iPad Mini for those on a budget and late into the mobile computing era. I, for one, have ordered a 16GB Wi-Fi iPad Mini for my 2-year-old son because I believe it's an excellent educational tool. iPhone/iPod Touch is too small for that purpose, but a full-size iPad is too bulky for a toddler to handle. iPad Mini seems to be perfect for this as well as for so many other tasks. By the way, it would make an excellent GPS if you get one with cell data and GPS chip in it.

Great little analysis there. I played around with one at our university bookstore and I immediately fell in love with it. Like you said, the screen is better than iPad 2, wish it had retina. Will probably hold out until next fall for the retina, if mobile refreshes now all occur in the pre-Christmas season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan King 

How does the fonts look like? More like iPad 1/2 or closer to retina?

I know it's not much help, but it's somewhere in between. Kind of like getting the high-res version of the MacBook Pro, but not the Retina version. It does not exactly "pop" or look like a glowing printed image like an iPad 3 - but the obvious jaggies of the iPad 2 are not found either. 

Personally, I will hold out for the Retina, since the UI elements and text are actually smaller than on the full-sized iPad. The form factor is perfect though - amazingly light and thin, great in hand. Much less conspicuous than the iPad 3, and much more feasible for bedside reading, web browsing on the train, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdonisSMU 

i think so too. Once you get to retina quality display your eyes can no longer see the pixels so why bother so why not try to expand the color gammut.

I'm not an expert in this field, but it's my understanding that the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 have this pretty much wrapped up. Most analyses I've read (and my personal experience) say that it offers an extremely accurate picture, with the full color gamut. They've also reduced reflectivity and improved outdoor viewing. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

 

When you switch to it, what happens?

 

I'll just assume you're kidding.

Originally Posted by Harbinger 
I'll just assume you're kidding.

Eh? I'm just showing you where the switch is. What happens when you select "Scroll"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah 

It sounds like a screen compatible to iPhone 3G & S, yet they should have it at 1080p, nothing higher like 1400 on current iPads. Making it close to full size making it retina. Also something that makes sence.

This tablet only exists (for the moment) because it retains the resolution of the original iPad meaning existing apps work out of the box. It is literally the iPhone 3GS displays cut to a larger size.

1080p, while a neat marketing point, would have meant an entirely different resolution for developers to account for. Legacy apps would be letter boxed as opposed to the elegant lossless 2x scaling of a retina display iPhone and iPad which means legacy apps look no worse and updated apps look amazing.