Apple iPad Mini and Asus Vivo Tab RT Debut

iPad Mini (source: Gizmodo)

Today was a big day for Apple.  The new iPad mini was announced - despite earlier feelings from Steve Jobs that a 9.7-inch iPad was always going to be the perfect size.  The new iPad is a reverse of those numbers, featuring a 7.9-inch screen.  This is comparable to the 7-inch display on the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD.  But is there anything special about this new tablet?

What's cool about the iPad Mini?The new tablet from Apple was announced at a retail price of $329 for a 16GB, 4G LTE tablet.  This is setting the price level much higher than the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7; however, a majority of the competitors only offer Wi-Fi on their devices.

The new iPad doesn't have the best screen resolution on the market.  It weighs slightly less than competitors (coming in at 10.88 oz) - and it runs using a dual-core Apple A5 processor.  Out of all the options, the 64GB version offers the most memory out of all the mini tablets on the market.  With a battery time of 10 hours, it falls just short of the Kindle Fire HD and Nook HD (11 and 10.5 hours, respectively).

Is Apple just hoping to sell this product based on the intangible allure that has been successful with their other products?  Is it something that you would consider owning?

Just six months after their iPad with Retina Display, Apple announced a fourth-generation tablet.  Some owners are furious at the arrival of a new tablet.  Apple is even trying to make amends to this by offering free iPad 3 to 4 upgrades - if you have purchased your iPad within the last 30 days.  This news is probably dissatisfying to many.  Check out some of the comments from angry customers here.

Asus Vivo Tab RT (source: Mashable)

Asus announces Vivo Tab RT to compete with the Surface Tablet
Today wasn't just a day of spotlight for Apple - but for Asus as well.  This new tablet is made to run Windows 8; and it can also be used as a laptop with a keyboard dock.

This tablet features a 10.1-inch screen and a wedged design with accessible ports.  Asus tablets are being called "productivity tablets" with their emphasis on productivity details - and this is a good positioning for a product running Windows.

The tablet weighs 1.14 pounds (2.3 with keyboard dock).  The dock also helps by nearly doubling battery life.  It includes Microsoft Office and has a Connected Standby mode that can extend battery life for days or weeks when the device is not being used.

The Asus Vivo Tab RT will go on sale for $599 for the 32GB version and $699 for the 64GB - including the keyboard dock with both.  To put it into perspective, an entry-level 32GB version of the Surface starts at $499.  At the top of the line, the Surface 64GB tablet costs the same as the 64GB version of the Vivo Tab RT.

Would you be interested in either the iPad mini or the Vivo Tab RT?  Let us know your thoughts and feelings towards these products!