My first post about the iPad mini was generally positive, but ended with "thanks, but I'll wait." My wife, another iPad fan, agreed. Then we went to the Apple Store.
I want it!
These were my wife's words as soon as she saw the iPad mini in person. She repeated the phrase as soon as she picked it up. Naturally, the Apple store was sold out, so we had to call around to a few places. We ended up finding a black 32GB WiFi model at a semi-local Target.
Over the next week, she alternated between using her iPad 3 and the iPad mini. Back and forth, back and forth. When she was using the iPad 3, I jumped at the chance to use the shiny new toy. I even set up a folder with a few of my most-used apps — Instapaper, OmniFocus, and Reeder.
Fast forward about two weeks.
My wife has fallen out of love with the iPad mini. She loves the size and weight, but can't get over the screen. The Retina display prompted her upgrade from the original iPad to the iPad 3. She decided that she couldn't go back.
Me, on the other hand... I was shocked. Pixel snob, Retina snob that I am... I wanted an iPad mini of my own. I didn't want one after the keynote. I didn't want one after seeing it in the Apple store. I only wanted one after weeks of using one.
Lack of Retina Display
It matters, and you know it. You're only kidding yourself if you say otherwise. Switching from the glorious iPad 3 display to an iPhone 3GS-esque display is jarring. It's painful. It might even make you rub your eyes for a moment.
I never stopped noticing the lack of a Retina display. I likely never will. But the size and ridiculously light weight of this device make me OK with it. I can see the pixels, and that's OK. I'm getting a half-weight iPad, and that is worth more to me today than a Retina display.
So, my wife is returning her iPad mini. I've asked Santa for a white 16GB WiFi model. I don't know if he'll deliver, but I sure hope so.