So now even Gruber admits that the 7" form factor is better for most use cases. With the latest crop of Android 7" tablets providing a lot more bang for the buck than the Mini I think pretty soon we're going to stop calling it the "iPad" market.
Except he doesn't. He says he prefers the iPad mini – as you quoted, there – whose screen is about eight inches, not seven.
http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/overview/
The strike against the sub-10" tablets has been that their aspect ratios have consistently been closer to 16:9, rather than the 4:3 of the iPad. In my usage of the Nexus 7, I found that meant I could only comfortably use the device in portrait – landscape was physically awkward and made all the software look goofy. Which meant I eventually went back to the iPad. 90% of my tablet usage seems to be landscape.
The thing the iPad mini gets right is maintaining the broader aspect ratio while trimming down the size and weight of the iPad.
The narrower bezels, the ones on top and bottom when it is held in landscape, make the mini hard to hold (or prop on your stomach when reclining) in landscape.
I ask because I find that unlikely with a smart cover. I use one with my iPad 3 and, with the smart cover rolled up, propping it up requires little more than my finger tips supporting the back edge.
Also, it looks like "tablet market" outstripped "ipad market" in late 2010[1]!
[1]: http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=ipad%20market,%20tabl...