The iPad mini

I finally decided to post a short review on the iPad mini. No, I do not own an iPad mini yet but I bought one for my daughter for her birthday and have been using her mini for a couple of weeks now. I do plan on getting a cellular version of the mini after the holidays. I love the lightness of the mini, the thinness, the design, the feel, the look, the sound. I love everything about the mini except the lack of retina. Of course that is the same thing anyone else who has reviewed the mini has stated and like all those "anyone else's" after a few days of using the mini you do not really notice the lack of retina.

Everything about the mini makes it a joy to own. I ended up getting my daughter the 32GB Wi-FI only version and only opted for the 32GB because I know she will be watching a lot of movies on it. The one thing about watching movies on the mini is the improved quality of the speakers. With my big iPad sometimes I have to grab my EarPods because the speakers are not loud enough. You do not have this problem with the mini as the iPad mini sports stereo sound. Sure you will only be able to take advantage of stereo sound if you are watching in portrait mode but the speakers are really that much louder and do not sound muffled when you have it propped up using the Smart Case or another iPad mini case with a built-in stand.

Should you buy an iPad mini if you already have a bigger iPad?

If you own a third-generation iPad and you mostly use your iPad when you are at home whether it is on the couch or in bed then you probably do not need the iPad mini. Unless the weight and the size of the larger iPad is uncomfortable to hold when you are reading on it. If those things do not bother you then you should be perfectly set with the big iPad you have now.

If you are someone who takes your iPad everywhere with you, you know when you go out to a coffee shop or on vacation, then I would highly recommend grabbing an iPad mini because it is that much more portable. It does fit right in a jacket pocket, if you watch my video review you will see me actually demonstrate this.

I can honestly say without a doubt in my mind, if the iPad mini had a retina display then I would sell my larger iPad and get a mini as long as it stayed the same thickness and weight. That is probably the reason the iPad mini doesn't have retina though. Retina would require a larger battery which would make it heavier and mostly likely thicker.

The iPad mini will make a great Christmas gift for the wife, husband, or kids. If you are thinking of getting a friend or family member an iOS device then I would put the mini at the top of that list!

Be sure to check out some of my iPad mini case reviews:

FlexiGel for iPad mini

Workmate for iPad mini

Video review of Workmate from Cygnett

This is the video review of the Cygnett Workmate for the iPad mini. I had a problem with my Blip.tv account yesterday and couldn't upload it with the written review. Be sure to check out all my other Cygnett case reviews for not only the iPad mini but also the big iPad.

Cygnett Workmate for iPad mini

The Cygnett Workmate is a dual shock-absorbing case that will give your iPad mini double the protection. The Workmate is constructed of 2 different materials, a harder plastic and a soft rubber that offers the most protection from any accidental drops and dings that your iPad mini might incur. The workmate is impact resistance and also features raised edges so that when you lay your iPad mini face down the screen of your iPad mini is raised off of the surface you have it laying on.

The Workmate only offers rear and side protection but coupled with a nice clear screen protector your iPad mini will be in good hands. Maybe bad hands if you actually drop it! Don't drop it. But if you are unsure if the Workmate is up to the task for any accidental drops then check out this video that Cygnett recorded showing the iPad mini surviving a drop test.



The Workmate easily slides over your iPad mini and "snaps" into place with ease. Putting the Workmate on the mini is very simple and removing it is just as simple! All the ports and buttons will line-up nicely and I had no problem whatsoever accessing any of the buttons such as the volume rocker or any of the ports such as the Lighting connector on the bottom of the iPad mini. The speaker grills have a nice cut-out that line up perfectly with the speakers built-in to the iPad mini.

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The Workmate does add some slight bulk to the mini but that should be expected as this type of case is built for ultimate damage control. It does not really add much extra weight to the iPad mini though, just a tad bit of thickness. Overall I don't think you will notice the thickness that is added to the iPad mini. It will also add some extra grip to the iPad mini, as with most iThings, they are always slippery feeling but with the Workmate on your iPad mini you will have an extra added grip on your device.

