iPad Mini vs Google Nexus 7

Google’s taken a hit on the pricing of its Nexus 7, hoping to encourage rake-up of the Android platform and content sales. We never expected Apple to match that price with its iPad mini, which costs £110 more than the Nexus 7 at the same 16GB capacity.

The Nexus 7 is the smaller tablet at 120x 199mm versus 135x200mm, but the mini is both thinner and lighter: the Nexus 7 is 10.5mm and 340g: the iPad mini measures 7.2mm and weighs in at 308g.

Given this slightly larger chassis, it’s no surprise to find a larger 7.9in screen on the mini. Its I 024x768 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio matches that of the iPad 2. whereas the 7in Google panel offers a higher resolution of 1280x800 pixels. This results in a 216ppi pixel pitch for Google’s tablet; 163 ppi for the mini.

 

iPad Mini vs Google Nexus 7

In our testing the Nexus 7 was also the faster of the two tablets, with its quad-core nVidiaTegra 3 chip able to offer more oomph than the iPad minis 1GHz Apple AS dual-core processor.

Neither tablet accepts removable memory cards to boost the internal storage capacity, although the iPad mini offers a 64GB option where the Nexus 7 maxes out at 32GB.

Google’s Nexus 7 has a front-facing 1,2 Mp camera; the iPad mini matches this and gets one up with a 5 Mp rear-facing iSight camera.

The iPad mini is charged through Apple’s new Lightning connector, introduced with the Phone 5, while the Nexus 7 takes universal Micro USB. Both have Wi-Fl and Bluetooth connectivity on board, although Apple’s tablet is dual-band and the firm is touting faster speeds via channel bonding. The Nexus 7, meanwhile, adds NFC to the spec sheet. Mobile 3G connectivity is an option for both tablets, and the mini also supports 4G LTE in the UK.

The major difference between these two tablets is the software they run — that’s Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the Nexus 7, and iOS 6.0 for the mini. You can read our reviews of each on pages 10 and 12 respectively.

With similar battery packs inside, expect both tablets to last around 10 hours when surfing the web.

iPad mini vs iPad 4

For a long time Apple refrained from creating a small-screen tablet, but it’s no longer content with dominating only the large-screen tablet market: it wants the lot. But has it compromised on quality to create the mini, or is it possible that great things really do come in small packages?

Apple has stuck to its usual pricing structure for its fourth-generation iPad, which starts at £399 and goes up to £659. Meanwhile, the iPad mini starts at a more affordable £269 for the most basic model, which extends to £529.

There are no prizes for guessing that the iPad mini is smaller and lighter than the iPad. The former measures I 35x200mm, and the latter 186x241 mm. The mini is also thinner and lighter, at 7.2mm and 308g versus 9.4mm and 652g.

The full-size Pad takes Apple’s tried-and-tested 9.7in IPS panel. Swap around the numbers and you get the mini’s screen size: 7.9in. Both sport a 4:3 aspect ratio, but differ in their resolution. Whereas the big iPad has a Retina-quality 2048x 1536 screen, the mini matches chat of the iPad 2 with 1024x768 pixels. The full-size iPads 264ppi pixel density is more impressive than the mini’s I 63ppi.

iPad 4 and iPad Mini

Apple tends to share very little information on its processors, but the Pad takes its latest 1.39GHz A6X dual-core chip with quad-core graphics, and the mini runs the iPad 2’s 1GHz A5.

As is always the case with iPads, both are available with l6-,32- or 64GB of storage, and neither has an expansion slot.

The cameras in use by the iPad and iPad mini are identical. You get a l.2Mp front-facing FaceTime HD (720p) camera, and a 5Mp rear-facing iSight snapper chat can also capture full-HD (I080p) video.

Connectivity specifications are like for like between these Pads. Both use Apple’s new Lightning connector, and both support dual-band 802. I I a/ b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The Pad and iPad mini also offer the same support for 3G or 46 LTE connectivity in the UK. although its offered via a Micro-SIM in the fourth- generation iPad and a Nano-SIM in the mini.

