HobeSoundDarryl

jeff fields said:

netrox said:

isnt iPad Mini also a phone since it supports cellular (if you go for celluar in addition to wifi)? 

No. Cellular data only. No SIM card, therefore no cell calls. It's not a phone.

This is not true. I laid out the details of how to use one to also cover phone calls and texts in post eight. Works great as a "phone." Been using iPad Minis to also cover phone needs since the first generation model. While possible to hold this up to the ear like a giant iPhone, I have always used  buds with microphone for phone purposes. 

And it DOES have a sim card. See "Buttons & Connectors" at: https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/

But even the wifi-only one can be a "phone" using a VOIP app when using wifi. Macs can be a "phone" that way too. In fact, I use Google Voice (app and website) to make & take calls, send & receive texts whether I'm using iPad Mini (2 until the new 6 arrives) or either of my Macs. 

dewme said:

As someone coming from the original iPad mini to this one, I know exactly where it needs to fit into my life, which is to be the perfect portable content consumption device that also is great for email, messaging, FaceTime, Zoom, Slack, and other such personal tasks. 

WOW! That will be an incredible leap (from MINI ONE to SIX). I thought I was taking the biggest leap from TWO- which still works very well by the way- to SIX but you'll be coming from non-retina to multi-generations beyond that first retina incarnation in mine. 

As I'm sure you feel, my expectations are HIGH with such a big jump. Looking through countless threads where there are so many gripes about this and that, I'm (and you) are hopping over many generations of technology improvements. I'm expecting to be relatively dazzled in a few days. Goodbye 2. Hello 6. 

netrox said:

isnt iPad Mini also a phone since it supports cellular (if you go for celluar in addition to wifi)? 

Yes, but you need an app for that. Apple doesn't include the iPhone VOIP app, nor is it available as a downloadable app. But there's plenty of VOIP apps available. I've used iPad Minis to also be my "phone" (with buds) since Mini 1. Call over wifi when in wifi zones, use cellular data when not. It all works great. 

Favorite FREE VOIP app available for it: Google Voice. It takes and makes calls (rings iPad when called) and it sends and receives texts from non-Apple people (and also gives me notifications of new texts). With Apple people I text through Messages and video conf through FaceTime, just like anyone does with iPhone.

Other VOIP apps I've used/like: Talkatone and Comcast Voice... the latter when I had their landline service. Anyone anti-Google-everything certainly has plenty of other options. There's also some cheap-but-paid apps with more features. 

Like many people, my pure "phone" usage of these devices is not that heavy, so this is like we use iPhones for everything else... except with a bigger screen. 

Key Negatives: it doesn't fit in a pocket as well as iPhone (suit pocket works, bag/purse, or I just tuck it under an arm when I need it with me but am not in a full suit), if you like Watch or CarPlay full functionality, BOTH of those need to be married to an iPhone, cameras are superior in iPhone, you can't use Messages for texts from non-Apple people, so you basically are texting through 2 apps instead of one (I just park both apps in the iPad dock for quick access), 911 functionality is not there (but I just put in my local emergency contacts as a single button click instead of having to click 3), a few entities like Uber and Ticketmaster, etc don't recognize Google Voice numbers as "cell" numbers (so I also have the Talkatone app which creates a dynamic cell number which will satisfy text-based authentication. Since that's often about what will then be lots of text spam, I'm not giving them my main number so I somewhat see that as a positive). 

Key Positives: ONE device to carry instead of two. Since iPads seem to "keep up" longer, the upgrade cycle can be slower without getting behind on iOS features (so not feeling strong compulsion to buy new ones every year or two saves a lot of money), still full Apple/iOS, cellular data services for iPad can get down to as little as $5/month so the annual cell bill can get down to $60 if one does not need gobs of cellular data (I'm in wifi most of that time, so that applies to me), all the benefits of a screen bigger than iPhone.

Is this for everyone? NO, nothing is for everyone. But I can offer it has worked very well for me since MINI 1. Nobody on the other end notices that I don't have an iPhone and the money savings is sizable over time (vs. buying new phones every year or two and ongoing cellular cost differences). 

BONUS: if you do have or need a landline at home (alarm system, still need to fax sometimes, etc), look up the Obihai device. It will also use Google Voice for landline calls. When someone calls my "phone", my home phones also ring. When I call out from either, I'm using the same phone number. That also "just works" and has for years. Cost of local & long distance this way? $0 if all calls are in North America. 

When I first went this way, I transferred my old landline through a few days of Tmobile to (be able to transfer it to) Google Voice. So that was keeping my main number but getting to use it in more ways. People already using a mobile number can direct transfer if they want... or setup a new (free) number with GV and have it auto-forward to their existing number. 

Impending Mini 6 will also be my new "phone." I look forward to the big upgrade over the existing Mini... then doing it again in about 4-6 years to about MINI 9 or 10 or maybe iPhone Fold 2 or 3.

I'm actually jumping from Mini 2 to Mini 6. That 2 still works great but Apple finally cut off the iOS upgrades and some apps I use seem to really want new iOS features.

Obviously, I'm anticipating a BIG leap forward in both hardware and software. 

BUT, I do want to celebrate the Mini lifecycle. These things LAST... and tend to work pretty great even long after most everything else tends to start getting "long in tooth" consumer spin. iPads have good legs in terms of usefulness. I'm expecting this 6 to still be in major use 4-6 years from now... much like the great 2 has served me so well for all these years since it was launched. 

Hello Mini 6! 

patchythepirate said:

I'm really tempted to get the iPhone mini this year and use the new iPad mini as my main device. Has anyone tried this before?

Since I take/make relatively few voice calls, I've ALWAYS used an iPad Mini with cellular and buds as my "phone." AT&T offers a LTE deal: 3 months for $30 for 2GB of data and that tends to be plenty for me since I can tap into free wifi in almost every place I go. Annual cell service for me tends to be SOUTH of $100 (I only renew when I need cellular again). 

For my purposes, I don't even need a phone at all. iPad Mini does BOTH jobs well. For occasional calls, I use buds with microphone just like many people do with their phones. Google Voice is a free phone app (and there are several others if you want to dodge Google) and it doubles for texting with the non iOS world (else Messages "just works").

I don't feel a miss a thing this way. But obviously, this is not for everyone.