As it did for the iPhone 5, Apple has begun its Personal Pickup program for the iPad Mini. Personal Pickup allows customers to buy a device on Apple’s website or mobile app between 10PM and 4AM and pick it up in store the next day (or whenever inventory is available). There are a number of stores across the country sold out of the iPad Mini, so Personal Pickup may be your best bet to getting the 7.9-inch tablet ASAP.
[Source: 9to5Mac]
The iPad mini may have a display that’s being singled out in most reviews as being below Apple’s recent standards, but a look under the microscope by Repair Labs affirms what I’ve been noticing in person: while the mini definitely doesn’t offer the same kind of quality as an iPad with Retina Display (3rd or 4th gen), its screen is a big step up from the 2nd-generation iPad. In fact, the iPad mini’s individual pixels are only two-thirds the size of those on the 4th-generation iPad, where the iPad 2′s pixels are approximately half the size of those in the latest model.
So what’s the upshot for users? Repair Labs says that the pixels of the 4th-gen iPad are 16 percent larger relative to the iPad mini than the iPad 2, making the difference between the two screens less noticeable, and in fact, “to the naked eye, it’s negligible,” the gadget repair site says. While I can personally attest to the fact that it takes some adjusting to go back to a non-Retina mini from a Retina iPad or even a Retina MacBook Pro, I definitely agree that it’s a lot better than jumping all the way back to an iPad 2. And over time, going between the mini and the latest full-sized iPad only gets easier.
[Source: TechCrunch - Click here to read more]
Unfazed by the still-lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy, near-record crowds descended upon the flagship Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan today, snapping up all of the white iPad minis on hand by 11:15 AM EDT and the last of the black models by 12:10 PM.
Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White reported that all three models of the white iPad mini were gone in just over an hour, with the 16 GB and 64 GB white minis selling out in about 30 minutes. For the black models, 16 and 32 GB versions sold out by by 11:40 AM, with the last of the 64 GB iPad minis heading out the door at about 12:10 PM.
[Source: TUAW - Click here to read more]
What's that? You had dreams of being the first person in the world with an iPad Mini installed in your 2012 Toyota's dashboard? Well consider those dreams dashed, as Tampa, Florida's Soundwaves is way ahead of you. Like, "they already did it" ahead of you. That regular old iPad you've got in your car? Boooring.
The folks at Soundwaves had a dashboard setup fabricated ahead of the Mini's launch this morning, and filmed themselves performing the installation (see for yourself below the break). Beyond having a freakin' iPad embedded in the dashboard being sweet unto itself, this installation also works in concert with the in-car speakers and a separate music control device. Now all the guys at Soundwaves have to do is install, like, six more iPads in the car and Xzibit will be totally on board.
[Image credit: Soundwaves]
[Source: Engadget]
That didn't take long. Accessory manufacturer ZAGG is now taking pre-orders for iPad mini keyboard cases, hoping to turn the wee iPad into a business powerhouse. The ZAGGkeys Mini 7 (US$89.99) is an exact match to the dimensions of the iPad mini and uses "island-style keys in a sleek and unique layout provide maximum finger space in a compact Bluetooth keyboard, perfect for accentuating the utility and convenience of iPad mini."
If you decide that you'd actually like a keyboard with some room for your fingers, the ZAGGkeys Mini 9 (also $89.99) may do the trick. According to ZAGG, it features "island-style keys with a carefully engineered layout to provide the same spacing as ZAGG's traditional tablet keyboard."
Although the Mini 7 is a tiny keyboard, it still provides special function keys for "volume control, play, pause, screen lock, home, search, slideshow, copy, paste and more." No word on if it's actually large enough to type on, but we'll hopefully get a review keyboard in the future.
[Source: TUAW]
Assuming you were suitably impressed by Apple's show earlier this week, you can now begin queuing for one of its new iPads, whether regular or mini-sized. The WiFi-only versions start shipping November 2nd, with cellular equipped models due mid-month. If you need to see all the specs lined up next to each other we have comparisons between models old and new right here. Of course, if you need an alternative, Microsoft's Surface should start showing up on doorsteps today, and we're expecting to see some refreshed competition at Google's event next week. The choice is yours, hit the link below to see all of your options.
[Source: Engadget]
Apple used its October event to unveil its new US$329 iPad mini. The 7.9-inch tablet was criticized by analysts who scoffed at the device's price tag, which is $130 more than the Kindle Fire HD and $90 than the Nexus 7. Phil Schiller spoke to Reuters about this sticker shock and said that customers won't mind paying a little extra for an iPad because it's a premium device.
