An Apple A Day...

Earlier this week, Apple unveiled some of their new products.   There has been a lot of news from them in the past month, as they have just released their iPhone 5 last month.  This week, they have announced several new products.   There are some updates to the Macbook, and the iPad 4 will be released.   The most highly anticipated item was the iPad Mini.  

While the late Steve Jobs had essentially said "Over my dead body", Apple has decided to enter a market that has been dominated by other products over the years - the mini tablet. The iPad Mini enters a market primarily dominated by the Android operating system.   From the Samsung Galaxy or the Dell Streak, to the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook HD, to the economy line Velocity Cruz, Pandigital, etc, some form of the Android operating system is being used.   It's only logical for Apple to enter this market, and it really doesn't take much extra for the fabrication.  


In the tech world, you have "fanboys" and "haters" with little wiggle room, when discussing any given product.   In some cases, your opinion on the same product can brand you as both, depending on your audience at a given time.    Personally, I am a Linux user, not an Apple user.  I give credit to Apple for taking existing devices (mp3 players, smart phones, tablets) and making them into slick, attractive, highly sought after items.  On the flip side, I find them overpriced and a bit overrated.  There is a limited amount of flexibility in upgrading many of the devices, and Apple takes great pains to keep people out.   I share this opinion on Dell products, as well, for the limited flexibility.


I'm going to glance over the iPad 4 with a couple of musings.  In the past [about] two years, Apple has launched the iPad, and is poised to drop the 4th generation thereof.  While each version has improved upon the previous, they tend to start from the same base price tier.   I like the improvements, but find the cost a bit prohibitive to continue paying (at least) $500 every time a new one drops.   While the new one will have a faster processor, it also will have a new connector, translating to the need to invest in more [proprietary] accessories.  For a multitude of reasons, I can see people wanting it.  For many other reasons, I can see people looking at alternatives.  

The iPad Mini, on the other hand is poised to jump into a market that it's been neglecting for some time.   In the media event on 10/23/2012, this highly anticipated gizmo was unveiled.   It's set to be 1/3 smaller than its full-size counterpart, with a 7.9" screen, and weigh in at less than a pound.   The November release date hopes to cash in on the holiday shopping season.   Apple has set the base price of $329 for the 16GB version, with the standard $100 increments for the wifi-only versions, with more expensive cellular capable mated devices set to release in mid-November.  The pricing comes in much higher than the slated competition - such as Kindle Fire, Nook HD, Google Nexus, etc, which have models starting at $199.   Apple seems to be banking their name recognition with other devices, along with the account connectivity through their icloud to counterbalance the significant price difference.   Having the reputation of Apple behind them, as well as the streamlined exterior that iProducts have become famous forgoes a long way to help their initial sales.   As of the time of this writing, (10/26/2012) presales have sold out.   This is little surprise, as Apple's new releases tend to sell out quickly on presale days.

Overall, I see little reason to jump to either of the these devices, if you have a similar, though mildly older, comparable item.  I know that early adopters will love to be in on these as they hit, but following the trends, it is very likely that the iPad 5 may very well be a reality in time for "Back To School 2013".  As Apple is not very flexible with pricing, it is unlikely to see big sales on the devices, either.    However, if you are looking to get your first iPad, then, money permitting, the iPad 4 may be the thing to check out.   If money is an issue, and that brand name is important, then the iPad Mini is a very nice alternative in the family.   It's worth keeping the others in mind, though, as they may be far more affordable, and able to meet your specific needs and budget.