Yesterday, Apple unveiled a bunch of new products: new iMac, new Mac mini, new MacBook Pro, new iBooks app, new Final Cut Pro, new Lightning connectors, and more — and all of this comes on the heels of the new iPhone 5 announced last month. Whew. But today I want to focus on just two of yesterday’s announcements, the two new iPads: the fourth generation iPad and the iPad mini.
Fourth generation iPad
Although I had heard rumors that it might be announced, I was surprised to see Apple announce a new iPad yesterday. The third generation iPad was just announced on March 7, 2012, and I have gotten used to one new iPad and one new iPhone a year. But here we are only 7 months, 2 weeks and 2 days later, and now the device that Apple had been calling the “new” iPad becomes the “old” iPad. Let’s take a look at what is new in the fourth generation iPad. (And although Apple doesn’t use these names, just to save space I’m calling the new one the iPad 4 and the previous model the iPad 3.)
Faster processor. I’ve definitely noticed that my iPhone 5 is faster than my iPad 3. The iPhone 5 contains what Apple calls the A6 chip, and lab tests show it twice as fast as the A5X chip that is in the iPad 3. Apple now has a version of the A6 chip for the iPad 4 called the A6X so that we will see iPhone 5-like speeds on the iPad. That means that apps open in an instant and the entire device seems much more responsive.
Lightning connector. Also like the iPhone 5, the iPad 4 uses the new Lightning connector instead of the old 30-pin connector. I really like this connector on my iPhone 5 because it is so small and easy to use, especially since you can plug in the connector either way. With the 30-pin connector, it seems like I am always trying to plug it in one way, realizing that is wrong, then turning it over. Ugh. Of course, in the short term, the new Lightning connector isn’t going to work with many accessories unless you use an adapter. But over time we’ll see all accessories using the new Lightning connector.
Better 4G LTE and WiFi. I use the WiFi-only version of the iPad 3, but if you like to have connectivity on your iPad even when there is no WiFi, you can pay $130 extra to get an iPad 4 model that supports 4G LTE. The iPad 3 also supported 4G LTE, but the iPad 4 uses the same improved LTE contained in the iPhone 5. That should mean better connections, plus the option to use Sprint as a carrier. Even if you are just using WiFi, all of the iPad 4 models use the improved WiFi found in the iPhone 5.
Better front-facing camera. When you use FaceTime to videochat on an iPad 3, the front-facing camera which is only VGA quality. On the iPad 4, just like the iPhone 5, the front-facing camera is FaceTime HD camera which takes 1.2MP photos and HD video at 720p up to 30 frames per second.
Faster charging. The iPad 3 came with a 10W charger. The iPad 4 comes with a 12W charger, which should speed up charging times although I haven’t seen confirmation of this yet. You can also purchase the new 12W charger for $19 and it works with the iPad 2, 3 and 4 and the iPhone 4, 4S and 5, although I don’t yet know if it speeds up charging on any of those other devices. [UPDATE 10/25/12: According to 9to5Mac, Apple has confirmed that the new charger will speed up charging. The article suggests it will speed up charging for the iPad 3 as well. I’m sure it won’t be long before someone runs a test to show how much of a difference it makes.]
What does it all mean? The iPad 4 gives you everything that lawyers would love about the iPad 3 — the 9.7-inch Retina display, the 10 hours of battery life, the same prices starting at $499 for the 16 GB model — and adds most of the great new features that we saw in the iPhone 5 last month. About the only thing missing is the iPhone 5’s amazing new design (taller, thinner, lighter); the iPad 4 is the same size and weight as the iPad 3.
If you already have an iPad 3, you are unlikely to have a reason to upgrade. But if you are still using an original iPad or an iPad 2, the upgrade to the iPad 4 is even more compelling than the upgrade to an iPad 3, which is really saying something because I love the iPad 3. And if you don’t yet own an iPad, boy are you in for a treat. A lot of good-little-litigators are going to be thanking Santa and others when an iPad 4 shows up under the Christmas tree, on a night of Hanukkah, or wherever fine presents appear in your household.
iPad mini
It is easy to describe the appeal of the iPad 4: take most of what you love about the iPhone 5 and combine it with everything you already loved about the iPad 3. But the iPad mini really is something altogether new, and I have only begun to understand all of the reasons that this will be a compelling products for lawyers. Let’s look at what makes this product different from a regular iPad.
Smaller. The most noticeable difference is, of course, the size. The display is 7.9 inches diagonal instead of 9.7 inches on the iPad. It is shorter (7.87 inches versus 9.5 inches) and not as wide (5.3 inches versus 7.31 inches). In fact, the iPad mini is even skinnier than you might think because in addition to shrinking down the overall size, the iPad mini has a much smaller bezel on two sides. Apple says this makes the screen even more prominent on the iPad mini and makes it easier to hold the iPad mini in one hand. Of course, with a reduced bezel, you are more likely to touch the screen while you are holding the iPad. To address this, Apple changed the iOS software for the iPad mini so that, according to Apple’s website, it “intelligently recognizes whether your thumb is simply resting on the display or whether you’re intentionally interacting with it.”