Schiller said that "the iPad is far and away the most successful product in its category. The most affordable product we've made so far was $399 and people were choosing that over those devices. And now you can get a device that's even more affordable at $329 in this great new form, and I think a lot of customers are going to be very excited about that."
[Source: TUAW]
As a carrier trailing Verizon and AT&T in terms of subscribers and now 4G coverage, Sprint has made it a habit to undercut the other two on value. While its upcoming tablet-specific data plans won't necessarily be cheaper, they do promise up to 20 percent more data for the same price and still do not require a contract. Sure to come in handy now that it's offering the fourth generation iPad and iPad mini on its network, they are 300MB/$14.99, 3GB/$34.99, 6GB/$49.99, or 12GB for $79.99. There are also $10 and $15 offers for customers that also have Sprint smartphones that offer 100MB and 1GB of data, respectively, and activation fees for all 3G/4G tablets are being waived for a limited time. As you'll recall, Verizon and AT&T's offerings include 2GB/$30 (3GB/$30 on AT&T), 5GB/$50 and on Verizon, 10GB/$80 packages. Even if you're not an Apple user these plans apply for all 4G capable slates, with Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 specifically mentioned. For those planning to pick up one of the latest iPads with wifi + cellular capability however, their mid-November launch date may have narrowed slightly , since these plans go into effect November 11th. Check the press release after the break or a post on its Sprint Community blog for more info.
[Source: Engadget]
Not a huge surprise here, but Apple has also introduced a new Smart Cover for the iPad mini. The new smaller version does away with the metal hinge found on its larger counterpart, and again comes in a variety colors -- six, to be specific, including a Product RED model.
[Source: Engadget]
There it is, the long-telegraphed iPad mini has just been announced at Apple's late-2012 press conference. The 7.9-inch display device has the same 1,024 x 768 resolution as the iPad 2, which doesn't bode well for the elder slate's future. The new hardware is 7.2mm thick, .68 pounds heavy and has been manufactured with a new process with the same anodized edges as the iPhone 5. While Phil Schiller didn't mention the Nexus 7 or Google directly, he compared the new device against its rival in terms of its app library and screen size. He claimed that the .9-inch increase in diagonal space gives Apple's slate 35 percent more display area than Google and ASUS' collaboration.
If you were hoping for equal specifications to the current-generation iPad, you'll be mildly disappointed. The iPad Mini has Apple's A5 CPU, although it will run LTE and has a 5-megapixel camera. The lack of retina display may contribute to the reported 10-hours of battery life, despite its small size. For the base 16GB, WiFi only model, it'll set you back $329, while the 16GB, LTE version costs around $130 more per model. The WiFi models will begin to ship November 2nd.
[Source: Engadget]
The popular Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 are about to enter their biggest challenge yet, the iPad Mini. Apple have sent out invitations telling people that they have “got a little more to show you” – a smaller tablet. Likely to be between seven and eight inches in length, they hope it will help capture even more of the market share.
Already 70% of the April to June quarter was controlled by Apple but the popular one hand tablets still hold some value to the company. Steve Jobs had questioned the idea of a smaller iPad, but with more and more people taking up mobile phone recycling or enjoying a product you can hold in one hand there is a gap there for them. Let’s take a look at the likely features:
Before the product is actually launched it can be hard to distinguish what will be the top features. But, with mobile phone recycling on the rise and tablets likely to get better specs and battery it is a step that Apple needs to take. Their halo effect on products will mean that this is useful for market share, especially as the iPod seems to be getting phased out.
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The popular Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 are about to enter their biggest challenge yet, the iPad Mini. Apple have sent out invitations telling people that they have “got a little more to show you” – a smaller tablet. Likely to be between seven and eight inches in length, they hope it will help capture even more of the market share.
Already 70% of the April to June quarter was controlled by Apple but the popular one hand tablets still hold some value to the company. Steve Jobs had questioned the idea of a smaller iPad, but with more and more people taking up mobile phone recycling or enjoying a product you can hold in one hand there is a gap there for them. Let’s take a look at the likely features:
Before the product is actually launched it can be hard to distinguish what will be the top features. But, with mobile phone recycling on the rise and tablets likely to get better specs and battery it is a step that Apple needs to take. Their halo effect on products will mean that this is useful for market share, especially as the iPod seems to be getting phased out.