To those suggesting that the new iPad mini, which starts at US$329, will make more people buy the $199 7-inch competitors - have you been paying no attention during the past couple of years?

The only thing that is going to breath real life into the sub-standard 7-inch device market is if Apple discontinues the iPad line entirely. Intelligent people, with the necessary monetary funds, have been choosing the 10-inch iPad over the “wish they were iPads” for years now. Why now, just because Apple’s iPad mini is a touch expensive do you think they are suddenly going to regress and buy a Kindle Fire or some nasty piece of plastic Samsung crap. If these devices were people’s preference - and some people do prefer them - then they’ve probably already got them. Apple introducing a new product doesn’t change this.

All this aside I’m not sure I see the point in a non-retina screen on the mini. The physical size difference alone is not enough for me to consider buying one. Weight and size are not an issue with the current iPad design (also, damn you Apple for refreshing the new iPad again) as anyone who owns one will tell you. The are not heavy by any stretch and have a super battery life - even with the glorious retina display. If you can afford the extra $150 you’ll go the 10-inch iPad.

Also I can’t help it, but every time I look at the one-handed holding position of the iPad mini (the current image on the Apple homepage), all I see is one of those morons who own one of the Samsung jumbo phones - I’m still not sure these people realize just how fucking ridiculous they look when they take a call in public and hold the massive device up to their ear.

Apple felt that it needed to fill the gap between iPhone and iPad, and that’s fine, but I don’t feel it. I’ll stick with my own ’mini iPad’, the one with a retina screen that fits in my pocket and that I’m writing this article on. iPhone 5 is the only iPad mini that I need…

Also, OH MY GOD THE NEW IMAC IS AMAZEBALLS I WANT ONE AND I WANT ONE NOW… or maybe next year once it (hopefully) goes retina.