Lighter. The iPad is incredibly thin and light compared to a computer, which is why it is such a great travel companion. On the other hand, when you hold an iPad in your hand to read a long transcript or long brief, your hand gets tired. That’s one of the reasons that I often find myself reaching for a FreeOneHand to make it easier to hold. The iPad mini is as thin as a pencil. The WiFi version of the iPad mini weighs only 308 grams, compared to the iPad 3 and 4 which weigh more than twice as much at 662 grams. (At the risk of comparing Apples and oranges, the iPhone 4S weighs 140 grams and the iPhone 5 weighs 112 grams.) My guess is that you’ll be able to hold the iPad mini in your hand for a considerably longer time when reading before experiencing any discomfort in your hand and arm. Anand Lai Shimpi of AnandTech wrote after trying out the iPad mini: “[T]he easiest way to describe the device is that it’s lighter than you’d
expect. The build quality and finish both feel good as you’d expect, but
the device is just considerably lighter than the iPad which results in
superior in hand feel.”
Cheaper. Specifically, $170 cheaper. The iPad starts at $499 for the 16 GB model and goes up in $100 increments for more storage, plus you can add $130 for 4G LTE. The iPad mini starts at $329 for the 16 GB model, and then goes up in $100 increments for more storage, plus you can add $130 for 4G LTE.
Resolution. The display looks better than an original iPad or an iPad 2, but not as good as an iPad 3 or 4. Like the first two versions of the iPad, the iPad mini has a pixel resolution of 1024 x 768, but because the screen is smaller, more pixels are packed in per inch: 163 pixels per inch (ppi) on the iPad mini versus 132 ppi on the iPad 2. Thus, the screen is better than the first two versions of the iPad. On the other hand, the iPad mini screen is not as good as the Retina display on the iPad 3 and 4 (2048 x 1536 at 264 ppi). If you used (or still use) an original iPhone, an iPhone 3G or an iPhone 3GS, then you know what 163 ppi looks like. In fact, 163 ppi on the iPad mini looks better than 163 ppi on those older iPhones becasue of an improved display that puts the pixels closer to the glass. (The iPhone 4, 4S and 5 feature an amazing 326 ppi, but of course you hold those devices closer to your face than an iPad so pixel density is more important on an iPhone than on an iPad.) My guess is that whenever we see the second generation of the iPad mini, Apple will find a way to add the same Retina display used by the iPhone 5. For now, the resolution of the iPad mini appears to be very good, but (unlike the iPad 3 and 4) not amazing.
Design. The edge of the iPad mini looks more like an iPhone 5 than an iPad. As Joshua Topolsky of The Verge wrote after spending some time with the iPad mini: “The thinness and sleekness of the casing cannot be overstated. It feels
as high-end as the new iPhone, but even sharper in the hand — like a
slice of solid aluminum. The chamfered edges present on the iPhone 5
have been continued here, as well as the all-black treatment seen on the
latest phone.”
Camera. While the iPad mini is similar to an iPad 2 when it comes to the display, the cameras are the same improved cameras found in the new iPad 4.
Radios. Similarly, the 4G LTE cellular radio is the same as the iPad 4. Thus, for example, you can use the iPad mini with Sprint, something that you couldn’t do with the original iPad or the iPad 2. You also get the improved WiFi radio and Bluetooth 4.0.
Siri. Siri works on the iPad mini, unlike the original iPad and the iPad 2. Thus, you can just talk to the iPad mini to dictate emails, set reminders, get the latest sports scores, find out the weather, etc.
What does it all mean? If the iPad is too big, heavy or expensive for you, than the iPad mini is the answer. I expect that female attorneys will be pleased to discover that the iPad mini fits in smaller purses that could not hold an iPad, and if you have a large pocket in a jacket, the iPad mini just might fit. And as noted above, for extended reading — whether you are on a plane or just on your couch — I’m sure that the iPad mini will be much more pleasent to hold.
On the other hand, one of the main reasons that I love my iPad 3 is that it has a large Retina display. John Gruber of Daring Fireball got a few minutes with the iPad mini yesterday and stated: “It runs iPad apps, but feels like a a ‘big iPhone’ in use. It feels smaller than I expected it to.”
I have no doubt that the iPad mini will be perfect for many attorneys. I need to get my hands on one myself to understand the pluses and the minus for those of us who are long-time, happy users of the full-size iPad.
I really like the iPad, but I can’t see myself spending so much money on something like that. I may opt for an Android equivalent.
I’ve been interested in an iPad for a while and just listened to a CLE program about the device. Just waiting for my budget to accommodate one. I’m wondering if Mr. Richardson, or any other readers, might be willing and able to opine on an issue touched on in this blog entry, specifically the issue of Wi-Fi Only versus Wi-Fi Plus Cellular. I’ve heard recommendations on both sides of the issue, but very few of the people from whom I’ve heard recommendations have been attorneys, and I suspect that some of the people making the comments are using the iPad primarily for entertainment while commuting or to keep the kids quiet in the car and the like.
