I do not have a smart phone, but I used to carry an iPod Touch with me so that I could read and play simple games when I was stuck with extra time away from home. The Touch only had a wifi connection so Internet connectivity was limited.

When the Mini was introduced, I was given one as a gift. I now carry the Mini with me instead of the Touch and have a 4G data plan that costs me $20 per month so that I can use it when I don't have wifi access.

Compared to the Touch, the positives are the larger screen and connectivity beyond wifi. Compared to an iPhone, the advantages are a larger screen and less expensive monthly operating cost, but of course, the disadvantage is that it is not a phone.

Honestly, the iPad Air only weighs 4 - 5 oz. more than the mini and you have a screen size that makes sense when watching videos, so if you already carry an iPhone, I would add the Air instead of the Mini to my backpack.

At this time I have a phone! just phone. flip phone as a matter of fact.

I am not a game player online. I would want to use it to update my online bike journal, while traveling. The air also costs more money, not only more weight.
bringing an ipad with me would mean, no hunting for a library to go online.

I really don't want to pay money to anyone, to go online with a pad.

Yep, I am frugal. ;)

Moni

Moni, with any iPad you will need to find a free wifi hotspot or pay for a plan if you want to get online while on your trip.

ML

I know, Maddie, but I am not bound to library open hours, nor the weight and size of my lap top!

Moni, the reason I don't have a smart phone is frugality. I love that my flip phone only costs me $100/year or about $8/month. Based on your planned usage, it sounds like you would enjoy having a Mini just as I do. The $20/month Verizon data plan is the most economical plan available I think. You don't have to subscribe to the data plan in the months that you don't think you would use it.

Just to be clear - you are wanting the iPad mini that connects to the cellular network, right? Not just the regular one that has wi-fi?

The price difference between the wi-fi, and the wi-fi + cellular is about $130. The base iPad mini (16GB) with Cellular is $529. For $100 more you could get the iPad Air with Cellular.

It's too bad they don't offer the iTouch with Cellular - that would be a perfect small size for you. Same features as the iPads, just in the iPhone size. You can do wi-fi with it, but you need the hot-spot. No cellular available for it.

I want something to put my journal notes on, to put them online.

I don't want something tiny, just smaller than my lap top! The mini would be right size wise.

No need to hook it up via my cell phone... I am to cheap for that.

I will prolly go to micky d's to use their wifi. :)

I might forgo the ipad idea totally, unless someone can tell me, how nice it is, just using wifi.

Moni

testing my e reader. May just use/take it.

Oh I see - you just want the regular one, not the cellular one. With the cellular one you actually can buy 30 days of service at a time through Apple store and have that type of connection. You don't need to find the wi-fi hot spots or tether to your phones data (you would have to have a smart phone with data for that to work anyway) - but they are so much more.

iPads are REALLY nice. REALLY REALLY nice! LOL. But I have to admit - 99% of the time I do use my iTouch because it fits in my pocket. It is really amazing how easy it is to type a message on. Great for Facebook, email, etc. Works great at McDonalds and other free wi-fi hotspots. The camera on the newest generation of iTouch is actually pretty decent. Great for pictures on Facebook and super simple to take video. Even has a flash (LED) . It doubles as a flashlight. Very handy in the dark! :)

I put the Kindle app on it and have a few books on it so I have something to read if I am stuck waiting somewhere. I also keep notes on it - so my grocery list is always with me.

Here is a link that might be useful: iTouch

I love my iPad mini. I am a book hoarder and have over 10,000 books on it. I have bought a few books in my life but many I have downloaded from free sites keeping a close eye on Amazon and iBooks when their books are free. I have been collecting for a few years now. I am a bit of a speed reader so I can read 2-3 books a day easily. The mini is a perfect size for reading and is my favourite toy. I have an older iPad and a iPod as well. I used to read my books on the iPod.

There are a lot of apps that are free that I can see you using. My Radar and Weather+ are two that I can see you using on a tour if you were near a wifi connection.

Kindle App and iBook app are both okay for organizing books but my favourite ebook app is iBouquiniste.

The iPad mini is perfect for journaling. I recommend an "app" called Evernote. The free version should be just fine. Another good one is Pocket.

I have the mini as well as the iPad 4 and my iPad I is still going strong with my granddaughter. I also have an iPhone and used to have the iPod Touch so I'm pretty familiar with the whole line. Most of mine have been bought refurbished directly from Apple dot com. They come with the same warranty as a new one and LOOK like new. I've been buying iPods etc this way ever since my first iPod Nano probably over ten years ago and have never gotten a bad one.

I have the Ipad mini and I love it, have a Macbook air and a regular 3g Ipad but, going anyplace, I take the mini. I can hook up no charge at all hot spots. I hardly every use the regular Ipad now.
Even though my daughter is an Ipad exec., I bought mine off Ebay for half price and it was brand new. Yep, I save where I can. lol

Just saw this sale from one sale a day and thought it might be useful.

Here is a link that might be useful: I pad sale

I have the mini with retina display. I also have an iphone and had that long before the mini. I got the mini pretty much to replace an ancient laptop and my Nook so I could get content from Amazon. I'm quite happy with it for surfing the net and reading. I don't use many apps on it as I have all that on my phone and my phone fits in my pocket so I always have it with me. I like the small size and light weight. It fits in my purse if needed. I like that it works the same way as my phone hence the investment in an Apple product vs. something cheaper.

I don't have an external keyboard for it. If I'm really going to do heavy typing I do that on my desktop computer. I don't like to do a lot of typing on the virtual keyboard. Email and that kind of thing no problem but if I'm composing something longer I don't like typing on it. It does meet the vast majority of my needs however and I no longer feel the need for a laptop.

Timely post! I bought a mini with retina display four days ago and love it! Excellent purchase. It is my first Apple product. I don't have a cell phone and wanted something smaller than my Asus pad, mainly for reading books, taking notes, surfing the web, e-mails.
A tip: I bought mine at Target for $399.00 and it came with a $50.00 Target gift certificate, part of which I used for a cover (you'll want a cover of some type to protect it). I used my Target Redcard for a 5% discount as well. A GREAT deal on the mini.

Walmart Knocks $30 Off iPad Minis for Mother's Day

A refurbished 16 GB iPad mini...the version that came out in October of 2013... bought from the Apple Store online sells for $249 and has a full year warranty. You have to scroll down the page to the Clearance and Refurbished section of the online store. Shipping is free and fast.

Apple has historically worked hard to enforce consistent selling prices from one seller to another for its products. When shopping for an Apple product, hunting around for the "best price" is frequently a futile effort because for a given item, it's often the same price wherever you look.

Often but not always, when a price drops, it's because Apple has authorized the same drop for all sellers and often in anticipation of a new version release. When you see one seller offering a price drop, you'll frequently find the same thing happening elsewhere.