iPad iPad mini

[JamesMike]

My Mini 4 is my best travel companion. Perfect size for reading books and doing pretty much everything else. I don't need the Cellular version as it adds another Cellular account to deal with. I have my iPhone with me at all times and it's so much more convenient and practical to hotspot with it when I need it.

I agree it is a great travel companion.

 

[ramblapacifica]

travel companion (wi-fi only) along with iPhone 7
email, web, social media primarily
great for webbrowsing than iPhone 7 otherwise would just use the iPhone 7
don't need office type software and don't do any gaming
occasional video or book read

 

[SSAJ]

I have a mini 1 i only use it for watching YouTube videos thats it my main device is a 5S

 

[subjonas]

I have a mini in addition to my SE, 12.9 iPP, and 15" MBP. With this setup I find each device perfect (as can be) for its role. I use the MBP and iPP almost exclusively for work purposes. The small SE is my preferred always-with-me device. But the mini is my most used device at home, as I use it for all my casual consumption and communication, leaving my SE docked and charging. If my work didn't benefit from the 15" MBP and 12.9" iPP, I would get a smaller laptop and have only one iPad. But I would continue using the mini rather than a 12.9 or 9.7. I find the mini size much better for e-reading than a 9.7, and the 9.7 only slightly better than the mini for video. And while the 12.9 is much better for video, it's too big to use as casually as I would want and would also overlap too much in function with a small MacBook. If I could withstand having a plus size phone I MIGHT compromise and not have a mini, and just simplify and have the phablet and small laptop only, but replacing a mini with a phablet would probably be a bigger compromise than I'd be willing to make. But personally I very much prefer a 4" phone. And if anything I would prefer the mini be a bit smaller so that I can easily palm it with one hand (maybe 6.5"-7").

 

[bingeciren]

which is your favorite brand for the rechargable battery pack?

I have the older version of this battery pack.

 

[profets]

I have a 32GB iPad Mini 4 to complement my 128GB 12.9 iPad Pro. I find the Pro too large to use on a plane and so I take the mini with me when traveling. I also use it around the house when I feel like using something a bit more of a "handheld".

My usage is primarily for casual gaming, light web surfing, watching short video clips.

Battery life is great. Portability is nice.

Having said that, if I were in the market for an iPad, I'd seriously consider the 2017 9.7 iPad. It's only $30 more than a Mini 4 at comparable storage size. Heck, I'm seriously considering getting rid of both 12.8 Pro and mini 4 in exchange for that 2017 iPad.

That's funny - I'm in the near opposite situation. My only iPad is a 9.7" Pro, but I find myself wanting both a larger iPad and smaller iPad very often. I'm tempted by the 12.9 + mini 4 combo.

 

[AZhappyjack]

My Mini 4 is my best travel companion. Perfect size for reading books and doing pretty much everything else. I don't need the Cellular version as it adds another Cellular account to deal with. I have my iPhone with me at all times and it's so much more convenient and practical to hotspot with it when I need it.

I agree with this. My wife has a 9.7" iPad and I much prefer my Mini … perfect for games, reading, movies, etc. Hands down, it's my favorite tablet ever.

 

[AZhappyjack]

which is your favorite brand for the rechargable battery pack?



That is my dilemma. I never bought the 12.9 Pro because it was just too large for my needs, so i got myself the iPad mini 4 few years ago for travel and use around the house. However, i'm finding it very hard on my eyes to watch my DVR shows or Netflix. I'm definately gonna upgrade to a bigger iPad, just not sure which model yet and whether to keep my mini4 in addition to the new bigger ipad.



I'm not there yet. I need a device that is bigger than my iPhone and mini 4 cuz i have kids so can't always watch my big tv when they're underfoot. I take my iPhone with me when i'm out and about, not finding a need for me to bring my mini4 unless i'm traveling.

Anker.

 

[Channan]

For typical tablet uses, 16:9 (and to a lesser extent 16:10) are awkward ARs. They're too wide in landscape, and too narrow in portrait.

I have found that the suitability of a tablet's aspect ratio for viewing video has everything to do with the type of video one watches.

Older TV shows are in the Academy AR (close to 4:3). Older films are wider than 16:9. That comprises the majority of what I watch on my tablets so I've resigned myself to pillarboxing and letterboxing being an unavoidable reality.

Even most modern theatrical films have ARs different than 16:9. For someone who watches mostly modern films/videos, 16:9 AR tablets are indeed preferable.

I disagree with this. I don't look at it as being narrow in portrait, but rather taller, meaning I can see much more on the screen at once compared to a shorter display with the same size width.

I also don't look at it as too wide in landscape, but rather too short, and that's a slight problem. You see a whole lot less on the screen at once in landscape, which prevents me from using a 16:9 screen in landscape for anything other than videos.

But that's why I prefer 16:9. I mainly use my tablet in portrait for general use, but I also watch the majority of my TV shows on my iPad and the reduced letterboxing would be nice.