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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| iPad mini: review of Apple's newest tablet | iPad mini: review of Apple's newest tablet |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Remember the iPod mini? When Apple launched that in January 2004, at a time when a huge swathe of the fast-growing digital music player market was still up for grabs, people thought Apple was crazy. Only 4GB of storage – less than in the original 5GB model launched in 2001? A $249 price tag – only $50 less than the base level "iPod". Well, said the critics, Apple had finally messed up after a couple of years of getting it right. It was doomed. | Remember the iPod mini? When Apple launched that in January 2004, at a time when a huge swathe of the fast-growing digital music player market was still up for grabs, people thought Apple was crazy. Only 4GB of storage – less than in the original 5GB model launched in 2001? A $249 price tag – only $50 less than the base level "iPod". Well, said the critics, Apple had finally messed up after a couple of years of getting it right. It was doomed. |
| Turned out it wasn't; the iPod mini became the best-selling iPod (until the iPod nano in September 2005). | Turned out it wasn't; the iPod mini became the best-selling iPod (until the iPod nano in September 2005). |
| Why point this out? Because much the same critique has been applied to the iPad mini, Apple's 7.85in device. It's just smaller (though nobody seems to be calling it "a big iPod Touch" – perhaps that wore thin after the first few thousand times following the original iPad's launch). It's too pricey; there are others which are already in the market. | Why point this out? Because much the same critique has been applied to the iPad mini, Apple's 7.85in device. It's just smaller (though nobody seems to be calling it "a big iPod Touch" – perhaps that wore thin after the first few thousand times following the original iPad's launch). It's too pricey; there are others which are already in the market. |
| As I've said earlier, there are some key differences between the iPod market of 2004 and today's mini-tablet market. The key one is that in the 2004 market, all the rivals needed to make a profit on their hardware; they couldn't make it up from selling music. This time round, Amazon and Google in particular can sell the hardware at a loss in order to goose their market share, if not immediately their profits. So Apple has a fight on its hands in pricing, not just design. | As I've said earlier, there are some key differences between the iPod market of 2004 and today's mini-tablet market. The key one is that in the 2004 market, all the rivals needed to make a profit on their hardware; they couldn't make it up from selling music. This time round, Amazon and Google in particular can sell the hardware at a loss in order to goose their market share, if not immediately their profits. So Apple has a fight on its hands in pricing, not just design. |
| But let's by dealing with the iPad mini as it is, on its own terms. | But let's by dealing with the iPad mini as it is, on its own terms. |
| Build quality: seamless | Build quality: seamless |
| Jonathan Ive doesn't like seams. He doesn't like any sort of break in the surface of objects, even manufactured ones. One of the notable things about the first iPod was that there was no obvious way to break it open, and the trend in all of Apple products – including the computers – is the same. | Jonathan Ive doesn't like seams. He doesn't like any sort of break in the surface of objects, even manufactured ones. One of the notable things about the first iPod was that there was no obvious way to break it open, and the trend in all of Apple products – including the computers – is the same. |
| You'll do well to get a scalpel blade between the iPad mini's screen and its bezel. There's no flex in the body; it's really solid. I was using a black model; it isn't obviously metal until you touch it. As with its bigger sibling, the headphone jack is on the top – unlike the iPhone 5, where it has migrated to the bottom. | You'll do well to get a scalpel blade between the iPad mini's screen and its bezel. There's no flex in the body; it's really solid. I was using a black model; it isn't obviously metal until you touch it. As with its bigger sibling, the headphone jack is on the top – unlike the iPhone 5, where it has migrated to the bottom. |
| Dimensions | Dimensions |
| This is worthy of mention because everyone has been focused on the Amazon Kindle Fire in comparison to the iPad mini (and of course Google Nexus 7). I compared an iPad mini beside a Kindle Fire, and was surprised to find that they're almost exactly the same size in both width and length, though the iPad mini is thinner. | This is worthy of mention because everyone has been focused on the Amazon Kindle Fire in comparison to the iPad mini (and of course Google Nexus 7). I compared an iPad mini beside a Kindle Fire, and was surprised to find that they're almost exactly the same size in both width and length, though the iPad mini is thinner. |
| Similarly, compare it with the Nexus 7. Here are the figures for the iPad mini: 199mm x 133mm; the Nexus 7, 198.5mm x 120mm. You get 1.3cm – that's half an inch - width difference between the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. This surprised me – I thought that the iPad mini would be substantially wider. But it's not, and at that width you can slip it into an outside jacket pocket or a roomy coat pocket or, of course, a bag. | Similarly, compare it with the Nexus 7. Here are the figures for the iPad mini: 199mm x 133mm; the Nexus 7, 198.5mm x 120mm. You get 1.3cm – that's half an inch - width difference between the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. This surprised me – I thought that the iPad mini would be substantially wider. But it's not, and at that width you can slip it into an outside jacket pocket or a roomy coat pocket or, of course, a bag. |
| How though does the iPad mini manage to be so small if it has a 7.85in screen, while the others have just 7in screens? By having a much thinner border along the long edges. It's 20mm wide at the short edges, but just 5mm on the long ones. This isn't just a shrunk-down iPad, where the borders are 20mm and 17mm (short, long). Apple has made a definite effort to create something that can be slipped into generous pockets. | How though does the iPad mini manage to be so small if it has a 7.85in screen, while the others have just 7in screens? By having a much thinner border along the long edges. It's 20mm wide at the short edges, but just 5mm on the long ones. This isn't just a shrunk-down iPad, where the borders are 20mm and 17mm (short, long). Apple has made a definite effort to create something that can be slipped into generous pockets. |
| Weight | Weight |
| What will surprise you is the weight. The specs already show that the iPad mini is lighter than the Kindle Fire, 308g v 395g (and 340g for the Nexus 7); even if you add on a Smart Cover, it's still lighter than the uncovered Kindle Fire. It's thinner too. This is a device that will be ideal for holding in one hand for reading on train rides or other commuting; or you might even forget it's in that coat pocket. | What will surprise you is the weight. The specs already show that the iPad mini is lighter than the Kindle Fire, 308g v 395g (and 340g for the Nexus 7); even if you add on a Smart Cover, it's still lighter than the uncovered Kindle Fire. It's thinner too. This is a device that will be ideal for holding in one hand for reading on train rides or other commuting; or you might even forget it's in that coat pocket. |
| What the iPod mini demonstrated, and what the MacBook Air demonstrated, and pretty much every breakthrough in mobility demonstrates, is that lighter is better – and if you can do lighter and bigger, you're really onto a winner. (This is part of how the Samsung Galaxy S3 has done so well: big screen, light phone.) | What the iPod mini demonstrated, and what the MacBook Air demonstrated, and pretty much every breakthrough in mobility demonstrates, is that lighter is better – and if you can do lighter and bigger, you're really onto a winner. (This is part of how the Samsung Galaxy S3 has done so well: big screen, light phone.) |
| The iPad mini (308g) feels like it isn't really there. Certainly you'll not get tired of holding it, which could happen with the iPad (652g). | The iPad mini (308g) feels like it isn't really there. Certainly you'll not get tired of holding it, which could happen with the iPad (652g). |
| Battery life | Battery life |
| As with previous iPads, battery life is easily in the nine-hour-plus mark. Charging is via the new Lightning connector, and as with the iPhone, the iPad now recharges very quickly – half an hour will easily add four or five times as much use. I didn't get a chance to try it out on a 4G/LTE network, so don't know how that affects battery life. (Mobile versions sold in the UK will initially be compatible with EE's 1800MHz network, and Three's next year.) | As with previous iPads, battery life is easily in the nine-hour-plus mark. Charging is via the new Lightning connector, and as with the iPhone, the iPad now recharges very quickly – half an hour will easily add four or five times as much use. I didn't get a chance to try it out on a 4G/LTE network, so don't know how that affects battery life. (Mobile versions sold in the UK will initially be compatible with EE's 1800MHz network, and Three's next year.) |
