The choices seem countless. There is the popular iPad. Amazon delivers the Kindle Fire, while Barnes & Noble have their Nook series of devices. Even though technically e-readers, these devices function as lower-cost tablets. And then there are the powerful Galaxy tablets made by Samsung, as well as countless lower-profile products from smaller tech companies. One Website recommends for you to skip all the above-mentioned tablets and instead choose the iPad Mini.
The Benefits of the Mini
The editors at WireCutter chose the Mini for a simple reason: It weighs a lot less than its larger cousin, the standard iPad. But even though it weighs less, the iPad Mini is just as powerful as its larger cousin. This, the editors argue, is all essential in terms of judging a tablet. The main benefit of a tablet, in fact, is that it is smaller than a laptop. People can more easily tote it along on the train, to the gym or to the local cafe. A tablet that's much easier to carry, then, should really rank on top of the tablet world. If that same tablet is equally as powerful as much larger versions? Then that tablet wins recognition as the best on the market, according to WireCutter.
Function
The editors at WireCutter ran the iPad Mini through a series of tests to find out just how well it works. What did they find out? That it performs just as well as any tablet already on the market. For example, even though the Mini has a smaller screen, watching movies with the device is just as impressive as seeing them with the larger sized iPad. The same holds true for reading books, scanning the web and gaming. The bottomline is, the iPad Mini's smaller dimensions are under no circumstances a hindrance to enjoying the tablet.
The right recommendation?
The WireCutter recommendation, though, shouldn't be taken as the last word on the subject. The advice represents the opinion of that Web site's staff. Your opinion might vary. Luckily, you've got plenty of tablets to select from. And after you do your homework, you may find that you like the Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet or the traditional iPad to the Mini. The WireCutter review, however, is really a compelling bit of evidence that the Mini is no mere novelty act. It's a legitimate contender in the increasingly crowded tablet world.
(Once again Richard's post is reviewed and edited by me, Nancy Phillippi. I don't disagree with Richard, but I have the Kindle Fire last Christmas, and now have the Google Nexus, this Christmas. I love them both. I am finishing a book on the Kindle and then plan on giving it to my daughter. I am a little slow in changing devices since I am so busy, but I have played with my Nexus and I do think it will be a much more robust option than the Kindle. I did want the new Kindle, but my hubby is one of those researchers... he does not buy anything without reading every review every written!)
By Richard Ayars, CIO and Executive VP at Custom Information Services (CIS)