iPad Mini is joining the family :)

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I have come a long way in the last 3 weeks and im going to spoil myself with a iPad Mini.
Ill go into the (coming a long way in my thread), but the short of it, im primarily getting this to use a book.
I have the 13" i7 MBP which i take everywhere with me, and just Hotspot from my iPhone 5 if need to get on the Web. As the years have gone by, it is proven you can do most things on a iPad and with the Cloud intergation, what you do on iPhone/iPad will be waiting for you at home.
I am now going to have my MBP hooked up permantly to my 47" LG HDTV as a server for my Media and take my iPad Mini with me on trips. I came to this comnclusion last night when i went looking for books, magazines in my venture to get my PPL for Helicopter and to learn how to fly the new Nitro Glow RC Tiger Thunder Raptor 30 v2 Helicopter.

I found this amazing book, step by step intructions on setting up, trimming and flying the RC chopper, and downloaded the sample. This is where i got disappointed when on my iP5 i struggled to feel comfortable reading the text and scrolling all the while trying to have images/sketches/profiles of the Radio and Helo in the same screen as the words i was trying to reference to.
After looking hard and trying to come to terms with what i wanted i couldnt do on my iP5, i went looking for other books and within a hour, i had 9 books/magazines i wanted and wanted now.
All but one where from over the pond, and looking online on how to get them bought me too 3-4 weeks waiting and quite high prices for individual copies or subscriptions.
I went back into the iBooks store and low and behold i could get them digitally on my iPhone5, which bought me back to the same problems i had earlier in the night.

In my dilemma i was sitting on the lounge watching Shae reading on her iPad and thought Ahhh i can use that to get what i wanted. Then i remembered that i didnt particulary like the size of it and didnt enjoy the 2 hand hold while trying to read or flick through Apps and what not.
::FacePalm::  have a iPad Mini now, and last time i was in the  Store i did pick one up and play with it, and being a big hand man, fitted into one hand quite beautifully. So there and then i made the decision to get myself one, and use it as my main Computer while away, out and about and also at home on the lounge, in bed and while i was learning to fly my Helo.

The iPad Mini i will pick up next week after i come out of my Operation and get all those wonderful RC references and some new iPad Apps to get me the power to do word processing, and other computer stuff.
I believe oi have made the right choice in for how and why i will be usoing it, and doing quick somes ill be saving $127 AUD in the extra charges on the books and magazines i want with the postage it would of costed me to get them over here the The Land Downunder.

My biggest decision i have to make now is 16/32gb and white/black. Im 99% sure ill do the white version as i dont own a white  product now since upgrading my White MB, but im not sure if i can justify +$110 for another 16gb since i wont be using it too much as a gaming device, but more so for Apps for a workflow Hmmmmmm

But yea there it is, the newest addition to my now growing  family :)

Ill post Pictures next week once i have it set up and with the Shop and Field Companion ~ The Complete Guide To Successful Flying For Glow and Electric Helicopters on the screen :)
 
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Nice one my friend. I am currently looking to replace the ageing Powerbook G4 here, and have decided that it's iPad time myself, as I don't use the PB for anything other than Facebook and general browsing and the odd photo.
Going to be a 3 or 4 though I think.
 

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Get the 32 GB one Brent. Believe me, as you begin to pile up apps on the iPad, it won't take long to run out of space. My iPad 3 is 32 GB and I'm sorry I didn't buy the 64 GB model instead.
 
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Get the 32 GB one Brent. Believe me, as you begin to pile up apps on the iPad, it won't take long to run out of space. My iPad 3 is 32 GB and I'm sorry I didn't buy the 64 GB model instead.

That's good to know for me too, as I was only going to go 16. I should realise really though, my 64GB iPod Touch hasn't got that many apps but they take up 8 gig.
 
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Nice one my friend. I am currently looking to replace the ageing Powerbook G4 here, and have decided that it's iPad time myself, as I don't use the PB for anything other than Facebook and general browsing and the odd photo.
Going to be a 3 or 4 though I think.

Ahh very nice indeed. To be honest im not overly fussed that it isnt Retina Display, but do truely love the size of it.

Get the 32 GB one Brent. Believe me, as you begin to pile up apps on the iPad, it won't take long to run out of space. My iPad 3 is 32 GB and I'm sorry I didn't buy the 64 GB model instead.

