Apple Unveils iPad Mini

Well, hell has finally frozen over. Over the sound of flapping pig wings, Apple unveiled the iPad Mini, a 7.8 inch device thinner than a pencil. And in doing so, Apple has turned its back on the legacy of Steve Jobs.

The iPad Mini isn't outright micro. With a 7.9 inch display, it feels reasonably larger than most 7 inch tablets like the Nexus 7. And yet, it still feels much more portable than a full-sized tablet. It weighs less, is thinner, and just feels more portable than the iPad ever did.

Another selling point of the iPad Mini is its build quality. Apple is renowned for building high quality products, but it really shines when compared to a line of budget tablets. I've grown to hate Apple's aluminum look, but if you haven't then you will find this to be one of the best looking, best built tablets on the market today, handily crushing the Nexus 7 in quality.

Unfortunately, the screen, probably the most important part of any tablet, has taken a hit. Even after Apple hyped the importance of pixels per inch, the iPad Mini only has a 1024 x 768 display. That's 162 PPI, for the record, well below Apple's Retina threshold. Even the modified one that they introduced with their new Macbook Pro line.

You are also getting a dual-core processor, a step down in performance from the speedy fourth-generation iPad. That means that the Mini won't be able to run the most graphically intensive games, but then those looking for an ultraportable tablet probably don't care.

The real question is whether sticker shock will scare people away. The nexus 7 is an impressive device, and in all likelihood Google is going to be announcing an improved version on the 29th. Those machines run at a $200-250 price range. The Mini, meanwhile, costs $330-660. Is getting such a minimal machine really worth it for the price?

Photo by : Apple