The similarities continue with the battery life.Apple claims a 10-hour battery life for each of its iPads when surfing the web over Wi-Fi.

iPhone 5 Review

THERE’S The Easy way to explain an Apple iPhone 5: it’s thinner, lighter plus a little higher than the 4S. While this summary certainly conveys the general look of the phone, it underestimates what’s disappeared in the design for it striking handheld.

Apple has managed to shave 1.4mm from the thickness of its previous phone. If you comparing the two models side by side, it’s quite obvious. The iPhone 4S’s screen and back bulge out from the side, whereas the iPhone 5 has a flush-fitting back, and the screen is barely raised at all.

While the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 are clearly related, there are some aesthetic changes to the new model, which give it a different look and help to keep the weight down. Gone is the all-glass rear, changed with an aluminium panel that covers almost all of the back of the phone, bar two glass panels at the top and bottom. We’ve been told that during manufacturing, the back of the phone is photographed with the aluminium panel in place, so that the best-fitting glass panels can be found. Our review model was certainly well put together, with a flush-fitting rear.

Bigger Screen

Bigger screen

The iPhone 5 features a bigger 4in screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio, as opposed to the 3:2 aspect ratio used on the iPhone 4S. What this means in practice is that both screens are the same width, however the iPhone 5’s is slightly taller, with a resolution of 1,136x640, maintaining the same high 326ppi pixel density, (whereas the iPhone 4S has a resolution of 960x640). This is still a Retina display, which Apple defines as a screen where you can’t see individual pixels.

The extra resolution is useful, as you can now fit five rows of icons on the homescreen, up from four on the iPhone 4S. It also makes sense when you use a lot of the applications: you can view more calendar appointments and emails in a list, for example. Typing with the phone in portrait mode is also easier, as there’s more space above the keyboard for text, making it easier to see what you’re writing and correct any mistakes as necessary. 

Retina Display

It’s not just a bigger screen. The iPhone 5s display embeds the touch components with the actual pixels, removing a layer from the old screen. As well as being thinner, the new screen is brighter with higher colour saturation. Compared side by side with an iPhone 45, we really noticed the difference; the iPhone S’s screen looks a lot more vibrant, with more pleasing colours. The screen is evenly lit and the viewing angles are excellent, with the display easy to see from any angle. A 16:9 display also makes more sense if you’re watching a lot of TV programmes or films on your phone. The screen suits the aspect ratios usually used, leading to a reduction (if not complete removal) of black bars. 

A6 Chip
Along with the new phone comes a new processor: the Apple A6. Apple promises this is twice as fast as the iPhone 4S for the CPU and provides double the graphics performance. It’s also 22 per cent smaller. It’s hard to test a phone’s processor, but this dual-core model certainly proved itself in the tests we performed. The SunSpider JavaScript test completed in 9441ms on the iPhone 5 and took more than twice as long on the iPhone 4S, completing in 1,9173ms. Web browsing in general was very quick, with the BBC News home page rendering in less than four seconds.

The iPhone 5 was a little snappier than the iPhone 4S, opening applications such as Photos just that little bit faster. As you’d expect from Apple, iOS is beautifully smooth throughout, effortlessly rendering all the operating system’s animations. 

A6 chip

The iPhone 5 ships with iOS 6, available for older iPhones and iPads as a free upgrade. In the main, iOS 6 is a tweak to what’s gone before, making the iPhone work better in the cloud and with other Apple devices. Improvements are mostly small, but they are handy; for example, Safari now has iCloud Tabs, which means you can see browser tabs currently open on your other Apple devices. We like the way that you can share Photo Streams with people on iOS 6 devices or, for everyone else, via a public website. As it currently stands, using postcodes is the only sure-fire way of finding the address you want. Apple is working on this problem at the moment, but it’s a little sad that Maps currently represents such a wobbly step back.

