I have heard a couple of things that have baffled me this week. Firstly, thieves stole over a quarter of Canada’s $30 million maple syrup reserves. Why so much syrup? What kind of world are we living in where a country feels the need to stockpile that much liquid sugar? And allow it to be stolen? For Canadians, I guess it’s the equivalent of the Queen being kidnapped. And two, Apple’s rumoured iPad mini. As hard as I try, I’m struggling to make sense of it all.
In what kind of world do we need a giant iPhone? Or a mini iPad? See, I’ve already confused myself. I was there the first week the iPod Touch came out - I believed in it, so much so I upgraded to an iPhone, and no other phone has even come close to tearing me away from it. However, I was also there when they announced the iPad, shamelessly lampooning it. ‘It will never catch on’ I said, a backing voice to a substantially sceptical chorus. I’m pleased to say I was proved wrong, and now my iPad is with me wherever I go.
But as news spreads about the iPad mini, I feel a strange sensation of indifference. I neither love it or loathe it. I’m not even that curious. All that it evokes is images of people using their Samsung Note as a phone, which is just plain ridiculous. In recent times, Apple’s strength has always been to drive opinion and rumour around its new releases, something that feels like it is missing this time around. I just can’t figure out what you would use it for.
As far as I can ascertain, it’s an entry level iPad, developed in order to combat those cheaper tablets, and to get you to join the Apple family in the hope that you’d upgrade in the future. For those who say it will be easier when commuting etc - what about your iPhone? For those who say it’ll be an easier size to read on than an iPhone, what about your iPad?
So with my iPhone, iPad and iPad mini, I ask myself, do I really need 3 sizes of Angry Birds? I’m not sure, but I’m leaning towards 'no’. But, when was the last time Apple released anything that didn’t really take hold. They will surely highlight a failing in my life that the iPad mini will solve… I can’t wait. Time will be the real measure of success, so I guess I’ll wait this one out. No doubt I’ll update you all on its success from my brand new iPad mini in October.
I apologise if there seems no real point or opinion to this blog. It’s just a reflection of the beige emotions this release has filled me with. Now, let’s talk more about that syrup robbery…