Hasta La Gadget!

The iPad mini hit store shelves today, and I got the chance to get one for myself. The device is a terrific consumer tablet, but it has a lot of potential to be an even more impressive player in retail, restaurant and industrial applications. The iPad mini’s big brother has done a good job of making headway in businesses and customer service, but the iPad mini has a strong chance to help drive those accomplishments even further.

Why? Simple: it’s cheaper, it’s lighter and yet it can run all the same software that the original iPad can. $70 (the gap between iPad mini and iPad 2) might not be that much of a difference for a single purchase, but tallied over a whole fleet of devices, it definitely adds up. For volume purchasers, the difference between the iPad mini and the iPad in price could be the difference between getting a budget item approved or denied. Weight and portability are also huge factors; the 3rd generation actually dialed the needle back in this regard, so the iPad mini feels that much lighter by comparison, and professionals who will be spending most of their day carrying this thing around will really appreciate a device that’s half the weight.

But the big bonus is that it plugs into the existing software ecosystem without modification required from developers. That means that retailers can take advantage of existing software from providers like Revel and Square, as well as custom-created apps for sales staff distributed via enterprise deployment. Developing a business case, preparing a change management plan, training staff on the iPad mini’s use – all of the above requires only minimal changes for the thousands of businesses already using or testing iPad deployment.

In a survey released today that seems ironically weighted towards promoting Windows 8, a study found that 31 percent of small businesses were already using the iPad for various tasks. The penetration it has managed over the past two years is like a two-lap head start for the iPad mini, and recently analysts have suggested it will be a big hit with business users, and for many of the same reasons it’ll likely take the service industry by storm as well.

While other similar devices like the Nexus 7 are cheaper, Apple’s existing tablet market lead is what gives the iPad mini more potential for commercial use. Almost every company in the Fortune 500 is either testing or deploying the iPad, according to Tim Cook, which means a rich enterprise software ecosystem already exists, and more solutions for businesses big and small will continue to roll out. The wide availability of software vendor choice and shops with iOS development expertise is likely more than enough to offset the differences in the cost of hardware between the iPad mini and other small tablets on the market, even though Amazon appears to be stepping up and attempting to sell harder to business customers with its Whispercast provisioning service.

The iPad mini is a near ideal device for inconspicuous installation in kiosk and self-serve terminal applications, and one enterprising company has already leveraged it to create an in-dash entertainment system for cars. When you pick one up and handle it, you think about how easy it would be for a doctor to use it to replace a clipboard, or a salesperson to ditch a bag of product samples and carry a digital portfolio instead. In other words, it feels like it could have the impact of the iPad on small business, but multiplied and amplified all over again.

What’s that? You had dreams of being the first person in the world with an iPad Mini installed in your 2012 Toyota’s dashboard? Well consider those dreams dashed, as Tampa, Florida’s Soundwaves is way ahead of you. Like, “they already did it” ahead of you. That regular old iPad you’ve got in your car? Boooring.

The folks at Soundwaves had a dashboard setup fabricated ahead of the Mini’s launch this morning, and filmed themselves performing the installation (see for yourself below the break). Beyond having a freakin’ iPad embedded in the dashboard being sweet unto itself, this installation also works in concert with the in-car speakers and a separate music control device. Now all the guys at Soundwaves have to do is install, like, six more iPads in the car and Xzibit will be totally on board.

[Image credit: Soundwaves / Thanks Rob!]

Continue reading Yes, there is already an iPad Mini installed in a car dashboard (video)

Filed under: Displays, Misc, Tablets, Apple

Yes, there is already an iPad Mini installed in a car dashboard (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The folks at Moshi have opened their fashionable doors to the iPad mini this week with several accessories that’ll make your Apple device experience just a bit more fabulous. What we’ve got here are the VersaCover, the Concerti, and the iVisor XT and AG, all made for the protection and further beautification of your iPad mini. We’ve had a look at the larger versions of each of these accessories and can readily say that yes, they do pretty much rock.

First with the Concerti you’ve got a portfolio case for your iPad mini, made to allow you “dozens” of adjustable viewing angles and protection for your device. The case is made of a hybrid combination of silicone and a microfiber inner case for shock protection as well as scratch protection. There’s a built-in magnet for smart wake-up and sleep, and there’s a hole in the back made for your full ability to take photos.

The iVisor XT and AG are two of the most lovely “bubble-proof” washable screen protectors you’re ever going to come across. These screens have a special concoction on the back – polymer-based adhesive, that is – that allows unlimited cleaning/reapplication cycles. It’s kind of like magic. The AG version is “anti-glare” while the XT retains the glossy finish of the iPad mini in its non-covered state.

VersaCover (seen at the top of this post) is the boss of all iPad covers with a unique oragami-style fold with magnets and smart-cover abilities. You can close and open like the standard smart cover from Apple, but instead of just folding up in a triangle, you go 3D in configurations that will have you folding just for fun. This case also has a polycarbonate back cover that protects the whole of your device.

These products are all targeted for the end of Q4 2012 – hopefully before the holiday season, if you know what I mean!

iPad mini joins the posh club with Moshi accessories is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The iPad mini is now available for purchase in the U.S. and in 33 other countries. Now that Apple’s 7.9-inch iPad is officially out, the overall response seems underwhelming. According to Reuters, the iPad mini drew smaller crowds compared to other iPad launches in the past. In Australia, for example, around 50 people waited in line for the iPad mini. The number of people was obviously small compared to previous launches, where the lines would stretch several blocks away.

Around 100 people waited in line outside the Apple stores in Tokyo and Seoul, while the Hong Kong Apple store saw their staff outnumbering the actual people lining up. The iPad mini debut in Europe also saw shorter lines, with around 100 people in Amsterdam and around 50 people in London. Mashable even reported that only one person waited outside the Apple store in New York yesterday, although Hurricane Sandy could be the culprit here. The overall response is interesting. Apple is known for its high-energy launches with hundreds, if not thousands of people lining up for their products. What is your take on this?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPad mini debuts on vehicle dashboard so soon after release, iPad mini now available for purchase,

The iPad mini officially launched this morning, but to shorter lines than what we’re used to. We knew that New York City Apple Stores might not see a huge crowd because of the recent Hurricane Sandy superstorm, but it turns out that Apple Stores across the world are reporting shorter lines than usual for product launches.

It turns out that the slower-than-expected pre-orders for the iPad mini are now being reflected at physical Apple Store locations. Reuters is reporting that lines in Australia were significantly shorter than past iPhone launches. Some line sitters only had to wait in line for an hour and a half, while people at the front were only there since about 4:30 AM.

As far as the US, Apple’s 5th Avenue store in New York City supposedly had only one person in line yesterday afternoon, but around the same time, other Apple locations around New York City were seeing lines form, but far shorter than past Apple launches. While Apple is officially launching the iPad mini at 8 AM ET, some New York City locations didn’t open until 10 AM.

However, locations in Japan and South Korea had lines of over 300 people, and Amsterdam reported a good turnout as well, but locations in the UK are not only seeing shorter lines, but it’s said you can walk in and buy an iPad mini, despite the initial crowd surge already gone. It could be that the slow pre-order rate online gave more people the chance to grab the iPad mini online without having to leave their homes.

Image via Flickr

iPad mini launch sees shorter lines than usual is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.