Say what you will about the timing, but Apples 4th-generation iPad is a killer tablet. The processor
smokes, the Wi-Fi is faster, and that Retina screen is still a beauty to behold.
And then Apple squirted out this guy: the iPad Mini.
Now, make no mistake, the iPad Mini is a 4-star review from CNET, its an excellent product, and Im sure
there will be no shortage of ads this holiday season reminding you of that. But a few months ago I gave you
the Top 5 reasons not to buy a Nexus 7 tablet. So today, Ill even the score with the Top 5 reasons to pass
on the iPad Mini.
Starting off at #5: Your old iPad. A lot of you already have a first or second-gen iPad hanging around the
house. The Mini may be smaller, but other than that its just a rehash. You get the screen resolution of the
original iPad and the processor of the iPad 2. Its just the same old ingredients stuffed into a new shape. Its
like the Apple Chalupa.
At #4: the Lightning dock. Just what everyone loves, a new proprietary charging and connection standard.
You cant use this with the stuff you already have without buy a hideous adapter. And Id tell you to go buy
an Airplay speaker, but you just know there will be some Airplay 2.0 update that will make your old
Airplay speakers obsolete. You cant win.
So maybe its time to look at #3: the competition. Have you seen all of the amazing tablets that are out right
now? Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Transformer Pad Infiniti, Microsoft Surface -- the
competition is bringing their A-game. You already know what the iPad can do, so why not shop around?
And that brings us to #2: the price. $329? If you want something thats easy to read in bed, you could buy
4.5 Kindles with that money. One for the night stand, one for the couch, one for your commute, and one
you could gift to an adorable Dickensian orphan with a top hat, a coal stained nose, and an accent that just
sounds like gibberish. The point is, $330, plus tax, and a smart cover -- thats some serious coin for a
shrunken iPad.
Now, before we get to our #1 reason, lets reel off a few reasons why an iPad Mini might not be the worst
idea. Its a great first-iPad. The resale value typically holds up. You can get one with pay-as-you-go 4G
LTE. It works with all the iOS Apps you already have. Itll keep the kids from stealing your iPad. And
most of all, it makes a great gift. I cant justify it for myself, but if you bought one for me, were friends for
life.
But before you hit that Buy Now button, heres the #1 reason to just chill out: the iPad Mini 2. Its
inevitable, its probably coming sooner than you think, and you dont have to be a fanboy to know how this
is going to go. You can see the train of disappointment barreling right at you. The next version will have a
retina display, a faster processor, and maybe even a better price. Buy that one, and youll be the envy of all
the early adopters who couldnt help themselves right now.
So there you have it, five reasons to avoid the iPad Mini, at least for the moment. Before you leave me that
nasty comment, be sure to check out my Top 5 reasons not to buy the Nexus 7, or reasons to skip Windows
8. Im here to bring everybody down, and you can see my videos every week over at Top5.CNET.com.
Im Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