The notion of getting a mobile hotspot for flexibility has crossed my mind since it can be used with other devices. On the other hand, I don’t really travel so much that a hotspot seems necessary. I’ve considered the idea of hotspotting my iPhone in a pinch; the potential downside of that avenue is that I have an iPhone 4, so I’d be using 3G versus the 4G LTE capability in the iPad or on a mobile hotspot. (Upgrading to the iPhone 5 is not an option right now because if I want to keep my unlimited cellular data from Verizon, I’d have to pay full price for the device. Going to one of their new plans doesn’t appeal to me because my current plan is cheaper even with unlimited data!) I suppose the other two alternatives are just to go with Wi-Fi Only and deal with it when there’s no connection (which might pose a problem at a deposition or in court or the like) or buy the device with the cellular capability.
One of the things I am wondering about is something that Verizon, in particular, makes it hard to find. Apple’s website indicates that you need not activate the cellular data unless and until you need it and that you can then activate it from the device, have no contract, and deactivate it when you no longer need it. So suppose I were spending most of my time in the office with a Wi-Fi connection. I would leave cellular data disabled. Then in advance of, say, our Christmas trip to Florida I would activate the cellular data and then sign back on and deactivate it after the trip. Can you in fact do this? Verizon’s website is utterly silent and instead tries to direct you to their “Share Everything” data plans where your hotspot, phone, tablet, etc., all share a “bucket” of data for one price. It doesn’t seem to jibe with what Apple says about cellular data offerings.
Thanks in advance. I asked this question during the CLE yesterday but the presenter didn’t give a very good answer. The one attorney I know personally who is a bit of an iPad guru says to go whole-hog and get the 64 GB Wi-Fi Plus Cellular device for maximum flexibility.
Mr. Rogers: good question. I do think that being able to use an iPad wherever you go is important. And while most places have WiFi, not all do. For me, I gave up my AT&T unlimited plan to add the mobile hotspot feature. For my plan, I get 4GB a month to share between devices, and while I was worried about giving up unlimited data, I have never exceeded 4GB in any month. Thus, the $130 I saved by not getting the cellular version of an iPad was definitely worth saving, not to mention the slight difference between not paying for a data plan for my iPad versus paying $20 extra for a hotspot for my iPhone. I travel on business quite a bit, but even so, I only find myself using the hotspot feature to give me iPad data about 2-4 times a month. When I use it, I really need it, but i don’t need to use it very often. Hopefully that answers your question!
Thanks for the reply. You make a valid point about the amount of cellular data. I think I’ve averaged less than 1 GB per month since February 2011, which is when I got my iPhone. In many ways part of the reason for wanting to maintain the unlimited data is that it makes my phone plan some $20 a month cheaper than what Verizon offers now via “Share Everything,” and if indeed you can activate cellular data on an iPad only when needed, potentially it means paying less for service on an ongoing basis (though of course that extra $130 cost for the device has to be factored into the equation and works out to a bit over $10 a month for 12 months) with the recognition that then periodically one might activate the data service for an additional charge.
To what extent would the 3G versus 4G LTE issue factor into the decision if you needed to make it today? That is, the iPhone 4 uses 3G, whereas the newest iPads (whether the just-outdated model or the yet-to-be-on-sale model) offer 4G LTE where it is available, and the latter is considerably faster. Would that be a relevant consideration in the question of hotspotting the phone versus going with either the mobile hotspot or the cellular-capable iPad?
Thanks again.
I saw this link on Twitter and thought I would read reasons why lawyers, and specifically lawyers, would love the new iPad 4th generation. Instead, unless I missed something, this is just an article about the new features of the 4th generation iPad. You can easily change “lawyer” or “attorney” for doctor, student, salesman, executive, mom, dad, kid, etc. So is there something else that would be relevant to lawyers?
4G LTE is certainly faster than 3G, so you are correct, that is a factor if you are not using an iPhone 5. But my iPad worked fine with sharing 3G before I got my iPhone 5. Now it is just faster. Nice? Absolutely. But not essential.
That’s a fair point, Rob. The appeal to lawyers — a faster, more responsive iPad — will appeal to others as well. But I’ve already talked extensively on this website about how iPads are used in the legal practice, so if that is the sort of information that you are looking for, click on the “Index” link above. It sounds like this may be your first visit, so welcome!
Can’t wait to have that mini ipad4!
In the “Design” paragraph, you refer to 16GB, etc. of “memory”. Pretty sure that is SSD space.
Fair point. I changed that.
I think the Mini is a good medium between an iPhone and iPad. The iPad is not very portable, and the iPhone screen is simply too small to do certain things on, like jury selection or use it for trial notes.
One issue with the Mini is the pricing. I understand it costs $188 to make one, but over $300 for a 7.9″ tablet with an older a% processor and older resolution simply does not seem worth it. It couldn’t cost more than $20-25 more to put in a better screen and an A6/A6x. It feels like buying an iPad 2 in a smaller package.
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