My Shiny New iPad mini

I have very recently purchased an iPad mini & I would like to share some of my thoughts on it. This is actually the 4th iPad that I have bought. I bought the OG iPad ( 16gb Wifi Model ) shortly after it was released, upgraded to the iPad 2 ( 16gb Wifi as well ) again, shortly after it had been released, & then waited in line for the midnight release of the 3rd Gen iPad ( White 32gb Wifi ) in the spring of this year. I always sold the previous iPad shortly before the new one came out, as Apple products hold their value really well. The 3rd Gen iPad was really great. It was white, which is the best color for tablets in my opinion, and the retina screen on it was just amazing. It really is something to behold. So why did I recently sell it and pick up an iPad mini? As most people probably already know the iPad mini has a slightly older processor in it ( the A5 chip ) than the 3rd Gen iPad (A5X), & the new 4th Gen iPad (A6X). It also has the same 1024 x 768 screen resolution as the iPad 1 and 2, not the far clearer 2048 x 1536 retina resolution of the 3rd and 4th Gen iPads. So why would anybody want an iPad mini over one of the newer full size iPads? It wasn’t a hard decision for me at all. The iPad mini has some stuff going for it that really suited the way I want to use my iPad. The first thing you notice when you pick up an iPad mini is how incredibly thin & light it is, especially compared to the slightly heavy 3rd Gen iPad I am used to. I’m not trying to say that the regular iPads are too big & bulky. They are not. But this iPad mini is jacket pocket or put it in your purse and forget it’s there portable! I have been carrying mine with me pretty much wherever I go. It also has just as good battery life in my estimation as the full size iPads. If you own an iPad you know how great the battery life is on these devices. I would not want to purchase something that took a step back when it comes to the battery performance. But the big difference in this iPad mini for me is that I purchased the Verizon LTE version. This has been a game changer for me. (Note – You can get an LTE version of the regular iPads as well, I just never had personally.) It is hard for me to explain how convenient it is to have a constant internet connection on my iPad mini. I find myself using it over my phone most of the time now. Also worth noting, the speeds of Verizon’s LTE network are nothing short of amazing. I’ve gotten 24mps down and 17mps up on their network. It’s basically as fast as my home network only I can take it anywhere I go. Another benefit to buying the cellular version of the iPad mini is that you get a GPS chip inside. With it’s great battery life, 7.9″ screen, & GPS capability, the iPad mini makes for an awesome GPS in the car! Overall, I am very happy with the mini. While I miss the retina screen from my previous iPad, that is the only thing I miss about it. Everything else in my opinion is better on the mini. I have purchased a couple of accessories for my new iPad. I bought the Blue Smart Cover from Apple and the SwitchEasy CoverBuddy back cover. I love that they protect the front & back of my iPad while adding only minimal thickness and weight to it. I have added some pictures below of the accessories on my iPad.

iPad mini With Blue Smart Cover

Smart Cover Folded Into Stand

SwitchEasy CoverBuddy Back Cover