PROS:

• Offers double protection


• Adds grip to the iPad mini


• Dual-shock absorbent


• Easy to slide on and remove


• Impact Resistance

CONS:

• Slight thickness added to iPad mini


• No front screen protection

Overall this is another fine product from Cygnett, I highly recommend the Workmate as I feel it will probably do the best job of protecting your iPad mini from most accidental drops. As with all the Cygnett iPad products I have reviewed this comes with a lifetime manufactures guarantee as well as a 2 year warranty.

You can purchase the Workmate from Cygnett for only $39.99

Be sure to check out my review of the Cygnet FlexiGel iPad mini case.

FlexiGel for iPad mini

FlexiGel is a soft, durable, protective flexi-case for the iPad mini made by Cygnett. The FlexiGel will help protect your iPad mini from scratches as well as offering some impact resistance if you were to drop your iPad mini. The FlexiGel only covers the back of the iPad mini so in theory you screen is still left unprotected and you might want to consider purchasing an iPad mini screen protector. The FlexiGel is raised a tad on the front of the case so if you lay the iPad mini face down on a table or desk it will not scratch the screen as the screen is slightly lifted off of the flat surface it is laying on.

The FlexiGel easily slides over the 4 corners of the iPad mini and all the buttons and ports have cut-outs with the exception of the power button and the volume rocker. The power button and volume rocker have soft buttons overlaying the actual button when you have the FlexiGel on your iPad mini. I tested this case with my earbuds and my Lighting cable and had no problem accessing the ports while using the FlexiGel.

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The FlexiGel retails for only $19.99 and it comes highly recommended to help protect your iPad mini from bumps and scratches. The FlexiGel comes in 2 colors: Blue and Black.

Pros:

• Impact Resistant


• Raised Edges


• Easy to slide on/off


• Manufacturers lifetime guarantee


• 2 year warranty

Cons:

• No front screen protection

For more information about the FlexiGel: http://us.cygnett.com/ipad/blue-flexigel.html
Warranty: http://us.cygnett.com/lifetime

First look at the iPad mini

Some of the things that struck me as odd:

• The smaller 5W charging block


• Headphone jack on the top


• No retina of course

 

 

iPad mini DROP TEST + WorkMate

In a world-first, Cygnett's Industrial Designer, Shannon Brown, has drop-tested the iPad mini with and without the WorkMate shock-absorbing case.

The heavy-duty WorkMate comprises a two-part construction- a silicone, spark-etched chassis, with interior ridges to disperse point of impact shocks and proud non-slip 'feet'; and a strong polycarbonate shell, with a rubberised coating for an easy-grip, matte finish.

For more info, please visit http://www.cygnett.com/project_workmate

Episode 33 - Belated mini

On this show we discuss the 2 new iPad's, the mini and the 4th generation iPad. Both of which we will probably not be buying, we talk about why and why a new iPad 6 months later makes sense but totally pisses us off.

iPad mini
iPad 4th Generation

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I will be moving the Total iPad feed in the coming months. If you are subscribed to the current feed please re-subscribe using the link above to the new feed. Sorry for the inconvenience, this is only for the actual Total iPad site feed, the podcast feed will stay the same.

Thanks,
Christopher


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Introducing the iPad mini

If you did not get to watch the keynote yesterday and want to know about the iPad mini in under 5 minutes then this video is for you!

iPad mini Smart Cover

I am really digging the new Smart Cover's for the iPad mini. I like the hingeless design and I am eager to try it out. I wonder if they are going to change the design of the larger iPad Smart Cover? It appears they are still selling the hinged Smart Cover's for the bigger iPad.



The iPad mini Smart Cover comes in 6 colors:

Dark Gray
Blue
Green
Blue
Pink
(Product) RED

There are no leather iPad mini Smart Cover's they are all Polyurethane. I actually prefer the leather myself.

You can find out more about the iPad mini Smart Cover on the Apple website.

Cygnett announces iPad mini cases

Today Apple announced the much anticipated iPad mini and with that announcement Cygnett also announced their product lineup for the iPad mini. I hope to be able to review a few of these cases in the near future. Stay tuned!

Leveraging some of its well-known product families and adding a few new ones, Cygnett today released information on its debut line of iPad mini cases. In all, six cases with varying colors and styles will land on store shelves and at online retailers at the same time as the iPad mini.

