The iPad mini went on sale around the world on Friday, and though the official numbers aren't in yet, it appears to be selling rather well. This in spite of its lack of a Retina display, and its higher-than-average price tag.
In fact, Apple's had to defend the mini's pricing a couple of times now, claiming that its profit margins on the device are lower than on any of its other products. And according to a new teardown, that seems to be the case...
It's only been about 24 hours since the iPad mini was officially released to the public, and it looks like it's already been jailbroken. Earlier this morning, MuscleNerd tweeted the above screen shot of him gaining root access to the new tablet. More details after the break...
The closest competitor to the iPad mini is obviously Google's Nexus 7 tablet. Some may even argue that Apple felt compelled to push out the mini due to the success that Google's diminutive tablet offering has experienced.
Although it's been a while since I've dusted off my Nexus 7, there's simply no denying that it's a solid offering in many areas. I sung the device's praises, and even Sebastien, who has been a bit more critical of the device, had some nice things to say about it.
Whatever the case may be, it's pretty obvious that Apple has drawn a line in the sand with the iPad mini, and it too, is quite the compelling offering. How do the two compare? We thought you'd never ask. Check out our head-to-head comparison video inside...
In an attempt to get a handle on what kind of people are out buying the iPad mini today, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has been out and about interviewing purchasers of the tablet.
As you might expect, more than half of the early mini adopters that he talked to already owned a larger iPad. But somewhat surprisingly, more than 75% of them plan on keeping it...
Apple's (mostly) hated Podcasts app that launched in the summer last received an update in September, finally bringing iOS 6 compatibility, iCloud subscription syncing, the ability to automatically download new episodes only when on Wi-Fi and more. Earlier today, a new version surfaced on iTunes. Podcasts 1.1.2, an incremental update, includes stability and performance improvements, bug fixes and a few enhancements.
For example, tapping a podcast in Top Stations now reveals episodes you can play. Also new is the ability to turn on automatic downloads for all subscribed podcasts in Settings. Unfortunately, the dreaded 1980s animated tape-recorder interface is still there, but Jony Ive will no doubt see to it sooner rather than later...
As you may have heard, Apple's iPad mini finally went on sale earlier today. Some of you no doubt picked it up directly at your local Apple store (hope you didn't have to stand in line outside the Fifth Avenue store). Others might still be biting their nails anxiously awaiting that USP truck. If you're busy playing with or imagining handling Apple's shiny new toy, why not make some room in your car's dashboard so you can easily slide the iPad mini in and out? Look no further than Soundwaves of Tampa, which custom-built a dash in a 2012 Toyota Corolla. Video is right below...
Apple's been an avid supported of USB for years. With USB 3.0, not so much - at least not until first Mac notebooks with USB 3.0 support began rolling out of assembly lines last year. The company, however, never adopted the industry-standard Micro USB connector. Instead, and much to the horror of the multi-billion dollar accessory biz, it chose to replace its own bulky, decade-old proprietary 30-pin dock connector with Lightning, another proprietary connector similar in size to micro USB (there's a reasonable explanation for that).
So, if you fancy connecting your Lightning-enabled mobile devices to micro USB cables and chargers to sync and charge, Apple comes to the rescue with its official Lightning to Micro USB Adapter. Originally released in Europe in September due to regulations mandating that all mobile phones be charged via commonplace micro USB adapters, it's now finally available to U.S. customers. How much? Just $20. I know, don't start...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeR0n0r00pk
I went to several Walmart's last night at midnight in search of the elusive iPad mini, but alas, no dice. Fortunately I already had one ordered from the Apple Store as a backup plan.
I literally just received my mini in the mail via FedEx about 30 minutes ago. As always, I could hardly contain myself, but I made myself wait before tearing open the box so I could showcase this unboxing on video for you guys.
Have you received your iPad mini yet? What do you think about it thus far? Stay tuned, as we'll have tons of comparison articles and videos in the coming hours and days.
The iPad mini went on sale this morning in 34 countries and it looks to be off to a pretty solid start. Now, much ado is being made about lines not being as long as during past product launches. This is understandable: after all, the iPad mini launch is somewhat subdued because of the fallout from Hurricane Sandy. Still, eager fans reportedly visit flagship Apple stores in considerable numbers to pick up the new device which most reviewers deemed an attractive buy.
In New york, in about two hours the iPad mini sold out at Apple's flagship Manhattan store on the Fifth Avenue. In case you'be been wondering about the headcount, Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports of more than 800 customers standing in the line by the time the 10am countdown began. So much about "disappointing crowds"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbHomq4QwIk
The iPad mini just went on sale this morning in 34 countries and warranty firm Square Trade already has drop tests done. Thanks to its unibody aluminum body and rigid construction, this is perhaps the most durable iPad yet. At any rate, the smaller iPad seems to withstand drops a little better than Google's Nexus 7 and the regular-sized iPad, even if the display on all three devices was completely shattered in the unforgiving face-down drop test.
As a Nexus 7 owner, I was honestly disappointed with poor build quality and especially how loosely the screen fits inside the frame. Of course, these drop tests are not very scientific and you shouldn't read too much into them though the video does a good job highlighting the iPad mini's rigid construction. Build quality and sturdiness, in addition to design, apps and other perks, certainly help justify the $130 premium compared to other popular seven-inch tablets on the market. Go past the fold for more drop test videos...
The iPad mini is launching today in 34 countries around the world, and what better way to celebrate this event than giving one away to one lucky iDB reader. The response to our iPad mini giveaway has been phenomenal. Several thousand entries later, it is now time to announce the winner of our giveaway.
Without further ado, the winner of iDownloadBlog's iPad mini giveaway is...
As promised, on Friday the new 7.9-inch iPad and a retooled fourth-generation iPad with Retina display both went on sale in what goes down in history as Apple's broadest and deepest iPad launch ever. The initial pre-order stock was sold out within hours a week ago, with expectation that the smaller iPad will move 1.5 million units during the weekend.
According to first reports, the launch drew shorter lines than for previous iPad launches, with places like Sydney experiencing the familiar lines that stretch for several blocks. Though the turnout wasn't as big as for a new iPhone, you had to stand in line if you wanted to buy the iPad mini at an Apple store. We've got some pretty nice launch videos right below the fold...