| Screen | Screen |
| It's not a retina screen! It's only 1024x768, so that the resolution is 163ppi. This has been a big complaint (or snark, in some cases) that I've heard from people who haven't laid eyes on this device. If all you read is specifications, then the iPad mini screen is far worse than the Kindle Fire's or Nexus 7's, right? | It's not a retina screen! It's only 1024x768, so that the resolution is 163ppi. This has been a big complaint (or snark, in some cases) that I've heard from people who haven't laid eyes on this device. If all you read is specifications, then the iPad mini screen is far worse than the Kindle Fire's or Nexus 7's, right? |
| Well, put them beside each other, and the story changes. Web page rendering on the Kindle Fire is, frankly, awful. It's blocky, and there's a yellowish cast which personally I dislike. The iPad mini is bright, and white, and the text rendering is good – and there's no obvious pixellation. Kindle books look as good on the iPad mini as on the Kindle Fire. (The latter is optimised for reading those, but not for the web; Amazon would rather you bought books than surfed the web.) Icons on the iPad mini look sharp; on the Kindle Fire, not really. | Well, put them beside each other, and the story changes. Web page rendering on the Kindle Fire is, frankly, awful. It's blocky, and there's a yellowish cast which personally I dislike. The iPad mini is bright, and white, and the text rendering is good – and there's no obvious pixellation. Kindle books look as good on the iPad mini as on the Kindle Fire. (The latter is optimised for reading those, but not for the web; Amazon would rather you bought books than surfed the web.) Icons on the iPad mini look sharp; on the Kindle Fire, not really. |
| Scrolling | Scrolling |
| With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. | With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. |
| Setup experience | Setup experience |
| If you have an iOS device already – iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad – then you can log into your iCloud account and all the apps and content you've already bought, plus all your settings including alarms can be transferred wirelessly. (If you've got multiple devices backed up, you get to choose which it's restored from. Alternatively, you can just use a wire and an iTunes backup.) Android tries, but doesn't quite get to the granular level that iCloud does, and that's a big difference in user-friendliness. | If you have an iOS device already – iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad – then you can log into your iCloud account and all the apps and content you've already bought, plus all your settings including alarms can be transferred wirelessly. (If you've got multiple devices backed up, you get to choose which it's restored from. Alternatively, you can just use a wire and an iTunes backup.) Android tries, but doesn't quite get to the granular level that iCloud does, and that's a big difference in user-friendliness. |
| User accounts | User accounts |
| There aren't any. This is the biggest failing in iOS at present. Now that Google has announced that Android will support a form of user accounts on tablets, and Windows Phone 8 offers "Kids Corner" (fenced-off apps you can let the kids use), and Windows RT tablets support multiple signins, iOS is starting to look like the odd one out. One tablet per person is great for Apple, but it's not so great for the squeezed middle. Single-user iPhones yes; multi-user iPads, yes please. | There aren't any. This is the biggest failing in iOS at present. Now that Google has announced that Android will support a form of user accounts on tablets, and Windows Phone 8 offers "Kids Corner" (fenced-off apps you can let the kids use), and Windows RT tablets support multiple signins, iOS is starting to look like the odd one out. One tablet per person is great for Apple, but it's not so great for the squeezed middle. Single-user iPhones yes; multi-user iPads, yes please. |
| Keyboard | Keyboard |
| Of course, there isn't an inbuilt keyboard. But the question is, is the onscreen version too small to type on? No – used in landscape or portrait, the keys are large enough even for my hands. Despite the smaller screen, touch targets aren't too small either. In short, you can still type quite accurately (and certainly more accurately than on an iPhone) and manipulate onscreen objects. I don't think that many app developers will be redoing their existing iPad 2 apps. | Of course, there isn't an inbuilt keyboard. But the question is, is the onscreen version too small to type on? No – used in landscape or portrait, the keys are large enough even for my hands. Despite the smaller screen, touch targets aren't too small either. In short, you can still type quite accurately (and certainly more accurately than on an iPhone) and manipulate onscreen objects. I don't think that many app developers will be redoing their existing iPad 2 apps. |
| In fact, games developers are quite excited by the idea of the iPad mini, because they reckon it will mean more players using the device in landscape mode who will be able to span the bottom of the screen with their thumbs (personally, I could) – something that was impossible with the iPad, which anyway gets too heavy. | In fact, games developers are quite excited by the idea of the iPad mini, because they reckon it will mean more players using the device in landscape mode who will be able to span the bottom of the screen with their thumbs (personally, I could) – something that was impossible with the iPad, which anyway gets too heavy. |
| Cameras | Cameras |
| Available front and back – here's an example shot with the camera on the back. There's no Panorama option with the rear camera, which is a strange omission. | Available front and back – here's an example shot with the camera on the back. There's no Panorama option with the rear camera, which is a strange omission. |
| Apps | Apps |
| Existing iPad apps work perfectly well. I tried the Brian Cox Wonders app, which includes videos. I criticised the Nexus 7 for the extent of letterboxing on its 16:9 screen, so will I do the same for the iPad mini? | Existing iPad apps work perfectly well. I tried the Brian Cox Wonders app, which includes videos. I criticised the Nexus 7 for the extent of letterboxing on its 16:9 screen, so will I do the same for the iPad mini? |
| Yup – you get some pretty hefty letterboxing here too. Here's the thing, though: because the border around the long edges is so much thinner than at the edges, the overall effect is no worse than the Nexus 7; given that proportionally less of the space is lost to the border, you could argue it's a less compromised experience. | Yup – you get some pretty hefty letterboxing here too. Here's the thing, though: because the border around the long edges is so much thinner than at the edges, the overall effect is no worse than the Nexus 7; given that proportionally less of the space is lost to the border, you could argue it's a less compromised experience. |
| For comparison, here's the Nexus 7 letterboxing: | For comparison, here's the Nexus 7 letterboxing: |
| It might not be immediately obvious, but if you look closely then you can see that the physical border is much wider in the Nexus 7 than on the iPad mini. | It might not be immediately obvious, but if you look closely then you can see that the physical border is much wider in the Nexus 7 than on the iPad mini. |
| iPhone apps' behaviour can be hit-and-miss: some fit the screen neatly when expanded to the "2x" size, others overlap the edges (I'm looking at you, Tube Deluxe), others just look blocky (hello, Amazon – though there is a proper Amazon iPad app). There isn't the spare room that the larger iPad has around the edges when you expand the size of the iPhone app on the mini's screen. Then again, with the huge number of iPad apps available, this probably won't be a problem. | iPhone apps' behaviour can be hit-and-miss: some fit the screen neatly when expanded to the "2x" size, others overlap the edges (I'm looking at you, Tube Deluxe), others just look blocky (hello, Amazon – though there is a proper Amazon iPad app). There isn't the spare room that the larger iPad has around the edges when you expand the size of the iPhone app on the mini's screen. Then again, with the huge number of iPad apps available, this probably won't be a problem. |
| Price | Price |
| Yes, let's talk about the price. As mentioned above, Apple isn't looking to race to the bottom on price, because its objective (make a profit on hardware) isn't aligned to that of Google and Amazon (sell hardware near cost, profit on content or from users' web browsing). That said, at £269 for the 16GB model, you're getting an impressively light, small tablet which (if you buy the connectors, or have them) can take your camera pictures, or just take pictures itself. There's AirPlay, the wireless audio and video connection – if you have an AppleTV (£99) then you can run iPlayer on the iPad and "throw" it over to the AppleTV and watch it on a big screen; no wires. And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway. | Yes, let's talk about the price. As mentioned above, Apple isn't looking to race to the bottom on price, because its objective (make a profit on hardware) isn't aligned to that of Google and Amazon (sell hardware near cost, profit on content or from users' web browsing). That said, at £269 for the 16GB model, you're getting an impressively light, small tablet which (if you buy the connectors, or have them) can take your camera pictures, or just take pictures itself. There's AirPlay, the wireless audio and video connection – if you have an AppleTV (£99) then you can run iPlayer on the iPad and "throw" it over to the AppleTV and watch it on a big screen; no wires. And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway. |
