Apple iPad Mini

Pros: Screen size. Weight. Fit in hand. Ideal if you use iPhone, Mac, etc. Good speed. App Store. Smoothness of OS (especially when compared to the performance of a Kindle Fire HD).

Cons: While I don't watch a lot of movies/tv shows on my iPhone 5, I apparently have been spoiled by the screen clarity as I notice a slight drop off with the mini. Connecting iMessage on the mini to my phone number and not my wife's was an epic nightmare.

Summary: While I realize we are probably only a few months away from a Mini with Retina display, this format serves its purpose. I have a major international trip on the horizon and my 3 year old has overtaken my iPad 1. I really love the size and feel and the app store puts this way ahead of other offerings. I do wish they would have offered a higher costing mini with Retina display to begin with.

Updated on Jan 13, 2013

After a month of use, I must say this is my favorite tech purchase of all time. With the Amazon Instant Video App, Newsstand, and iBooks, I now travel with only this device as a carry on. The 7.9" screen size is perfect. The battery is very good. Go for higher memory and skip the cellular capabilities. My iPhone 5's Hotspot works perfectly when no other wifi is available.