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Social media reacts to Apple spectacle

Kathryn McConnachie
By Kathryn McConnachie, Digital Media Editor at ITWeb.
Johannesburg, 23 Oct 2012
Apple has once again sparked major online buzz with its range of new and updated products.
Apple has once again sparked major online buzz with its range of new and updated products.

Apple is once again dominating the online conversation following the unveiling of the long-rumoured iPad Mini along with the fourth generation iPad, new iMacs, 13-inch Retina display MacBook Pro and updated Mac Mini.

While Apple is pushing the tagline: "Every inch an iPad" and arguing that other 7-inch tablets do not offer great user experiences, consumers have taken to Twitter express their own opinions (and crack some jokes) about the new device. Some of the top tweets currently include:

"The iPad mini. For those looking for both light weight AND the spiritual inability to turn one's eyes away from something."

"I want to get the iPad mini so bad! I will mount it in my hamster's cage like a flat screen, then just sit back and watch him be happy."

"The new iPad Mini is the sleekest, most advanced way to pretend to read a book in public."

The surprise appearance of what Apple is calling the 'fourth generation iPad' has also shocked some consumers who recently purchased the 'new iPad' or iPad 3.

"I can't believe Apple already upgraded the 3rd generation iPad with the 4th one. I just bought one!"

"The iPad 4 contains a faster chip powered by the tears of iPad 3 owners."

"The iPad 4 does all the things your current iPad does, but without all the damage and fingerprints your iPad 3 has accumulated."

"Breaking News: Apple announces the iPad 5, exactly 14 minutes after announcing the 4. 'If you have a 4, you're old news' - Tim Cook."

Another sticking point with some consumers is the starting price of the entry-level iPad Mini, which comes in at $329. It was widely expected that Apple would try to keep the price below the $300 mark, in order to better compete with the $199 offerings from Amazon and Google.

One Twitter user commented: "The iPad Mini - for poor people everywhere who need a screen somewhere between their 4 inch iPhone and their 9 inch iPad."

"Apple just spent 10 minutes saying the iPad mini screen is 35% bigger than the Android equivalent, for a 65% bigger price. Makes sense."

Others just took to the social networks to poke fun at the spectacle that is an Apple product launch:

"Now that the iPad Mini has been announced the wait is on for the next iPad which will be a little bigger. Enough already."

"It would have been cool if Apple threw everyone for a loop by calling the iPad Mini the iPod Mega."

"Apple fans six months ago: 'Screw small tablets! Anything smaller than the iPad is worthless! Apple fans today: 'Shut up and take my money!'"

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