iPad mini
I think this item is a win. People are upset that it isn't cheap enough; it's not the $200 Kindle or Nexus. What those people fail to realize is that Apple has never been interested in being the cheapest option. They have always been about making high-end, luxurious machines. They are the BMW of the computer world. They're are more than happy to let Amazon and Google race to the bottom of the narrowest profit margin. When you have a war-chest like Apple does, you can afford to wait it out. At $329, the iPad mini is the most affordable iPad ever. As they stated yesterday, they've sold 100 million iPads already, and now they have a device at an even lower price point. Many will still go for the Kindle or Android alternatives, but quite a handful will be left unsatisfied and go with an iPad soon after.
As far as the device is concerned, it's a master stroke. The form factor and usability are off the charts compared to other offerings.
iPad (4th Gen)
Alright, internet, calm down. So Apple did ship a new iPad only 6 months after their last. This doesn't mean your device is useless. I have a 3rd Gen iPad, and it's still every bit as powerful as it was yesterday. This is a worthy upgrade if you are coming from the 1st Gen, but a newer device is still just as relevant. Some people are worried that newer, faster hardware will cause developers to create more intensive apps that old iPads can't run. The new iPad mini is essentially an iPad 2 in spec. Developers are not interested in leaving these users in the dust. As long as you can run iOS 6, you're good.
And Apple is a cool company; if you bought your 3rd Gen iPad within the last month, they'll switch it out for the one, no problem.
iBooks
I've played with the new iBook Author a little. I like it. I have ideas.
Mac mini
This machine serves two types of people.
For many, like myself, it's the budget mac that you can hook up to an inexpensive monitor. It's my main machine, and with a few upgrades here and there, has served me very well for a few years, now.
For others, it's the server Mac. Throw it in a closet, and let it do it's thing. Simple. Compact. Efficient. Neat.
iMac
Beautiful. But expensive. It doesn't look serviceable, meaning you better max it out when you purchase. It's the showroom Mac, the one you use at your new company to impress clients. An engineering feat, but not for the budget conscious.
13" Retina MacBook
My dream machine, but only when spec'd out to the limit. Maybe rev. 2 will bring it closer to my budget.
Closing Thoughts
This is Tim Cook's Apple. All the products Steve worked on or touched have now probably all been revealed. Yesterday's event was explosive, fast-paced, and exciting.
Tim is a manufacturing guy. He understands how to roll-out a product. The proof? The new iPads will be shipping in more countries with more characters at a faster rate than any previous device. Something Google and Amazon can't touch, yet. People forget that Apple is global, and their brand carries a lot of prestige across the world.
RIP DVD Drive. It's no longer on any of their new Macs. We never even got a Blu-ray drive, but Steve said as much.
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