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Australian prices, dates, features for Apple's new iPad Air and iPad mini

With two new iPads to choose from, what's the difference? Read this 60-second summary of the new iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina, with Australian prices.

By Staff Writers on Oct 25 2013, 12:08PM

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If you've been waiting to buy a new tablet computer, Apple unveiled not one, but two new iPad models this week - a new iPad mini and a new iPad Air, which it calls the "lightest full-sized tablet in the world". Now you have two new iPads to choose from. So how do they differ? Click the next photo to find out.

This is the larger of the two, the iPad Air. In a nutshell, it's the same 9.7inch screen size as before, but the big change is that its now noticeably lighter and thinner. It weighs less than half a kilogram and is 20% thinner than the older model it replaces. More importantly, we think, it's lighter by 28%. Click the next image to see just how much thinner the new model is...

Here you see Apple's side-by-side comparison. This is a important, we think. The iPad is being used in place of a laptop for more and more tasks. The lighter it is, the better. Interestingly, the 4G model is slightly heavier, but only a touch. There's another major change to the new model. Click to see what it is...

"I wish my iPad was faster" isn't something we're always saying about our iPad, but it's interesting to note that Apple is talking up a faster new chip in the new iPad Air (and mini). Apple claims that "almost everything you do is faster and better than ever, from launching apps and editing photos to playing graphic-intensive games." Again, another nice-to-have for those using their iPads more and more for a variety of tasks. You might also hear Apple talk about "64-bit" capability of the new iPad chip. Take this with a grain of salt - as our colleagues at PC & Tech Authority have pointed out , it's not necessarily something you'll see much benefit from for now. Click to see another important factor about the new iPad Air...

Here's something else we like: you'll now get Apple's iWork and iLife apps "free" with a new iPad (and there's a free upgrade if you already had them). That's very handy if you're starting to use your tablet for note-taking. Another piece of good news - the iPad Air uses faster WiFi (not faster mobile data, that's a different thing).

So how much? The cheapest model with WiFi only will go on sale on November 1 for $598 for the 16GB model. The 128GB model will cost $899. If you want 4G mobile data, then you'll pay $749 for the cheapest model all the way up to $1,049. So what about the new iPad mini? Click the next image to see it...

Here is the new iPad mini, side by side with the larger iPad Air. The iPad mini will go on sale "later in November". In a nutshell, the new iPad mini has the same thickness, same processor as the larger iPad. The big change is that is now has a Retina screen like its large brother, meaning the screen will be much, much sharper than the old mini. It's also more expensive than the older mini, now costing $479 for the cheapest model, up to $799. If you want 4G, the cheapest model is $629, and the most expensive is $949. There's two types of covers for the iPad Air and mini- a Smart Cover which costs $48 in bright colours, or Smart Case which is dyed leather in several colours for $99 (for the Air) or $89 (for the mini). There's one thing the iPad Air and mini don't have....click to see what it is...

The one thing Apple hasn't done is push the new iPads as "two-in-one" devices that convert into quasi-laptops. Sure, you'll be able to buy a keyboard that attaches, but it's not the same as what Microsoft has done with the Surface tablet, which is built with a keyboard in mind (which you get built into the optional cover). While we think the Surface is a good product, not everyone will prefer it to a fully-fledged laptop. It's interesting to see Apple is content to see the iPad first and foremost as a tablet you control with your finger, not as a replacement for a laptop.

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Australian prices, dates, features for Apple's new iPad Air and iPad mini

With two new iPads to choose from, what's the difference? Read this 60-second summary of the new iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina, with Australian prices.

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