“We are excited to see Apple expand its tablet offerings to consumers,” said Michael Van Raay, Group Product Marketing Manager. “We’ve brought our best designs to this new device and focused on providing a wide variety of options to our customers.”

 

The lineup for the new iPad mini is as follows:

• Workmate is for the rough and tumble iPad mini user, featuring heavy duty dual material construction. A shock absorbing case that protects the iPad mini at all costs without adding bulk. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Slate Grey and Red.


• Lavish is a sophisticated flexible view folio case that gives the iPad mini a professional look with magnetic closure, and a secure snap-on shell. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black & Purple.


• Vector features a high-gloss and spark etched 3-D finish in design that has raised edges at the front for screen protection. MSRP US $19.99 – Available in Black and Red.


• The Armour case protects the iPad mini from harm with a strong exterior shield and padded interior. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black and Purple.


• Engima is a flexible-folding folio case with a soft-feel, rubberized finished cover and multiple viewing angles. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black, Pink and Blue.


• Flexigel is a protective flex-case with superior anti-scratch and impact protection. MSRP US $19.99 – Available in Black and Blue.

Cygnett designs, develops and manufactures innovative digital accessories for the world’s most popular gadgets and technology. From cases and accessories for iPod, iPhone, iPad, smartphones and tablets to portable speakers, earphones, power products and laptop bags, Cygnett is celebrated as one of the world’s major digital accessories designers and manufacturers.

For more information about Cygnett products please visit their website.

The iPad Mini Event

Well, if the iPad Mini is real then it will be announced today. This time around Apple is going to stream the event to the world. You can view it on your AppleTV or via your browser. You can check the Apple website for the stream: http://www.apple.com/apple-events/

According to MacRumors you can view the stream on these devices:

The video stream requires Safari 4 or later on a minimum of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, or iOS 4.2 or later for those accessing the stream from a mobile device. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with a minimum of software version 5.0.2.

Episode 32 - Total Failure

This week on the Total iPad podcast we talk about everything except the iPad, only kidding. We talk about the iPad "Mini" name and how it sounds utterly ridiculous. Is the iPad "Mini" going to stick a fork in the Surface before it even launches? What has Microsoft done lately to get consumers excited? Speaking of the Surface, have you watched the commercial? In my opinion it seems like they ripped off the Smart Cover comercial.

iPad Air
iPad "Mini" Event
Smart Cover commercial
Surface Commercial
EarPods


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Top iPad Stories - (October 8 - October 14)

Happy Sunday everyone. It is now mid-October and we still have not seen an official announcement about a smaller iPad yet but it is rumored to be coming on October 23rd. I believe the rumors this time as Mr.Dalrymple of The Loop gave his official "yep" to a report about an announcement. Most of the links this week are dominated again by the smaller iPad but one interesting link is about Office for iOS and it might finally make it to the iPad in the spring.

As usual I have links for developers, review, app, and tip of the week. Be sure to check out the App of the Week it is a beautiful magazine application for the iPad and probably the first magazine app that is done right. I am quite impressed and I am sure you will be also.

Top Stories:

Cloud 101: Find My Friends app gets iOS 6 update
Apple said to have ordered over 10m ‘iPad minis’ from suppliers this quarter
Unsubstantiated change to unannounced iPad mini leads
Office 2013 for iOS to release ‘sometime after’ March 2013
‘iPad mini’ likely to be Wi-Fi-only
Eric Schmidt talks Apple
Apple’s rumored Oct. 23 iPad mini event

Developers:

Presenting View Controllers
iOS 6 GUI PSD
iOS Device Summary
CTObjectiveCRuntimeAdditions

App of the Week:

The Magazine: For geeks like us.
Download The Magazine

Review of the Week:

AudioBooks.com

Tip of the Week:

Easily Hide Photos On Your iPad By Cropping Them Down

Bonus:

iPad Mini Info-graphic

The iPad Mini Infographic

All the iPad Mini rumors targeted in a single post. All these rumors really help build the hype for the device, I just hope we get it soon I am getting tired of rumors I want the real thing.



VIA: Gimmitech


Are you excited about an iPad 'Mini/Air' or to be on the safe side a smaller iPad? Let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.