The main thing you need to know about my iPad mini right now is that it’s here next to me, and I’ve already been using it a bunch today. I also fell asleep reading it last night, and almost every night last week.
After initially scowling at the iPad mini, I bought one from a buddy. I bought one because the iPad (3) is damned heavy to carry around and even more cumbersome to deal with if you need two hands and don’t have a bag. I use the piss out of both of my iPads, so I have a few thoughts on them that I will share (in no particular order):
- The size and weight of the iPad mini make it better for almost every task.
- The size of the proper iPad is much better for scribbling notes with a Cosmonaut.
- The size of the proper iPad is superior for typing, even with a bluetooth keyboard the display feels better for writing.
- Not having retina blows, but you get over it when you realize your arms aren’t tired after one page of reading.
- I read with my iPad mini every night — I did that for only a few months with my proper iPad.
- I abuse the crap out of my iPads, neither have broken.
- When I head to work I always take my retina MacBook Pro, proper iPad, and then debate about taking the mini. It makes it into my bag 40% of the time.
- The mini is always the device I grab if I rush out of the house and am not sure if I might need some extra computing prowess.
- The mini is the device I take when we go on day-trips, and weekend getaways (where I have been given the “you better not bring stuff to work on” look).
I’d buy a retina iPad mini over another full-size iPad, but only if the weight and size didn’t change the wrong way on the mini. More likely, I am looking to upgrade both iPads and my iPhone this fall.