Technically, according to my credit card company, I already own an iPad mini. But that doesn't mean I have it in my clean little hands yet. In fact, (cue the sad violin) mine isn't due to arrive until around Thanksgiving since I went ahead and ordered the Cellular capable model.
Nonetheless, some of my colleagues have been fortunate enough to have gotten their mitts on an early release of the highly anticipated iPad mini. So without further adieu, here are some of my favorite tidbits from the first crop of reviews of the new Apple iPad mini:
As a preface, one of my favorite observations right off the bat, comes from an astute reader at the Endgadget site. In the wake of a rather ironic public outcry for mediocrity, a commenter had this to say in the forum: “Apple is a premium brand. Their products will always come at a premium. That's why it's expensive, like any other premium brand. They charge more because their goal isn't to make the best cheap tablet, it's to make the best small tablet. And that comes at a premium. It's for customers who want that. Apple fills that market. So don't be shocked when their products' prices don't compare to their competitors who have lesser build quality and lesser customer service. If you don't want to pay BMW prices, you can buy a Ford.”
Now, with that in mind, let's move forward. One of the most impressive things I found with these reviews is their consensus that the iPad mini has immediately raised the bar, instantly becoming the best small tablet (despite Apple's omission of a Retina display) in a category where other companies have had time to make a dent and gain a foothold. Read on for snippets of expert's hand-on analysis of the game-changing iPad mini...
