The iPad air feels lighter than the Retina Mini

[JTravers]

Originally Posted by Faterson

OK with what? With your telling me your intention? Absolutely, I'd love that! Because I could report you to the police right away, and no break-in would occur. That's what Android does: it transparently informs the user about the app he/she is about to install, and that's always a good thing.

I will always prefer putting control of permissions in the hands of the user vs. forcing them into a "take it or leave it" approach as Android does. To each his own, I guess

[sumguy]

I'm very interested in reading experiences and comparisons between the retina mini and the air, thinking about buying one or the other... I wonder if perhaps people wouldn't mind taking the debate about ios vs. android privacy to another thread? Thanks...

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by sumguy

I'm very interested in reading experiences and comparisons between the retina mini and the air, thinking about buying one or the other... I wonder if perhaps people wouldn't mind taking the debate about ios vs. android privacy to another thread? Thanks...

Agree! :-)

What would you like to know?

So far, I love the portability and resolution of my Retina Mini.

Apps like Flipboard are a joy in the Mini. Not to mention reading the news. It's so light that you can use it with one hand for extended period of times.

However, the Air feels lighter to me I still not sure why. I think that it's because the way distribution. But I'm not saying that the Mini is too heavy.

Also, typing on the Mini using thumbs is easy too. I wrote this whole reply using my thumbs and TapaTalk app. It is harder to type with two thumbs on the Air.

[Bookworm_Girl]

In my house we have both the Air & the Retina Mini. However I don't get to use the Air. I have an iPad 4. I really enjoy the Mini for reading. That's one of the main reasons I bought it. The text is super crisp. I like reading single column portrait on the Mini compared to double column landscape on the full size iPad. There are many different options for reading apps.

However, I do still prefer my full-size iPad for magazines and internet browsing. The text looks a little larger and fits more on the screen.

The Mini is awesome. It is great for portability. The Air is great too. I can't believe how light it is compared to my IPad.

And, don't be scared off by the discussion on color gamut ranges if you want to use it primarily for reading. The difference in person is much less than how the photos online look.

[sumguy]

Just enjoying reading what people have to say, there have been some interesting comments I wouldn't have thought of. They don't have them in the shops here yet, so I'm vicariously checking them out!

One thing I've noticed several people saying is how the full size ipad is better for magazines, pdfs, etc., because you can fit more on the screen. But don't they both have the same number of pixels? I mean, maybe it's a stupid question, but can't you just hold the retina mini a little closer, and it looks the same?

I've been assuming I'd want a retina mini, because it's lighter, more portable/pocketable, costs $100 less, and otherwise has nearly the same specs (number of pixels, processor, camera, etc.) - but now I'm starting to wonder about the air, if it's almost as portable, but has a noticeably better screen... anyway, hopefully it will all be clear when I get to actually see them!

Mainly it's to replace my Kindle, so for portable reading. But then, I've never had an ipad before, so maybe I'd end up using it for photos, video, ?? - I do use Flipboard a lot on my phone.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

And, don't be scared off by the discussion on color gamut ranges if you want to use it primarily for reading. The difference in person is much less than how the photos online look.

Totally agree with that statement!

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

And, don't be scared off by the discussion on color gamut ranges if you want to use it primarily for reading. The difference in person is much less than how the photos online look.

Wouldn't the gamut range be important for magazines?

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by sumguy

Just enjoying reading what people have to say, there have been some interesting comments I wouldn't have thought of. They don't have them in the shops here yet, so I'm vicariously checking them out!

One thing I've noticed several people saying is how the full size ipad is better for magazines, pdfs, etc., because you can fit more on the screen. But don't they both have the same number of pixels? I mean, maybe it's a stupid question, but can't you just hold the retina mini a little closer, and it looks the same?

I've been assuming I'd want a retina mini, because it's lighter, more portable/pocketable, costs $100 less, and otherwise has nearly the same specs (number of pixels, processor, camera, etc.) - but now I'm starting to wonder about the air, if it's almost as portable, but has a noticeably better screen... anyway, hopefully it will all be clear when I get to actually see them!

Mainly it's to replace my Kindle, so for portable reading. But then, I've never had an ipad before, so maybe I'd end up using it for photos, video, ?? - I do use Flipboard a lot on my phone.

