Apple iPad Mini impressions - thumbs up!

Santa brought my son a new iPad mini (16GB, wi-fi)  for Christmas this year and I have to say, I'm a big fan.  While I had used on in the past for short periods, having one in the house use over an extended period has made me realize what a great tablet the iPad Mini is.  Here's why:

Pros:

• Extremely thin and light.  iPad seems heavy and bulky in comparison
• Runs tablet apps (same resolution as iPad 2)
• Comes in both wi-fi and 3G versions

Cons:

• High cost: $329 (16GB wi-fi).  Arguably, none of Apple's products are value priced.  However, you get what you pay for with Apple's outstanding build quality
• While the screen is nice (1024 x 768) and only slightly less than other tablets, it pales in comparison to a Retina display (I own an iPad 3).  I'd like to see an iPad mini with a Retina display.  

I'll likely hold off on purchasing one until a new model is released.   Rumors point to a March or June refresh from Apple.