迷你iPad实测

    第四代iPad。新款9.7英寸iPad突然登场，苹果此举让无数观众大吃一惊，因为此时距离上一代全新iPad的推出仅仅过去半年。外形没有任何变化，除了新推出的Lightning接口。硬件配置则变化不小，全新的A6X处理器速度更快，据称处理速度和图形性能是上代产品的两倍。此外，WiFi传输速度也比上代提高了一倍。从现场看，iPad 4应用程序的加载和切换速度的确堪称神速。

    以下是重磅炸弹：

    iPad Mini。苹果此次最大的明星，不过一切尽在意料之中。7.9英寸版iPad的谣言早已甚嚣尘上，苹果此次正式涉足一直被史蒂夫•乔布斯嗤之以鼻的小尺寸平板市场。第一代iPad发布两年多后，我们终于看到了迷你版。以下是它的具体参数：厚度0.28英寸（7.2毫米），重量0.68磅（0.3千克），和早已进入千家万户的iPad非常像，不过更轻、更薄。有些老读者父母家中地下室里可能放了不少美国版的《读者文章》（Reader's Digests），iPad Mini的重量和它差不多。换句话说，你绝对不会抱怨iPad Mini的重量。

    因为iPad Mini的处理器性能稍弱，所以别指望它的程序运行速度能和9.7英寸版iPad 4媲美。不过，亲手体验了iPad Mini 10多分钟后，我没察觉速度上有什么问题。（它的处理器和iPad 2一样。）iPad Mini的屏幕分辨率仅为1024 x 768，被视网膜屏幕宠坏的用户可能多少不大适应。不过，我要再次强调，鉴于如此之小的屏幕，分辨率不是问题。329美元的售价与谷歌（Google）Nexus 7以及亚马逊（Amazon）Kindle Fire HD相比，这个价格很难算的上便宜，甚至连“有竞争力”也谈不上。

    不过，我觉得iPad Mini，尤其是白色版，将会大卖特卖。

    译者：项航

    4th generation iPad. Apple seemed to surprise many in the audience by announcing a new 9.7-inch iPad just half a year or so after the previous version launched. The external design remains the same, save for the new Lightning connector port. But inside there's a new, faster A6X chip which promises twice the processor and graphics performance. Also onboard: up to twice as fast WiFi reception. Indeed, the iPad felt snappier overall when loading and switching between apps.

    And the pièce de résistance:

    iPad Mini.Apple's biggest splash was the most anticipated. With the long-rumored 7.9-inch iPad, the company is entering an area of the tablet market Jobs once brushed off. And yet, more than two years after the first-generation iPad launch, we have this pint-sized mini. So, what's it like? At .28 inches thick and .68 lbs, it's very much a miniature version of the iPad tens of millions already own, but lighter and thinner, about as light as those old Reader's Digests kicking around your parents' basement. In other words, you'll never be complaining about the weight.

    Because the iPad mini uses a slower processor, don't expect apps to load and menus to snap like they do on the fourth generation 9.7-inch iPad, but speed, at least during the 10 minutes or so I spent with it, did not appear to be an issue. (It has the same processor as the iPad 2.) Those spoiled by the sharpness of the Retina Display may find their eyes briefly adjusting to the iPad mini's 1,024 x 768 resolution screen. But again, it's a non-issue given the tablet's small size. At $329, more than Google's (GOOG) Nexus 7 or Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle Fire HD, it's not the cheapest of the lot or even "competitively priced" per se.

    Something tells me this thing -- particularly the white version -- will sell well.