iPad mini review roundup: Amazing build quality, impressive battery life, high price

12467

Comments

  • Reply 61 of 130

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post



    Nice tablet, but...

    The A5 is now 3 generations behind other iPads, the iOS UI is more than dated at this point, the display is not even close to the resolution/quality of other 7 to 8 inch tablet devices (or even most modern smartphones) and the price is 'a bit much' for anything but the base model, especially the US $130.00 additional just for GPS/Cellular radios.

    When it comes down to it, the iPad Mini is just another variation on the same 5 year-old iOS theme, which for many will be enough, but it does beg the question: Is Apple Just Running Out of New Ideas?


     


    It begs the question, is DaHarder running out of troll comments to post?


     


    I knew you'd be running your mouth here - you just can;t seem to stand the fact that Apple seems to "nail it" time and again.


     


    BTW, do you use Windows on any PC's? Why aren't you whining that Windows has bee the same ole stale OS since Win 98? Icons in a grid, Start menu, task bar, menues with the usual "File > Open" commands....the list goes on. Until Windows 8 nothing really changed for 15 years. And now people are pissed about Windows 8 being so much different. Sometimes when something works you just don;t need to keep making changes for changes sake.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 62 of 130

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Can you explain why maps are useless without GPS?


    Seriously, are you expecting a response from these moro........ er..... maroons?image

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 63 of 130

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by snova View Post


    dont you just love Apple marketing..  they will squeeze out that dollar out of you by up selling you just to get GPS.  I'm sure it happens all the time.



    For cheapos like you, it's 'up sell.'


     


    For the rest of us, it's 'choice'.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 64 of 130
    ifij775ifij775 Posts: 470member
    When apple updates the ipad mini they will drop the price on the first generation and you'll be able to buy it for $299 or whatever. Problem solved.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 65 of 130
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,398member


    A bit off topic, but can someone explain to me why Walt Mossberg, one of the most well known tech reviewers, writing for one of the most well known papers, does his damn video reviews with a shitty webcam, with shitty lighting, at a shitty angles, with shitty framerates and shitty sound, in a ghetto looking room? He can't avoid a decent video camera, like all the other billion people that do their crappy youtube reviews that look a billion times better? I don't get it. The guy is a professional that reviews stuff for a professional outlet. Why can't he get some hald-decent equipment for his video reviews so they dont look like a blurry, garbled, ghetto mess? Can't the WSJ cover it? Its so embarrassing, I almost feel like donating him a decent camera. 


     


    Had to get that off my chest, after stopping a few seconds into the 3rd review Ive tried to watch this month because of the abysmal, unacceptably horrible quality. 

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 66 of 130
    daharder wrote: »
    FACT: The A5 IS Three SoC Generations Behind the latest Apple SoC.

    A5 - As used in the iPad Mini

    A5X - As used in the 'new' iPad 3rd Generation

    A6 - As used in the iPhone 5/6th Generation

    A6X - As used in the 'new' iPad/4th Generation
    I have no problem agreeing with you...if you promise to go away forever.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 67 of 130
    Pssh, I can do that, too. :lol:

    LL
    How do we know your fingers are still connected to your hand?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 68 of 130
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    I have no problem agreeing with you...if you promise to go away forever.
    A5x is just A5 with a gpu. Thats not a new generation chip. Iphone 5 has an A6 chip. Ipad 4 has a6x. Yet the iPhone speed is almost identical to the iPad speed.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 69 of 130
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member


    I love the "idea" of the iPad mini, but I won't be forking over any money for one until they make the display Retina. I simply can't go back to the "old" way of looking at things. I can remember when I got my iPhone 4 and my wife still had an iPhone 3GS. It pained me to have to back to that "seemingly" shitty display after experiencing Retina.


     


    It would be the same for me with the iPad mini. I've had an iPad 3, so I've gotten used to the high quality retina display and crisp clear graphics and text -- I just can't go back a step with the iPad mini no matter how cheap it is in comparison.


     


    When the iPad mini refresh comes out with a Retina display, I'll plunk my money down -- not before.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 70 of 130
    adonissmu wrote: »
    I have no problem agreeing with you...if you promise to go away forever.
    A5x is just A5 with a gpu. Thats not a new generation chip. Iphone 5 has an A6 chip. Ipad 4 has a6x. Yet the iPhone speed is almost identical to the iPad speed.
    Maybe you missed my point. I just want DaHarder to go away. Forever.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 71 of 130
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    Newsflash!


     


    Amazon lied in their ad!


     


    Amazon claimed that the iPad Mini had a mono speaker, and used that lie in their misleading ad to try and bash the iPad Mini.


     


    FALSE! 100% Untrue.


     


    The iPad Mini has in fact stereo speakers. The iPad Mini is the first iPad to feature stereo speakers. 


     


    Amazon's Ad Slamming The iPad Mini Has A Blatant Lie In It




    http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ipad-mini-speakers-2012-10#ixzz2ArP9mMHu


     


     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 72 of 130
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,699member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Alfiejr View Post


    yes but ... the mini internals are mainly iPad 2 components already.



     


    Most of the mini's components are the same as the iPad 4, not iPad 2. The only component from the iPad 2 is the A5, however, even this may be slightly different (clocked higher) - a few tests have shown that it runs faster.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 73 of 130
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,179member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post



    Nice tablet, but...