| Conclusion | Conclusion |
| Those in favour: excellent build quality; very light, comparatively large screen, not significantly wider than competition (for putting in coat pockets), excellent text rendering, huge selection of apps, music, books and films, pain-free setup from iCloud backups for existing accounts; 3G/4G LTE option; fast-growing range of accessories. | Those in favour: excellent build quality; very light, comparatively large screen, not significantly wider than competition (for putting in coat pockets), excellent text rendering, huge selection of apps, music, books and films, pain-free setup from iCloud backups for existing accounts; 3G/4G LTE option; fast-growing range of accessories. |
| Those against: price is higher than rivals – at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; no expandable storage; letterboxing of films; no HDMI out (though AirPlay is a wireless equivalent). | Those against: price is higher than rivals – at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; no expandable storage; letterboxing of films; no HDMI out (though AirPlay is a wireless equivalent). |
| Lining those pluses and minuses up against those for the Nexus 7 – which garnered four stars – there's no doubt that this is indeed a five-star device. The 20% difference in comparative price is more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection. | Lining those pluses and minuses up against those for the Nexus 7 – which garnered four stars – there's no doubt that this is indeed a five-star device. The 20% difference in comparative price is more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection. |
| Apple is going to sell a lot of these – quite possibly more than the "large" iPad – in this quarter. The only way Apple could improve on this product would be (as some people are already agitating) to give it a retina screen and somehow make it lighter. That might happen at some point. You can wait if you like; other people, in the meantime, will be buying this one. | Apple is going to sell a lot of these – quite possibly more than the "large" iPad – in this quarter. The only way Apple could improve on this product would be (as some people are already agitating) to give it a retina screen and somehow make it lighter. That might happen at some point. You can wait if you like; other people, in the meantime, will be buying this one. |
| Comments | Comments |
| 48 comments, displaying first | |
| 31 October 2012 1:19AM | 31 October 2012 1:19AM |
| Five stars? I'm flabbergasted. | Five stars? I'm flabbergasted. |
| Don't worry (about the price), it's very good. | Don't worry (about the price), it's very good. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:20AM | 31 October 2012 1:20AM |
| sorry but NEXUS wins hands down. Jobs didn't want Apple to go down the 7" tablet route but now that it has Apple is doomed. Well at least there's that boat..... | sorry but NEXUS wins hands down. Jobs didn't want Apple to go down the 7" tablet route but now that it has Apple is doomed. Well at least there's that boat..... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:21AM | 31 October 2012 1:21AM |
| A five-star Apple review on the Guardian? Colour me shocked! | A five-star Apple review on the Guardian? Colour me shocked! |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:23AM | 31 October 2012 1:23AM |
| Yawn - another day, another plug for Apple in the Guardian Zzzzzzz..... | Yawn - another day, another plug for Apple in the Guardian Zzzzzzz..... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:23AM | 31 October 2012 1:23AM |
| Price starts at £269 in the UK, not £239 as the article says. So that would be £70 more than its rivals... | Price starts at £269 in the UK, not £239 as the article says. So that would be £70 more than its rivals... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:24AM | 31 October 2012 1:24AM |
| Shocked ... absolutely shocked. | Shocked ... absolutely shocked. |
| I was sure it would get 6/5 | I was sure it would get 6/5 |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:26AM | 31 October 2012 1:26AM |
| Disclaimer: Charles Arthur's flights and accommodation to the iPad Mini's launch were paid by Apple. Does this mean that the Nexus 7, with a vastly superior resolution, quicker processor and much cheaper price, warrants six stars out of five? It's about time Charles and the Guardian came clean on any official ties to Apple; the readers deserve it. | Disclaimer: Charles Arthur's flights and accommodation to the iPad Mini's launch were paid by Apple. Does this mean that the Nexus 7, with a vastly superior resolution, quicker processor and much cheaper price, warrants six stars out of five? It's about time Charles and the Guardian came clean on any official ties to Apple; the readers deserve it. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:27AM | 31 October 2012 1:27AM |
| How's the Galaxy Note 2 review going? | How's the Galaxy Note 2 review going? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:28AM | 31 October 2012 1:28AM |
| So it falls behind its competitor on some points in comparison, fails beside its predicted successor on others, yet still yomps in with a 5-star review – is this an augur of imminent “6-Star Reviewing” from the Guardian? If so, I would warn you, Gillette have a patent out on that kind of thing, and they’re pretty sharp with dullards. | So it falls behind its competitor on some points in comparison, fails beside its predicted successor on others, yet still yomps in with a 5-star review – is this an augur of imminent “6-Star Reviewing” from the Guardian? If so, I would warn you, Gillette have a patent out on that kind of thing, and they’re pretty sharp with dullards. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:29AM | 31 October 2012 1:29AM |
| An unbiased review of a magical addition to the apple family. | An unbiased review of a magical addition to the apple family. |
| Just think how many of these little beauties will be peeking out of the top of a bulging stocking come Christmas morn, and the delight on many a young urchins face as the fluid majesty of iOS washes over them. | Just think how many of these little beauties will be peeking out of the top of a bulging stocking come Christmas morn, and the delight on many a young urchins face as the fluid majesty of iOS washes over them. |
| Steve has done it again, with the earth-bound assistance of Jonny and Tim, and His mission to bring life-enhancing tech to those who appreciate the value of quality over tatty ubiquity continues apace. | Steve has done it again, with the earth-bound assistance of Jonny and Tim, and His mission to bring life-enhancing tech to those who appreciate the value of quality over tatty ubiquity continues apace. |
| Hurrah for Steve and all at apple; ill wager this time next year, the cheap and 'cheerful' competitors will still be announcing yet another 'iPad mini killer', whilst missing the point entirely.... | Hurrah for Steve and all at apple; ill wager this time next year, the cheap and 'cheerful' competitors will still be announcing yet another 'iPad mini killer', whilst missing the point entirely.... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:31AM | 31 October 2012 1:31AM |
| @wurlycurly Are you not enjoying the farce at this stage? | @wurlycurly Are you not enjoying the farce at this stage? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:33AM | 31 October 2012 1:33AM |
| Wow. Perfect Xmas present? | Wow. Perfect Xmas present? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:34AM | 31 October 2012 1:34AM |
| 5 stars. This won't end well haha | 5 stars. This won't end well haha |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:36AM | 31 October 2012 1:36AM |
| "at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; " | "at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; " |
| Even if that was the price of iPad Mini (it's not, £269), it would be £40 more than the 32GB Nexus 7 (the 16GB is £159) and the exact same price as the 32GB Nexus 7 with cellular network capability. Take a look for yourself: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb_hspa | Even if that was the price of iPad Mini (it's not, £269), it would be £40 more than the 32GB Nexus 7 (the 16GB is £159) and the exact same price as the 32GB Nexus 7 with cellular network capability. Take a look for yourself: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb_hspa |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:39AM | 31 October 2012 1:39AM |
