Apple’s first fall event was mostly about iPhones, unsurprisingly. However, the device that caught my eye the most was the new iPad Mini, and I have my reasons.
While my colleagues and friends have raved about the new iPad Pros, I have never liked tablets of that size. The perpetual fear of an 11-inch iPad falling on my face when I’m lying on the bed and reading doesn’t sit well with me. Now the 8.3-inch iPad Mini that weighs in at just under 300g — that sounds like the perfect size for a tablet.
I still have my iPad 2 mini, and after thrift shop repairs, I can still use it as a spare reader. I wasn’t even planning to buy a new iPad, until Apple showed off that gorgeous new design. It retains the design language of iPhone and iPad Pros from the last year, with squared edges, slimmer bezels, and the power button (coupled with Touch ID support) on top.
The new iPad mini features a larger 8.3-inch screen with P3 color gamut. Plus, it has landscape stereo speakers for a surround sound experience. So I could use it to watch YouTube videos and binge TV shows while I’m lounging around the house.
The current iPad mini I own is old, and can’t run the latest operating system. While I don’t want to use it for anything other than reading, I still want to have my gadgets running the latest software — especially because of the security aspect.
What’s more, the new iPad mini has a USB-C port, so I can charge it with any of my existing army of chargers. And I could use it to connect with my camera or plug-in a thumb drive to transfer some data.
The device is powered by the new and obviously faster A15 bionic processor, and has an updated ultra-wide camera on the front that supports the Center Stage feature.
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Center Stage will let me move around the kitchen while being on a video call without leaving me out of the frame. That’s neat.
I’ve been holding off buying a new tablet, but this refresh is now reason enough for me to drag my ass to the Apple store, and grab that beautiful purple unit.
The new iPad mini starts at $499 for the 64GB Wi-Fi version, and will be available in the US from September 24.
You can also read our round-up of the Apple event here.
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