Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Pixel Perfect

daringfireball.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 142 posts

Re: Pixel Perfect

#131

Post by MiguelHudnandez »

danbee wrote: post #88
kenjackson wrote: post #55

I'm probably just blind, but I have trouble seeing the difference in display quality based on resolution. And I don't think I'm alone. When I was at the Apple Store after they launched the new iPad, there were several people who confused the iPad 2 for the new iPad. And even after being shown they were looking at the wrong one didn't go, "Oh... this one looks much better!", rather I heard from multiple people a line…

Your eye sight must be terrible. The retina iPad is a vast improvement over the iPad 2 for me.

The difference between the retina and non-retina products is shocking once you're accustomed to the retina version.

If I pick up my wife's iPad 1 or my old iPod touch, it's like looking at a jumbotron. It's the first thing I see. "Ohh, a big clunky grid of pixels... I forgot!"

For now I haven't switched my computer screen, but I worry after a few weeks on a retina monitor, I'll have the same reaction to other displays.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#132

Post by MiguelHudnandez »

tsieling wrote: post #119
SCdF wrote: post #15

So more pixels is great. Is it really that great? I feel like there are people who look at their devices and people who look at what's displayed on their devices. For me, text is text is text. I'm looking at it, not so I can enjoy how crisp it is (or isn't), but so I can consume those words and get them inside my head. I find (I've played around with high DPI devices) that while they do look nice, the niceness is qui…

> For me, text is text is text. But legibility changes any and all text, and a better display means better legibility (or at least the potential for it). Like mattresses and office chairs, I believe in investing in screens given how many raw hours of my life and attention are given to them.

How many times have I faced ridicule for spending more on computers than cars? Presumably others here are in the same boat.

They depreciate at similar rates and I spend much more time with computers.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#133

Post by kilowatt »

czr80 wrote: post #80
kilowatt wrote: post #75

I'm with Gruber. The display is sexy. And good typography is beautiful on it. But my experience with Safari at the Apple Store was that the FPS when scrolling through pages is noticeably low. (Also choppy enough as to be frown-inducing were native apps I tested, like REAPER.) I know it seems like a strange thing to complain about (who cares what FPS a desktop app runs at?), but it's something you have to see and feel…

Was it running Lion or ML? I recall some reviews mentioning that ML had specific optimisations to improve scrolling performance.

It was Lion. I'll revisit my impressions. It'd be nice to collect some hard data too...

Re: Pixel Perfect

#134

Post by FireBeyond »

melling wrote: post #71
FrankBooth wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That said, I don't think anybody else would've bothered to make retina display available to the general public until Apple forced their hand and made it available themselves... The technology was coming, it was just a matter of time. Apple are in the unique position of controlling both the hardware and the software, which makes it far easier for them release this in a nice way where the OS and much of the software wo…

Sure, it's always coming. Many of us were waiting for someone to make an "iPhone" for a decade. I used to explain to people at work that I shouldn't have to carry a Palm and a phone, for example. How long would we have had to wait if Apple didn't build it? Another 5 years? I'd like everything a half a decade sooner. Apple gets ripped for not being innovative. What they really do is identify when good technology is re…

"I used to explain to people at work that I shouldn't have to carry a Palm and a phone, for example."

You didn't - instead, you could have carried a Blackberry, for one.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#135

Post by nessus42 »

Splines wrote: post #49
nessus42 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So more pixels is great. Is it really that great? If it reduces eyestrain, then it is worth every penny! I don't know if there is any evidence that it does, but it certainly seems likely that sharper text would reduce eyestrain. I certainly can read tiny text on my Retina iPhone much more easily than I could on my previous iPhone. Otherwise, it's worth it if it gives you enough more joy, and not if it doesn't. Some…

> Otherwise, it's worth it if it gives you enough more joy, and not if it doesn't. That's the point. For many people it just doesn't matter, they can't tell the difference without focusing on it. I'm typing this on an HP dv6 laptop that I really like. It came with the hardware I wanted at a price I was willing and able to pay. Does it have a retina display? Hardly. But considering my eyes are shot: it's night-time no…

My eyes are shot too, but I find that the sharper text on my Retina iPhone is a godsend. I find that the sharper the text is, the easier it is for my aged-vision eyes to focus on.