| Reads like a press release from Apple. Can we have objective reviews by somebody who's not an obvious Apple-fanboy? When you are comparing trivial features like scrolling, initial set-up and weight to innovative features like user accounts (a huge leap forward for tablets) and the all important price, you really aren't reviewing the product, you're grasping for things that might be better than the rival products. | Reads like a press release from Apple. Can we have objective reviews by somebody who's not an obvious Apple-fanboy? When you are comparing trivial features like scrolling, initial set-up and weight to innovative features like user accounts (a huge leap forward for tablets) and the all important price, you really aren't reviewing the product, you're grasping for things that might be better than the rival products. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:42AM | 31 October 2012 1:42AM |
| After all the gushing you gave the Retina iPad and the Retina Macbook Pro... | After all the gushing you gave the Retina iPad and the Retina Macbook Pro... |
| It just reads like an iPology. | It just reads like an iPology. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:42AM | 31 October 2012 1:42AM |
| But this is true of so many launches of so many products by so many companies! | But this is true of so many launches of so many products by so many companies! |
| Listen, 'guardian-is-biased-towards-apple' brigade, we need to have a chat about some of the things you say: | Listen, 'guardian-is-biased-towards-apple' brigade, we need to have a chat about some of the things you say: |
| 1) Apple is the most popular tablet and second most popular smartphone maker in the world. The guardian has every right to make reviews of its products front page, and to cover alot of what the company does. Just watch this review appear in the 'most popular' section. | 1) Apple is the most popular tablet and second most popular smartphone maker in the world. The guardian has every right to make reviews of its products front page, and to cover alot of what the company does. Just watch this review appear in the 'most popular' section. |
| 2) The guardian is hardly the only website to love apple products and consistently gives them 5 or 4.5 stars - just look at CNet, techradar, t3, and thousands of others. | 2) The guardian is hardly the only website to love apple products and consistently gives them 5 or 4.5 stars - just look at CNet, techradar, t3, and thousands of others. |
| 3) Guardian staff every right to like Apple products! It is not some sort of apple guardian conspiracy! This is only the opinion of one journalist. Its nothing to get upset about. Enjoy your Samsung/Google/Amazon/Microsoft product. Im sure its excellent too. | 3) Guardian staff every right to like Apple products! It is not some sort of apple guardian conspiracy! This is only the opinion of one journalist. Its nothing to get upset about. Enjoy your Samsung/Google/Amazon/Microsoft product. Im sure its excellent too. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:45AM | 31 October 2012 1:45AM |
| the opening paragraph has a whiney tone of an acolyte of the church of Apple. | the opening paragraph has a whiney tone of an acolyte of the church of Apple. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:50AM | 31 October 2012 1:50AM |
| One thing - when you're talking about letterboxing on screens, could you at least use videos that have the same aspect ratios? From the screenshot there it looks like the Brian Cox video is 16:9 on a 4:3 ratio screen. The Nexus 7 has what looks like a 2.39:1 video on a 16:9 screen. | One thing - when you're talking about letterboxing on screens, could you at least use videos that have the same aspect ratios? From the screenshot there it looks like the Brian Cox video is 16:9 on a 4:3 ratio screen. The Nexus 7 has what looks like a 2.39:1 video on a 16:9 screen. |
| Hardly a fair comparison? I get the notes about the physical bezel, but the way it's presented is a bit misleading. | Hardly a fair comparison? I get the notes about the physical bezel, but the way it's presented is a bit misleading. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:50AM | 31 October 2012 1:50AM |
| 5 stars...?!? Please..this is starting to get a little ridiculous.. | 5 stars...?!? Please..this is starting to get a little ridiculous.. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:50AM | 31 October 2012 1:50AM |
| Did you really compare the screens with content that has two different aspect ratios? | Did you really compare the screens with content that has two different aspect ratios? |
| The Nexus 7 has a 16:10 screen, so there shouldn't be much letterboxing if you tried playing Wonders on it. | The Nexus 7 has a 16:10 screen, so there shouldn't be much letterboxing if you tried playing Wonders on it. |
| Try playing Transformers on the iPad mini, which has a 4:3 screen, and the letterboxing would be much worse than what you show above. | Try playing Transformers on the iPad mini, which has a 4:3 screen, and the letterboxing would be much worse than what you show above. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:53AM | 31 October 2012 1:53AM |
| The Nexus 7 has a 16:10 screen, so there shouldn't be much letterboxing if you tried playing Wonders on it. | The Nexus 7 has a 16:10 screen, so there shouldn't be much letterboxing if you tried playing Wonders on it. |
| Ah, 16:10, not 16:9. My bad further up. :) | Ah, 16:10, not 16:9. My bad further up. :) |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 1:59AM | 31 October 2012 1:59AM |
| Pela Saco... | Pela Saco... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:02AM | 31 October 2012 2:02AM |
| I'm not disagreeing with you, Songsforthedeaf; many companies do indeed supply hospitality to journalists in order for them to attend product launches. The problem arises when said journalists issue a disclaimer on an earlier article relating to the product but neglect to do so for the actual review. This is highly unethical and not something a paper such as the Guardian should be involved with. It only makes it worse when the product earns five stars despite having some obvious shortcomings. I'm no teachhead and I may well end up buying the mini as my first foray into tablets, but I'm trying to check out as much info as possible before taking the plunge and one-sided reviews like this don't help. | I'm not disagreeing with you, Songsforthedeaf; many companies do indeed supply hospitality to journalists in order for them to attend product launches. The problem arises when said journalists issue a disclaimer on an earlier article relating to the product but neglect to do so for the actual review. This is highly unethical and not something a paper such as the Guardian should be involved with. It only makes it worse when the product earns five stars despite having some obvious shortcomings. I'm no teachhead and I may well end up buying the mini as my first foray into tablets, but I'm trying to check out as much info as possible before taking the plunge and one-sided reviews like this don't help. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:03AM | 31 October 2012 2:03AM |
| Unbelievable! The greatest invention since Thomas Edison's Phonograph and you only gave it only 5 stars? | Unbelievable! The greatest invention since Thomas Edison's Phonograph and you only gave it only 5 stars? |
| Steve Jobs must be rolling in his grave right now. | Steve Jobs must be rolling in his grave right now. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:03AM | 31 October 2012 2:03AM |
| Pela saco... | Pela saco... |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:05AM | 31 October 2012 2:05AM |
| Is anyone else bored crapless with these endless releases of 'same same but different' technology, being incrementally marketed to extract maximum revenue? | Is anyone else bored crapless with these endless releases of 'same same but different' technology, being incrementally marketed to extract maximum revenue? |
| Can't we achieve anything better as a species than make the same thing slightly lighter/bigger/smaller/faster? | Can't we achieve anything better as a species than make the same thing slightly lighter/bigger/smaller/faster? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:06AM | 31 October 2012 2:06AM |
| lol A big iPod Touch | lol A big iPod Touch |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:09AM | 31 October 2012 2:09AM |
| 1/5 "Not Apple" | 1/5 "Not Apple" |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:13AM | 31 October 2012 2:13AM |
| "And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway." | "And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway." |
| This correction is still slightly off. Entry level Nexus 7 is £159, Entry level Kindle fire is £129. Why do you qualify the £140 difference of the Fire "much cheaper", whereas the £110 difference of the Nexus 7 is "not hugely more expensive"? The £30 gap puts them in the same ball park for most people. | This correction is still slightly off. Entry level Nexus 7 is £159, Entry level Kindle fire is £129. Why do you qualify the £140 difference of the Fire "much cheaper", whereas the £110 difference of the Nexus 7 is "not hugely more expensive"? The £30 gap puts them in the same ball park for most people. |
| Unlike others I don't think the writer has an agenda, it's just sloppy writing. | Unlike others I don't think the writer has an agenda, it's just sloppy writing. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:18AM | 31 October 2012 2:18AM |
| Reads like a devout Christian reviewing the afterlife. | Reads like a devout Christian reviewing the afterlife. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:22AM | 31 October 2012 2:22AM |