    The A5 is now 3 generations behind other iPads, the iOS UI is more than dated at this point, the display is not even close to the resolution/quality of other 7 to 8 inch tablet devices (or even most modern smartphones) and the price is 'a bit much' for anything but the base model, especially the US $130.00 additional just for GPS/Cellular radios.

    When it comes down to it, the iPad Mini is just another variation on the same 5 year-old iOS theme, which for many will be enough, but it does beg the question: Is Apple Just Running Out of New Ideas?




    Just stop it will you?  Grow up for once.  Do you whine this much in the physical world as you do your online presence??  To say that your bickering is getting really old is an insult to the word "old".



    The mini is already sold out.  The reviews are raving about it and trashing the competition and rightfully so.  This will be another blockbuster product, but not for you eh?  That extra $50 will just be enough to break your bank since you can't buy one for you and your dog.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 74 of 130
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,179member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JohnnyW2001 View Post



    I don't understand people who claim that Apple shouldn't innovate anymore. iOS is OLD. Just because YOU can't imagine an improvement doesn't mean there isn't one.




    Apple is innovating with iOS where they feel it needs it.  You sound like someone that doesn't even own an iOS device to know what it does.



    Thank goodness Apple doesn't cater to folks like you that feel the need to have useless, resource-sucking nonsense like animated wallpapers.  You want junk like that, go ahead and move along to Android.  That way you can waste your time tweaking it to your heart's content and satisfy your need to have a 5-minute fix (every five minutes), and calm that ADHD personality.



    Please let the door hit you on the way out.  Please...

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 75 of 130
    chiachia Posts: 715member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post



    When it comes down to it, the iPad Mini is just another variation on the same 5 year-old iOS theme, which for many will be enough, but it does beg the question: Is Apple Just Running Out of New Ideas?


     


    An Automobile Review, DaHarder Style:


     


    When it comes to it, the Aston Martin DB9 2013 model is just another variation of the same 100 year-old automobile theme, which for many will be enough, but it does beg the question: Are automobile manufacturers out of new ideas?

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 76 of 130
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Love this headline from the UK independent. They give it 5 stars. Even without retina display. My guess is these won't be going up on Amazon's site any time soon. :lol:

    [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/we-put-apples-new-ipad-mini-to-the-test--and-no-wonder-it-costs-more-than-other-smallscreened-tablets-8259224.html][B][SIZE=5]
    We put Apple's new iPad mini to the test - and no wonder it costs more than other small-screened tablets[/SIZE][/B][/url]
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 77 of 130

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post



    ......the iOS UI is more than dated at this point.....


    So DaHarder, what in your opinion would make it "Not Dated"? iOS gets high consumer satisfaction scores year after year. So please inform all of us as to what would make it "Up To Speed".

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 78 of 130
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,847member


    What is the speed of the iPad mini's A5 compared to the iPad2's A5?  Are they the same?  Where are the geekbench scores?

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 79 of 130
    alexnalexn Posts: 119member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    I think the problem some are having is they feel the iPad Mini is nothing more than a smaller version of the iPad 2 . That it's outdated and too overpriced. The iPad 4 update may not have helped that perception because now some look at the A5 as two generations old. Kind of like Apple took sloppy seconds and created the Mini.

    While I disagree I can see how some would look at it that way. The two things I hear people bitch about is the A5 chip and the lack of retina diplay. It's easy to tell if the price point is on target, if it continues the sell after the initial push than the price point is fine. Honestly I can't wait to check one out.

    I will say that I have a gut feeling that the first upgrade to the Mini will be a big jump in performace. Apple is really keeping their foot on the gas when it comes to iPad performance bumps.

    Sure, i can see how people might expect Apple to push the envelope with every device and how people might think that a Retina display in a smaller package might be cheaper than in the 10" iPad but we know it's because they haven't thought it through.

    On another note, I really had no interest in the iPad mini until I saw this pic...

    1000

    Sexy, sexy beast! Or, that should probably be "wee beastie" :).

    I'll be off to the local Apple Store on Friday morning for a hopeful look-see/play. Since I currently use an iPad 1 with 4.3.3 - which I find fine despite also having an iPhone 4 - I am fully expecting to be pleased with it.

    I suspected that some of the reviews would be favourable: it looks as though they <i>all</i> are so far. Good news!
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 80 of 130

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Snowdog65 View Post


    I remember people saying after the announcement, "Reviewers will kill it for  (Not retina/Price/A5/etc...)".


     


    Well it turns out reviewers aren't immature nerds who still think the biggest number on the spec sheet wins.


     


    It looks pretty unanimous. The Mini is the best small tablet on the market (like it's big brother is the best larger tablet on the market).


     


    Is it worth $100 more to have the best mobile OS, best Ecosystem, best build quality and best integration? Decide for yourself, but for me it is a no brainer.


     


    The only small tablet I am considering is a Mini.



     


    Some reviewers are going further. It sounds like some of them prefer the Mini over the iPad as their primary tablet, even if they had to get used to the lower screen resolution. That's a pretty compelling compliment. But it also makes you wonder how, after allegedly extensive research, Apple decided 9.7" was the optimal size. Regardless, these reviews prove Apple right, once again.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.