It seems as if Microsoft can’t catch a break any more. On the day that all the Surface reviews come out, Apple hogs the news with the iPad Mini launch. Then again, given that the reviews for the Surface are decidedly mixed, maybe not such a bad thing after all. It doesn’t sound like the Surface will set the world on fire yet and Microsoft badly needs something that will.
Apple on the other hand has launched something that for the first time could turn out to be a hardware misstep (I have written about my issues with Apple software before). The potential misstep here is not the hardware itself but rather the price point. As Engadget’s handy comparison shows, the iPad Mini is considerably more expensive than comparable Android devices.
Now Apple has always commanded a premium but the folks willing to pay a premium in the tablet space would seem to be more likely to buy the iPad 4. Maybe my reaction here is simply a reflection that I am still on an old Kindle 3. Once I replace that with a 7" Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 it might be that I find religion on this form factor (Fred really likes his). Until then (or until Apple announces some amazing sales) I am skeptical on the iPad Mini at that high a price point.