| I'm not sure quite why I still read Charles Arthur's reviews of Apple products- I'll never agree. | I'm not sure quite why I still read Charles Arthur's reviews of Apple products- I'll never agree. |
| My view is- if this runs iOS6 then never is it a 5/5 product. The hardware might be amazing (Apple are damn good at hardware,) but the software is frustrating and behind the times. | My view is- if this runs iOS6 then never is it a 5/5 product. The hardware might be amazing (Apple are damn good at hardware,) but the software is frustrating and behind the times. |
| I use Android Jellybean on my phone daily, and iOS6 on my iPad2 daily, and Jellybean is streets ahead. | I use Android Jellybean on my phone daily, and iOS6 on my iPad2 daily, and Jellybean is streets ahead. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:23AM | 31 October 2012 2:23AM |
| With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. | With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. |
| Which Android devices give a jerky performance when scrolling? Please name names so we can at least check your (vague) facts. | Which Android devices give a jerky performance when scrolling? Please name names so we can at least check your (vague) facts. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:25AM | 31 October 2012 2:25AM |
| Five stars? | Five stars? |
| You just do these things to test us don't you? | You just do these things to test us don't you? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:33AM | 31 October 2012 2:33AM |
| The Guardian is now showing blatant contempt for its readership by continuing to print Mr Arthur's gushing, paid-for love for Apple and every one of its products. As a reader of The Guardian for 30 years, I find this incessant shilling for Apple to be an absolute embarrassment to the newspaper and a national disgrace. | The Guardian is now showing blatant contempt for its readership by continuing to print Mr Arthur's gushing, paid-for love for Apple and every one of its products. As a reader of The Guardian for 30 years, I find this incessant shilling for Apple to be an absolute embarrassment to the newspaper and a national disgrace. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:40AM | 31 October 2012 2:40AM |
| ”a national disgrace" - LOL. That comment deserves 5 stars for sure. | ”a national disgrace" - LOL. That comment deserves 5 stars for sure. |
| Ok, for all the 'don't worry, its very good' crowd: | Ok, for all the 'don't worry, its very good' crowd: |
| From The Verge - "I can't think of another company that cares as much about how its products are designed and built" | From The Verge - "I can't think of another company that cares as much about how its products are designed and built" |
| Jim Dalrymple - "If you want to save $50 and buy a cheap-ass tablet, go ahead. If you want quality the iPad mini will be waiting for you when you come to your senses." | Jim Dalrymple - "If you want to save $50 and buy a cheap-ass tablet, go ahead. If you want quality the iPad mini will be waiting for you when you come to your senses." |
| Review roundup here | Review roundup here |
Sorry, I haven't found the bad reviews you were all looking for. Im sure they're everywhere else. Feel free to add them. | Sorry, I haven't found the bad reviews you were all looking for. Im sure they're everywhere else. Feel free to add them. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:45AM | 31 October 2012 2:45AM |
| ....if you are a cheerleader for a company, you get to entertain us with all manner of your back flips and contortions from your previous position. | ....if you are a cheerleader for a company, you get to entertain us with all manner of your back flips and contortions from your previous position. |
| It really is comical to see the desperate, creative energy put into the writing and rewriting of such things as 16.9 and width of black bars. | It really is comical to see the desperate, creative energy put into the writing and rewriting of such things as 16.9 and width of black bars. |
| As for the price I guess we were forewarned with the survey article last week that price levels no longer matter to prospective tablet consumers. | As for the price I guess we were forewarned with the survey article last week that price levels no longer matter to prospective tablet consumers. |
| I guess we should be grateful that at least there was no further chorusing of the "post-PC world" line with the launch of this mini-tablet, especially as an article from here yesterday said that tablets are only used for "productivity" 1% of the time. | I guess we should be grateful that at least there was no further chorusing of the "post-PC world" line with the launch of this mini-tablet, especially as an article from here yesterday said that tablets are only used for "productivity" 1% of the time. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:48AM | 31 October 2012 2:48AM |
| Haven't even gotten an iPhone... iPad mini = iSpend many | Haven't even gotten an iPhone... iPad mini = iSpend many |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:50AM | 31 October 2012 2:50AM |
| Well, slimbowski, the first Google search result for ipad mini review throws up this quote from Shane Richmond, head of of Technology (Editorial) at the Telegraph. "Where rival tablets have an advantage is in pixels-per-inch. The iPad mini screen has 162 pixels-per-inch, fewer than the 216ppi Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. The extra 54 pixels provide a slight increase in sharpness on the rivals but even then, not as much as I'd like. Having used a retina display iPad and iPhone for so long, the iPad mini screen just looks a little blurry." Just a guess but a screen looking a 'little blurry' may just be the sort of thing you'd expect a review to touch on. | Well, slimbowski, the first Google search result for ipad mini review throws up this quote from Shane Richmond, head of of Technology (Editorial) at the Telegraph. "Where rival tablets have an advantage is in pixels-per-inch. The iPad mini screen has 162 pixels-per-inch, fewer than the 216ppi Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. The extra 54 pixels provide a slight increase in sharpness on the rivals but even then, not as much as I'd like. Having used a retina display iPad and iPhone for so long, the iPad mini screen just looks a little blurry." Just a guess but a screen looking a 'little blurry' may just be the sort of thing you'd expect a review to touch on. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:52AM | 31 October 2012 2:52AM |
| now i'm no tech expert or computer nerd, but i am looking at buying my first tablet and even with my limited knowledge this "review" is .. frankly speaking ... a f**king insult !! | now i'm no tech expert or computer nerd, but i am looking at buying my first tablet and even with my limited knowledge this "review" is .. frankly speaking ... a f**king insult !! |
| now we all know apple make excellent products ... but spec and price comparison ARE important when looking for an unbiased review ... unfortunately Charles seems completely incapable of writing a proper review on Apple products ... and it really does not reflect well on the Guardian. | now we all know apple make excellent products ... but spec and price comparison ARE important when looking for an unbiased review ... unfortunately Charles seems completely incapable of writing a proper review on Apple products ... and it really does not reflect well on the Guardian. |
| very very disappointing !! | very very disappointing !! |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:52AM | 31 October 2012 2:52AM |
| Nexus 7 32GB 3g = £239. iPad mini 32GB + cellular = £449. The Apple experience is not worth over £200 more. | Nexus 7 32GB 3g = £239. iPad mini 32GB + cellular = £449. The Apple experience is not worth over £200 more. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 2:52AM | 31 October 2012 2:52AM |
| I don't like to jump on the bias bandwagon but one makes it exceedingly difficult | I don't like to jump on the bias bandwagon but one makes it exceedingly difficult |
| 16GB Nexus 7 £159 16GB iPad mini £269 (69% more expensive) 32GB Nexus 7 £199 32GB iPad mini £349 (75% more expensive) 3G 32GB Nexus 7 £239 3G/4G 32GB iPad mini £449 (88% more expensive) | 16GB Nexus 7 £159 16GB iPad mini £269 (69% more expensive) 32GB Nexus 7 £199 32GB iPad mini £349 (75% more expensive) 3G 32GB Nexus 7 £239 3G/4G 32GB iPad mini £449 (88% more expensive) |
| So while price may not be the only consideration at those percentages it should play a larger role for what is on the basis of your own review, at least fairly similar devices. | So while price may not be the only consideration at those percentages it should play a larger role for what is on the basis of your own review, at least fairly similar devices. |
| If I have my maths wrong feel free to label me retarded and I'll take it on the chin. If not.. | If I have my maths wrong feel free to label me retarded and I'll take it on the chin. If not.. |
| In the interests of impartial journalism please the amend the articles factual inaccuracies, possibly also pausing to consider the benefits of 16:10 over 4:3, then ask yourself the question, is the 70% difference in comparative price more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection? | In the interests of impartial journalism please the amend the articles factual inaccuracies, possibly also pausing to consider the benefits of 16:10 over 4:3, then ask yourself the question, is the 70% difference in comparative price more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection? |
