One of the major challenges Apple has faced over the past several years has been an inability of both critics and consumers to fully grasp the importance of devices it releases in new form factors-until something, perhaps their unexpected popularity, clicks conceptually and begins to make sense.

A smaller and much easier to carry sequel to the iPad 2, benefitting from newer industrial design elements and technologies introduced in the fifth-generation iPod touch; Generally very solid build quality and highly attractive fit and finish, relying on thin but strong glass painted in either black...

Battery on Wi-Fi model falls modestly short of Apple's 10-hour claim under some circumstances; cellular run time similarly falls below 9-hour estimate. Base $329 price tag is a little high, especially considering the additional expense of Lightning accessories and Apple's decision to pack in an...

Forget the headlines and exit the hype train at the next station. The iPad mini is here and it's not the shining beacon we all expected it to be, but it damn-well got close.

Don't confuse the "mini" in "iPad mini" with "lite"--with the exception of a Retina display, this slimmed down iPad gives you the full iPad experience, including access to over 275,000 iPad-optimized apps, in a device that's about half the overall size and weight of the standard iPad.

Most of the full-size-iPad experience in a smaller; lighter package; All existing iPad apps run natively; Wireless capabilities and cameras on par with fourth-generation iPad; Very good performance; Incredibly solid construction and beautiful design

No Retina display; Some apps and websites feel a little cramped on the smaller screen; Landscape keyboard is too small for easy touch-typing

Broadening its depth, it surely took Apple a long time to steer into new territory with its much-vaunted iPhone , but nevertheless, they introduced the world an unfamiliar iPhone with a larger 4-inch display.

Super skinny construction; Takes good photos & videos for a tablet; Stellar battery life

Low resolution display

As someone who was eagerly waiting the press release of this iPad Mini, I could hardly contain my excitement. That was short lived when I found out the specs. However, I thought I would give the iPad Mini the chance it deserves. How disappointed I was. The screen, is a huge letdown.

Large amount of optimsed apps; good build quality

Expensive; No retina display; speed of the CPU is inadequate as well as the GPU; Screen is sometimes unresponsive

The iPad mini is the new iPad to lust after. It's a lot more manageable. It a lot more kid-friendly, it's a lot more game-friendly. It is a lot more "you" friendly. It's a lovely size, it's a lovely experience, and one that we can easily see cannibalising iPad 4 and iPad 2 sales in the future.

More portable; still a big screen; light; great for gaming; less chunky

Screen resolution; 4G won't work on Vodafone or O2; old processor

When I was testing the iPad mini this weekend, I pitted it against my 11-inch MacBook Air and third-generation iPad to see what device I would use more around the house and would take out on the road to do some work on. The clear winner was the iPad mini.

Excellent Form Factor; design and build quality; Fantastic battery life; Very portable and practical

Lack of Retina display and lower resolution will be a deal breaker for some; Price higher than anticipated; First-generation device; lots to improve on

Apple's new iPad mini is likely to become its most popular iPad, due to a light, thin design that delivers tablet optimized apps in a more portable package at a reduced price.

The iPad mini lets you run the best library of apps in the biz on a tablet you'll actually want to carry, but it's not the best small-screen tablet you can buy.

The iPad Mini is a decent tablet that is almost affordable by Apple's standards, making it a good choice for anyone already comitted to the Apple ecosystem.

Decent build quality; good battery life; iOS 6

Screen isn't as good as other Apple devices; A5 processor doesn't offer top end performance