Category Archives: iPad

iPad

iPad vs. iPad Mini

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If you’re considering buying an iPad, you’ve got quite a few options open to you. They range from simple – choosing between black and white – to more complicated – 16GB, 32GB or 64GB? Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi plus 3G? But perhaps the most thought provoking question for some is whether to pick a regular iPad or an iPad Mini. Both have their advantages, so, which one might suit you best?

The current “regular” iPad model is 9.7 inches and comes at a starting price of $499.00. In contrast, the iPad Mini is just 7.9 inches and starts at $329.00. Size and price are two of the biggest factors in deciding which to go for.

The iPad Mini, being smaller, is also lighter and much more portable. It can easily fit into the pocket of a knapsack or even a handbag and hardly be noticed. Its compact size makes it easy to use with one hand and ideal for reading on. That being said, the regular iPad is still thin, lightweight and portable.

It’s also worth noting that if size and price are your sticking points, the iPad Mini is still a fully featured iPad. It uses the same apps and offers the same features, just in a tinier package.

Or perhaps the technical specifications are more important to you than size or price? If that’s the case, it’s worth noting that the iPad has a faster processor than the Mini. It also boasts Apple’s new retina screen, which is sharper than the display on a 1080P television.

Another factor in determining which iPad to purchase is what you plan on using it for. If you’re after a portable entertainment device that is ideal for playing simple games, watching video and reading on, then the Mini is a great choice. It’s bigger than your iPhone, making it easier to see.

There are a few drawbacks to the iPad Mini, although they may not matter to some. It’s not as easy to type on as a full-sized iPad, although it is still completely capable if you choose to use iWork and type emails on it. Furthermore, since there are still websites in existence that aren’t optimized for mobile devices, you may encounter sites that require you to do a lot of scrolling in order to navigate them. If that doesn’t matter to you and you don’t see yourself using it to work on frequently, then an iPad Mini should be a perfect fit.

If you do intend to check email, use iWork and complete other work-related tasks on your iPad, you’ll like want to opt for the regular version. It’s ideal for productivity and in some ways can be used as a laptop replacement. It’s also much better for web browsing and offers greater visibility and clearer text size than the Mini.

Before you rush out and purchase your new gadget, carefully consider what you’ll use it for most often and how much you can afford to spend. With those questions answered, you’ll have an easier time picking between the iPad and the iPad Mini. There are certainly merits to both.

iPad

Apple may be testing larger iPad

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Smartphones, tablets, and now even phablets – there is no denying that mobile computing devices are hot items that have changed the way we work, socialize and share information.

Manufacturers are constantly working on creating newer, better devices that offer more features in a variety of different sizes. We have the iPhone 4s, the bigger iPhone 5, a wide range of Android phone sizes, especially from companies like Samsung, tablets like the iPad, iPad Mini and Galaxy Tab and even phone-tablet crossover “phablets” like the Galaxy Note.

With the emphasis on having a device that is both incredibly high-tech and still very portable, is there room in the market for larger devices? In years past the emphasis was on creating smaller and smaller cell phones, but now the opposite seems to be true.

In that regard, it is rumored that in addition to various iPhone sizes, the iPad and the new iPad Mini, Apple may be testing an even larger, 13-inch iPad. Could the super sized tablet be a reality? And is there a market for it?

According to reliable sources at the Wall Street Journal, a 12.9-inch prototype iPad is being tested by Apple at the moment. But before any Apple fans who’d favor the larger tablet get too excited, it’s important to keep in mind that the computing giant tests many different prototype devices before a select few make it into production and are launched to the public.

It is believed that, if chosen to be put into the marketplace, the “mega iPad” will feature retina display and in-cell touch technology, making it thinner and lighter. That would balance the larger overall size nicely. But despite the technology to make it lighter and thinner, would a big iPad be hard to handle? The current model is 9.7 inches, with the Mini at 7.9 inches.

Perhaps a “mega iPad” could be seen as a tablet-laptop hybrid, similar to the Lenovo Yoga. Apple CEO Tim Cooks believes that consumers are after, and even expect, larger screens, bucking that trend from the early 2000s for smaller and smaller devices. Having larger, yet portable, technology could provide the public with the proper photo color, white balance, reflectivity, brightness, longevity of display and battery life they’re after, according to Cook.

For Apple, a third size of tablet would be another step in the right direction towards competing with companies like Samsung, their main rivals. If the “mega iPad” is released to the public, it could be as soon as late Fall 2013, after the new iPhone 5s, the rumored iPhone “light” and possibly the Apple phablet device.

Only time will tell if Tim Cook and Apple decide to release the 12.9-inch iPad. In addition, only more time will determine if a bigger iPad will be as popular as the original, or anything else Apple has released in the last few years. While the iPad Mini has been fairly popular, there will still critics who questioned whether there was any point to it. It’s likely there will be those who question the usefulness of a bigger version as well.