| Don't waste too much time on it though as I'm hoping for a review of the Lumia 920(whilst figuring out if I can get it unlocked and sim free in the UK) | Don't waste too much time on it though as I'm hoping for a review of the Lumia 920(whilst figuring out if I can get it unlocked and sim free in the UK) |
| TSB | TSB |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 31 October 2012 3:02AM | 31 October 2012 3:02AM |
| Just had a quick look at the Jim Darlrymple review | Just had a quick look at the Jim Darlrymple review |
| I went to a local big box retailer and used every tablet they had in the store, including Microsoft’s new Surface. The difference was immediately clear. The quality of these other tablets is so inferior to what Apple manufactures that they felt like plastic toys in your hands. All of the tablets, all of them, bend when you hold them. They are made of cheap plastic parts and the casing felt like it would snap. Until now, these were the only mid-sized tablets I have ever used and they were awful. That’s what I was basing my opinion on. | I went to a local big box retailer and used every tablet they had in the store, including Microsoft’s new Surface. The difference was immediately clear. The quality of these other tablets is so inferior to what Apple manufactures that they felt like plastic toys in your hands. All of the tablets, all of them, bend when you hold them. They are made of cheap plastic parts and the casing felt like it would snap. Until now, these were the only mid-sized tablets I have ever used and they were awful. That’s what I was basing my opinion on. |
| Now as the Surface is molded magnesium casing, his review is somewhat strange. Furthermore as for snapping, I would like to see him using an iPad as a skateboard | Now as the Surface is molded magnesium casing, his review is somewhat strange. Furthermore as for snapping, I would like to see him using an iPad as a skateboard |
| Now I still not about to get a tablet/surface, but it seems strange that this is a major criticism when I regular see iPhones looking like crazy paving, as we say in the UK | Now I still not about to get a tablet/surface, but it seems strange that this is a major criticism when I regular see iPhones looking like crazy paving, as we say in the UK |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 31 October 2012 3:08AM | |
| Just going to chip in that The Guardian need to stop advertising Apple. It seems like a front page mention for every Apple press release. There are other tech companies... | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 31 October 2012 3:13AM | |
| http://twitter.com/#!/harrymccracken/status/263454856445046785 | |
| "If you believe that anyone with an opinion that differs from yours is on the take, you're most likely incorrect." | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 31 October 2012 3:16AM | |
| http://twitter.com/#!/harrymccracken/status/263475664273944576 | |
| "The initial iPad Mini reviews come to largely similar conclusions. Apparently everyone who’s actually used the thing is a paid shill." | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 31 October 2012 3:29AM | |
| Does this mean that the Nexus 7, with a vastly superior resolution, quicker processor and much cheaper price, warrants six stars out of five? | |
| The Nexus 7 is the best Android device I've ever used; Google Now is a better personal search app than anything on iOS. But it has a crappy camera (front-facing only), only just got mobile data support for its top-end model (HSPA+, not LTE) and the UI and app ecosystem isn't there yet. | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 31 October 2012 3:31AM | |
| Thank you for this link Slimbowski- not being sarky, I genuinely mean it- | |
| Interesting that Harry McCracker writes on the page you provide: | |
| Are you aware that I once quit my job when the publisher told me we couldn’t publish an article that was critical of Apple?/blockquote> | |
| So this suggests that this Apple cheerleading is an issue in some parts of the publishing world. All of this is begging for an article looking at the relationship between the media and tech companies | |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 'iPad mini' likely to be Wi-Fi-only – but revised 9.7in model will offer UK 4G | 'iPad mini' likely to be Wi-Fi-only – but revised 9.7in model will offer UK 4G |
| 9 Oct 2012 | 9 Oct 2012 |
| Industry sources increasingly confident that Apple will move into 7in tablet market, but will also launch revised iPads. By Charles Arthur | Industry sources increasingly confident that Apple will move into 7in tablet market, but will also launch revised iPads. By Charles Arthur |
| 23 Oct 2012 | 23 Oct 2012 |
| iPad Mini launch: why Steve Jobs thought 7in tablets would fail | iPad Mini launch: why Steve Jobs thought 7in tablets would fail |
| 16 Oct 2012 | 16 Oct 2012 |
| iPad mini announcement lined up for 23 October | iPad mini announcement lined up for 23 October |
| 24 Oct 2012 | 24 Oct 2012 |
| iPad mini features: what tablet users like – and what the analysts say | iPad mini features: what tablet users like – and what the analysts say |
| 29 Oct 2012 | 29 Oct 2012 |
| iPad mini v Kindle Fire v Nexus 7: the Christmas fight approaches | iPad mini v Kindle Fire v Nexus 7: the Christmas fight approaches |
| iPad Mini: new Apple tablet may pose a major threat to Amazon and Google | iPad Mini: new Apple tablet may pose a major threat to Amazon and Google |
| 23 Oct 2012 | 23 Oct 2012 |
| Tech market braces for latest product from Apple, with analysts predicting new device could cut into sales of Kindle line. By Charles Arthur | Tech market braces for latest product from Apple, with analysts predicting new device could cut into sales of Kindle line. By Charles Arthur |
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| Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire got into the mini-tablet market first – so can Apple successfully play catchup? | Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire got into the mini-tablet market first – so can Apple successfully play catchup? |
| Remember the iPod mini? When Apple launched that in January 2004, at a time when a huge swathe of the fast-growing digital music player market was still up for grabs, people thought Apple was crazy. Only 4GB of storage – less than in the original 5GB model launched in 2001? A $249 price tag – only $50 less than the base level "iPod". Well, said the critics, Apple had finally messed up after a couple of years of getting it right. It was doomed. | Remember the iPod mini? When Apple launched that in January 2004, at a time when a huge swathe of the fast-growing digital music player market was still up for grabs, people thought Apple was crazy. Only 4GB of storage – less than in the original 5GB model launched in 2001? A $249 price tag – only $50 less than the base level "iPod". Well, said the critics, Apple had finally messed up after a couple of years of getting it right. It was doomed. |
| Turned out it wasn't; the iPod mini became the best-selling iPod (until the iPod nano in September 2005). | Turned out it wasn't; the iPod mini became the best-selling iPod (until the iPod nano in September 2005). |
| Why point this out? Because much the same critique has been applied to the iPad mini, Apple's 7.85in device. It's just smaller (though nobody seems to be calling it "a big iPod Touch" – perhaps that wore thin after the first few thousand times following the original iPad's launch). It's too pricey; there are others which are already in the market. | Why point this out? Because much the same critique has been applied to the iPad mini, Apple's 7.85in device. It's just smaller (though nobody seems to be calling it "a big iPod Touch" – perhaps that wore thin after the first few thousand times following the original iPad's launch). It's too pricey; there are others which are already in the market. |
| As I've said earlier, there are some key differences between the iPod market of 2004 and today's mini-tablet market. The key one is that in the 2004 market, all the rivals needed to make a profit on their hardware; they couldn't make it up from selling music. This time round, Amazon and Google in particular can sell the hardware at a loss in order to goose their market share, if not immediately their profits. So Apple has a fight on its hands in pricing, not just design. | As I've said earlier, there are some key differences between the iPod market of 2004 and today's mini-tablet market. The key one is that in the 2004 market, all the rivals needed to make a profit on their hardware; they couldn't make it up from selling music. This time round, Amazon and Google in particular can sell the hardware at a loss in order to goose their market share, if not immediately their profits. So Apple has a fight on its hands in pricing, not just design. |
| But let's by dealing with the iPad mini as it is, on its own terms. | But let's by dealing with the iPad mini as it is, on its own terms. |
| Build quality: seamless | Build quality: seamless |
