Phil Schiller holds up the iPad mini
If the best camera is the one that’s with us, the camera phone wins for me (iPhone in particular, but I’m excited for all models). But let’s take a departure for a second, because just minutes ago Phil Schiller announced the new iPad mini.
// 7.9 inch diagonal screen
// A5 dual core chip
// Facetime HD
// 5MP iSight Camera
// LTE wireless + 2x faster wi-fi
// lightening connectioin
// 10 hour battery life
// starting at $329
What will this do for us photographers? Here’s my quick thoughts:
// advertising photogs – stoked, but not all that much changes.
// wedding + portrait photogs – stoked, but not all that much changes.
// journalists + editorial creatives – revolutionary. iPhone camera + small device has been a treat for ALL photographers, but the new iPad mini seems to run double for journalists because it’s handheld with a great camera and actually a surface you can compose a story on… Ever seen people taking photos with an iPad? Sort of goofy. Or seen a journalist composing a press-ready story? Also sort of goofy. IMHO, this new iPad might not be for everyone (although all us geeks and fanboys will get one for the thrill…) but it really seems to fill that void for the journalist – shoot photos and compose. Just a thought.
I think that artists will love it but the size and cost make it so much more viable option for institutions, businesses, and parents. Don’t be surprised when you start seeing more service industries using these their form of POS. Restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, nurseries…the list goes on.
It’s an ipad – so it’s cool. But I’m not massively impressed with it. Lack of GPS is quite poor, as is the less than market leading quality of the screen – most sub £200 android tablets now have much more ppi and GPS included. Justified price? – not so sure.
Ha! with my eye sight getting worse with old age – I’ll wait for the iPad Maxi!
Yeah that’s what I want a 17 inch iPad to sit on my couch while follow the game chat during NBA season.
A few nits beside, it looks like a great device that fills the not-too-big and not-too-small mobile category. I could actually carry one in a camera bag, whereas the original iPad is a little too big. Equipped for the way a photographer will use it is pricey, though. A retina display would have been nice but would have upped the price even more, and as is it will still be impressive.
No retina display? My enthusiasm just waned completely.