[Tex/LaTex] the best way of arranging multiple minipages on a page

Question

I have been trying to use mini-pages to produce the equivalent of Office text-boxes. The idea is to have panels of different sizes on a page such as 4 equal sized or one wide followed by two long boxes.

I have one fairly clunky solution below. Is there a better way of doing this so I can be more flexible. For example is there any way I can specify the height of a mini-page in inches, cm or pts?

Thanks

\documentclass[landscape]{article}             
\usepackage{microtype}
\geometry{letterpaper}
\usepackage{wallpaper} 
\ULCornerWallPaper{1.0}{/Users/tahnoon/Dropbox/Projects/ai_ppt.pdf} \topmargin=0.25in \headheight=1in \headsep=0.1in 
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}
\null
\vspace{-3cm}
\setlength{\tabcolsep}{0.4cm}
\begin{tabular}{p{0.35\paperwidth} p{0.35\paperwidth}}
\fbox{
\begin{minipage}[t][0.35\paperheight]{0.35\paperwidth}
\lipsum[1]
\end{minipage}}
&
\fbox{\begin{minipage}[t][0.35\paperheight]{0.35\paperwidth}
\lipsum[4]
\end{minipage}}  \\
&\\
\fbox{\begin{minipage}[t][0.35\paperheight]{0.35\paperwidth}
\lipsum[2]
\end{minipage}} &
\fbox{\begin{minipage}[t][0.35\paperheight]{0.35\paperwidth}
\lipsum[3]
\end{minipage} }\\
\end{tabular}

\end{document}

Answer 1

\documentclass[10pt,landscape]{article}
%\usepackage{geometry} %
\usepackage[letterpaper,top=0.75in, bottom=0.75in, left=2.2in, right=0.75in,showframe]{geometry}
\usepackage{microtype}
\usepackage{wallpaper}
\ULCornerWallPaper{1.1}{ai_ppt}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}
\noindent
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[c][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}
    \lipsum[1]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\vfill
\noindent
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[l][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr 0.495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}%
    \lipsum[2]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\hfill
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[r][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr 0.495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}%
    \lipsum[4]
\end{minipage}%
}%
%
\newpage
%
\noindent
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[l][\dimexpr\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr .495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}
    \lipsum[1]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\hfill
\begin{minipage}[r][\textheight][t]{.495\textwidth}
    \noindent\fbox{%
    \begin{minipage}[c][\dimexpr 0.49\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr \textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxsep\relax}%
        \lipsum[2]
    \end{minipage}
    }
    \vfill
    \fbox{%
    \begin{minipage}[c][\dimexpr 0.49\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr \textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxsep\relax}%
        \lipsum[2]
    \end{minipage}
    }
\end{minipage}%
%
\newpage
%
\noindent
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[l][\dimexpr.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr .495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}
    \lipsum[1]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\hfill
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[r][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr .495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}%
    \lipsum[2]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\vfill
\noindent
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[l][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr .495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}%
    \lipsum[4]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\hfill
\fbox{%
\begin{minipage}[r][\dimexpr 0.495\textheight-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax][t]{\dimexpr .495\textwidth-2\fboxsep-2\fboxrule\relax}%
    \lipsum[2]
\end{minipage}%
}%
\end{document}