Apple’s iPad Mini Is More Than Just a Smaller iPad

You’ll notice that the iPad Mini looks just like its larger brethren, with the same icons on the opening screen. Everything is just a little smaller. Looking at the front of the tablet, you’ll see the Home button on the left and the front camera on the right. This iPad Mini has the (Product) Red Smart Cover attached.

An iPad Mini placed next to a third-generation iPad shows the size difference. The difference is significant, but whether that’s in a good way or a bad way depends on how you use your iPad.

The iPad Mini can use its cover as a support just like larger iPads could by rolling it up.

The iPad Mini carries the black color to the back of the device, showing the Apple logo in relief. Also on the back is the 5-megapixel iSight camera that features autofocus. The flat black area on the right houses the radio antennas for WiFi, the cellular radios and the GPS.

The new Lightning connector is obvious on the bottom of the iPad Mini. The Lightning cable can be inserted in either direction, so unlike the previous Apple docking cable, there’s no chance of inserting the cable upside down. Flanking the cable connector are two speaker ports.

There’s a standard 3.5 mm headset connector on the top of the iPad Mini. The power button, which can be used either to put the iPad Mini to sleep or to power it off completely, is on the other corner. That tiny hole in the middle of the top is the microphone.

The controls on the right side of the iPad Mini are the same as you’ll find on other iPads. The slide switch is the Silent/Screen Rotation Lock, which can be set up either to silence the iPad Mini immediately or to prevent the screen from rotating, such as when you’re reading while lying down.

Apple sells Smart Covers for the iPad Mini in a variety of colors, with the (Product) Red cover shown here. When you close the cover, it holds itself against the screen of the tablet magnetically, while also putting the iPad into sleep mode.

When you close the iPad Mini Smart Cover, it holds itself closed magnetically. In addition to protecting the screen of the iPad Mini, it also puts the device to sleep.