On Oct. 23, Apple announced the highly-anticipated iPad Mini at their second keynote of the year.
On Nov. 2, the new tablet hit store shelves everywhere and it flew off almost as fast as they were put there.
Estimated sales totals from the first weekend came in at over 3 million.
There’s no denying the public’s desire for this new tablet, but the real question is if it’s worth it.
Here’s a quick rundown of what this new tablet has to offer to help you decide if this is the right tablet for you.
Capacity and Pricing:
The tablet will come in two forms, Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + Cellular, with capacities ranging from 16 to 64 gigabytes.
Pricing ranges from $329 to $659 dollars, making it slightly less than the iPad 3.
Display:
The iPad Mini lives up to its name, offering a slimmed down 7.9” retina display, losing almost one-third of its size compared to previous iPad models.
Despite the smaller display, the resolution has not missed a step; retaining all the specifications of the iPad 3 model, including 1080p HD video recording, the iSight camera and the front-facing FaceTime HD camera.
Processor:
While it doesn’t pack the Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics processor of the iPad 3, Apple was able to pack in the same Dual-core A5 chip that came in the iPad 2. For some, the difference will be noticeable, but if an iPad 2 worked well for you, you’ll love the iPad Mini’s processing capabilities.
Cellular, Wireless, Battery Life and Misc.:
Just like the iPad 3, the iPad Mini is capable of connecting to a Wi-Fi connection, as well as cellular networks through a contract with AT&T, Sprint & Verizon.
Also like the iPad 3, the iPad Mini can also connect to LTE networks.
iOS 6 comes standard with the iPad Mini, and like the iPhone 5 and previous iPad models, the Mini comes with a battery life of up to 10 hours on a single charge. Siri also comes standard with this new model, making it the second iPad to offer this feature.
As far as charge connections go, the iPad Mini becomes the third Apple product to convert to the new Lightning connector.
This may upset some buyers, but it is at least a sign that Apple is committing to their new connector, and we’ll most likely see more of it in the future.