November | 2012 | Apple News

Having used the first 3 versions of the iPad, I have a good “feel” for the 10″ (9.7″ to be precise) Apple tablet. The 3rd Gen, with Retina Display, provides a great option for viewing text, reading books, magazines, productivity tasks, and watching videos.

On a lark, I recently purchased an Pad mini (the Mini). I was impressed by the quality of it’s fit and finish; the thinness and reduced weight. I didn’t “need” the mini, but I “wanted” the Mini. For that, I named this new addition to my iPad family “toomuch”.

Apple Introduces iPad Mini... and some new com...

Now that I have used the smaller edition of the iPad for two weeks, it makes the ideal media companion. All of the iPad apps work as expected. The lack of a Retina Display does not affect the overall usability of the product. And the small size makes the Mini seem like a more personal device. My iPad is still the “workhorse” device, substituting for a laptop on the road and assisting me at work, but the Mini is the device I reach for at home when checking email, social networks, viewing video, etc. In fact, I was surprised in how many areas the Mini supplanted my use of the iPad.

My interest was fueled by the smaller size. I had toyed with the idea of getting a 7″ tablet for some time. I came close to purchasing the 1st generation Amazon Kindle Fire. Later I considered the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. I chose the Mini for a number of reasons

Thinner and lighter
Better Accessibility features than the competition
Larger screen (7.9″) than the competition.
Great performance and battery life
Already have an established iOS/iPad eco system

In other words, what you expect from an iPad in a smaller, more personal incarnation.

For those of you in the holiday tablet shopping scene, consider the iPad Mini. While it’s price tag is higher than the competition, it certainly does not disappoint on the overall experience; a perfect entry level item in the iPad family.

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As a loyal tablet user, I have purchased a new iPad from the 1st Generation release in March, 2010. At the time of the Apple announcement in October, 2012, I have been enjoying the iPad 3rd Generation both at home, on the road and at work.

The announcement left me in somewhat of a quandry. Not only did Apple announce the long awaited iPad mini, but also the next (4th) generation of the full sized iPad.

I had been considering the purchase of a 7″ tablet and had seriously looked at both the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7. Both had their pros and cons. The cons tended to outweigh the pros; especially in the area of accessibility.

Last Saturday, I wandered into a local Apple store and waited patiently for a turn at the iPad mini table. Once I had the device in my hands, I knew that I was holding the 7″ tablet I wanted. Light and responsive, familiar in form and function, the accessibility features I depend on;…

I left the Apple store that day with a new iPad mini 32 GB WiFi white. Now my iPad 3rd Generation and iPad mini are shuffling around in an attempt to determine the usage model. For now, the iPad 3rd Gen is my workhorse device; faithfully performing flawlessly at work. The iPad mini is generally serving as my lightweight consumption device for audio books, Youtube videos, etc.

My wife even provided a name for the new iPad mini. When I walked out of the store, she said “Too much is not enough.” I wholeheartedly agreed. “Toomuch it is” I replied as I held it in my hand.

I agree with my wife in that I didn’t need the iPad mini. My full sized iPad provided all the function I needed. But the new iPad mini provides a level of portability I didn’t have before. I can actually place the mini in the front pocket of my dress pants. Using it somehow feels more personal than the full iPad; less self concious in a crowd. In fact, the mini attended church with me last week. Something the iPad 3 would never do.