| Jonathan Ive doesn't like seams. He doesn't like any sort of break in the surface of objects, even manufactured ones. One of the notable things about the first iPod was that there was no obvious way to break it open, and the trend in all of Apple products – including the computers – is the same. | Jonathan Ive doesn't like seams. He doesn't like any sort of break in the surface of objects, even manufactured ones. One of the notable things about the first iPod was that there was no obvious way to break it open, and the trend in all of Apple products – including the computers – is the same. |
| You'll do well to get a scalpel blade between the iPad mini's screen and its bezel. There's no flex in the body; it's really solid. I was using a black model; it isn't obviously metal until you touch it. As with its bigger sibling, the headphone jack is on the top – unlike the iPhone 5, where it has migrated to the bottom. | You'll do well to get a scalpel blade between the iPad mini's screen and its bezel. There's no flex in the body; it's really solid. I was using a black model; it isn't obviously metal until you touch it. As with its bigger sibling, the headphone jack is on the top – unlike the iPhone 5, where it has migrated to the bottom. |
| Dimensions | Dimensions |
| This is worthy of mention because everyone has been focused on the Amazon Kindle Fire in comparison to the iPad mini (and of course Google Nexus 7). I compared an iPad mini beside a Kindle Fire, and was surprised to find that they're almost exactly the same size in both width and length, though the iPad mini is thinner. | This is worthy of mention because everyone has been focused on the Amazon Kindle Fire in comparison to the iPad mini (and of course Google Nexus 7). I compared an iPad mini beside a Kindle Fire, and was surprised to find that they're almost exactly the same size in both width and length, though the iPad mini is thinner. |
| Similarly, compare it with the Nexus 7. Here are the figures for the iPad mini: 199mm x 133mm; the Nexus 7, 198.5mm x 120mm. You get 1.3cm – that's half an inch - width difference between the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. This surprised me – I thought that the iPad mini would be substantially wider. But it's not, and at that width you can slip it into an outside jacket pocket or a roomy coat pocket or, of course, a bag. | Similarly, compare it with the Nexus 7. Here are the figures for the iPad mini: 199mm x 133mm; the Nexus 7, 198.5mm x 120mm. You get 1.3cm – that's half an inch - width difference between the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. This surprised me – I thought that the iPad mini would be substantially wider. But it's not, and at that width you can slip it into an outside jacket pocket or a roomy coat pocket or, of course, a bag. |
| How though does the iPad mini manage to be so small if it has a 7.85in screen, while the others have just 7in screens? By having a much thinner border along the long edges. It's 20mm wide at the short edges, but just 5mm on the long ones. This isn't just a shrunk-down iPad, where the borders are 20mm and 17mm (short, long). Apple has made a definite effort to create something that can be slipped into generous pockets. | How though does the iPad mini manage to be so small if it has a 7.85in screen, while the others have just 7in screens? By having a much thinner border along the long edges. It's 20mm wide at the short edges, but just 5mm on the long ones. This isn't just a shrunk-down iPad, where the borders are 20mm and 17mm (short, long). Apple has made a definite effort to create something that can be slipped into generous pockets. |
| Weight | Weight |
| What will surprise you is the weight. The specs already show that the iPad mini is lighter than the Kindle Fire, 308g v 395g (and 340g for the Nexus 7); even if you add on a Smart Cover, it's still lighter than the uncovered Kindle Fire. It's thinner too. This is a device that will be ideal for holding in one hand for reading on train rides or other commuting; or you might even forget it's in that coat pocket. | What will surprise you is the weight. The specs already show that the iPad mini is lighter than the Kindle Fire, 308g v 395g (and 340g for the Nexus 7); even if you add on a Smart Cover, it's still lighter than the uncovered Kindle Fire. It's thinner too. This is a device that will be ideal for holding in one hand for reading on train rides or other commuting; or you might even forget it's in that coat pocket. |
| What the iPod mini demonstrated, and what the MacBook Air demonstrated, and pretty much every breakthrough in mobility demonstrates, is that lighter is better – and if you can do lighter and bigger, you're really onto a winner. (This is part of how the Samsung Galaxy S3 has done so well: big screen, light phone.) | What the iPod mini demonstrated, and what the MacBook Air demonstrated, and pretty much every breakthrough in mobility demonstrates, is that lighter is better – and if you can do lighter and bigger, you're really onto a winner. (This is part of how the Samsung Galaxy S3 has done so well: big screen, light phone.) |
| The iPad mini (308g) feels like it isn't really there. Certainly you'll not get tired of holding it, which could happen with the iPad (652g). | The iPad mini (308g) feels like it isn't really there. Certainly you'll not get tired of holding it, which could happen with the iPad (652g). |
| Battery life | Battery life |
| As with previous iPads, battery life is easily in the nine-hour-plus mark. Charging is via the new Lightning connector, and as with the iPhone, the iPad now recharges very quickly – half an hour will easily add four or five times as much use. I didn't get a chance to try it out on a 4G/LTE network, so don't know how that affects battery life. (Mobile versions sold in the UK will initially be compatible with EE's 1800MHz network, and Three's next year.) | As with previous iPads, battery life is easily in the nine-hour-plus mark. Charging is via the new Lightning connector, and as with the iPhone, the iPad now recharges very quickly – half an hour will easily add four or five times as much use. I didn't get a chance to try it out on a 4G/LTE network, so don't know how that affects battery life. (Mobile versions sold in the UK will initially be compatible with EE's 1800MHz network, and Three's next year.) |
| Screen | Screen |
| It's not a retina screen! It's only 1024x768, so that the resolution is 163ppi. This has been a big complaint (or snark, in some cases) that I've heard from people who haven't laid eyes on this device. If all you read is specifications, then the iPad mini screen is far worse than the Kindle Fire's or Nexus 7's, right? | It's not a retina screen! It's only 1024x768, so that the resolution is 163ppi. This has been a big complaint (or snark, in some cases) that I've heard from people who haven't laid eyes on this device. If all you read is specifications, then the iPad mini screen is far worse than the Kindle Fire's or Nexus 7's, right? |
| Well, put them beside each other, and the story changes. Web page rendering on the Kindle Fire is, frankly, awful. It's blocky, and there's a yellowish cast which personally I dislike. The iPad mini is bright, and white, and the text rendering is good – and there's no obvious pixellation. Kindle books look as good on the iPad mini as on the Kindle Fire. (The latter is optimised for reading those, but not for the web; Amazon would rather you bought books than surfed the web.) Icons on the iPad mini look sharp; on the Kindle Fire, not really. | Well, put them beside each other, and the story changes. Web page rendering on the Kindle Fire is, frankly, awful. It's blocky, and there's a yellowish cast which personally I dislike. The iPad mini is bright, and white, and the text rendering is good – and there's no obvious pixellation. Kindle books look as good on the iPad mini as on the Kindle Fire. (The latter is optimised for reading those, but not for the web; Amazon would rather you bought books than surfed the web.) Icons on the iPad mini look sharp; on the Kindle Fire, not really. |
| Scrolling | Scrolling |
| With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. | With long lists, it's smooth and untroubled; this is something Apple has prioritised. Again, the comparison with Android, where scrolling has always been a bugbear, is stark; get a long article with lots of comments on a website, and you'll get a smooth scroll. That's not always the case on Android devices, where some will give jerky performance, no matter how many cores their processor has. Specs, eh? They can lead you astray. |
| Setup experience | Setup experience |
| If you have an iOS device already – iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad – then you can log into your iCloud account and all the apps and content you've already bought, plus all your settings including alarms can be transferred wirelessly. (If you've got multiple devices backed up, you get to choose which it's restored from. Alternatively, you can just use a wire and an iTunes backup.) Android tries, but doesn't quite get to the granular level that iCloud does, and that's a big difference in user-friendliness. | If you have an iOS device already – iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad – then you can log into your iCloud account and all the apps and content you've already bought, plus all your settings including alarms can be transferred wirelessly. (If you've got multiple devices backed up, you get to choose which it's restored from. Alternatively, you can just use a wire and an iTunes backup.) Android tries, but doesn't quite get to the granular level that iCloud does, and that's a big difference in user-friendliness. |
