iPhones, iPods, and iPads forum: Will you buy the iPad Mini?

I will probably buy the mini since I have eagerly awaited a less expensive model. I wonder if I would be better off with an ipad 2 from the apple store. There really isn't much difference in price. I was also hoping for a larger a greater selections of colors. I really miss the genius of Steve Jobs.

I just would never buy an iPad regardless of size. It is still a closed environment that limits my technological curiosities to the parameters of what Apple deems acceptable. I just don't like the Apple paradigm and will never be a sucker to their monopolistic business practices.

When you have to enter a credit card before you do anything with your device and then once you do you have to shop for compatible media from only their stores, to me, equals a closed environment. Maybe monopolistic is a more appropriate adjective to use.

To think that Microsoft got hit with an anti-trust for pre-loading IE with their OS seems so absurd given Apple's practices.

I've got audio and video on my (regular) iPad, none of which was purchased from the iTunes store. The iPad plays MP3 and AAC audio, which can be created with any number of free programs. In fact, I've even got music and books downloaded from Amazon that work just fine on the iPad. As for video, it's the same situation. I create/convert MP4 videos all of the time.

I'm not sure what format you want, but just because it may be different than what the iPad will play doesn't make it closed.

Besides, my point was not that the iPad is closed, since it is in the one way you failed to mention--apps--but rather that Windows and Android tablets are just as "closed". So which tablet that's not closed would you get?

Let see:

Choice of browsers, including Google Chrome
Choice of email and email apps, including Google Gmail
Choice of browsers that support Flash
Choice of search engines that include Google and Bing
Choice of cloud drives, including Drop Box, SkyDrive, and G Drive.

The only choice you DON'T have is PORN!!

(actually, I do want porn! Least I can see it on Safari!!!)

No other company gives you so little and charges so much as Apple. No other company makes consumer fraud and planned obsolescence integral parts of their business model in the way Apple does. And no other company has millions of mindless sheep willing to pay vast sums of money for the "next greatest thing", when the next version is usually less than a year away, rendering the current product obsolete. And speaking of that, no other company discontinues support for old models as fast as Apple.

In every product category which Apple does business in, other companies offer much better products for a fraction of the cost. The small tablet market is no different. Other companies provide better features for a much lower price. If I was in the market for a tablet (which I'm not, as I think they're useful only as toys) then I would shop everyone else besides Apple.

...I'm almost certain one or more of my kids will be asking for this for Christmas.

I will never purchase an Apple product after the Apple/Samsung court battles.
It is no different than GE telling Sony that they can not produce Televisions
because the cabinet looks the same and they show the same images.

Pay hundreds of dollars for the latest version of the same thing you can buy at the grocery store for five or so...mini-pads have been out for years children... ];-}

It seems you like your ASUS, which is good. People have different expectations and needs and different products meet (or don't meet) those needs. However, if you think that ASUS wasn't assembled in China "for a fraction of what they are charging Americans," you are sorely mistaken. Further, Apple's stock price has nothing to do with anything regarding the iPad mini's prices, features, etc. It sounds like you think that because it is $700/share, that somehow adds to your belief that Apple is a "cult" following. Well, Apple could do a 10-for-1 split tomorrow and their price would be $70/share? What would that change, other than the share price and the number of shares outstanding? Nothing.

It's funny how defensive people get when they make a three or four hundred dollar purchase, as though only their decision can be the right one and everyone else is wrong. That sounds more like cult thinking to me.

Buy the iPad mini? I'd rather be in a fox hole.

Based on screen resolution, portable (one-handed) text input, size and price, the iPad mini is not even a contender.

1) Resolution
Apple's pre-planned obsolescence at its finest. If the screen is smaller,
the resolution should be as good or better, in order to maximize
the viewable image.

2) Text Input
I've used the iPad (and iPad mini) keyboard. And I've used Swype. Swype easily wins.
[And please don't say, "But if you add a bluetooth keyboard ... ."
Then it's a laptop - I'd rather carry a laptop than have to juggle a device in multiple pieces.]

3) Size
The iPad mini is an 8" device. Still a little too big.
Which segues into ...

4) Price
The iPad mini costs too much for what it delivers.
I can buy a Nexus 7 with twice the RAM (32GB) and better resolution
for $80 less than the iPad.

... stepping off of soapbox ...

P.S. - I'm not an Apple hater. I think the original ipod shuffle and the 5th gen iPod nano are two of the best mp3 form factors ever), and the Pro and Air MacBooks are terrific (if spendy).
But the iPad mini is a swing & a miss.