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Why I'm Sold on the iPad Mini with Retina Display

Updated on October 23, 2014

I've always been one of those people that prefer paper books to digital ones.

Despite my partner's persuasion to switch to ebooks, I was never convinced. So against my wishes, he bought me my first iPad a few years ago. It was one of the first generation ones and after downloading a couple of magazines and books, I found myself even more convinced that paper books were here to stay.

Flash forward to today. My partner once again tried to convince me to go digital with the new iPad Mini with Retina display .I mostly ignored him and pretended to be listening. I mean I understand where he's coming from. I have books lying under my bed, on my desk and my shelves are full that nothing else will fit. I admit it but what can a book lover do? I had no more space for any more books. But from prior experience with the iPad, I wasn't sure a new iPad, even with the retina display, would make a huge difference.

Hello iPad Mini. It's nice to meet you.

So in January of this year, my partner surprised me with the new iPad Mini. At first I wasn't sure if I was happy or not because like I said, I didn't particularly enjoy using my old one. I didn't mean to be ungrateful, but at that time I was thinking that I'd much prefer a plane ticket to The Bermuda Triangle. However once I got over the initial shock and my stubbornness, I started testing my new baby out. Almost immediately, I was amazed at how far the iPad had evolved and it has improved on so many levels. In fact, there are so many things I love about my new gadget, that I'm going to have a try to summarize the benefits in bullet form.

Top Reasons Why I Love My iPad Mini with Retina Screen

  • Books and magazines are actually enjoyable to read on the retina screen with practically no discomfort to the eyes.
  • Graphics are even better than my desktop computer. Colors are vivid and everything looks so much better.
  • The size of the iPad Mini is the perfect size fitting into your hands perfectly. Easy to type with your thumbs while holding the device.
  • Light enough to hold over your head while reading in bed.
  • Small , light and slim enough to take it everywhere with you.
  • I can create lenses on the go ( well, partially anyway )

How much GB do you actually need?

I am glad my iPad comes with 64GB of space and here's why. I use my iPad for a number of reasons such as taking tons of photos, downloading and reading many books and magazines and playing some random game now and then. I've also recently discovered how fun and easy it is to make movies on the iPad and videos take up lots of space, so the extra gigabytes gives me some room to play with.

A Typical Day Using My iPad

Just to give you an idea of how much I've been using my iPad, I'll tell you what I did with it one day last week. I had planned on creating a lens "on the go" and see if I could actually do that with the iPad Mini.

My alarm on my iPad went off, waking me up from my slumber. Siri informed me that the weather was going to be clear and sunny. I quickly checked my email, Facebook notifications and Squidoo dashboard for any crucial messages I might have gotten. I checked the train schedule, left my apartment accordingly and boarded the train to my destination. On the commute, I worked on the two modules, which got me started on the lens. No problem with writing so far.

Once at my destination, I took tons of photos with the iPad camera, sometimes sitting to rest for a bit, also giving me a chance to do some editing work on the photos. I took more photos, sat at a cafe with tea in hand, while finishing up the main portion of my lens. On the train ride home, I uploaded some photos and links to Google Plus and browsed through other people's lenses to kill some time.

Once home, I made a quick dinner making sure I took photos of my dish ( just in case I can use it for a future lens ) and let my iPad relax for a couple of hours before bedtime. To relax, I spent 10 minutes browsing and pinning on pinterest before finally asking SIRI to wake me up at 9 AM the next morning.

The iPad truly is my personal assistant

I truly believe that my iPad Mini has helped me with my productivity, helping me to use my time wisely on my commutes on trains and buses. In addition to being able to write on the go, I can get all the books and magazines I want without needing extra space in my tiny apartment. It also makes it easy to carry around a dozen books with you on your travels.

In the kitchen, keeping your cookbook page "open" while cooking is absolutely effortless with the iPad. It's incredibly easy to share files such as photos with anyone near you with a mere touch of a button called AirDrop. And everything gets backed up into Cloud if you want, so you don't have to worry about files getting lost.

Last but not least, it is a joy to read your favorite books, magazines and online articles on the iPad. Surprisingly, it doesn't strain my eyes like the old iPad did and although I hate to admit it, I am now a convert. E-books are definitely the way of the future and it's all good with the iPad Mini.

I can go on endlessly about why I love my iPad Mini but the best way to experience what it can do for you is simply to own one yourself. Sure it's a small investment, but the iPad is one seriously powerful device that can enhance your productivity, become your personal assistant as well as give you hours of enjoyment for many years to come.

Photos of my iPad Mini in action below

Photo Gallery

Creating a Hub on my iPad with keyboard attached.
Creating a Hub on my iPad with keyboard attached.
I also read magazines like this.
I also read magazines like this.
A page from Martha Stewart Magazine. Very crisp and clear images.
A page from Martha Stewart Magazine. Very crisp and clear images.

iPad Accessories to Enhance Your iLife

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover Mini for iPad mini - White
Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover Mini for iPad mini - White
A keyboard makes life easier, especially if you're using your iPad to write. This certain model is a breeze to use and lighter than most models. My friend uses this one while I use a heavier model. i should have gotten this one instead that's for sure. He points it out to me every chance he gets. ;)
 

A great and thorough review of the new iPad Mini with Retina Display. Introduces some of the features of the iPad, what makes it so special and why you can't live without one.

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