| User accounts | User accounts |
| There aren't any. This is the biggest failing in iOS at present. Now that Google has announced that Android will support a form of user accounts on tablets, and Windows Phone 8 offers "Kids Corner" (fenced-off apps you can let the kids use), and Windows RT tablets support multiple signins, iOS is starting to look like the odd one out. One tablet per person is great for Apple, but it's not so great for the squeezed middle. Single-user iPhones yes; multi-user iPads, yes please. | There aren't any. This is the biggest failing in iOS at present. Now that Google has announced that Android will support a form of user accounts on tablets, and Windows Phone 8 offers "Kids Corner" (fenced-off apps you can let the kids use), and Windows RT tablets support multiple signins, iOS is starting to look like the odd one out. One tablet per person is great for Apple, but it's not so great for the squeezed middle. Single-user iPhones yes; multi-user iPads, yes please. |
| Keyboard | Keyboard |
| Of course, there isn't an inbuilt keyboard. But the question is, is the onscreen version too small to type on? No – used in landscape or portrait, the keys are large enough even for my hands. Despite the smaller screen, touch targets aren't too small either. In short, you can still type quite accurately (and certainly more accurately than on an iPhone) and manipulate onscreen objects. I don't think that many app developers will be redoing their existing iPad 2 apps. | Of course, there isn't an inbuilt keyboard. But the question is, is the onscreen version too small to type on? No – used in landscape or portrait, the keys are large enough even for my hands. Despite the smaller screen, touch targets aren't too small either. In short, you can still type quite accurately (and certainly more accurately than on an iPhone) and manipulate onscreen objects. I don't think that many app developers will be redoing their existing iPad 2 apps. |
| In fact, games developers are quite excited by the idea of the iPad mini, because they reckon it will mean more players using the device in landscape mode who will be able to span the bottom of the screen with their thumbs (personally, I could) – something that was impossible with the iPad, which anyway gets too heavy. | In fact, games developers are quite excited by the idea of the iPad mini, because they reckon it will mean more players using the device in landscape mode who will be able to span the bottom of the screen with their thumbs (personally, I could) – something that was impossible with the iPad, which anyway gets too heavy. |
| Cameras | Cameras |
| Available front and back – here's an example shot with the camera on the back. There's no Panorama option with the rear camera, which is a strange omission. | Available front and back – here's an example shot with the camera on the back. There's no Panorama option with the rear camera, which is a strange omission. |
| Apps | Apps |
| Existing iPad apps work perfectly well. I tried the Brian Cox Wonders app, which includes videos. I criticised the Nexus 7 for the extent of letterboxing on its 16:9 screen, so will I do the same for the iPad mini? | Existing iPad apps work perfectly well. I tried the Brian Cox Wonders app, which includes videos. I criticised the Nexus 7 for the extent of letterboxing on its 16:9 screen, so will I do the same for the iPad mini? |
| Yup – you get some pretty hefty letterboxing here too. Here's the thing, though: because the border around the long edges is so much thinner than at the edges, the overall effect is no worse than the Nexus 7; given that proportionally less of the space is lost to the border, you could argue it's a less compromised experience. | Yup – you get some pretty hefty letterboxing here too. Here's the thing, though: because the border around the long edges is so much thinner than at the edges, the overall effect is no worse than the Nexus 7; given that proportionally less of the space is lost to the border, you could argue it's a less compromised experience. |
| For comparison, here's the Nexus 7 letterboxing: | For comparison, here's the Nexus 7 letterboxing: |
| It might not be immediately obvious, but if you look closely then you can see that the physical border is much wider in the Nexus 7 than on the iPad mini. | It might not be immediately obvious, but if you look closely then you can see that the physical border is much wider in the Nexus 7 than on the iPad mini. |
| iPhone apps' behaviour can be hit-and-miss: some fit the screen neatly when expanded to the "2x" size, others overlap the edges (I'm looking at you, Tube Deluxe), others just look blocky (hello, Amazon – though there is a proper Amazon iPad app). There isn't the spare room that the larger iPad has around the edges when you expand the size of the iPhone app on the mini's screen. Then again, with the huge number of iPad apps available, this probably won't be a problem. | iPhone apps' behaviour can be hit-and-miss: some fit the screen neatly when expanded to the "2x" size, others overlap the edges (I'm looking at you, Tube Deluxe), others just look blocky (hello, Amazon – though there is a proper Amazon iPad app). There isn't the spare room that the larger iPad has around the edges when you expand the size of the iPhone app on the mini's screen. Then again, with the huge number of iPad apps available, this probably won't be a problem. |
| Price | Price |
| Yes, let's talk about the price. As mentioned above, Apple isn't looking to race to the bottom on price, because its objective (make a profit on hardware) isn't aligned to that of Google and Amazon (sell hardware near cost, profit on content or from users' web browsing). That said, at £269 for the 16GB model, you're getting an impressively light, small tablet which (if you buy the connectors, or have them) can take your camera pictures, or just take pictures itself. There's AirPlay, the wireless audio and video connection – if you have an AppleTV (£99) then you can run iPlayer on the iPad and "throw" it over to the AppleTV and watch it on a big screen; no wires. And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway. | Yes, let's talk about the price. As mentioned above, Apple isn't looking to race to the bottom on price, because its objective (make a profit on hardware) isn't aligned to that of Google and Amazon (sell hardware near cost, profit on content or from users' web browsing). That said, at £269 for the 16GB model, you're getting an impressively light, small tablet which (if you buy the connectors, or have them) can take your camera pictures, or just take pictures itself. There's AirPlay, the wireless audio and video connection – if you have an AppleTV (£99) then you can run iPlayer on the iPad and "throw" it over to the AppleTV and watch it on a big screen; no wires. And it's not hugely more expensive than the Nexus 7, though the Kindle Fire is much cheaper. If price is your only consideration, though, an iPad probably hasn't been on your shopping list anyway. |
| Conclusion | Conclusion |
| Those in favour: excellent build quality; very light, comparatively large screen, not significantly wider than competition (for putting in coat pockets), excellent text rendering, huge selection of apps, music, books and films, pain-free setup from iCloud backups for existing accounts; 3G/4G LTE option; fast-growing range of accessories. | Those in favour: excellent build quality; very light, comparatively large screen, not significantly wider than competition (for putting in coat pockets), excellent text rendering, huge selection of apps, music, books and films, pain-free setup from iCloud backups for existing accounts; 3G/4G LTE option; fast-growing range of accessories. |
| Those against: price is higher than rivals – at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; no expandable storage; letterboxing of films; no HDMI out (though AirPlay is a wireless equivalent). | Those against: price is higher than rivals – at £239, it's £40 more than the 16GB Nexus 7; no expandable storage; letterboxing of films; no HDMI out (though AirPlay is a wireless equivalent). |
| Lining those pluses and minuses up against those for the Nexus 7 – which garnered four stars – there's no doubt that this is indeed a five-star device. The 20% difference in comparative price is more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection. | Lining those pluses and minuses up against those for the Nexus 7 – which garnered four stars – there's no doubt that this is indeed a five-star device. The 20% difference in comparative price is more than made up by the difference in build quality and software selection. |
| Apple is going to sell a lot of these – quite possibly more than the "large" iPad – in this quarter. The only way Apple could improve on this product would be (as some people are already agitating) to give it a retina screen and somehow make it lighter. That might happen at some point. You can wait if you like; other people, in the meantime, will be buying this one. | Apple is going to sell a lot of these – quite possibly more than the "large" iPad – in this quarter. The only way Apple could improve on this product would be (as some people are already agitating) to give it a retina screen and somehow make it lighter. That might happen at some point. You can wait if you like; other people, in the meantime, will be buying this one. |