app count, have a very similar feature set. The Mini is thinner and lighter, yet has a screen almost an inch bigger than its two main rivals. The Nexus 7 has NFC, the others don't. The Kindle Fire HD has a mini HDMI, the others need additional accessories. All have half-decent cloud services and, while Apple's app store is streets ahead of Google Market, the gap continues to close and Amazon's expansive digital library shouldn't be underestimated. We will say this, though: the iPad Mini is the best iPad Apple has ever created. Not because of its feature set, power, hardware or design but, because at this size, a greater number of consumers will be able to see an actual purpose for it; reading books, slipping it into a bag, browsing the web on the move, all without feeling like they're using a laptop. At 269, it's also the cheapest iPad you can buy -- the iPad 2 starts at 329, the new iPad: 399. This fact alone will mean it adorning many a Christmas stocking this year. This isn't to say that the bigger iPad doesn't have a place, it does - at home. But in the wild and in positions that require you to hold it unaided for longer periods of time, the Mini steals the show. Whether you buy this over a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD comes down to your perception of value and image. But, with all considered, we'd say it was the best