The fonts scale on the Air, so they are bigger. But contrast is higher on the Mini.

I have no issues reading PDF on my Mini, landscape mode, but the Air's screen maybe better for that type of document, because is bigger.

Now, if you read novels, my advice would be to stick to an eink device like the Kindle. You get less distractions, more battery life and ability to read outdoor and indoor without any issues.

I bought the 4G Mini because I use it for work, take notes. And browse Internet. But I do still prefer eink for long reading sessions or for long trips.

[sumguy]

I guess it depends a bit on your eyes, if you can see things up close. Just got my first pair of reading glasses this year, so I may have to take that into account.

I read mostly non-fiction, mostly on my Mac, and I need to sync notes and reading position. Unfortunately there are no e-ink readers that can do that, so I've switched to iBooks. Maybe I'll keep the Kindle around for trips to the beach...

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Wouldn't the gamut range be important for magazines?

This whole discussion of gamut range is blown out of proportion for most users. If I didn't have them to compare side by side and have seen the discussions online, then I wouldn't have given it any thought. The Mini screen still looks great! Just look at the good reviews it is getting. And, do a google search on photography and the iPad Mini and see how many articles you can find of people integrating it into their workflow so the situation isn't all that negative. All I can say to anyone who has doubts is go see it in person and make your own opinions.

Besides, I recommended the iPad for magazine readers because of size and not image quality. Some magazines & newspapers are sized for tablets and those look fine on the Mini. However many are just a digital image of the paper magazine which is then shrunk to the size of the iPad or Mini screen. I have to do more zooming and scrolling on the Mini to read the text at a comfortable size for me.

I am fortunate to be able to have both. I recognize that many people can only have one. I really am split 50/50 on which I'd recommend to people. It just comes down to what your primary use of the device will be. With the Air being of smaller size and reduced weight compared to past models, it makes it a tough call.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by jbjb

The point being made, however, is that Android then only gives you the opportunity to refuse to install the app if you don't like the permissions it requests. iOS goes a step further, and allows you to run the app with restricted permissions if that's what you want. It also allows you to change your mind and edit the permissions at a later date.

Wrong. With Android you can selectively remove permissions requested by apps post install: Source

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by afv011

Wrong. With Android you can selectively remove permissions requested by apps post install: Source

No - not wrong.

Installing a third party app to help you manage the permissions is not the same as the OS giving you that capability directly.

As I said - reasonable people can differ on which approach they prefer, but to claim iOS has "zero transparency" in this area is just wrong.

/JB

[afv011]

Originally Posted by jbjb

No - not wrong.

Installing a third party app to help you manage the permissions is not the same as the OS giving you that capability directly.

That feature is from the OS, you're using a 3rd party app to bring it to the front.

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by afv011

That feature is from the OS, you're using a 3rd party app to bring it to the front.

You need a third party app to make use of the hidden feature. So much for transparency!

It also seems fundamentally flawed - according to this article some permissions don't appear in the list, and hence can't be edited, until they've been used by the app at least once, so you don't have the opportunity to prevent that first use. If it's an untrustworthy app, then turning off the permission after that first use may be too late.

As the linked review says:

You have to go and hunt down all the permissions and make the app use them before you are allowed to disable them. That's a lot of work. Is this list complete? Will it ever be complete? There's really no way of knowing.

In any case, although I prefer the iOS approach overall, I agree that the initial transparency on installation that Android has would be a welcome addition to iOS. Similarly, it seems clear to me that transparent iOS-style permission granularity and prompting before first use would be a useful addition to Android.

/JB

[afv011]

Originally Posted by jbjb

You need a third party app to make use of the hidden feature. So much for transparency!

It also seems fundamentally flawed - according to this article some permissions don't appear in the list, and hence can't be edited, until they've been used by the app at least once, so you don't have the opportunity to prevent that first use. If it's an untrustworthy app, then turning off the permission after that first use may be too late.

As the linked review says:


In any case, although I prefer the iOS approach overall, I agree that the initial transparency on installation that Android has would be a welcome addition to iOS. Similarly, it seems clear to me that transparent iOS-style permission granularity and prompting before first use would be a useful addition to Android.

/JB

That link is old. check the new info here: Source