I do see what you mean. I have the 32gb iP5 and just checked the Usage and there you have it, 20.8gb used.
32GB it will be, because looking back the $ im saving on getting digital copies will cover the upgrade to 32GB. Thanks mate, its funny how just a little reminder like that can make you think straight and sensible :)

Now cases, @ everyone that reads the thread, im looking for tough rugged type case that can be utlilised in the way the Mini should be and thats in one hand ??? Ill try find Crimsons thread as well.
I love my BookBook and because ill be using it as a book more often than not, it would suit me too a tee and look good next to my iP5 BookBook and the missus BookBook for her iPad, but being sensible ill be taking bush to put it lightly but looking for a tuff and rugged case that can still be held in one hand and not worry about getting a little dust, oil n general dirty state a book would get if it was reaf outside for the life of it :)

Cheers
 
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I do like the mini, and it's way cheaper of course (£130 cheaper), and the Retina doesn't really worry me so much. But the size, given it's replacing the PB may be.
 
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I'll say right off the bat that I'm loving my new iPad Mini.
This thing is just a joy to use and handle. While I was bunked up in hospital I sent this misses out to grab it for me so I had something to occupy me while I rested and made sure of no complications..
It is a perfect fit for my hands in either portrait or landscape mode. I have full use of the keyboard in landscape mode with both my thumbs doing 99% of the typing.
Having a web page inSafari I can withouth the need to zoom comfortably read all text.
Opening iBooks and browsing through my RC Helo book with picture, love that I can read is as a,full page, or just the text. If I need to look closer at a picture I tap it and it zooms so I can. When reading Australian MacWorld (now in digital subscription and saving me over $45 on cover price) again I can read whole page, or text or gives me the option to read either one of the stories on the page, segregating it from the other stories. IBooks has really impressed me.
Moving onto games ~ Games like Modern Combat 4 where on my iPhone 5 with big fingers struggled to hit the controls when I wanted to and was always hitting other controls when I didn't want to.
With my Mini it just the perfect size.
I'm also into the thinking puzzle games and really wasn't anything that took my fancy on iPhone and didn't play many ......... At all. Many games in fact, but now have found 2 with great graphics and game play I enjoy.
The Room being 1 and Machinarium the other. I have the latter on my Mac but can now enjoy it on my new Mini.
Pages, I don't really need to say much about this other than its more a joy to use on my Mini than iP5.

All in all I think I have found my new device that I will use more than anything I have in the Apple stable.
I have been using my iP5 as my Hotspot for the Mini and everything loads as quick as it did on my iP5 which will now be used primarily for calls and texting.
Apple have really done well with this and I'm over the moon :))
Not bothered one little bit that it isn't retina and if the next .v is and the screen it markedly better with a A6 then I could upgrade but honestly I'm happy with the purchase. Wouldn't buy a iPad even if they where the same price.

From my iPad Mini
 
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Nice Brent, nice. You are convincing me to look in this direction too now.
 
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Pic's or it didn't happen

1361936820329.jpg


It really is a thing of beauty. Kev, mate take the leap you won't be disappointed. I'm spending the day looking for the main Mac Apps I use on my MBP in the App Store and finding some gems . . . . . One being Upload Images Imageshack free for the Image URL to post in forums like this and it works a treat :) Pick image from Existing, upload then copy URL to clipboard and paste . . .

1361937665179.jpg
 
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Something for you to think about Kev mate, i found with this iPad Mini is the keyboard if you find it hard to reach the middle of it with your fingers, it gives you the option to "split" it up so you have the keyboard shrinks just a little bit and splits it into 2 at the T,G,V ~ Y,H,B line in the keyboard. Not too sure if the iPad has this feature or not.
It looks mighty cool and it is soooo much easier to type.

I was finding myself going into Portrait Mode quite a bit to type after i got the OtterBox Defender Case for it.
With the Defender it has the protective outer screen protector and with my own matt screen protector i was having to put more pressure on the keyboard keys to get the touch response. By no means was/is this a annoying thing, as its only slightly more pressure, but because of that portrait was easier to type in, until i discovered the split keyboard thing lol

Now i stay in Landscape and type now without any problems what so ever and it is still a joy to use.
Im finding my MBP is hardly getting used anymore, but if i do need to use it, i have a App called Air Display where i can either Mirror my MBP screen OR use my Mini as a added screen to my MBP. Iuse the 2nd screen a bit now so when im flying in Xplane 10, HDMI onto my 47inch i can use the Air Display as a 2nd screen for all my controls and because its by touch, it makes flying or playing the Sim so much more enjoyable, instead of trying to mouse over things :)

Anyways i just thought i might add this as to help in your decision to get the Mini instead of the 9.7" iPad :)

1363142346442.jpg


Just for clarification I have my own matt screen protector on underneath, even though OtterBox advise against it because I take it out when I'm not using it out in the wild and use my leather one in the images above. There is no difference in the touch pressure and just in case a grain of dust/sand gets in there then it scratches my screen protector not my screen.
 

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I ended getting this for my iPad mini

ND3A0581.jpg


I was using a red smart cover, as you can see. It's underneath the new case.

ND3A0578.jpg


That's what it looks like closed. I'd say it's pretty protected.
 

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