Monster Phone replacement

I use a laptop and iPad and a phone. Those are my main current devices.

More and more I use the iPad. I only use the laptop with things the iPad can't do. And the phone? It is only to receive texts. The texts are all to and from my wife. My fourth device is an iPod touch, mostly to listen to books.

The phone is just a piece of junk. The iPod is starting to get cranky, and may die soon.

I can see a time when I won't need the laptop at home. It may be my last computer ever.

Could I make do with just one device? Just what do I need?

It would have to be small and light enough to fit in a pocket, and to be hauled around all day. It has to be able to receive my wife's texts. It needs to have wireless data access everywhere. It must have a good camera.

This all sounds a lot like an iPhone but I need a big screen as well. I carry my iPad around a lot and it's really just too big and heavy.

I am convinced my next device will be an iPad mini. It is smaller, and less than half the weight of a full sized one.

It was first introduced last October. It would be reasonable to assume the next version will come out in October of this year.

I bet I'll get one.

I'll save money on my phone plan right away. Data for the iPad can cost as little as $5 a month. That would be enough to cover my normal texting needs through iMessage. If I do more than that the price goes up, but it will never pass, or even reach what I 'm paying now.

When we are wandering LA next year, we can iMessage each other, and can track each other with FindMyIPhone.

I can't think of a better system.