Also, even if many people don't care about the difference, I think that this is a great advancement. Imagine if all the books and magazines were suddenly reprinted using pixelated fonts. Do you think that people would be happy with this? Do you think they would say, "Doesn't really make a difference to me"?

No, of course not. People would be rightfully outraged! A decade from now, everyone will wonder how we ever suffered with pixelated screens for so long.

The issue is not that many people don't care about the difference. The issue is that many people do care about the issue! The near-future move to sharp text on computer screens will be a wonderful thing for them, and it won't be a bad thing for anyone else. (Modulo pricing differences, which I suspect will rapidly approach zero.)

It's a completely win/win outcome.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#136

Post by bitcartel »

ghshephard wrote: post #83
bitcartel wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 How many of these blogger/journalists have broken real stories? Future of Mac Pro anybody? Sure, they like to name drop and whisper about 'informed sources' but the truth is they have nothing of substance to report. Everything is gossip, speculation, or parroting of press releases.

I don't think Gruber would ever claim that he's a journalist. Nor that he's in the business to break stories. He brings a certain wit, and skill at writing, to observe all things Apple. His article are traditionally read by those who love the platform - it's unclear to me why people who aren't enthusiasts for the Apple platform would read his blog - as that is the audience his articles are targeted at. Back when he s…

I would agree. He's essentially writing opinion pieces and preaching to the choir. Nothing wrong with that and his audience enjoy his work regardless of objectivity.

I think any half-decent tech blogger or journalist should be fighting for court room seats in San Jose right now. That's where the story is.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#137

Post by jpxxx »

cageface wrote: post #10
arrrg wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why the hate, dude? Can you point out anything that is actually wrong with the piece?

I could quote specific claims from the piece but it's just too annoying to enumerate all the breathless reasons he gives why this is yet another Apple product that makes everything that came before it trivial and irrelevant. I'm fed up with this kind of PR masquerading as tech journalism. He's not a journalist. He's part of Apple's third-party marketing arm and he gets compensated for writing this kind of trash with…

200+ DPI displays actually do make everything that came before trivial and irrelevant. So take that point and put it in your pocket and let's all move on.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#138

Post by dfischer »

Aldor wrote: post #130

I bought a new MacBook Pro during WWDC this year. I had the option to get the RMBP, but I didn't, and I don't regret my decision. The performance vs. cost ratio of this laptop is significantly higher (plus I get a disc drive), and honestly with the high-res screen, I have to be a lot closer than my normal viewing distance to notice a difference between this and the RMBP. Only thing I think I think I'll regret in the…

Since you got a non retina MBP you can upgrade your storage to a SSD and at a discount.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#139

Post by stinnyfregs »

frou_dh wrote: post #118
stinnyfregs wrote: post #113

Gruber's full of shit. I had a 1600x1200 17" monitor in the 90s. LCDs were a step back in pixel density, and retina means they're JUST NOW catching up to where I was 15 years ago.

That's incorrect. MBPs were available with better density than your figure starting 5 years ago (1920x1200 @ 17"). I have one from 2009 and it continues to be a joy.

You still to this day can't buy a 17" 1080p monitor. LCDs are still behind my 15-year-old CRT.

Re: Pixel Perfect

#140

Post by accountoftheday »

stinnyfregs wrote: post #139
frou_dh wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's incorrect. MBPs were available with better density than your figure starting 5 years ago (1920x1200 @ 17"). I have one from 2009 and it continues to be a joy.

You still to this day can't buy a 17" 1080p monitor. LCDs are still behind my 15-year-old CRT.

my old T61p's 1920x1200 15.4" panel disagrees.
Post reply on HN