 

Map

In its favour, Maps introduces turn-by-turn directions. Youre given a clear choice of three routes, with traffic problems highlighted, making it easy to choose your own journey. Prompts are spoken clearly by Sin, and we like the way that the next turn indicator counts down the distance, so you know exactly when to make the manoeuvre. We also like the 3D Cities view which gives you a 3D model of the place you’re looking at so you can fly over it virtually. The centre of London is covered, but that’s about it for now in the UK, although Apple has plans to expand its content. 

Siri is faster to respond than before, and you can also post Facebook or Twitter updates using it. Again, Siri swings between scarily accurate and annoyingly wrong, but it’s often a quick way to use a feature; we think it’s brilliant for setting reminders, for example.

Passbook, a brand-new app, is a digital wallet for tickets, store cards and coupon codes. Currently, it’s a bit limited in the UK, but we expect more partners to come online in the coming months. When it has full UK support, it could prove really useful. Passbook is location-aware so it can, for example) pop up your airline boarding pass as you reach the airport, so you don’t have to hunt through your bag for the old paper version. 

Siri

SIM PLEASURES
While the iPhone 4 introduced the Micro SIM, the iPhone introduces an even smaller version: the Nano SIM. If you’re buying an unlocked phone, you’ll need to get your operator to switch your old SIM for the new one. Your operator ought to do this free of charge, and you should be able to make the switch in-store, but phone to check.

Apple has revamped its in-ear headset and introduced the EarPods. This is good news for commuters; you will no longer be bombarded with irritating, tinny noise coming from people who haven’t upgraded their bundled headphones.

The slightly strange design of the EarPods sends the audio into your ear rather than letting it leak. It’s a big improvement in sound quality, too, because there’s more range, better balance and a real sense of bass. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that they’re relatively pleasant, although the sound is still slightly muddy, lacking fine detail and the full range that you get from other sets. As such, wed still suggest that you invest in a decent set of headphones, with the EarPods acting as a decent backup pair.
As with the old buds, the EarPods have a built-in microphone and responsive in-line remote with volume control and a multifunction button. Call quality is pretty good, with the microphone clearly picking up our voice.

WIRELESS AND 4G (Ultra Fast)
Apple has completely upgraded the wireless technology inside the iPhone 5. First up is the 80211n dual band, which means it’ll connect to 24GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. The advantage of 5GHz is that there’s less congestion, so you’ll get better throughputs. You’ll need a dual- band router, though.

24GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks

This is the first iPhone with built-in 46, and it will work with the new Everything Everywhere 4G network. From what we’ve seen, 4G provides really fast downloads) making the mobile Internet experience similar to being on a home network. 

AFTER SHOTS
A thinner case has meant that Apple has had to redesign the lens and sensor for the iPhone 5, but it still has the same 8-megapixel resolution as the iPhone 4S. There’s little difference in practice between the two models; like the 4S, the iPhone 5 has one of the best smartphone cameras around.

Shots are bright, vibrant and detailed. For most purposes, you can happily use your phone rather than a compact camera. The iPhone 5 also introduces a panorama mode. Just hold the phone steady and pan up to 2700 to create one massive image.

8-megapixel

Video is shot at 1080p at 3Ofps, and quality is generally excellent. Footage is detailed with punchy colours; it’s easy to see why there’s no longer any need for Flip video cameras or the like. 

Battery life is quoted by Apple as the same as the 4S, which is impressive, considering the iPhone 5 has the larger screen. In our video playback test, the iPhone 5 lasted 12 hours and four minutes, which is pretty much the same as the iPhone 4S in the same test. (David Ludlow)

About iphone 4s

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The biggest stir has been caused by Siri, the voice-powered assistant built into the iPhone 45. There's no doubt Siri is a window into the future. Siri's ability to understand natural language, and to remain contextually aware of the current conversation, is remarkable

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