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I had an original iPad but I traded it in for an iPad 2. I held off from the retina iPad because I didn’t feel the upgrade was as necessary. I now have an iPad mini but need to decide what to do with the iPad 2.
I though I would share my initial thoughts in living with the mini including getting used to the size, battery life and managing multiple devices. I have to decide whether the answer is to sell my iPad 2 or if I can effectively manage two iPads. Frankly, I need to see if I can justify owning two such similar devices.
Unboxing
Unboxing was the normal polished Apple affair. Inside was the new Lightning cable and the very small charger unit. I also picked up a micro USB to Lightning adapter so I can use any number of chargers whilst at work.
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Initial setup
I decided to set the Mini up as a new device and see if I could copy over all the important information, settings and game saves without restoring from a previous backup. The iOS ecosystem has come along way in the last few years and just about all settings now live somewhere in the cloud: be it Apple’s iCloud, Dropbox or in other proprietary servers.
Apart from a single app I use to manage guitar tablature, all the apps and settings were easily recoverable from the cloud or they were simple enough to manually reinput the required data. I guess I have lost my progress on a couple of games but it gives me a good opportunity to start them again so I really don’t mind.
iTeleport, the VNC app I use, was one of the first apps I reinstalled because it’s what I use to control my Mac remotely. My iPad is used mostly for writing, reading books and browsing the web but to avoid needing a notebook computer I use the iPad to screen share my Mac from wherever I am. My greatest concern regarding the Mini was that the screen size would make remotely controlling my Mac a pain owing to the lack of screen real estate.
The reality is it’s fine and I will explain why in just a moment.
Handling
The shiny surface (mine is the black iPad mini) is a pain to hold without any kind of case though I have become a little more used to the slippery and initially cold surface during my first week of ownership. The bezel is so slim along the sides in portrait orientation that there really is not enough to grip easily. Using the Apple Smart Cover provides a better hand grip when hand held and also provides that much needed angle to allow typing on lap or desk. Without the case I found the iPad mini less enjoyable to handle despite the unbelievable lightness of the Mini.
With only six colours available for the Smart Cover I picked the lime green just to stand out a bit. A great cover in a great colour but I’m not sure how long it will last before it really picks up marks and scuffs.
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Portrait orientation is fantastic for reading but turned sideways is where the Mini comes into its own for everything else. In landscape the Mini becomes much easier to handle because there is more bezel to grip hold of and, because my two thumbs can meet in the middle of the screen, I can literally reach the whole screen with just my thumbs. The regular sized iPad would have me pinching to zoom, then moving the iPad to allow easier typing and then moving my hands around the ipad once again to zoom out.
The iPad mini allows me to zoom, type and zoom to a different part of the screen so much more easily because I don’t have to reposition my hands or the pad. Holding the iPad in landscape orientation is the ultimate way to use iTeleport to control my Mac because of the thumb stretch manoeuvre. I’m not sure I have done justice in explaining this but do have a try some time.
Battery
Dropping from 100% to 90% seems to be much quicker on a Mini compared to a full sized iPad 2 but otherwise battery life is (almost)comparable. Certainly lasting a full day of heavy use is still no problem.
Managing two iPads
Just like trying to manage two computers, maintaining two iPads completely in sync can be difficult. Importing books needs to be done from iTunes or the iBooks store to enable bookmark synchronisation between various iOS devices. Some games can be synced and of course anything that relys on Dropbox can be kept in sync easily though overall I find maintaining the two pads a bit of a chore.
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Commuting
The Mini fits in the pocket of my winter coat and that means I don’t need to carry a bag to work and that I can whip it out between stops on the tube. Its weight means holding in one hand when stuck on a crowded commuter train is no problem yet it is still large enough to type on when necessary. Honestly, the weight of the Mini amazing.
Data
I like having internet access on my ipad when out and about and I dont like having to tether to my phone. The problem is taking the SIM card in and out is a pain and because they (the Mini and iPad 2) each use a different sized SIM card the awkwardness is magnified: either an adapter is needed or I would need two SIMs and therefore two data tariffs.
I buy data SIMs from ‘three’ in the UK and the discount versions only come in micro SIMs rather than the newer nano version needed in the iPad mini. This means I have to butcher my micro SIM by cutting it down to size. Nerve racking. And I have already had the dreaded ‘no sim installed’ message that suggests I either damaged the SIM or chopped a bit too much off allowing it to move around and lose contact. Either way I don’t want to have to perform surgery monthly / three monthly on the SIM cards.
I’m not sure what to do about this but I might try a nano SIM cutter (like a hole punch shaped for SIM cards) to convert from micro to nano.
Two iPads
Having used two iPads for around a week now I really cannot see the point in owning the iPad 2 and the Mini. There is not enough difference in screen size, typing or battery life to warrant dual ownership. Also, I still have to keep taking the SIM card out for data on the go as I explained above.
I’m going to give dual ownership one more week but the advert for my iPad 2 is already written so I can’t imagine I will change my mind.
Overall
The Mini is the perfect device for commuting, reading in bed or browsing on the sofa. The only compromise situation is typing. Writing articles is more difficult owing to the cramped screen and keyboard but it’s not awful. Once used to typing on glass there really isn’t a huge difference between the full sized iPads and the Mini. Up to 1500 words I’m quite happy on an iPad, over that number then I really want a ‘real’ keyboard though I usually just use a Bluetooth one with the iPad.
Overall the Mini has won as the right device for me at this time. Know anyone who wants a year old iPad 2?
Updated: 27th Feb 2013
I changed my mind about the duel ownership and have kept both. The iPad 2 has become the tabletop iPad focussing on video and home automation control and the Mini is being kept as my personal iPad. Seems to be working out quite well though if I had to replace them both with a single device then it would have to be the mini.